Costa Blanca Norte
Villajoyosa
35,000 habitantes · 32 km de Alicante
Villajoyosa — La Vila Joiosa in Valencian — is one of the most authentic enclaves of the Costa Blanca: a thousand-year-old fishing village with a historic centre painted in colours that is a trademark in itself, the Spanish capital of chocolate (the Valor factory has been operating uninterruptedly since 1881) and home to one of the cleanest urban beaches in the Mediterranean, Playa Centro, awarded the Blue Flag.
The real estate market revolves around Playa Centro and Playa de la Cala: modern apartments in first and second line (average price €220,000–€450,000), rehabilitated flats in the old town with unique character (€180,000–€350,000) and penthouses with terrace in new-build residential complexes. The villa offer is limited compared to other municipalities.
The great differentiator is connectivity by TRAM (light rail): direct Alicante-Benidorm-Altea link without a car, 25 operational stations. This makes Villajoyosa a unique option for those seeking a coastal second home with minimal vehicle dependence. The expat community is more balanced (not monopolised by one nationality), with notable presence of Spaniards moving from Madrid and northern Spain.
Metros² medios
90 m²
Precio medio
2.850 €/m²
Rentabilidad alquiler
5,9% anual
Por qué Villajoyosa
- Casco antiguo con casas pintadas en colores: uno de los pueblos más bonitos de España
- Capital del chocolate (Valor, fábrica desde 1881)
- Tranvía TRAM directo Alicante-Benidorm — sin dependencia del coche
Inhabitants
35,000
Price/m²
2,100 €
Airport
35 km
Sunny days
325/year
The colorful town with the best chocolate in Spain
Villajoyosa (La Vila Joiosa in Valencian, 'the joyful town') is famous for two things: its brightly painted houses in the historic center (Cultural Heritage Site) and chocolate. It is home to Chocolates Valor since 1881 and four other historic factories. This authentic fishing village has a daily fish market. With 35,000 registered inhabitants, it features the public regional hospital Marina Baixa, the central beach (Bandera Azul) right in the heart of the town, and long beaches of Paraíso and Bol Nou to the south. There is a direct TRAM connection to Benidorm (10 min) and Alicante (50 min). An Arab castle sits atop the hill. The Moros y Cristianos festival in July is one of the most spectacular in Spain, recognized as an International Tourist Interest Festival with a landing on the beach at dawn.
Who is Villajoyosa for?
Villajoyosa attracts those seeking authentic fishing culture alongside urban services. It has a medium British and German expat community, as well as Spanish families from Madrid/Valencia with second homes. Prices remain reasonable compared to the premium North Costa Blanca, but are rising quickly.
International community
~26% of the registered population is foreign.
Top nationalities
Services and education
International schools
- • Lope de Vega International (Benidorm, 5 min)
- • Costa Blanca International (10 min)
Hospitals
- • Hospital Marina Baixa (public, regional reference)
- • Clinica Benidorm (private, 10 min)
- • Hospital IMED Levante (10 min)
Supermarkets
- • Mercadona
- • Lidl
- • Aldi
- • neighborhood supermarkets in the historic center
Lifestyle
Featured beaches
- • Playa Centro (Bandera Azul, promenade)
- • Playa Paraíso
- • Playa Bol Nou
- • Cala Tio Ximo
Iconic restaurants
- • Casa Modesto
- • El Brunet
- • Las Marinas
- • Seafood cuisine from the fish market
Leisure and activities
Historic center Cultural Heritage Site (colorful houses), Castillo de la Vila, Chocolates Valor Museum, Moros y Cristianos in July, Marina Vila Joiosa marina, patron saint festivities with landings, direct TRAM to Benidorm.
Real estate investment
Colorful house in the historic center (renovated): €220,000-380,000. Modern apartment facing the beach: €180,000-300,000. Villa in the Paraíso urbanization: €400,000-700,000. The market is on the rise due to proximity to Benidorm without the overcrowding.
Average rental yield: 5.5-7% gross rental yield for tourist rentals
Price trend: +13% last 3 years
Pros and cons
Pros
- + Unique historic center (colorful houses BIC)
- + Authentic fishing village with life 365 days a year
- + Close to Benidorm without the overcrowding
- + Regional hospital in the municipality
- + Spectacular Moros y Cristianos festivals
To consider
- − Small central beach (3km to larger beaches)
- − Historic center with narrow streets — difficult parking
- − Somewhat uncontrolled urban growth to the south
- − Traffic congestion in July (Moros y Cristianos)
Villajoyosa vs Benidorm
Villajoyosa is the authentic Benidorm without the towers. They share climate and services, but Villajoyosa preserves its historic fishing center. Similar prices (€2,100 vs €2,400/m²).
Propiedades activas en Villajoyosa
APARTAMENTO
735,000 €
132 m²
APARTAMENTO
681,750 €
167 m²
PISO
357,000 €
85 m²
VILLA
675,000 €
206 m²
APARTAMENTO
340,000 €
106 m²
PISO
423,000 €
108 m²