- EDITIONS:
Spanish News Today
Alicante Today
Andalucia Today
HOME > ALICANTE VEGA BAJA > LA ZENIA
La Zenia is a small, coastal town situated on the Orihuela Costa in the province of Alicante. Much more petite than many of its neighbours at just 1.9 km², it is well-renowned as one of the most upmarket and desirable spots on the southern Costa Blanca.
Located just a short walk from a pristine beach made famous each year by its massive Christmas Day party, the urbanisations of La Zenia are mostly made up of low-rise apartment complexes and sprawling villas, while the centre itself is packed full of bars, restaurants, cafés and stores.
Remarkably self-contained for such a small area, La Zenia is popular with both Spanish and international tourists, as well as those looking for a bustling spot for a second home, and its population is growing exponentially year after year.
How to get to La Zenia
The coastal resort is ideally served by two airports, Alicante-Elche which is 51 kilometres away and Murcia’s Corvera (53km).
Getting to La Zenia by car is very straightforward as it’s situated directly on the N-332 dual carriageway and can also be reached by the AP-7 motorway via exit 763, although this will incur some tolls.
There are regular buses operating from the front of Zenia Boulevard that connect with the nearby cities of Torrevieja and Alicante.
How’s the weather?
Like so much of the Orihuela Costa, La Zenia enjoys its own little microclimate of sorts which guarantees balmy temperatures all year round. The area gets about 325 days of sunshine with the thermometers remaining at an average of 19.3°C.
The history of La Zenia
The name of the resort originates from the Arabic word ‘aceña’ after the mill wheels that irrigated what was once solely agricultural land. The very first residential property was actually an Ibizian-style chalet built by an aviation captain but most of the valuable farmland was sold to a businessman from the Murcian town of Cabezo de Torres in the 1960s.
After the Tourism Promotion Plan of 1966 was granted and La Zenia declared a Centre of Tourist Interest, the Hotel Servigroup La Zenia and the La Mirada restaurant were built, both of which still hold pride of place today on the cliffs which separate the resort’s two beaches.
Zenia Boulevard
One of the area’s most attractive features has to be Zenia Boulevard, Alicante province’s largest shopping centre. Spanning 161,000m2 of retail heaven, the boulevard contains almost 200 shops across an open, Mediterranean-style commercial centre on the ground floor and dozens of top-class eateries upstairs.
The Boulevard also hosts Christmas extravaganzas each year complete with parades and concerts which are sure to be a hit with all the family.
La Zenia’s beaches
The resort is home to two spectacular yet very different beaches: Cala El Bosque and Cala Cerrada.
Cala El Bosque has been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag, thanks to its crystalline waters and a well-developed tourist infrastructure. It stretches for 258 metres between two rock promontories and offers every kind of water sport imaginable. Perfect for families, the beach sports a children’s play area and a popular shore-side bar, but it can get very busy in the summer and it’s best to get there early to secure parking.
Just 100 metres away is the sheltered cove of Cala Cerrada, which is surrounded by a small cliff and can only be accessed by stone stairs built in the centre of the beach or a ramp beside the hotel.Beach walks
The stunning cliff walks that meander along La Zenia’s coast are not to be missed and are aren’t exceptionally challenging, so can be enjoyed by people of all fitness levels.
From Cala Cerrada, a rocky inlet takes you all the way to the next beach to the north, Playa Flamenca (Playa de las Estacas), and on to Cala La Mosca and Cala Cabo Peñas.
If you choose to go south, a stunning cliff promenade will take you to Cala Capitan in Cabo Roig.
Things to do in La Zenia
La Zenia is often chosen as an ideal base to access some of the Costa Blanca’s best golf courses: two of the most popular, just a few minutes away by car, are the Real Campo de Golf de Campoamor and the Campo de Golf de Villamartín.
The resort undoubtedly has one of the liveliest ‘strips’ on the coast complete with a plethora of international bars and restaurants, but it also caters well to year-round residents with schools, pharmacies, supermarkets and sports facilities.
