Costa Blanca.

The Costa Blanca is the coastline of the province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community. It runs from Dénia and Jávea in the north to Pilar de la Horadada in the south, with Alicante-Elche airport in the middle.

The market has two distinct halves. The north, around Jávea, Moraira, Benissa, Calpe and Altea, is hilly, with villas on the slopes above coves and marinas. The south, around Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, Rojales, Ciudad Quesada and Algorfa, is flatter, with golf resorts and new-build communities.

In between, Benidorm, Finestrat, Polop and La Nucía combine a high-rise beach town with quieter inland villages. A purchase follows the Spanish process: an NIE, a deed signed before a notary and registration in the Land Registry. Purchase taxes are set by the Valencian Community, so check the current rates with your own lawyer before you buy.