Have you ever been to Alcoy Spain?
It is a university city in the province of Alicante in south eastern Spain.
Alcoy is an inland town, where you will find a pure Spanish atmosphere.
Are you looking for Spanish town full of tradition?
Alcoy is the right place 
Before we start… Yours Free
Spain 101 is a free ebook full of unique tips that will save you thousands of Euros when moving to / living in Spain.
Would you like to get it now?
Please click / tap on the image below:
Where is Alcoy?
The city of Alcoy is around one hour driving time from the nearest international airports of Alicante and Valencia.
The industrial city is located in the foothills to the north of the city of Alicante at the confluence of two head-streams of the Serpis River inland from the resorts of the Costa Blanca,
(Alcoy Spain – Google Maps)
It is a similar distance away from the popular resorts of Javea, Altea and Calpe.
History of Alcoy Spain?
The history of the area around Alcoy dates back several centuries having been first settled during the Iberian era from the 6th until the 1st centuries BC, this was followed by the arrival of the Romans.
At that time it was known as “Alcoyll” and named after a city in what is today Tunisia.
(View from the air – Alcoy Spain)
A strategically placed castle positioned over the Serpis River was constructed by James I of Aragon in 1256 to help protect the southern frontier of the then Kingdom of Valencia.
During the War of Spanish Succession, siding with Archduke Charles, Alcoy was besieged and stripped of numerous privileges which saw a period of decline until the Industrial Revolution during the First Spanish Republic (1873-1874) saw a return to some level of prosperity.
General Information about Alcoy
Alcoy (also spelt as Alcoi) is one of the most beautiful towns near Alicante.
There are around 61,000 residents in the city of Alcoy, with around 10% of that figure being expats, with several expats choosing to live here this contributes to the economy of the local area.
A little further to the south are the resorts of Torrevieja, Guardamar and Santa Pola.
Alcoy is known as the “city of bridges” due to the number of bridges crossing the rivers of the Molinar, Serpis and Barxell, and locals here are known as Alcoyanos.
(Puente de San Jordi – Alcoy Spain)
The city of Benidorm is only 1 hour away.
The local economy does not rely solely on tourism but on the textile, food, paper and metal industries.
Located at the foot of the Serra Mariola and Font Roja Natural Parks, Alcoy is a rail terminus with a royal textile industry first established in the year 1800, and the location of the first industrial school in Spain.
The paper industry includes paper for the manufacture of cigarettes, packaging for foodstuffs in addition to metalworking and agriculture.
UK citizens have to apply for a visa to live in Spain long-term (more than 90 days), you may want to explore the non-lucrative visa Spain.
What is the Weather like in Alcoy?
Spring in Alcoy is considered moderate with average high temperatures of around 25C and lows of 18C, a bit colder than Elche.
Rainfall is rare during this season with possibly one or two days of rain per month.
Summer lasting from June through to August has average highs of 33C and night time temperatures rarely falling below 22C, with an average rainfall of less than one day per month.
The autumn season extends through to November with average highs of 30C and lows of 17C with the addition of humidity and light winds making for this season being the most pleasant time of year in Alcoy.
Rainfall is slightly higher at up to four days per month.
Winter in Alcoy, from December through to February can be a bit cold for people who prefer a warmer climate with average highs of 19C and low temperatures averaging at around 16C, with rainfall occuring on average around 1 or 2 days per month.
What Architecture can be seen in Alcoy?
Alcoy is full of architectural beauty, as the city of Orihuela.
There are ruins of an Iberian settlement, cave paintings dating back more than 60,000 years and pottery fragments dating from the Greco-Roman era.
The best examples of architecture are the Archaeological Museum, the reconstructed 16th century convent of Sant Agusti with paintings of that period and the Valencian Baroque Catholic Church of Santa Maria.
The area was home to some rural villas constructed during the Roman occupation and Modernist style buildings built during the industrial revolution.
An Art Deco bridge is a fine example of the city as it expanded across the rivers that wind their way through this region.
Gastronomy
Alcoy is regarded as being the home of some of the best tapas in Spain, if not the world.
It is home to the Serpis olives and the history of this dish is best discovered in the Serpis museum.
This style of tapas is olives stuffed with anchovies.
The museum offers guided tours of the factory from a raised walkway over the production area.
The museum shop sells other local delicacies including olives, liquors and pate.
How much does it cost to rent or buy property in Alcoy?
The cost of purchasing property in the city of Alcoy is remarkably cheap with numerous properties of varying size available for well under 20,000 Euros, some ready to move in, some in need of repair.
Two and three bedroomed houses cost from around 25,000 Euros to in excess of 80,000.
Detached homes are generally in excess of 100,000 Euros.
Long term rentals in Alcoy cost from less than 300 Euros per month for apartments and from 600-800 Euros per month for detached homes.
What are the most Interesting Attractions I should visit in Alcoy?
Walking and hiking
Alcoy is surrounded by natural beauty in its mountains with two natural parks located just outside the city.
The parks of La Font Roja and Mariola offer some spectacular scenery ideal for those wishing to get close to nature through a walking or hiking tour.
The area is very reminiscent of that of the French region of Provence or the Tuscany region of Italy.
The natural parks are famed for their variety of aromatic plants that are used for medicinal purposes and to make a fiery liqueur known as hierbas.
Festivals
The biggest annual fiesta in Alcoy is its Moors and Christians celebration which takes place every year from April 21st until the 24th.
Alcoy claims its festival is the greatest Moros y Christianos festival across Spain and commemorates the battle of Battle of Alcoy in 1275.
Plaza España
Walking around the city and viewing its attractions is best from the Plaza España with its exhibition space of the Llotja de Sant Jordi.
Also, you will see here the Santa Maria Church with its impressively painted ceiling and the Casa Consistorial or town hall built in a Neoclassical style with sculptures and paintings by local artists.
From here the Old Medieval Town in the Placeta del Carbo is a short walk containing ancient squares, a church known as Pintor Casanova and several old buildings some containing beautiful balconies.
Christmas in Alcoy
Christmas celebrations in Alcoy extend for more than a month from the beginning of December when the Betlem de Tiristi nativity scene marks the official arrival of Christmas with a display by puppets.
Another tradition towards the end of the festivities is Las Pastoretes which takes place on the Sunday before the 5th of January.
Children are dressed as shepherds and dance while distributing candy along a parade route. This ceremony dates back to 1889.
In front of the Santa Maria Church a large nativity scene is set up which contains a throne in which a giant king sits. Children climb onto the lap of this king to have their photos taken.
The festivities officially end on the 5th of January when the parade of the Three Kings takes place, it is considered to be one of the world’s oldest processions.
The three kings arrive on camels, followed by hundreds of musicians, torch bearers and shepherds.
Page boys have long ladders and climb onto the balconies to deliver presents to children.
The Casal de Nadal is a museum connected to the Christmas celebrations of Alcoy and well worth a visit.
Yours Free
Spain 101 is a free ebook full of unique tips that will save you thousands of Euros when moving to / living in Spain.
Would you like to get your copy now?
Please click / tap on the image below:
If you would like to read about other important points for living / moving to Spain, here are other useful articles we wrote:
