Living near the sea is a dream for many people. As we’ve mentioned before, this is an option that offers enormous advantages. But not everyone ends up making it a reality, because according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, only 39.2% of the Spanish population lives in a coastal municipality.

If you’re among the 60.8% who live inland but are thinking about moving closer to the ocean, we at CULMIA want to make that as easy as possible for you. That’s why we’ve put together a series of tips to help you find the perfect place to move and start a new chapter in your life.

What do you think? Are you up for embarking on this exciting journey?

Tips for Finding the Perfect Spot Near the Ocean

What kind of weather do you want?

Spain has four different climates: oceanic, Mediterranean, subtropical, and mountain. And each of these, in turn, has different climate subtypes depending on the region of the country where you are.

Thus, if we consider only the coastal regions, we find:

• A pure oceanic climate (Galician and Cantabrian Atlantic coasts): with cool summers and mild winters. The annual temperature range is 10 to 12°C, and precipitation is abundant and regular.
• Coastal Mediterranean climate (the Mediterranean, Balearic, and Andalusian coasts of the peninsula, as well as Ceuta and Melilla): here temperatures rise from south to north. Winters are mild (above 10°C) and short, and summers are hot. The annual temperature range is between 12 and 16°C. Meanwhile, precipitation decreases toward the south, peaking in the fall; the southeast (the Andalusian Mediterranean) deserves special mention , as it is the driest region in Spain and Europe. Here, average temperatures are 18°C, and precipitation is less than 400 mm.
• Mediterranean-oceanic or Andalusian South Atlantic climate: This climate covers the plains at the mouths of the Guadiana and Guadalquivir rivers, corresponding to the coasts of Huelva and Cádiz. Its climate is warm-temperate, with a temperature range of 10 to 16°C, marked summer dryness, mild winter temperatures, periods of drought, and a high number of hours of sunshine per year.
• Subtropical climate: This is typical of the Canary Islands. It features warm, stable temperatures throughout the year, averaging between 22 and 28°C. It is characterized by trade winds and cold ocean currents, as well as low rainfall.

Beach Quality

One of the unique advantages of living near the sea is being able to enjoy the beaches. So, if beach quality is an important factor in our decision-making process, we can use the Blue Flags as a guide. These flags were created in 1985 by the European Foundation for Environmental Education (EFEE) to recognize beaches that “meet a series of environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria.”

In Spain, the Association for Environmental and Consumer Education (AEDEAC) is responsible for awarding them. And for 2023, the breakdown by autonomous community is as follows: 113 Blue Flags in Galicia, 14 in Asturias, 11 in Cantabria, 4 in the Basque Country, 96 in Catalonia, 135 in the Valencian Community, 27 in the Balearic Islands, 28 in Murcia, and 127 in Andalusia.

Public Transportation

Although approximately 18.6 million Spaniards live in coastal regions, only a small number of them live right on the beach. That’s why public transportation is also a factor we should consider when choosing the perfect place near the sea.

In 2019, a study was published that examined 55 Spanish cities, analyzing their respective public transportation networks by examining 5,000 trips during rush hour. And among the top 10 cities in this regard, six were located on the coast or near beaches: Cádiz (1st), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (2nd), Barcelona (4th), Granada (6th), Málaga (7th), and Alicante (9th).

Avoid tourist areas

Beaches mean tourism. It’s a rule that’s strictly followed in our country; so, if you want to find the perfect place to live near the ocean, it’s best to try to avoid the most touristy areas in the city or town you choose. This is not only to avoid the inconvenience of constant crowds but also to enjoy a good quality of life without breaking the bank. After all, it’s clear that areas that attract the most visitors from out of town are also more expensive when it comes to food, housing, and services.

Availability of services

Services are another aspect you should always keep in mind. If you choose a coastal town or a small village to enjoy the proximity to the sea in peace, make sure beforehand that you’ll have everything you need nearby: a supermarket, a pharmacy, a health clinic, shops, etc.

Location and Recreation

In some cases, your decision to live near the ocean may also mean having to sacrifice something important along the way. For example, being able to enjoy the beach 365 days a year might mean living far away from the mountains; or losing access to a leisure activity you find particularly interesting, such as going to the movies or the theater.

So, keep this in mind when making your decision, and choose a location that not only puts you close to the ocean but is also well-situated so that you and your family can enjoy other leisure activities.

Construction Standards

When it comes to choosing a home near the ocean, you should make sure it’s built with high-quality materials. Naturally, the salty environment causes elements such as woodwork, metal trim, and appliances to deteriorate and wear out more quickly; therefore, it’s important to choose a property that’s top-quality. You can find this out by requesting the building specifications before finalizing the purchase.

And remember that you’ll probably need to give it some special maintenance so it doesn’t cause you problems over the years!

Presence of Pests

Although there are many benefits to living near the sea, there are also some drawbacks. Among them are the abundance of insects due to the humidity—and, in particular, mosquitoes.

If we focus on the latter, thanks to MosquitoAlert we can point out that Catalonia is one of the areas with the highest concentration of these insects. This is especially true along the Costa Brava, due to the combination of hot temperatures (which do not drop below 20°C in the summer) and Mediterranean humidity. Alongside it, the Valencian Community (especially Valencia and Alicante) and Andalusia (notably Málaga, Almería, and Cádiz) are also regions with large mosquito populations.

Furthermore, from a broader perspective, this pest map shows the most problematic animal species in each region of the country. Thus, in Galicia we find the Asian hornet; in Cantabria, Asturias, the Basque Country, and Catalonia, termites; along the Mediterranean coast, cockroaches such as the German cockroach and the American cockroach; and in Cádiz and Huelva, flies and mosquitoes.

At CULMIA, we invite you to discover the best places to live near the ocean

Now that you know our tips for finding the perfect place near the ocean, all you have to do is start your search. But don’t worry—it can be very easy, thanks to this summary we recently put together on the best areas to buy a beachfront apartment.

This includes some of our best promotions, such as CULMIA EL FORTÍ DE DENIA or CULMIA SUNSET BAY ESTEPONA, so we encourage you to take your time reviewing them so you can make the right choice when it comes to one of the most important decisions of your life.

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