Alcoy is a large Spanish town located inland from the coastal resorts on the Northern Costa Blanca and is also known as and referred to as Alcoi.
This attractive city is situated at the foot of Serra Mariola and the Font Roja natural park.
Alcoy means “city of bridges” because of the many bridges built in the area as Alcoy is surrounded by the Molinar, Serpis and Barxell rivers.
Many expats have moved here to settle in the town and have done much to contribute to the town’s economic well being.
Alcoy is located approximately an hour away by car from the popular tourist resorts of Javea, Denia and Moraira.
Locals, expats and holidaymakers who wish to book flights to the nearest airport usually choose Alicante Airport as it is the closest or Valencia Airport to fly into.
Alcoy is a very old city dating back to several thousands of years and has played an important role through the ages as can be seen when doing a sightseeing tour.
Hotels & Accommodation
Alcoy is a city with over sixty thousand inhabitants of which close to 10% are expats.
Visitors to Alcoy have a choice of three hotels to check into of which the four star AC Hotel Ciutat del Alcoy by Marriott is the more luxurious of the town with rates starting at about €60 a night and the three star Hotel Reconquista has rooms on offer from about €45 a night.
The Hotel Masia La Motta is a two star hotel with luxurious surroundings and rooms which can be booked from €95 a night.
Budget accommodation can be booked in Alcoy at the Casa Bons Aires and the Hostal Savoy.
Try to book your hotel in Alcoy in April if you want to be part of Alcoy’s famous Moors and Christians festival (fiesta).
Three Star Hotels
Three star hotels in Alcoy are the most popular choice of Alcoy hotels as they offer clean, safe accommodation while being affordable to most people. Facilities in your room will include basics such as telephone, hairdryer etc. The three star Alcoy hotel may have a swimming pool for your use, a gym and internet access but do check if these hotel facilities are essential to you.
Hotel Reconquista ***
The Hotel Reconquista with 70 rooms is situated in the centre of the city of Alcoy.
Address: Puente de San Jorge, 1
Telephone: 96 533 0900
Website: https://www.hotelreconquista.es/
Hotel Odon ***
The Hotel Odon is outside of Alcoy but only 5 minutes drive away in the town of Cocentaina.
Address: Avgda. País Valencia, 145, Cocentaina.
Telephone: 96 559 1212
Website: https://hotelodon.com/
Four Star Hotels
Sercotel Ciutat d’Alcoi Hotel ****
Superb 85 rooms in this hotel set in a restored warehouse giving it a unique character. In the heart of Alcoy’s town centre so a perfect location from which to explore the sights of Alcoy.
Address: C/ Colón, 1 – Alcoy
Telephone: 965 33 3606
Website: https://www.espanol.marriott.com/hotels/travel/alcci-ac-hotel-ciutat-dalcoi/
Hostals in Alcoy/Alcoi
A really cheap alternative to staying in a Alcoy hotel is to book into a Alcoy hostel. Be advised that these hostels are very basic accommodation traditionally sought out by student travelers and backpackers on a budget.
Some hostels in Alcoy will require you to sleep in a room with other guests and share bathrooms. In some cases there will be a strict time that you have to be in by which is no good if you want to sample the Alcoy nightlife. Needless to say – staying in a Alcoy hostel is the cheapest form of accommodation you can find in Alcoy.
We recommend this hostel in Alcoy:
Hostel Savoy
Address: c/ Casablanca, 9, Alcoy
Telephone: 96 554 7272
Website: https://www.hostalsavoy.com/
Restaurants
Restaurants in Alcoy to dine out at as recommended by the Trip Advisor include Casa Juliet, Restaurante Lolo, Font Roja, Malvasia Vinoteca, Tasca Sonora and the Restaurante Bar El Forn.
The economy of Alcoy doesn’t depend solely on tourism but also on textiles, food, paper and metal. Alcoy has several factories and is the commercial and economic hub of the area.
Sightseeing
On the sight seeing front on the tourist trail points of interest in Alcoy to take note of are the Castell de Bartxell dating back to the 12th Century.
The Hermitage of St Anthony, the Archaeological Museum, Convent of Sant Augusti, The Santa Maria Iglesia as well as the Torre de la Valora.
The most important festival in Alcoy is that of the Moors and Christians which in 2013 takes place from 22nd to the 24th of April.
Alcoy is set against the backdrop of the Parc Natural de la Serra de Mariola and the Parc Natural del Carrascar de la Font Roja which are great for walking tours and hiking.
