HOME > ALICANTE VEGA BAJA > LA ZENIA
La Zenia is a small, coastal town situated on the Orihuela Costa in the province of Alicante. Much more petite than many of its neighbours at just 1.9 km², it is well-renowned as one of the most upmarket and desirable spots on the southern Costa Blanca.
Located just a short walk from a pristine beach made famous each year by its massive Christmas Day party, the urbanisations of La Zenia are mostly made up of low-rise apartment complexes and sprawling villas, while the centre itself is packed full of bars, restaurants, cafés and stores.
Remarkably self-contained for such a small area, La Zenia is popular with both Spanish and international tourists, as well as those looking for a bustling spot for a second home, and its population is growing exponentially year after year.
How to get to La Zenia
The coastal resort is ideally served by two airports, Alicante-Elche which is 51 kilometres away and Murcia’s Corvera (53km).
Getting to La Zenia by car is very straightforward as it’s situated directly on the N-332 dual carriageway and can also be reached by the AP-7 motorway via exit 763, although this will incur some tolls.
There are regular buses operating from the front of Zenia Boulevard that connect with the nearby cities of Torrevieja and Alicante.
How’s the weather?
Like so much of the Orihuela Costa, La Zenia enjoys its own little microclimate of sorts which guarantees balmy temperatures all year round. The area gets about 325 days of sunshine with the thermometers remaining at an average of 19.3°C.
The history of La Zenia
The name of the resort originates from the Arabic word ‘aceña’ after the mill wheels that irrigated what was once solely agricultural land. The very first residential property was actually an Ibizian-style chalet built by an aviation captain but most of the valuable farmland was sold to a businessman from the Murcian town of Cabezo de Torres in the 1960s.
After the Tourism Promotion Plan of 1966 was granted and La Zenia declared a Centre of Tourist Interest, the Hotel Servigroup La Zenia and the La Mirada restaurant were built, both of which still hold pride of place today on the cliffs which separate the resort’s two beaches.
Zenia Boulevard
One of the area’s most attractive features has to be Zenia Boulevard, Alicante province’s largest shopping centre. Spanning 161,000m2 of retail heaven, the boulevard contains almost 200 shops across an open, Mediterranean-style commercial centre on the ground floor and dozens of top-class eateries upstairs.
The Boulevard also hosts Christmas extravaganzas each year complete with parades and concerts which are sure to be a hit with all the family.
La Zenia’s beaches
The resort is home to two spectacular yet very different beaches: Cala El Bosque and Cala Cerrada.
Cala El Bosque has been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag, thanks to its crystalline waters and a well-developed tourist infrastructure. It stretches for 258 metres between two rock promontories and offers every kind of water sport imaginable. Perfect for families, the beach sports a children’s play area and a popular shore-side bar, but it can get very busy in the summer and it’s best to get there early to secure parking.
Just 100 metres away is the sheltered cove of Cala Cerrada, which is surrounded by a small cliff and can only be accessed by stone stairs built in the centre of the beach or a ramp beside the hotel.Beach walks
The stunning cliff walks that meander along La Zenia’s coast are not to be missed and are aren’t exceptionally challenging, so can be enjoyed by people of all fitness levels.
From Cala Cerrada, a rocky inlet takes you all the way to the next beach to the north, Playa Flamenca (Playa de las Estacas), and on to Cala La Mosca and Cala Cabo Peñas.
If you choose to go south, a stunning cliff promenade will take you to Cala Capitan in Cabo Roig.
Things to do in La Zenia
La Zenia is often chosen as an ideal base to access some of the Costa Blanca’s best golf courses: two of the most popular, just a few minutes away by car, are the Real Campo de Golf de Campoamor and the Campo de Golf de Villamartín.
The resort undoubtedly has one of the liveliest ‘strips’ on the coast complete with a plethora of international bars and restaurants, but it also caters well to year-round residents with schools, pharmacies, supermarkets and sports facilities.
