San Miguel de Salinas is one of those quaint traditional Spanish villages and towns located just inland on the Southern Costa Blanca in Spain which has attracted many expats to settle there as opposed to the busy tourist resorts by the sea such as Torrevieja and Guardamar del Segura.
The closest airport to San Miguel de Salinas is Alicante Airport which is fifty minutes away by car while many holiday makers also use Murcia Airport on the shores of the Mar Menor a mere thirty minutes away.
The closest sea side resorts to the village are Torrevieja, Playa Flamenca and La Zenia, less than a ten minute car ride away.
The Laguna Salada Torrevieja (salt lake) is ideal for walking expeditions and bird watching is less than a five minute drive away.
Getting There
The easiest way to get to Miguel de Salinas from either airport is to hire a car. The nearest car rental agencies are located in nearby Torrevieja which is only eight kilometres away.
A return transfer from Murcia Airport to San Miguel de Salinas starts at €90 return with Sun Transfers while from Alicante Airport you can expect to pay close to €150 for a return journey.
It pays to research transfer rates before embarking on your vacation and take advantage of special offers and discounts.
San Miguel de Las Salinas enjoys a very central location which makes day trips to the cities of Alicante, Murcia and Cartagena a pleasurable experience instead of an arduous journey.
Weather In San Miguel De Salinas
San Miguel de Salinas enjoys a Mediterranean climate which means that the summers are extremely hot with mild winters where one can expect to see some rainfall.
The town does enjoy more than three hundred days of annual sunshine so even in the winter one can expect more sunny days than rainy ones.
Beaches
The nearest beaches of Torrevieja are less than ten minutes away by car and here visitors can enjoy twenty kilometres of beaches, the promenade, bars, restaurants and some of the best nightlife on the Southern Costa Blanca.
Costa Blanca Diving is located at the northern end of the town and dives start at €35 for a short dive and €55 for wrecks and boats in the warm waters of the Costa Blanca, Costa Calida and La Manga. Equipment can be rented from €15 a day on escorted dives.
Torrevieja is also home to the two water parks of Aquopolis and Aqua Park Flamingo which are open from late May until the end of September.
Golf
The golf courses of Las Ramblas, Villamartin and Campoamor are less than fifteen minutes away by car as are the sea side resorts of Playa Flamenca, Campomar, La Zenia and Cabo Roig.
Market day in San Miguel de Salinas is on Wednesdays and here locals and holidaymakers can purchase the freshest fruits and vegetables.
The town also has a good host of supermarkets, shops, bars and restaurants as well as a post office and medical centre.
Are there any international schools nearby?
In San Miguel de Salinas, you can find the Phoenix International School which had been established since 2001. It follows the British National Curriculum and also offers A Level and BTEC courses. It is located at Calle Albacete, Urb Las Comunicaciones, 03193 – San Miguel de Salinas with the telephone number +34 965 720 785.
Fiestas/Festivals
The two major festivals which the whole town gets involved in is the Feria week which takes place in August and the San Miguel Fiesta which takes place in September.
Eating And Drinking – Restaurants
Bars and restaurants in San Miguel de Salinas which have been recommended by the locals include the Bar Monterrey, Market Street, Frissan, Las Cuevas, Vishalmar, Bistro Orquidea, El Prado, Doña Isabel, Antonio’s, La Parada and O’Neills.
The El Toro Carvery , Calle Rio Vinalopo 1, Lo Rufete, 03193 San Miguel de Salinas, The restaurant is situated 5 km outside San Miguel on the CV951 the Torremendo road. Telephone number is 966842070.
“We are a 7 day carvery. We open at 11.30am till late. The carvery is served from 12.30pm to 3.30 pm then 6pm till 9.30pm monday to saturday, 12.30pm till 9pm Sundays.
We also have an extensive a la carte menu and we also do pie night on Mondays. Wednesday is Spice Night, Friday is Fishy Friday and Steak Night on Saturday night.
The carvery is 5.50€ for 1 course 6.95€ for 2 course and 8.50€ for 3 course Monday to Saturday . Sunday it is 5.50€ for 1 course 8.35€ for 2 course and 9.95€ for 3 course House wine is 3.50€ a bottle.”
Where To Stay
Accommodation in the town can be booked privately with the owners in apartments on complexes with communal swimming pools and villas with private pools or at the Camping Florantilles.
San Miguel de Salinas is a picturesque village very typical of what one can expect to see on the Southern Costa Blanca and is an ideal location for a quiet family vacation, with the beaches, water parks and golf courses just a short drive away.