Images: Sarah Keane
Bin charges to set to soar throughout Spain in 2025Spain’s new waste tax will likely increase household bills by 150% Homeowners in some parts of Spain may have been surprised by an unknown charge leaving their bank accounts this week. This isn’t anything to be alarmed about, as it&rsquo.. 03/10/2024
Housing law proposal aims to get tougher on squatters in SpainIf approved, the reform would make it easier for landlords throughout Spain to evict squatters Spain's housing market has been plagued by a severe crisis for months now, with many young people struggling to find affordable housing to rent. There.. 03/10/2024
Indian summer continues: Alicante weather forecast October 3-6Temperatures of 34.2ºC were recorded in Alicante airport earlier in the week Average temperatures expected in Alicante this Sunday It seems that autumn isn’t too keen on arriving in Alicante province. While northern Spain was.. 03/10/2024
Spain takes a step closer to legalising medicinal marijuanaSoon, marijuana could be used in Spain to treat a much wider variety of chronic illnesses The Spanish Ministry of Health has taken a crucial step towards regulating the therapeutic use of cannabis. The Ministry has released the full text of a Royal.. 02/10/2024
Spain cracks down on second-hand online sellers: What you need to knowSellers in Spain will be fined if they make a profit and fail to declare it to the Treasury The world of online second-hand shopping has exploded in recent years, with platforms like Vinted, Wallapop and Milanuncios becoming household names in Spain.. 02/10/2024
Spain plans major overhaul of health service with ban on vapes, abortion objector registry and moreTo improve public health, the Ministry of Health in Spain has also proposed banning smoking in cars carrying children In the coming weeks, Spain’s Ministry of Health is planning a major overhaul which will focus, among other things, on reforming.. 01/10/2024
Spain threatens to scrap public transport discounts in 2025The Minister of Transport in Spain believes cheap train travel should be means tested There are just three months remaining on the current public transport discount scheme, but according to Spain’s Minister for Transport, Óscar Puente.. 01/10/2024
Olive oil and basic groceries in Spain shoot up in price from October 1Supermarkets across Spain will hike up the price of everything from pasta to bread Shoppers, prepare to feel a real pinch from Tuesday October 1 as Spain is planning to partially reverse the VAT cuts which have made groceries marginally more.. 30/09/2024
Sale of dogs, cats and ferrets banned in pet shops throughout SpainFrom this week, any stores in Spain caught selling these animals face fines of up to 200,000 euros There is now a blanket ban across Spain on selling dogs, cats or ferrets in pet shops and any stores found to be in breach will be issued fines ranging.. 30/09/2024
Rain returns to Alicante: Weather forecast Sept 30-Oct 3The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has forecast widespread rain in Alicante from Wednesday Weather outlook on Thursday morning Autumn has finally arrived in the Valencian Community, and with it, the unpredictable weather that comes.. 30/09/2024
Mercadona announces surprise opening hours for Spain DaySpain’s favourite supermarket chain will change its hours of operation this coming October 12 The National Day of Spain, alternatively known as the ‘Día de la Hispanidad’, ‘Fiesta Nacional de España’ or plain..
EU votes to lower wolf protection status amid opposition from SpainBoth Spain and Ireland are against the move that will allow the culling of wolf populations In a move that has sparked major controversy, the EU has voted to lower the protection status of wolves from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected.. 27/09/2024
Thieves toss luxury BMW into Orihuela Costa canalThe car was dumped after an attempted robbery gone wrong in Lomas de Cabo Roig Pedestrians strolling along the Tajo-Segura transfer canal between Orihuela Costa and Pilar de la Horadada got quite the surprise on Thursday September 27 when a BMW was.. 27/09/2024
Shrinkflation strikes again: Spanish supermarkets reduce package size while increasing pricesOf those surveyed, 60% of shoppers in Spain believe this practice is “unacceptable” and should be stopped Do you ever get the feeling you’re not getting quite as much bang for your buck at the supermarket as you did a few years.. 26/09/2024
Rubbish deal: Orihuela Costa hit with 340 per cent hike in waste collection feesThis ‘barbaric’ price increase comes after years of complaints about the lack of rubbish collections in Orihuela Costa To say the Orihuela Costa is in shock over the latest decision by the City Council is something of an understatement.. 26/09/2024
Spain delays introducing new tourist register until DecemberHotels and rental property landlords across Spain have demanded a full review of the controversial register Landlords and hotel owners across Spain can breathe a temporary sigh of relief as the Spanish government has just announced that it will delay.. 25/09/2024
