Orihuela is the historic capital of the Vega Baja del Segura. It’s an inland town that’s alive all year round, with market gardens that still shape the landscape and an old quarter with a cathedral, palaces and the palm grove close by. Here’s what we usually tell people thinking of moving here.
Orihuela town isn’t Orihuela Costa
This is the most common mix-up. Both belong to the same municipality, but they’re some 30 km apart and are different markets. The town is residential, with services and everyday life; the coast is by the sea and its housing is mostly geared towards second homes. If you want the beach every day, look at the coast; if you’re after a real town and inland prices, read on.
The areas, one by one
The centre
Avenida Duque de Tamames and the surrounding streets are home to shops and buildings with lifts. Most of our portfolio is here: spacious flats, often a few decades old, many with room for improvement.
The old town
Narrow streets, high ceilings and small buildings, often without a lift. It has plenty of charm; before deciding, look carefully at access, parking and the state of the building.
Los Huertos, La Ocarasa and Montepinar
Quieter areas around the centre, with more houses and residential developments. They tend to attract people who want more space or outdoor living while staying close to town.
Outlying villages: Raiguero de Bonanza, La Murada, San Bartolomé
Orihuela’s municipal area is very large, with “pedanías” that work almost like villages. They offer houses and plots, but you’ll rely more on a car.
Services
- Healthcare: Hospital Vega Baja is in San Bartolomé, within the municipal area.
- Education: Miguel Hernández University has a campus in town, along with schools.
- Shops and administration: law courts, offices and local shops in the centre.
Getting around
- Trains: Orihuela-Miguel Hernández station has high-speed services to Madrid and commuter trains between Murcia and Alicante.
- Roads: the A-7 motorway runs beside the town, and the CV-95 links to Bigastro and Torrevieja.
- Murcia is some 25 km away; Alicante around 60 km; the beaches at Guardamar and Torrevieja some 30 km.
- Airports: Alicante-Elche and Region of Murcia, both less than an hour by car.
A little local life
Orihuela has an unusual heritage for its size: the cathedral, the Colegio de Santo Domingo, the palm grove and the house-museum of poet Miguel Hernández. Holy Week and the Moors and Christians festivities are the biggest events of the year.
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