Living in Finestrat Spain: The Definitive Guide

Finestrat Spain

The village of Finestrat Spain is a mountain village which has its own beach.

The beach in question is shared by two other municipalities

In just fifteen minute drive from the village centre, you will enjoy a relaxing hour or two while soaking up the sun :-)

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Where is Finestrat Spain?

Finestrat is located just 8km from the busy resort city of Benidorm in Alicante province.

It is just 40km to the regional capital of Alicante city, and 50km from the nearest international airport of Alicante-Elche.

Located at 267 metres above sea level, Finestrat’s location close to the A7 Mediterranean motorway provides the village with great connections across Spain and Europe.

In addition, the N332 national road leads south to Alicante city,  Santa Pola, Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa, while to the north are the towns and cities of Denia.

Finestrat Spain map

(Finestrat Spain – Google Maps)

Other resorts in the area include GuardamarOrihuela City and La Marina.

Around one hour away, you will find the towns:

You will love Finestrat Spain :-)

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What is the History of Finestrat?

The earliest evidence of human settlement in the area were prehistoric hunter gatherers during the Paleolithic era, using local caves of the surrounding mountains for shelter.

The natural passageway through the mountains meant the earliest farmers of the region had to arrive into the area through what is now Finestrat Spain.

The ancient Iberians left their mark here, as did the Romans, where evidence of their culture can be found around the castle grounds.

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General Information about Finestrat Spain

The inland village of Finestrat was given its beach by the government of Spain as a thank you to the generations of its inhabitants helping to save the area from attacks by pirates.

The village itself hugs the side of Puig Campana, the highest mountain in the area which offers fantastic views towards the coast and inland.

Many of the villages traditional houses have a Moorish influence with many being colourfully painted.

In recent decades Finestrat Spain has seen considerable development particularly in luxurious residential areas with low-rise villa complexes, apartments, and townhouses.

Finestrat Spain Centre

(Campoamor – Orihuela Costa Spain)

More than 40% of the villages almost 6,500 residents are from other European countries.

Market day is held twice weekly, every Tuesday and Saturday.

The historical city of Cartagena is almost 2 hours away.

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What is the Weather like in Finestrat?

The climate here is a Mediterranean one with cooling breezes off the sea during the summer months, and protected by the mountains from the cold northerly winds during winter.

You can expect more than 3000 hours of sunshine annually and an annual average temperature of slightly above 20C.

The climate in Finestrat Spain is  regarded as one of the world’s best, neither too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter, with around 325 sunny days per year on average it is an ideal all year round location.

August is the hottest month with an average of 25C and January the coldest with an average of 10C (warmer than Alcoy).

January is also the wettest month with around 13 rainy days, with the month of July being the driest with just 4 days of rain on average.

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What Architecture can be seen in Finestrat Spain?

For a relatively small settlement there is an abundance of architecture to be seen here with the historic old town built on the site of castle.

The narrow streets of the old town are full of historic houses which have been respectfully preserved.

Streets of Finestrat Spain

(Narrow streets in Finestrat Spain)

The Baroque style of the Church of San Bartolome dates from the 17th century with some hints of Neoclassical styling in the façade.

The area of El Castell, the highest elevation of the village hosts the fortified castle, and the tower known locally simply as La Torre was built during the Almohad era of the 12th century.

There is not as much history in Finestrat Spain as in Guadalest, you will love to live here :-)

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Gastronomy

The cuisine of Finestrat is similar to certain areas of Costa Blanca.

Because of its high percentage of international residents, you can also easily find plenty of international flavours including British, Asian, Italian and Mediterranean.

Local dishes include plenty of seafood and fish options as well as bar food such as tapas.

Paella is a local delicacy from this region of Spain and another option not to be missed, similar to Villajoyosa.

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How much does it cost to rent or buy property in Finestrat?

With the number of homes available here being somewhat limited this is reflected in the high prices.

For one bed, one bath apartments in Finestrat Spain expect to pay from 80,000 Euros.

With two bed apartments starting from 90,000 Euros.

There are also some studio apartments priced from over 100,000 Euros, so it is certainly worth your time in shopping around for such an investment.

Terraced hoses are priced from 300,000 Euros.

Detached homes begin at 600,000 Euros.

Rental properties are also very limited, one agent I checked had just six long term rental properties available starting from 650 Euros per month for a one bed apartment and that was only available during the winter months.

A two-bed village house was available for 900 Euros per month and other properties were priced in excess of 1000 Euros per month.

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What are the most Interesting Attractions I should visit in Finestrat?

Gran Hotel Bali

This is the tallest hotel in Europe at 52 floors in height and has a viewing platform that is open to non-residents.

It costs 2.50 Euros for residents and 6 Euros for non-residents.

From the viewing platform you can see all the way to Calpe, across all of Benidorm, and the surrounding area.

La Ermita

Located at the end of Potiente beach on top of a hill is the Hermitage of the Virgin of the Sea.

The small hermitage houses the image of the Virgin of the Sea, complete with a child in his arms.

The image is responsible for protecting sailors while out at sea.

The viewpoint offers views across to the island of Sierra Helada, the mountain of Puig Campana behind the village of Finestrat Spain as well as the entire bay area of Benidorm.

Tossal de la Cala

These archaeological remains date from the 1st century BC and while excavations continue the plan is to create a fantastic outdoor museum of the uncovering of the Roman site of Castellum.

The site is currently open seven days a week offering guided tours on reservation in advance.

Tours are available from Monday to Friday from 8am until 8.30pm, and at weekends from 9am until 6pm.

Beach

Finestrat’s beach, known as La Cala Finestrat belongs to three municipalities and is just three kilometres froim the busy resort city of Benidorm.

The beach itself is a clean golden sandy one, ideal for children and safe for swimming.

The beach area has plenty of cafes and restaurants, and while the beach gets busy during the height of summer it is not as busy as the beaches found in Benidorm.

Finestrat Spain beach

Watchtower of l’Aguilo

Built in the 1500s, the tower was built to help protect the coastline from pirates from North Africa.

The tower was manned by soldiers who gave warning by lighting signal fires to warn of any incoming ships.

Visitors today can access the tower through a metal staircase after a period of modernization.

Golf Courses

There are several golf courses in the area with the Real Faula course attracting golfers all year round.

A magnificent new course has opened close to Finestrat, the Puig Campana Golf Course offers 18 holes and magnificent views while you complete your round of golf.

La Font Del Moli

This is an important water source for the village where 20 litres of water are pumped every second through its 15 pipes.

It is also the starting point for hikes to Puig Campana.

At 1410 metres high it is one of the features of the Costa Blanca, from the top you can gain fantastic views across the region.

Finestrat’s Old Town

The old town of Finestrat is full of delightful squares and some amazing architecture.

The squares or plazas are the Plaza de la Unio Europea and is located next to the cultural centre.

The historic Church of Saint Bertomeu is located on the Plaza del Poble in the heart of the Old Town and you will find murals here created by fine arts students.

The tiny square of La Placeta is located a short walk from the current Town Hall, while the former town hall once stood on the site of one of Finestrat’s newest plazas, the Plaza del Antiguo Ayuntamiento.

It is finished with a design of cobblestones to create an older look than it is in reality.

Located across from the Puig Campana public school, the plaza known as La Glorieta is a crossroads in the old town, while La Fonteta is surrounded by several restaurants you may to try.

La Torreta is a busy plaza with the main entrance to the church of Saint Bertomeu, as well as an entrance to the town hall, located in the heart of the old town, there are several sculpted chairs that make this an ideal spot to sit and watch your surroundings.

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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:

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