Areas
Costa Azahar
The Orange Blossom Coast — good value, quieter than the Costa Blanca, growing British interest. Castellón province.
The Costa Azahar sits between the busy Costa Blanca to the south and Catalonia to the north. It is named for the orange and lemon groves that scent the coast in spring.
For British relocation planners, the Costa Azahar offers a middle ground: better value than the Costa Blanca, more developed than Terres de l'Ebre, but without the heavy British expat infrastructure of Alicante province.
Peñíscola is the best-known town — a historic walled town on a rocky headland with a castle, beaches and a significant summer tourism presence. Vinaròs and Benicarló are working coastal towns with year-round communities.
British community
Small but growing. Lower than Costa Blanca but increasing as prices rise further south. Peñíscola and Vinaròs are the main draws.
Towns on the Costa Azahar
Peñíscola
A dramatic historic walled town on a rocky headland — castle, beaches and a strong summer atmosphere.
Vinaròs
A working fishing city with excellent seafood, direct trains, and one of the best Carnivals in Spain — authentic local life with full services.
Benicarló
A market town with a working fishing port, famous artichokes, and lower prices than Peñíscola — year-round Spanish life with coastal access.
Benicàssim
Festival town of the Costa Azahar — home to FIB and long sandy beaches backed by mountains.
Oropesa del Mar
A family resort town between Benicàssim and Peñíscola — calm beaches, marina and summer tourism.
Torreblanca
A small, unassuming Costa Azahar fishing town with quiet beaches, modest prices and little foreign presence — the antithesis of the package resort.
Alcossebre
A cove-and-beach resort village on the Costa Azahar, backed by the Serra d'Irta and quieter than its famous neighbour, Peñíscola.
Property and rental signal
Active market with lower entry prices than Costa Blanca. Mix of year-round and seasonal properties. Peñíscola has a strong second-home market. Rental regulation follows Valencian Community rules (turistico licence requirements).
Admin notes
Padrón at local Ajuntament. NIE/TIE through National Police in Castellón city or regional offices. Castellón airport has limited international connections — most travellers use Valencia.
Important notes and caveats
- • Population data from INE / IDESCAT (2024–2025).
- • British population in Castellón province is small (~1,411 registered UK nationals, 2021 baseline).
- • Tourist rental regulations apply — Valencian Comunitat has specific licensing requirements (VT / Vivienda Turística).
- • Population and community figures are drawn from the latest available official sources. They change year to year and do not reflect unregistered residents or second-home owners.