Images: Sarah Keane
10 Torrevieja beach bars will be shut this EasterThe contracts for the Costa Blanca chiringuitos won’t be ready until the summer Orihuela Costa residents are all too familiar with bungling bureaucratic procedures but the problem, it seems, extends to Torrevieja City Council, which has failed.. 21/03/2025
Orihuela Costa potholes will finally be filledSome of the worst roads to be repaired are in Torrezenia The state of the roads in and around Orihuela Costa is a constant cause of annoyance for residents, and the recent heavy rain has only made matters worse, washing away the sand that was dumped.. 20/03/2025
Pricey puff: Cigarettes go up in price across SpainSome of the most popular tobacco brands in Spain have seen an increase this month The health authorities in Spain are waging a war against smoking and one of the most effective tools in their arsenal is price hikes. According to a recent study, smoking.. 20/03/2025
Lack of control in Orihuela Costa’s feline colonies raises concernsVolunteers and coastal managers criticise the City Council's lack of support in sterilisation and treatment efforts Despite a plan announced by the Orihuela City Council last July to control the growing number of cat colonies in Orihuela Costa.. 19/03/2025
Plans finalised for new private hospital in Orihuela CostaThe new medical centre plus a shopping centre will be located close to Zenia Boulevard Two companies are working together on plans to build a new private hospital, complete with shopping centre, in Orihuela Costa. The new facility will be located.. 19/03/2025
You can now pay your taxes in Spain through RevolutThe online banking platform has now partnered with the Treasury in Spain There’s no getting around it – banking in Spain can be quite expensive, fairly confusing and very frustrating at times. More and more people are turning to online.. 18/03/2025
Bottled gas goes up in price in Spain this weekThe price of gas canisters has increased across Spain for four consecutive months April is just around the corner and usually the last thing we’d be thinking about this time of year is heating, but the recent dreary weather throughout Spain.. 18/03/2025
Get the sunscreen out – April in Spain promises to be a scorcherAfter a decidedly damp March, spring temperatures across Spain are predicted to be much warmer than usual The month of March has been a total washout across Spain and going by the current forecasts, it doesn’t look like things are going to improve.. 18/03/2025
Orihuela Costa residents demand fair funding as €15 million shortfall persistsCoastal area contributes significantly more to municipal revenue than it receives in services Orihuela Costa continues to contribute far more to the municipal budget than it gets back in public services and infrastructure, according to an analysis.. 17/03/2025
Groundhog Day for Orihuela Costa beach barsPlaya Flamenca and Punta Prima will be without bars, toilets and umbrellas again this Easter It's astonishing that after years of bureaucratic delays and failed tender processes, the Orihuela City Council is once again putting out to tender the.. 17/03/2025
EU's new €7 ETIAS travel authorisation delayed until 2027People from the UK will have to obtain authorisation before travelling to Spain The launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) has been delayed once again, with the European Union announcing that it will not be introduced.. 17/03/2025
This was the Orihuela Costa/Cabo Roig St. Patrick's Day parade 2025 in picturesThis year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade was the biggest and most spectacular Orihuela Costa has ever seen The luck of the Irish was certainly with Cabo Roig on Sunday March 16 as the Orihuela Costa St. Patrick's Day parade broke all records.. 17/03/2025
Crime wave hits Orihuela Costa homesMore than 10 homes in La Zenia and Playa Flamenca have been targeted in March alone A recent surge in burglaries has been reported in the La Zenia and Playa Flamenca areas of Orihuela Costa, with more than ten break-ins reported in March alone. While.. 12/03/2025
Torrevieja is recruiting taxi drivers... but it's almost impossible to get a licenceRequirements to obtain a driving permit in the Costa Blanca city "are impossible to meet" Torrevieja, like the rest of the Costa Blanca, is suffering from a severe shortage of licensed taxi drivers, which has led to a proliferation.. 06/03/2025
Alicante festivos 2025: These are all the local bank holidays for the yearAlicante will enjoy a long weekend during the Bonfires of San Juan Alicante City Council has officially announced the public holidays for the 2025 working calendar, which will include 14 paid and non-recoverable holidays. The two local.. 01/01/2025
Celebrate Christmas Day in La Zenia with the biggest beach party in EuropeThousands of people flock to the Orihuela Costa’s Cala Bosque each year for a Christmas Day with a real difference Are you tired of the same old Christmas celebrations? Looking for a unique and exciting way to spend the holiday season? Look.. 19/12/2024