Guadalest is only twenty kilometres away from Alcoy and is well worth if a visit.
If you wish to stay overnight you can book a room at the Casas Noves from €65 a night.
The beaches of Moraira, Denia, Calpe and Javea are great for relaxing while Benidorm with its theme parks is approximately eighty minutes away by car.
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Moving to Alcoy
If you are thinking of moving to Alcoy, then you must read our expat interview with Marga Espi of Carbonell Real Estate below:
Alcoy is surrounded by nature and mountains, two natural parks (La Font Roja and Mariola ) spectacular scenery reminiscent of Italian Tuscan or French Provence.
Although the city is in the midst of natural parks and surrounded by nature, it has the advantages of a city with all the necessary services. It also has an excellent network of highways connecting to airports and beaches.
It is a quiet place with many cultural and sports activities.
It boasts of more affordable prices than the Costa Blanca coastal towns and outside the urbanization. A more authentic Spain.
Would the area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?
Well, people who want to live by the sea.
But we have nature and civilization. As Alcoy is a city of 65,000 inhabitants, with shopping centre, university, hospital, retaurants, bars, shops, supermarkets, markets, theatre, historical town, culture, festivals, among others.
What proportion of the local population are Spanish?
More than 90 percent are Spanish.
What are your favourite things to do in the area?
Surroundings, lifestyle, festivals, culture. Visit the historic city. Modernist buildings. It is included in the European modernist route to visit.
Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants?
There are good restaurants that offer homemade local food and international food.
Are there many facilities such as doctors and dentists, shops etc?
Yes, of course. It is a big city with all services you may need. It’s got hospitals, clinics, shopping centre, among others.
Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?
Yes. There are beautiful little cities like Bocairent. A medieval city with narrow windy streets, considered one of the most beautiful little towns in Spain.
What are the nearest international schools and how good are they?
Good quality. International Bilingual School in Castalla. 20 minutes from Alcoy.
Apart from that, it is the 10th best school in Comunidad Valenciana, La Salle. (Alcoy)
Is crime an issue for expats?
Not at all.
Coming onto buying property, what is the market like now in terms of prices going up, or down or staying the same?
Still staying the same.
Is this a good time to buy and are there any repossessions or very cheap properties still available to buy?
Yes, it is a good moment now, as prices are still the same, but it tends to go up, so now is the moment. Still cheap properties are available.
What urbanisations are there and can you describe each one and how they might differ from each other?
Urbanisations here, are near Alcoy, maybe 5 minutes or less driving from town. In the middle of nature, excellent views to the mountains.
With common areas, like bar, tennis court, play ground for children. Big plots, of about 1000 sqm.
How much are the typical property prices in Alcoy for apartments, villas etc?
You can find from 100,000 euros and up.
Any tips and advice to people looking to buy in Alcoy or surrounding area?
They should visit a professional Real Estate company, like us. Carbonell Real Estate, where we guarantee maximum professionality. Honesty. Legal advice and support. A well prepared staff. Perfect knowledge of the area and properties.
Marga, thank you so much for taking the time to help our readers with your experiences in Spain. If you want to contact her, you can find her details below.
C/ Cid 61
Santa Rosa, 28, Alcoy
Tel. +34 655 812 384; and
+34 965 333 333
Email: marga@icarbonell.com
Website: www.inmobiliariacarbonell.com
Below is a very interesting tourist video on Alcoy.
Alcoy Tourist Office (Oficina de Turismo)
Alcoy Tourist Information Office
Adddress: Plaza de España, 14, 03801, Alcoy-Alcoi, Albatera (Alicante – Alacant)
Telephone: +34 965 487 902
Email: alcoi@touristinfo.net
Website: https://www.alcoyturismo.com/
Opening Times: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 h and from 16:00 to 18:00 h. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11:00 to 14:00 h.
Webcams
Webcam of Alcoy Old Town at the Plaza de Espana – Alcoy has a very attractive old town centre with many squares and winding streets.
This Alcoy webcam in the Plaza de Espana is the very heart of Alcoy and a great place to visit in April when Alcoy celebrates it’s Moors and Christian fiesta (festival).
Contact us to be featured – we want more expat interviews for our newsletter and website. You don’t need to be an estate agent, we want to hear from anyone who lives in Spain whether you are working or retired.
Related Alcoy Pages…
Towns & Resorts Nearby…
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