Spending several weeks in Alcossebre, away from the cold back home, is a plan that suits retirees and the over-55s very well. The mild climate, the winter sunshine and the small-town scale, where you can do everything on foot, are its great advantages. Here are the keys to organising it well.
Choose an apartment made for living in, not just sleeping
On a stay of several weeks, the apartment becomes your home. Look out for these points:
- Heating: essential between November and March. Bovalar and Mare Nostrum have a heat pump and air conditioning.
- Lift: to bring the shopping up without effort. Both complexes have one.
- Full kitchen and washing machine: oven, ceramic hob, microwave and washing machine in both.
- Central location: so you don't depend on the car.
- Space: two bedrooms at Bovalar (about 60 m²) or three at Mare Nostrum (about 70 m²), handy if family come to visit.
The full comparison is in apartments with a lift in Alcossebre.
Amenities on foot from the centre
From Bovalar and Mare Nostrum, in the centre of Alcossebre, you have within walking distance:
- Supermarkets, bakeries and small shops for day-to-day shopping.
- A chemist, medical centre and banks (next to Mare Nostrum, according to Casa Azahar's listing).
- Restaurants and cafés; in winter, check beforehand which days each one opens.
- The tourist office (Tourist Info Alcossebre, in Plaza Vistalegre), with information on activities, fiestas and excursions.
- Cargador beach and the seafront promenade, for your daily walk.
The weekly shop: the Friday market
The Alcalà de Xivert market sets up every Friday morning of the year. With local fruit and vegetables, olive oil and almonds, it's a fixture for those who spend the winter here. And if you stay on into May, the Tuesday afternoon market returns to Alcossebre.
Getting around without a car
Alcossebre is easy to explore on foot. To head further afield:
- Train: Alcalà de Xivert station, about 10 km away, with regional (Media Distancia) trains to Valencia and Barcelona.
- Bus: AMSA, Avanza (from Madrid) and HIFE (Castellón, Valencia and Zaragoza) services.
- Day trips: Peñíscola is about 35 minutes away by road, Benicarló about 30 and Morella roughly 1 h 25 min.
More details in how to get to Alcossebre.
A winter's day in Alcossebre
Here's what an ordinary day on a long stay might look like: breakfast on the terrace once the sun is warm, a walk along Cargador beach and the Senda Litoral to Playa Romana, shopping in the centre and lunch at home. In the afternoon, a coffee at the marina or some reading on the sun terrace, and in the evening a quiet dinner with the heating on. On Fridays, the market in Alcalà de Xivert; and every so often, a day trip to Peñíscola or Morella.
What to pack for a month in Alcossebre
- Light warm layers for the evenings (average winter lows of 6-7 °C) and summer clothes for sunny middays.
- Comfortable shoes for the Senda Litoral and your walks.
- Towels: the apartments include bed linen but not towels.
- Your health card (a GHIC or EHIC if you're coming from the UK or Ireland) and enough medication for your whole stay.
- A list of fiestas for the time of year: the guide to Alcossebre out of season will help you put it together.
How to book a long stay
Casa Azahar has a selection of apartments for bookings of more than 11 nights and from time to time publishes long-stay offers out of season. Terms and the apartments included change with the season, so ask directly:
If you're interested in Bovalar or Mare Nostrum for several weeks, ask about availability for your dates: in low season, check-in and check-out times are flexible too.