As northern Europe sinks into grey, damp days, no small number of people pack the essentials and head south to sit out the worst of winter. Here they call it invernada — wintering — and on Orihuela Costa it has been the done thing for years now: British, German, Nordic and, each season more, French visitors settle in for the cold months and eat lunch in the sun while it snows back home. If a long stay this winter has crossed your mind, here’s what’s worth knowing.
Orihuela Costa’s winter microclimate
Southern Alicante boasts one of the finest winters in Europe, and the numbers spell out why: at night the thermometer seldom dips below 10 °C, while in the midday sun reaching 17–18 °C is routine — plenty to eat on the terrace in the depths of January. Sheltered from the cold inland winds and free of heavy industry, the area enjoys clean air and light for most of the day. We unpack it in our piece on winter sun on Orihuela Costa, but the idea fits in one line: here, winter plays out like a stretched-out spring.
Services open year-round
A long winter stay only works if the destination doesn’t shut up shop out of season — and this one doesn’t. You’ll find supermarkets, health centres, pharmacies, the province’s largest shopping centre a step away, markets every week and restaurants still serving even as the crowds thin. Settle in for a few months and you won’t be reaching for the car on every errand: the essentials are close by. And when the body wants out, there are seafront walks, golf and padel a few minutes away, and inland villages ready for a getaway any morning.
Things to do across a multi-month stay
Winter here is no invitation to stay shut indoors. Mornings lend themselves to the coastal promenade that strings together much of the area’s beaches — for many it’s a daily ritual. Others seize the moment to take up golf again, with green fees gentler than in August, or get hooked on padel games. The weekly market ends up a fixed weekend date, and the pink salt lakes of Torrevieja or the inland villages lend themselves to unhurried outings. It’s that slow tempo that feels so good after a year against the clock.
What to check in a winter rental
Over a long season the accommodation is everything: room to breathe, natural light and a place where you actually live rather than just sleep. Before you book, ask how the home is heated — many coastal properties are built for summer, and January nights hover around 10 °C — which way the terrace faces, whether there’s a washing machine and reliable wifi, and what the price includes: electricity, water, cleaning. And look at what’s within walking distance, supermarket and pharmacy included: over a stay of months it matters more than a sea view.
And Villa Capitan?
We let Villa Capitan in season only, from June to October; in winter the house rests and we don’t offer it for winter stays. If a winter trip wins you over to the area, it’s the place to come back to when the warm weather arrives: 300 m² over three floors with three en-suite bedrooms, a fireplace lounge, a study and a Bosch kitchen, plus a private pool with hydromassage and two saunas — Turkish and wood-fired — tucked among the Villamartín golf courses, about a ten-minute drive from the beach. It sleeps up to six, with a seven-night minimum, a €200 end-of-stay cleaning fee and no tourist tax; rates vary by month.
You book directly with the owner, with no platform commission and personal contact in your own language before, during and after your stay. Write to us with your summer or autumn dates and we’ll tell you what’s available: Orihuela Costa has been the well-kept secret of those who know where winter is best spent for decades now — and summer too.
Updated on 10 October 2026
