What's it like to live full-time in the region of Playa Flameca?

it would be good to know about living near Playa Flameca, especially near the coast, as a permanent resident. Is there anything to do in the winter? Any good restaurants, places to meet other people etc?

We're staying in Playa Flamenca this winter. Have stayed Spring and Autumn and it was very busy. But let you what winter like soon.

Rubbish. Windtalker is speaking of his particular piece and obviously knows nothing of other parts. Yes, many of the tourist bits can get deadly in the winter. I live on the Costas (or close by) and it's a thriving, all year round town. It has a very large expat population (Brits, German, Scandinavian, French and many others) but is always going.

Playa Flamenca has many permanent residents. You are very close to Zenia Boulevard which is busy all year round and the night life there is truly 365 days a year (restaurants, bars, a casino and many things going on in the main courtyard).

Yes, some places close for their holidays in January or February (after being open al summer) but there is still plenty going on.

Instead of getting the misinformed information this site is now renowned for, try one of the Torrevieja expat chat sites and get the information from those who actually live there.

See what I mean about misinformed? A big shopping mall downstairs, full of restaurants and bars upstairs. Let alone the casino and the many bars and restaurants outside. There are many such places around, the Nuevo Centro in Valencia, for example. The Habaneras Centre in Torrevieja is also open all year round.

I won't comment on camposol because I only know about it from what I read on here (although I understand it is a purpose built complex which does become dead in the winter) but Torrevieja has a full time population of around 100,000 (making it bigger than Benidorm) with up to 500,000 in the summer. Orihuela Costa (which encompasses Playa Flamenca) has a full time population of around 30,000, again increasing by loads in the Summer. Both areas cater for a full time population plus the huge increase in the summer.

Plenty going on and, yes, some places do close in the Winter (bit silly having a beach hut open in February).

The places that I have visited in both spring/summer and autum/winter are very different from one season to another, notably the evenings/nights were very cold in autum/winter. Some places do close for the winter, beach bars/cafes can be found barred and shuttered, areas like the Mijas Costa are quiet in spring and early summer let alone in autum/winter, apartment shutters are down and there are very few cars in the parking areas. I recall spending a week in Albir in December, it was all but closed down, Altea was not much better, but having said that I wouldn't expect any holiday resort to be the same all year round, IMHO the towns and villages where the indigenous population live and work are the places to visit in winter, if I were buying I would seriously consider these.

We lived in Orihuela Costa for some time though not in Playa Flamenca. The place has come on in leaps and bounds since we moved some 8 years ago (a holiday flat and we wanted a house a bit inland).

We still go there quite often and there are thriving communities all around. Some bars and restaurants do close in the Winter but not that many. The boulevard at La Zenia is brilliant and the bars etc stay open until midnight all year round. Loads of kiddy play parks as well.

Just be careful with some of the property because some streets get pretty flooded when the rains come (on the beach side of the N332) and some properties were put up by a cowboy builder although there are some excellently built ones there as well. Apart from the Boulevard, there are other centres with lots of all year round nightlife but tend to be away from the beach in Winter. A very good bus service to Torrevieja and beyond with loads of really good nightlife and discos (am I showing my age there?) open to all hours of the morning. Every type of restaurant you can think of from cheap to dead swanky. Playa Flamenca does tend to cater for tourists more but the full time population is increasing all the time. I think almost half who live there are non-Spanish so you can see why. The

Busy from Easter right through to October. You may be glad of being able to get a table without booking in between.

it would be good to know about living near Playa Flameca, especially near the coast, as a permanent resident. Is there anything to do in the winter? Any good restaurants, places to meet other people etc?

I own 3 houses just up the road from Playa Flamenca, I presume thats where you mean and haven't spelt it wrong...Anyway, I think it's a fabulous place to be, summer or winter and although I haven't lived in the place 52 weeks of the year I have visited and stayed for weeks on end in summer / Autumn / winter and spring and over Christmas / New year time.

One Christmas for the whole 3 weeks we had in excess of 70 in the heat, nice eve's, heating on indoors, we went to where Bobaol lives and had to get out of the heat outside the cafe while eating, I sat on the beach Christmas Eve watching the sun set, shorts and very light top.

Many of the restaurants had live music in the evenings and struggled to find a shop closed. Coming out in the evenings just a light coat on most nights, some days yes a bigger coat more so when the wind blows.

The shopping centre Zenia Boulevard is out of this world, top floor is all restaurants of every kind and only very few were closed in the winter, massive free parking with none of this stay 15 mins or get your car towed away, another small centre just in front of it.

Just up the road is Dos Mares open every day of the year, shops and restaurants.

Torrevieja is busy all the time, again shops restaurants, yes a bit quieter some eve's but still more then enough to do.

This is just a small part of what its like in this area...NOT any other place way up the Costa's because you only want to know about the area you asked about and I like this area so will only talk about this place.

Who on earth compares Spain to the UK ...Cant be done.

Given that the thread went completely off track again and got a little heated, we decided to 'clean' the thread and get it back on track. Those involved have received a PM from us. Please avoid unhelpful comments when posting, it is a distraction and annoying. But above all be respectful to other members.

Thank you

Hey bob (aol)

Hope you are enjoying life in Spain. Long time no speak.

We have recently arrived back from Spain - had 1 drizzly day so can't complain 

So took advantage of going to La Zenia, yep, as usual, Bob has always given great recommends for places, it is a huge place. Cheers Bob 

We're have just taken a winter rental in Playa flamenca. We have a nice bungalow as they call it in Spain. But I would sa ground floor apartment. It's is very convenient to everything. Lots of shops.. The boulevard in La. Zenia a few minutes walking to the roundabout  down the road. Lovel little beach.it actually has it all. It's a very expat area. If you want a Spanish influence then it does not have it. But it does have  an awful lot going for it. Newbie at the moment although stayed a few times on holiday. Let you know what. Think in a few weeks again. 

Thanks for all the replies.  Tammydog- I will be interested to hear how you find the winter months in Playa Flamenca- enjoy!

I will gladly keep you informed. We a bit of cloud and rain today. Went shopping and then really hot again. Loads of options here for shopping. Eating and drinking though and large enough for all year round opening for most places. Nice beachs as well. And very central were finding. The complex were staying on a a big mixture of different nationalities. They are all very pleasant and polite and it's very clean and well kept. Some areas seem nice and som not quite as. Like anywhere really. Suns just dropping now and a bit of a breeze, so need a light coverup bot it 7pm. Still reading 22c on the thermometer.