Car hire does appear to be an attractive option for holiday makers who have booked accommodation in San Miguel de Salinas since they can make the most of their vacation such as visiting the tourist sea side resorts, going to the water parks, enjoying golf on different courses or even going to explore the exciting city of Murcia.
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 San Miguel de Salinas who are more than willing to help you in finding your ideal residence.
You can contact Villas Fox (www.villasfox.com, Tel. +34 965 720 198); Property Sales España (www.propertysalespana.com, Tel. +34 965 999 059) and Sitara Real Estate Agency (www.sitarainternational.com, Tel. +34 966 723 437).
Tourist Office/Information (Oficina de Turismo)
The local tourist office in San Miguel de Salinas is invaluable if you are visiting or holidaying in the town.
San Miguel de Salinas Tourist Office
Address: Plaza Juan Carlos, 1, 03193, San Miguel de Salinas. (Alicante – Alacant).
Telephone: +34 966 723 466
Email: sanmiguel@touristinfo.net
Website: www.sanmigueldesalinas.es/turismo/
Opening Times: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 13:30 h.
Moving to San Miguel de Salinas
If you are thinking of moving to San Miguel de Salinas, then you must read our expat interview with Andrew Fox of Villas Fox & Spanish Bank Properties below:
Andrew, what would you say would be the advantages to living in San Miguel de Salinas compared to other Costa Blanca towns?
Would the area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?
Although there is a very wide variety of bars and restaurants to choose from, some with live entertainment occasionally, it’s not an ideal location for young people looking for a lot of nightlife.
What proportion of the local population are Spanish?
In the town centre, the majority of residents are Spanish, but including the various urbanizations on the outskirts of the town, and including property owners who aren’t necessarily resident the whole year round, the balance between Spanish and non-Spanish is probably about 50-50.
What are your favourite things to do in the area?
Enjoying the reasonably priced local and international cuisine, walking, cycling and running in the beautiful countryside which surrounds the town. In summer or winter, it’s only a 10-15 minute drive to several different beaches which are great to enjoy before returning to the more laid-back pace of life in San Miguel. Watching the local football team Racing San Miguel beat local opposition. Improving my Spanish with the locals whilst learning something new every day about their way of life. Taking photos – the light is incredible all year round! Walking in the pine forest and through the orange, lemon and almond groves. Swimming or playing tennis at the excellent public sports facilities. Dressing up in the annual carnival parade. Watching the local amateur theatre group in the Casa de Cultura. Not wearing a coat for about 11 months of the year!
Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants?
If you’re looking for excellent value Spanish tapas and meals, then you will be well looked-after in Mesón Rincón de Paco, El Prado, Anais or Casa Antonio to name but a few. For finer dining there is the recently-opened Flor de Baladre (Spanish), Market St (British) and the Cuevas restaurant which is a Spanish restaurant now managed by a Scandinavian team, and where you can enjoy your meal sitting in your own private cave! (Some of San Miguel´s residents still live in caves in the centre of town!) San Miguel also has a genuine Italian pizzeria (La Spiga d´Oro) , Indian restaurant (Manisha’s) and very reasonably-priced Chinese restaurant (Gran China). There are many more and you have the opportunity to try a small dish from all of them on the annual September tapas run!
Are there many facilities such as doctors and dentists, shops etc?
San Miguel has a 24-hour medical centre which never closes, various dentists, pharmacies, bakers, butchers, tobacconists, hairdressers, banks, supermarkets etc and there are large, modern shopping centres just a short drive away in neighbouring Orihuela Costa and Torrevieja.
Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?
There is a very pleasant country road through the pine forest which takes you past the castle to Rebate (a hamlet with a great restaurant with views) and on to the small village of Torremendo which sits by the lake of La Pedrera and is well worth a visit.
What are the nearest international schools and how good are they?
San Miguel offers public education at primary and secondary level and both are schools which are well-used to catering for young people whose first language is not Spanish. However, if you feel that your children would be better suited at a private, international school, San Miguel has two; El Limonar and Phoenix, both of which have very good reputations. There is also a small private college (The O´Brien Language and Examination Centre) which offers tuition to small groups of students hoping to gain qualifications recognized in the UK, or to give extra help to students attending the Spanish schools.
Is crime an issue for expats?
Crime is not a major issue for expats, as long as you take the usual precautions which you would in the UK, and it is a safe environment both day and night. San Miguel has both a local police station and a Guardia Civil station in the centre of town.
Coming onto buying property, what is the market like now in terms of prices going up, or down or staying the same?
After several years of recession, the property market has started to move again in San Miguel, with the number of transactions recovering at a faster pace than in neighbouring towns such as Orihuela Costa or Torrevieja. Prices are starting to improve too, especially at the higher end of the market.
