Living in and Around Algorfa
The beautiful town of Algorfa has been called home by various peoples for more than 3000 years. Excavations in the early 20th century uncovered a Neolithic site, complete with skeletons and various artefacts. However, it only became a municipality in the late 12th Century when King Alfonso II incorporated it into the Kingdom of Valencia and granted permission for people to build houses there. That was when the name Algorfa was first used.
Today, Algorfa is a thriving town, nestling in the foothills of the Sierra de Callosa Mountains. It’s a verdant agricultural area, growing citrus fruits, olives, almonds and various vegetables. The population was estimated at around 3,125 in 2020, by the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, and around half of those live in Algorfa, with the remaining population scattered around the satellite urbanisations of La Finca, Montemar, Montebello and Lo Crispin.
Algorfa is a cosmopolitan place, with 27 of the 28 nationalities of Europe residing in Alicante Province represented on the Padron in Algorfa. More than half of the residents are of British origin, although the number of UK residents in Algorfa has declined significantly since the effects of Brexit were felt at the end of 2020. All the nationalities integrate well with the locals, and there are a number of fiestas through the year in which everyone takes part.
Algorfa town:
Accommodation in Algorfa varies considerably. There are apartment blocks, including the Fontanas near the sports centre, and the Cecilia buildings and El Patio on Avenida Maria del Mar Rodriguez. Then there are the typical Spanish town houses of all shapes and sizes, and more apartments above the commercial buildings. Wherever you live in Algorfa, you are only a few minutes away from the many bars, shops, restaurants and other facilities.
If you prefer a bit more space, and have your own transport, you may want to make your home on one of the urbanisations. La Finca and Montemar are within walking distance of Algorfa via the main road or the new road through the orange groves and past the golf course. It’s about 2 kilometers, but there are strategically placed benches along the way, and some fantastic views of the mountains and the surrounding campo. Montebello and Lo Crispin are around 5 and 7 kilometers respectively from Algorfa. Still walkable if you want to, but a bit more challenging.
Montemar:
Officially called Castillio de Montemar, this urbanisation is directly opposite La Finca on the main road into Algorfa. It’s an eclectic mix of properties, ranging from apartments to villas. There is no commercial centre there, but Montemar is a short walk from the large commercial centre on La Finca, with a backdrop of the Caldera de Gigante (Giant’s Cauldron). This is a somewhat challenging walk through the campo to Montebello. The Algorfa Hotel adjacent to Montemar is a popular meeting place for locals with stunning views over the mountains from the terrace.
La Finca:
The largest and newest of Algorfa’s urbanisations, La Finca is built around the prestigious La Finca Golf Course, which opened in 2007. It’s also home to the 5 star La Finca Resort hotel and spa. La Finca hosts a large, vibrant commercial centre, with a variety of restaurants, bars and speciality shops. Housing ranges from two storey apartments buildings with garden or solarium to detached villas, many with private pools. The urbanisation is laid out in small communities which give a surprisingly intimate feel to this large urbanisation.
Montebello:
Close to the AP7 and the town of Cuidad Quesada, Montebello consists of generously sized two storey houses. Development on Montebello began in 1999. There’s no commercial centre as such on Montebello, but the Old Station bar is a great meeting point for the community. As the name suggests, the bar occupies the site of a former railway station. Although Montebello is very close to the AP7, it also boasts extensive green areas. It’s a very relaxing place to be.
Lo Crispin:
Completed in 2008, Lo Crispin is the other side of the main AP7 roundabout to Montebello. It’s a similar size in area, but there are more houses there. Lo Crispin has a small commercial centre, with a popular bar, La Hacienda. At the bottom end of the urbanisation is Lo Crispin Tavern, a large bar and restaurant with a beer garden that opened around the same time as people started moving in. There’s a thriving Residents Association on Lo Crispin which organizes outings and short breaks, and there’s also a men’s walking football team. Both groups are based at the Tavern. Lo Crispin is surrounded by agricultural land, so despite its nearness to the motorway, there’s plenty of green space around.
Algorfa is fortunate to have two resident estate agents who can help you find your perfect home in the sun, whether it’s a holiday home you’re looking for or you want to relocate and make your life here. Both are family run businesses, so they will go the extra mile to find exactly what you need, often collaborating with other trusted agents in the area. The Biddles family are behind Homes Costa Blanca, while husband and wife team Tracey and Rob Van Der Veer run Orange Casas from their base on La Finca. Around Algorfa is happy to recommend both these businesses, and we thank them for their help in getting this website off the ground.
Images: Any images not credited to others are by Sandra Piddock. Header image is the two-storey apartments on La Finca, Community R1, taken by Sandra Piddock from Community R2.
