Orba is a charming village located in the Orba Valley on the Northern Costa Blanca.
A municipality of Valencia, Spain, Orba is located in the northeast of the province of Alicante in the district of Marina Alta.
Orba is a popular place to live with expats who have preferred a quieter way of life less than twenty minutes away from the sea side resorts of Javea and Denia.
Below is a slideshow video showing images and photos of Orba:
Where is Orba?
Orba is one of the larger towns in the Orba Valley of which Benidoleig, Sagra, Tormos, Sanet y Negrals, Beniarbeig, Rafol d’Almunia and Benimeli are also part of.
Orba is ideally located just minutes from the motorway and the N332 and has the two international airports of Valencia and Alicante an hour and twenty minutes away by car.
Orba town centre – photo from Hello2Spain
By car from Alicante and Valencia Airports follow the AP7 and exit at Junction 62, follow the N332 north towards Valencia and take the CV-731.
For public transport, there is a bus route from Alicante Airport to Denia and a bus service from Denia to Orba.
From Valencia you can catch a train to Gandia and a bus to Orba.
The next valley over is the Jalon Valley of which Alcalali, Jalon, Lliber , Valle del Paraiso, Murla and Parcent are the most important towns and villages – see our map of Orba.
Facilities and Amenities in Orba Itself
Orba is a charming old town with four banks, supermarkets and a medical centre.
The Old Town provides a more authentic Spanish village vibe while many expats have purchased villas with swimming pools on the urbanisations of Orbetta, El Capso, La Palmeria and La Plana.
Orba is set amongst the orange groves and the higher lying villas have sweeping views across the valley and orange groves.
Orba isn’t your typical tourist destination but does get busier in the summer month with holidaymakers renting villas by the week at much lower prices than their coastal counterparts yet are a twenty minute drive away and as they will have had to hire a car can make the most of their vacations.
We asked estate agent Vanessa Crocker-Dean of Hello2Spain what she likes about Orba and why people might go on holiday or choose to live in Orba:
“Orba is a village located in the deep interior of the Marina Alta, proud of its Moorish past, which can be seen today through their craft Cantarero, or analyzing the structure of the sour-Moorish town. Although its origin may well be a prehistoric Iberian settlement, UR-Obia where water flows from the bottom of the mountain, its history can be linked with another village of Berber origin, the group of Masmuda – a tribe of AURABA, North Africa – who settled in these lands after the Arab invasion.
Orba is a thriving inland town with all the hustle and bustle you would expect from a traditional Spanish town. Very pretty buildings, the town hall is situated next to the cultural centre, the church in the heart of the town Plaza D’Espanga and surrounded by coffer shops and bars.
Town hall in Orba – photo from Hello2Spain
There are many supermarkets, bars and plenty of restaurants and in the summer months the community swimming pool is crystal clear. When I say the community swimming pool it is a real family day out with a local restaurant and bar. Shaded seating areas for those who do not wish to be in full sun. The sports ground has tennis courts, paddle courts and even a rock face for climbing enthusiasts.
For things to do in the community there isU3A Vall de Pop or Oliva, a non-profit organisation with a huge range of activities such as walking groups, trips to other areas of Spain, bridge, ballroom dancing, line dancing, quiz nights and much more.
For golfers there are the Orba Warblers playing golf at Oliva Nova golf club I am sure they would love to welcome newcomers.
For horse riders, the local stables provide hacks for children over 10 years of age and group and private lessons. Always looking for a helping hand.”
Tower in Orba – photo from Hello2Spain
Hotel Accommodation
Orba doesn’t have any hotels but the AE Placa Restaurant on the Calle Sant Françes comes highly recommended. To book a room you can look at www.orbahostalplaza.com.
Things To Do and See/Ideas for Excursions
Things to do while in Orba include a visit to the Safari Park in Vergel and the caves in Benidoleig. The La Marina Shopping Centre in Ondara is less than ten minutes away by car.
Modern art in Orba – photo from Hello2Spain
Nearest Beaches
The nearest beaches of Denia and Javea are about twenty minutes away by car while the tourist resort of Benidorm with its theme parks and nightlife is a good hour away by car.
Denia has the nearest beaches as well as an amazing marina and a nature reserve for snorkelling.
