Is ALICANTE Spain's winter paradise?

Winter in Alicante? Worth it? Yoly and I head to the cradle of Spanish sun and sand tourism to find out! Venga, let’s go!

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WHO ARE WE? 🥝
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Hola, Spain lovers! We're James and Yoly. James is a New Zealander, and Yoly is from Spain. And we both live in Madrid. This channel is all about giving you a local insight into life in Spain, and helping you experience this country like a local when you come to visit (or live!). If that sounds like your kind of thing, bienvenido!

⏩ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:46 The road to Altea
03:36 Exploring Altea
06:18 Our paella lunch
09:28 Benidorm, baby!
13:10 Sierra Gelada National Park
14:57 Bodegas Enrique Mendoza
17:17 Guadelest

*This description contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you use them 🙏🏻

[spainrevealed]

Hello Spain lovers! Hope you like the vid. Anyone else got a favourite winter retreat in Spain? Let us know below! 🌞👇🏽

[AdventureElliot]

Hi James, I can attest that the Costa de Sol is night and day difference with weather. Madrid winters can be really frustrating and bipolar. One year ago we were still scraping ice off the streets and cleaning up broken branches everywhere from Filomena. Here in Málaga, I hardly wear a big jacket or scarf anymore, I go hiking 2-3 times a week, and I fall in love more and more with this part of Andalucía each and every day. It’s an adjustment moving from Madrid to here at first, but it’s easily one of the best places to live in Spain, if not the world. Hope you enjoy your stay down in this part of Spain, saludos.

[valsainking]

James, your passion for the history of your adopted country is palpable and inspiring. The Spanish Tourism Board should issue a commemorative coin with your likeness on it. Love your vlog. By the way, a well-deserved 'enhorabuena' to you and Yoly for the birth of beautiful baby Lucia! You two must be so happy. Many blessings to your wonderful Kiwi-Spanish family.

[John-vdcd]

Ok the Spanish tourism board needs to start sponsoring you guys cos I've traveled around Spain and never been interested in Alicante, until this video lol I'm on Airbnb as we speak!

[bkm]

So happy to see you back, and Lucia is so cute! It's true having a baby in tow is a real challenge, and it's amazing how you don't miss a step showing us how professional you are, and we still feel like family. Keep doing what you do!

[JonBogdanove]

One of your best videos! Watching you guys cope with travelling as a family instead of a couple actually boosts your appeal and grounds your experiences in a stronger sense of reality.

[Emy]

The museum looks interesting. That ocean view had to be magnificent. Love how sunny it is in January. I love sitting in the sun in winter.

[rhianhead]

Great video - we love the Southern Costa Blanca area, with its long coastal walks, especially outside July/ August and we visit our apartment there as often as Brexit regulations and COVID allow. Alicante city is beautiful, and we love the natural parks and salt lakes south of Alicante - especially to see the flamingoes.

[jaretos]

Me encantan sus vídeos, me transmiten mucha felicidad auténtica y relajación. Me encanta ver la pasión que tiene James por España, ¡igual que yo! Es muy ameno ver estos vídeos. Un forte abrazo!

[manuelenriquegomezgarcia]

7 years ago we bought a small bungalow in the north outskirts of Alicante City (cabo de Huertas) and was probably one of the best decisions in our life. Of course we vacation there all summers, but certainly we enjoy going there any other season during the whole year. Just 4 hours by car (only 2, 5 hours by train, with public transport granted from door to door), makes quite easy to travel there from Madrid any weekend. Visiting Alicante during winter, autumn or spring time is much more relaxing then in summer, good weather is almost granted (not always, last time we travelled there last November we had “levante” windy conditions, a kind of strong wind that comes from the sea side with high degree of humidity resulting very unpleasant, but is not very frequent fortunately). We have enjoyed swimming in “calas” close to Alicante in November or March, and used sun tun creams in December. Places like Altea, Benidorm, Guadalest, Calpe or Alicante city, so crowded in summer time, are delicious to be walked at off peak seasons, and of course no mention to how easy is to find a good place to enjoy fantastic “gourmet experiences” in all kind of restaurants which result totally inaccesible in summer (fully booked). Alicante coast is a very nice place to live, and I hope to retire there and switch my leisure plans: to live in Alicante and travel to Madrid on weekends for living its stunning cultural and social life…. but just the weekends..!!!

[chuche]

We are coming to Spain in about 2 months! Your videos are very inspiring and so much fun 2 watch. Your family is beautiful and don't worry it gets much easier. I can't wait 2 get 2 Spain and see where my ancestors came from some 500 yrs ago!. Keep up the great work!!

[raycrou]

This is lovely. My first choice would have been Malaga. I can't deal with that heat in summer but it would be great to see in winter. Alicante looks great too. I'd really love to experience that too. Thanks for this vlog James.

[cathyhughes]

We visited Altea and it was beautiful. I still remember the smell of jasmine.
We stayed in Alicante Town for 4 nights in November and loved there for a winter break. Cathy and Kevs x

[IcelandicNativecitywalk]

I swear, Alicante is indeed a paradise. I was there few days ago.

[blurayffan]

Go 50km south into Orihuela Costa and its also a hot semi-arid climate... but a little warmer than Alicante City. Tomorrow it will be 23c- January 31st. Alicante City is lovely. I drive up there once a forthnight on a Sunday for a coffee and a wander around town.

[KamilaAnnaBakowskaMartinez]

Graciaaaas! Vivo en Elche (cerca de Alicante) y la tienda rusa en Altea resulta tener productos polacos, por lo que veo en el video. Y como soy polaca 🇵🇱 y echo de menos mi comida... te lo agradezco! Iré a esta tienda en cuanto pueda. Un saludo enorme desde el palmeral de Elche.

[stevenwilder]

Stayed in benidorm 4 years ago, I found in benidorm you can experience complete opposites, either quiet times or mental times. visited Altea for a day and loved it. Cant wait to return

[sarahcumming]

James, Yoli and Lucia thanks for another great video. I was fortunate to have recently spent 5 weeks in Benidorm and over the years have made trips to Bodega Enrique Mendoza, Guadalest and the Waterfalls at Algar. My favourite pass time is to lose myself in the meandering streets of Old Town Benidorm, eating Tapas and practicing my limited Spanish on unsuspecting locals. Balcony del Mediteraneo at sunset is breathtaking. I've only been home 2 weeks and pining to go back. 7 weeks and counting...

[billb]

Hi James, Yoli y Lucia many thanks for your videos. I'm 76 and have been going to Spain for 40 years and still interested to see more. Keep up the good work and remember - you will soon get beyond changing nappies!!

[soggymoggytravels]

The daytime weather on the Costa Blanca is perfect in winter!