Gran Alacant – guide for property buyers on the Costa Blanca
Gran Alacant is a seaside development in the municipality of Santa Pola on the Costa Blanca, located just a few kilometres from Alicante-Elche airport. It is popular with foreigners looking for a home close to the sea and the airport. Gran Alacant is not a separate municipality but part of Santa Pola: it is a complex of around 40 urbanisations on the Santa Pola headland, between the mountain range and the Carabassí beach.
Climate and location
The development lies on a hill above the sea, with views of the Carabassí beach, a green belt and a pine forest. The climate is Mediterranean: summers are hot and dry and winters mild, so the property can be used all year round. Santa Pola, to which Gran Alacant administratively belongs, has a mild, dry Mediterranean climate with rainfall below 240 mm a year. To the west the development borders Clot de Galvany – an area recognised in 2005 as a Paraje Natural Municipal (366 ha), with the best-preserved dune system in the province of Alicante.
What to see
The sandy Carabassí beach with its pine forest, a shopping centre and restaurants in the development itself, the nearby port and castle in Santa Pola, the Salinas de Santa Pola salt flats and cruises to the island of Tabarca. Alicante is only about a dozen kilometres away. In Santa Pola itself the castle-fortress, built from 1557 as protection against pirates, now houses a cultural centre as well as the Museo del Mar and the Museo de la Pesca. The Salinas de Santa Pola Natural Park covers 2,470 ha and is known for its flamingos, and the former salt mill houses the Museo de la Sal. The lighthouse at the eastern end of the headland has stood since 1858 on a cliff about 144 m high.
What living here is like
Gran Alacant lies just north of Santa Pola and is a planned residential district with modern buildings, green areas and a friendly, community atmosphere. Spaniards and foreigners live here: families, retirees and people working remotely. On site there are shopping centres, supermarkets, a weekly market, clinics, schools and sports facilities, and local buses run to Santa Pola, Alicante and the airport. Nearby are hilly, pine-covered areas with sea views and the Clot de Galvany Natural Park.
How the development is laid out
Gran Alacant consists of several dozen urbanisations, including Altomar, Bahía Playa, Carabassí, El Faro and Montefaro. According to INE data, the number of registered residents rose from about 1,000 in 2000 to about 11,600 in 2023. The development has changed from a resort that was almost empty outside summer into a place where people live all year round.
The economy is based almost entirely on services, and the shops are busiest in summer. English is widely used in the area, and the interests of residents are represented by the neighbourhood association Asociación de Vecinos de Gran Alacant. Available facilities include a public library, a post office, a sports hall and a shopping centre at the exit from the CV-92 road.
Getting there and transport
The main access road is the CV-92 (the former N-332), linking the area around the airport in El Altet with Pilar de la Horadada; the exit to the development lies a few kilometres north of Santa Pola. Buses run from the development to Santa Pola, Elche and Alicante, among others.
Alicante-Elche airport handled more than 18.3 million passengers in 2024. The airport has no railway or tram station, so access is by road. The TRAM Alicante network includes lines to Benidorm, El Campello, San Vicente del Raspeig and Playa de San Juan, but does not reach Gran Alacant.
Who Gran Alacant is for
The place suits people looking for a modern development with access to the beach and nature and not far from the airport. It is, however, a sprawling complex of urbanisations, so for any specific property it is worth checking the distance to shops, the bus stop and the sea. With a large share of seasonal services, some businesses operate more intensively in summer.
What buying looks like step by step
In Gran Alacant the process usually opens with reconnaissance – a viewing trip of a few days, during which you view flats and houses and compare districts. Once you have made your choice, you sign a reservation agreement and pay the reservation fee. Only then, during the formalities, do you obtain an NIE number and open an account with a Spanish bank. The next step is the preliminary contract with a deposit (arras), and at the end the notarial deed and registration in the Property Registry. When buying with us you pay no commission on the buyer’s side, and you will find detailed costs in our guide to costs and taxes in Spain.
Property in Gran Alacant
In Gran Alacant you will find apartments, bungalows and villas, often with sea views. See current apartments on the Costa Blanca and houses on the Costa Blanca — no commission is charged to the buyer with us.
World Residence offers in Gran Alacant
Our current offer in Gran Alacant includes apartments at prices from about €399k. Looking for something specific, for example within a given budget or close to the beach? Write to us and we will check what we can propose. When buying with our help you pay no commission.
See also our guides to nearby towns: Alicante, Arenales del Sol, Santa Pola, El Campello. You will find all locations on the World Residence favourite locations page.
Gran Alacant on video: an apartment with a sea view and an infinity pool
See what a new apartment in Gran Alacant looks like: a sea view, an infinity pool, a white sandy beach and a short distance to Alicante airport.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Gran Alacant from the airport?
Gran Alacant is only a few kilometres from Alicante-Elche airport, usually about 10 minutes by car.
What costs should you add when buying property in Gran Alacant?
Gran Alacant is in the Valencian Community: ITP tax on a resale purchase is about 10% (9% below €1m from June 2026). For new properties you pay 10% VAT and 1–1.5% AJD tax. Including the notary and the registry, costs are usually about 12% (resale) or 12–14% (new).
Is it worth buying property to rent out in Gran Alacant?
Gran Alacant is close to the airport, the beach and Alicante, so rental demand is stable, especially in summer. Short-term rental requires registration, and the homeowners’ association or the municipality may introduce restrictions – we check this before the purchase.
Does a tram run to Gran Alacant?
No. The TRAM Alicante network includes lines to Benidorm, El Campello, San Vicente del Raspeig and Playa de San Juan. Gran Alacant is served by buses to Santa Pola, Elche and Alicante, among others, and the airport has no rail connection.
Is Gran Alacant a separate town?
Administratively it belongs to the municipality of Santa Pola, although in practice it functions as an independent development with its own services and a residents’ association.
Is the development deserted outside the season?
It used to be almost empty outside summer, but in recent years it has become a place lived in all year round; the number of registered residents exceeds 11,000 (INE, 2023). Some services still operate more intensively in summer.
Last updated: 15 October 2026.