ALICANTE PROS AND CONS | Costa Blanca, Spain| Could we live here long term?

Maybe the last mall you describe is Plaza Mar 2 and the huge store is Alcampo, it's like a carrefour, a nice way to move in Alicante is the bus line 23, the blue one, he takes you from Muxamel to Oscar Espla last stop where the bus station and the train station are close to each other just in opposite directions. Usually traveling in bus to Benidorm for example by bus is really fast, much more than the Tram, you have a bus every hour so is very flexible. If any of you have questions I'm a local so you can ask me anything.

I am also an American so I was intrigued at your video. After numerous vacations to the Alicante area, I fell in love with the region, the people, and the culture and bought a home and am now a full time resident. While the beach and downtown Alicante are amazing spots to hang out, I deliberately chose not to live very close to the coast for the reason you stated that it might be too big. Size is not the issue. Crowding during the height of the tourist season is. Parking is a nightmare. Alicante is a tourist destination and you will find lots of mixtures of language and culture, a real positive for some people that don't want to learn the language and immerse themselves, but a bit of a negative for those that want to truly feel at home here. I wanted a home in a more traditional area with some space around it and found it near the town of Tibi which is about a 20 minute easy drive to Alicante and the coast. It is up a bit in the mountains so a bit milder in the summer. My villa, which was immensely affordable, is nestled into an urbanization among the pines. My neighbors are mostly Spanish but there are also British, Dutch, and German expats. I am taking free Spanish classes in the nearby town of Castalla. The main attraction to me is the amazing people here. I hope you find your dream somewhere in the world. Spain is a wonderful possibility.

I enjoyed watching your Alicante Pros and Cons as I grew up in Alicante. In answer to one of your questions : summer time is different as many locals go live at their summer home in the Playa San Juan or other beaches. The cruises, as in any city that hosts them, bring in thousands upon thousands of tourists, but they tend to congregate in the old part of town, las ramblas and so forth. By your description, it seems like you guys were staying around the casco viejo (I could be wrong) but at night time, that is the trendy bar area. I've always said that I see more people out at night than I do during the day. EVERYONE is out, young ones, parents with their kids and their grandparents - it's truly a family centered culture. If you stayed in the same spot in the summer, you would notice the quiet difference. I loved your pro on the central market - it's one of my favs too. I no longer live in Alicante, but I do miss it for it's easy way of life and all the outdoor outings in the surrounding areas. The province of Alicante has lovely smaller quaint towns that might be closer to the size you are looking for - that are also on the water AND have a marina. Good luck on your search around Spain 🇪🇸

Alicante is a beautiful city. Friendly locals, easy to get around, great cafe's and spotlessly clean. Looking forward to returning when things return to normal. Highly recommend.

In my experience after living here for 6 years, I have never felt unsafe anywhere in Spain.

Another well done video - Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Alicante. The pros you describe certainly outweigh the cons, for us. Now we are looking forward to our spring 2022 trip to Alicante with even more excitement! Best of luck with wherever you are planning to go next.

Hi guys, thank you both for the wonderful video. I'm Canadian who's been living in Germany for over 22 years, but I'm kinda fed up with the northern German weather and maybe also with people, who tend to be pretty stiff and humorless, so I've been thinking of moving to Alicante in a couple of years. I checked home prices and rent, and found out that I can really afford to live there, much cheaper than Barcelona and Valencia. adiós

Hi : You guys are great, thank you for being so nice and sharing all these experiences with us I am constantly watching different videos of travelling since that is our plan too in the near future. I really like that your videos are precise, go to the point, great tips, and not excessively long like others I have watched. Thank you and keep enjoying life!

Just returned from my First trip to Spain and Alicante was where I spent most of my time as my daughter has lived there for four years. I miss it so much I love that town we had such a good time and everything you said is so true I can’t wait to get back there again just found you guys and subscribe so looking forward to all your travels ciao

Great overview, guys. Really informative. Thanks for putting this together.

Another great video guys, Alicante is one of the many many places on our travel list so we'll definitely come back and watch your recommendations again before we get there.

Hi Brian and Carrie. I just returned from a short break to Alicante. It was our first time and it was great to recognize all the places you showed in the video. My family and I stayed at the San Juan beach and went a few times to the centre of Alicante. Public transport is easy and connection is very good and cheap indeed.

Thanks guys! This is a great video. I'm in the USA, looking forward to retirement in Spain. Alicante is the city that I've preselected and decided that in 2023 I'm going to spend some time here to get a better sense of things. I was in Alicante 3 weeks ago and loved it. Your pros and cons aligned with mine pretty well. Thanks again

Brian Your voice and tone and ease of talking, is so relaxing and calming and easy to listen to. It’s not sporadic or rushed and anxious Thank you

Awwwhhh! That little B & C logo at the beginning of the video is adorable! Good job!

I have lived in Gran Alicant, about 20 minutes south of the city, for a year now. Gran Alicant is peaceful and rather dull, but it is a 50-minute bus ride to town. I love exploring the city, and it really is very safe and affordable!

This is a great video to introduce me to Alicante. Totally gave me a different view to my idea of it

My husband and I are planning to retire in Spain as well. He has family in Zaragoza but it gets really cold in winter. I was all sold on Malaga but you guys have made me rethink about maybe heading to Alicante. We plan to rent Airbnb in cities we are researching for at least two weeks and go from there. Thanks for all the great information you share.

Great videos! Bocairent , Guadalest, Vilafamest all in Valencia and historic small towns with castles 🏰

Thank you both, Brian and Carrie, for an excellent video. We are retired educators planning on visiting southern Spain in the fall to look for our next home. Although our search has been virtual so far, it seems that the southern coastal area of Spain fits our needs and wants better than other countries. This area looks beautiful. We love a walkable and accessible city, and Valencia, Alicante, Torrevieja, and the towns along the coast. Gracias! Dean & Cindy