Bars and Restaurants
Orba has quiet a small choice of restaurants and bars which include La Mesa de Orba located in Carrier de l’Ermita 16, Restaurante Pizzeria Piscina de Orba, Restaurant Cal Morell, New India Gate and El Cantaro.
Orba has all the charm of a typical small Spanish village with a hillside of expat whitewashed villas.
Real Estate Agents
Whether you’re looking for a place to rent or to stay at permanently, you can take advantage of the services from the real estate agents in Orba who are more than willing to help you in finding your ideal residence.
You can contact Pereto Real Estate Group (www.gpereto.com, Tel. +34 965 583 300), Llorca Property Services (www.llorcapropertyservices.com, Tel. +34 965 584 112) and Hello2Spain, (www.hello2spain.com, Tel. +34 672 208 879).
Moving to Orba
If you are thinking of moving to Orba, then you must read our expat interview with Jacqueline Blanco of Pereto Real Estate Group below:
Jacqueline, what would you say would be the advantages to living in Orba compared to other Costa Blanca towns?
Orba’s localisation is ideal, as it is in the countryside but it is only 20 kilometers away from the beach. It is the centre of the villages of the valley, therefore it has:
1 health centre, 1 nursery school (Escola Infantil Bolquerets) and 3 schools (Colegio Hispanidad Orba, IES Secció Enric Valor de Pego and Ojo del agua which is an alternative school).
Would the area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?
This area is suitable for those who like the countryside but in close proximity to all the restaurants and nightclubs in the surrounding areas of Denia and Calpe. It is also an ideal place for people interested in hiking or cycling. And for people who are looking for a retiring house.
What proportion of the local population are Spanish?
Orba has a population of 2,500 approximately, half of them are Spanish.
More information about Orba’s population: www.dip-alicante.es.
What are your favourite things to do in the area?
Local Fiestas in Orba:
-En honor a la Virgen de los Desamparados (second weekend of May).
-En honor al Santísimo Cristo de la Agonia (second weekend of July).
-Bulls (last week of July or first week of August).
Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants?
This is a web site done by English people who live in Orba. It is updated and it contains all the information of the bars and restaurants of the village. www.elcapso.es
Are there many facilities such as doctors and dentists, shops etc?
The Elcapso website also has a list of doctors and dentists and local shops.
Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?
Benidoleig, 2 kilometers from Orba (where you can visit: La cova de les calaveres).
What are the nearest international schools and how good are they?
The Lady Elizabeth School (Senior School Lliber 10 kilometers from Orba/Junior School Benitachell 24 kilometers from Orba).
-It is one of the best English schools of the Valencian Community.
-Students are between 2 and 18 years old.
-GCSE’s and A-Levels
-Students of all ages learn Spanish and English (80 percent of the subjects are in English).
-Students from year 7 onwards can learn German or French.
-Wide variety of subjects offered: food and nutrition, textiles, science, history, geography, P.E. and so on.
Javea International School (22 kilometers from Orba)
Here is the website with all the information about this school: https://xic.college/
Is crime an issue for expats?
Very small incidence of crime in comparison to the UK or other parts of Spain.
Coming onto buying property, what is the market like now in terms of prices going up, or down or staying the same?
The prices have established on a low level with the preview of going up slowly.
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 time and there are still some economic houses available.
What urbanisations are there and can you describe each one and how they might differ from each other?
Porta de Orba: very modern urbanisation, just a few years old with stunning sea views and modern type buildings).
El Capso: nicely established development in the entrance of Orba with views over the valley. Close to the village).
El Aspre Orbeta: oldest urbanisation, very established and with partly sea views.
La Foia: small and cosy development, in very modern style with slightly flat plots, just a few minutes from the village.
La Palmeria: very well kept and maintained development with almost flat plots, mainly views to mountains.
La Plana: nicely established development with stunning views over the valley to the sea, easy access to the village.
La Puerta del Valle: high standard development, a little bit further away from the village, with beautiful views to the mountains and the Jalón valley.
How much are the typical property prices in Orba for apartments, villas etc?
Average price for a house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms is between 220,000 and 250,000 euros.
Any tips and advice to people looking to buy in Orba or surrounding area?
Make sure people buy in a reputable estate agent like Pereto Grupo Inmobiliario and that they use a solicitor.
Jacqueline, 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.
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.
Leave a Reply