One part of the buying process often overlooked by non-EU residents, is the importance of exchange rates and getting your Euros at the best rate possible. For many people, buyin...
Benijofar
An Area Guide to Benijofar
A relaxing and tranquil alternative to some of the busier coastal resorts, Benijofar is situated slightly inland but within easy reach of all the main tourist resorts and larger towns along the southern Costa Blanca. Set just 8km from the beautiful Mediterranean coastline, Benijofar is a pretty village which retains a distinctly Spanish feel, offering plenty of entertainment options as well as a lively and extensive outdoor culture.
Originally settled some 500 years ago by the invading Arabs, the name Benijofar literally translates as ‘son of the pearl’. And what a pearl it is – just a 10 minute drive from the some of the best beaches in Spain at Guardamar del Segura, set to the beautiful backdrop of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains and with the Rio Segura running through the centre of the town – Benijofar is a perfect blend of traditional Spanish agricultural town and modern tourist destination. The lush and fertile landscape reflects the effectiveness of a centuries old irrigation system which was originally designed and installed by Moors settlers. To this day, this extensive network is still fed by a 17th century water wheel pumping 80 litres per second and feeding fields of potatoes, broccoli and artichokes amongst others.
Things to Do in Benijofar
With a population of just over 4000 people, Benijofar has grown over the last few years to welcome residents from a broad range of (mainly northern European) countries who combine with the locals to create a truly relaxing and welcoming Mediterranean atmosphere. That expansion has seen a busy and vibrant social scene develop and there’s a real mutli-cultural feel to the area which is evident in the type and style of the local shops, many of which are owned by and cater for the large ex-pat community. There is also a large supermarket on the edge of the town as well as plenty of smaller shops of all types including grocers, butchers, bakers, clothes and furniture shops etc.
In the heart of the town you’ll find the Plaza de la Constitucion (the main square), home to a charming church and the centre point for the village with a selection of cafés, bars and restaurants. A number of walking and bike trails radiate out from the town, including a 4½km route which follows the bank of the Rio Segura. Known as the ‘Path of the Rafaels’, this enchanting route takes you past the historical water wheel and one of the larger of many public parks in the town, the ‘El Secano’. A fantastic picnic area complete with benches, tables and barbecues makes El Secano a perfect spot for families to congregate and relax together before continuing along the trails or simply basking in the year-round Spanish sunshine. For the more active amongst us, there are sporting and leisure facilities aplenty with a large public sports centre complete with indoor heated pool, a tennis club and a number of gyms to choose from. Golfers will be spoilt for choice with the La Marquesa course at Ciudad Quesada and the La Finca Golf Resort, both of which are close neighbours to Benijofar whilst the courses at Villamartin, Campoamor, Las Ramblas and the world-class Las Colinas are all within a 15 minute drive.
Weather in Benijofar
Blessed with a climate that the World Health Organisation declare to be one of the very healthiest in the world, the area is noted as having ‘as near perfect an environment as it is possible to obtain’ – high praise indeed! Year-round sunshine and low humidity are a perfect combination and with the Costa Blanca enjoying an average annual temperature of 19o, highs of 40o+ and more than 3000 hours of sunshine over 320+ days, few other regions can compete. Water temperatures average 25o even in the autumn meaning you can take a dip in the Med well into late October whilst daytime temperatures often still reach well into the 20’s throughout December making this the perfect spot to escape the British winter!
Testimonials
Joanna & Neville
The team at Homes Overseas listened carefully to what we wanted and made sure they presented properties to us that would be suitable for our needs. Matt then showed us not only the immediate vicinity of the property we selected, but also the surrounding areas so that we could get a good idea of the lifestyle and feel of the region.
When the purchase of our first selected property fell through, Matt went out of his way to help us find another in the last day before we flew back home. We were also very pleased when Matt recommended power of attorney to make the entire process easier for us. He even helped us complete in a surprisingly short time.
Everyone at Homes Overseas are friendly and professional. They really go out of their way to ensure their customers are happy.
Rob & Kate
I first approached ‘Homes Overseas’ in mid 2017 enquiring about a house Villamartin. I had a very informative conversation with Jane who explained the process of buying in Spain and how they worked as a company.
I decided at the time that we would wait until after Christmas to look again so we could raise some more funds, but things changed and after speaking with Jane again, booked a trip in mid November.
I was met at the airport by Matt who then took me to my hotel ready for the next day.
Matt picked me up in the morning and gave me a very comprehensive tour of the coast from los alcazares up to Punta Prima, showing me lots of lovely towns I never knew existed, this lasted the whole day. I can’t stress enough how much this helped in making my decision the following day, the places I thought I wanted to be turned out to be totally wrong.
Tony & Ann
Having searched the internet for 18 months, we decided to visit the Murcia region to look around at different areas. When we finally found the particular are we were happy with, we then visited the local estate agents where one in particular (as seen on Ch4) even told us that we wouldn’t get anything for our budget! Somewhat dispirited, we returned home to try again on the net.
We started searching again and made an online enquiry for a property that we knew in our chosen area. We then quickly had a call off the team at Homes Overseas who gave us all the info of what they do etc and how they differ from the normal estate agents.
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