Is this a good time to buy and are there any repossessions or very cheap properties still available to buy?
It’s a great time to buy because there are still some excellent value properties available, and British vendors are particularly keen to strike a deal whilst they can take advantage of the weak pound following the Brexit vote.
What urbanisations are there and can you describe each one and how they might differ from each other?
Las Comunicaciones/Villasmaria – luxury but affordable detached villas on plots averaging 500 m2, both traditional and modern, many with stunning views of the salt lake and Med in the distance, with the Sierra Escalona pine forest as a backdrop, and only 2km from all the facilities of San Miguel town centre.
Villasmaria II/La Cañada – conveniently situated between San Miguel and Villamartin, a more modern urbanization, with most properties having a communal pool.
Balcón de la Costa – this urbanization is more like an extension of the town centre itself and it’s only 5-10 minutes walk from most properties into town, which is a huge benefit for those not wanting to depend on a car or taxi every day. The properties are generally 20-30 years old, some without a pool, some with a communal pool and are a great option if you’re looking for an affordable place in the sun.
Lago Azul – a very small urbanization with luxury villas on the road between San Miguel and Torrevieja
Blue Lagoon/El Galan/Las Filipinas – urbanisations on the outskirts of San Miguel, bordering Orihuela Costa and slightly closer to the coast than some of the other urbanisations. This area is more built-up but there is a wide variety of property types and prices, and is popular both with holidaymakers and permanent residents. Many of the streets are quite tranquil, even in the middle of summer, despite being closer to the coast.
Lakeview Mansions (Lo Rufete) – a small urbanization of approx. 80 detached properties most with private pools on small plots of approx 200-250 m2, located between San Miguel and Torremendo very close to La Pedrera lake and surrounded by citrus groves. Besides the stunning natural scenery around the lake, there is a very pleasant country walk to San Miguel town centre. More suited to car owners as a little more isolated than some of the other urbanizations. A great option if you’re looking for a detached villa with pool on a lower budget.
Las Colinas – a golf course with top-end modern properties (both apartments and villas) in the heart of the Sierra Escalona pine forest. The location, although controversial, is certainly spectacular.
How much are the typical property prices in San Miguel de Salinas for apartments, villas etc?
Modern 2-bedroom apartments with communal pools and lifts are typically 65-75,000 euros, and villas with pools typically vary from 200,000 – 300,000 euros although you can expect to pay a lot more for villas at the top-end of the range, and we have villas available on Lakeview Mansions from as little as 125,000 euros.
Any tips and advice to people looking to buy in San Miguel de Salinas or surrounding area?
San Miguel is often overlooked by holidaymakers and property buyers simply because it isn’t right on the coast. However, even closer to the coast there are very few properties where you won’t need a car on a daily basis, and in San Miguel you have excellent facilities, an enviable choice of bars and restaurants, and it’s a lot less built-up than on the coast, with great views of the salt lake and Med from its slightly elevated position.
Choose a reputable estate agent with a wide variety of properties on their books, and make sure they listen to what you want, rather than the other way round! Use a proper solicitor rather than just someone who specializes in conveyancing, and dedicate several days to viewing properties, rather than trying to see them all on one day. And when you find the house of your dreams, make sure you have a credit/debit card or funds available to pay a deposit to your solicitor or intermediary to reserve the property without delay.
Andrew, thank you so much for taking the time to help our readers with your experiences in Spain. If you want to contact him, you can find his details below.
Andy Fox (Sales Manager)
Villas Fox & Spanish Bank Properties
03193 San Miguel de Salinas
Alicante
Tel (0034) 965720198
Mobile (0034) 679012651
Local call rate from UK 03339 397760
Open 10-19h Mon-Fri (lunes-viernes) and 10-13h Sat (sábado)
Email: info@spanishbankproperty.com
Website: www.spanishbankproperty.com; and
www.villasfox.com
The video below shows the landscape surrounding San Miguel de Salinas as well as photos of the main sights:
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Page Summary – This page contains unique content about the small village of San Miguel de Salinas which is just outside of Torrevieja on the Orihuela Costa on the Southern Costa Blanca in Spain.
Towns & Resorts Nearby…
Brian Earl says
Bar Alegria known as the NUT HOUSE and Bar Federo are not mentioned in this summary. Having lived in San Miguel for over ten years I have not known of many other bar’s that are visited as often and continuously being asked directions by visitors to san Miguel.The tourist centre is open for few hours in a week and at times when no visitors come into the town. I have made many models of places in San Miguel that have loaned to the tourist centre as long as they can be use to them and other area’s of the town and have told visitors where they are but can not get access due to the opening hours.