Take a stroll down the Arenal Promenade, lined with restaurants, and cocktail bars on one side and the Mediterranean on the other
Jávea, also spelled Xàbia in the local Valencian language, is an attractive town located on the coast of the province of Alicante. It’s much more laid back than other parts of the Costa Blanca and is home to a balanced mix of local Spaniards and other foreign nationals.
You won’t find the high rises of Benidorm or Torrevieja here, it’s more about luxury villas and quaint town houses. Living in Jávea would suit those who enjoy nature and the outdoors as there’s lots of opportunities for hiking in the nearby Montgó Natural Park, trying out new water sports and enjoying some of the area’s most stunning beaches.
If you’re trying to decide where to live in Andalucia, this could be a good option. It’s an upmarket town, popular with international celebrities who often frequent this area of the coastline and has even been nicknamed the Monaco of Spain. This means that while there’s a focus on nature and natural beauty, it’s also one of the most expensive places to buy property in the region.
Living in Jávea: Essential Information
Discover the secrets of Jávea's pretty old town streets
Population
According to Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE), Jávea had a total population of 29,760 in 2023, making it a relatively small town. The latest available stats from the Diputacion de Alicante in 2022, show that 56.03 percent of these were Spanish while 43.97 percent were foreigners. A total of 9,159 were from European countries and the rest were from other countries around the world.
Picturesque La Granadella beach
Healthcare in Jávea
The healthcare you can access in Jávea will depend on if you have private or public insurance. You will likely have access to public healthcare if you pay into the social security system and work or are self-employed. If you are retired, you’ll likely have private insurance or be covered for public healthcare under the S1 scheme if you’re from the UK.
There are two main public health clinics in Jávea. These are the Centro de Salud Jávea and Centro de Salud Puerto. The nearest hospitals for emergencies, surgeries and other bigger procedures are the Hospital de Denia and the Hospital La Pedrera also in Dénia. These are around a 25-minute drive from Jávea.
If you have private health insurance, there are many different clinics and surgeries that you can visit. The two biggest private hospitals in the city are Hospital IMED Levante and Hospital Clinica Benidorm. There’s also the smaller HLA Centro Médico in Jávea.
If you plan on moving to Jávea and are not retired, then you will more than likely be looking for a job or even a new career. Keep in mind this can be difficult, particularly if you’re a non-EU citizen and have several different visa options involved. Read our handy guide to finding a job in Spain to find out more.
According to the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and the Diputación de Alicante, the majority of people living in Jávea work in construction, followed by those who work in the hospitality industry such as restaurants and hotels. In third place is those that work in the commercial sector and in fourth those who run their own businesses and other entrepreneurial activities. Jobs in public administration, defence and social security make up the fifth most popular industry to work in here.
It's important to remember that if you’re from a non-EU country such as the UK, Australia or the US you won’t be able to apply for most of these types of jobs unless you have permission to work in Spain already through your visa. If you do have permission to work in Spain or are an EU citizen, there are lots of places to search for jobs including the Facebook group Jávea Job Offers, the Costa Blanca Forum and more traditional job sites such as InfoJobs and Glassdoor.
If you don’t have work permission to get a job in Jávea then there are other options. One of the best is Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa. It allows you to live in Spain for one to three years, with the option to renew and work remotely for a company in another country or be self-employed. There are lots of other requirements including a minimum amount you have to earn, but it means you won’t have to rely on the local job market.
According to the Fair Internet Report, Jávea has an average internet speed of 109 Mbps, which is 67 percent above the Spanish average. The most common internet provider in Benidorm is Orange Spain.
Schools and education in Jávea
According to the Jávea town hall, there are five public schools in the town. These include CEIP Mediterranean, the oldest school in the area offering education from infant through to primary; Port de Xàbia School teaching infants up to middle school ages; Trenc d'Alba for students aged 3 to 11; (CEIP) Graüll, also teaching primary level; and L'Arenal School, the newest one in town and home to lots of international students.
There is also a semi-private local school - María Inmaculada School which takes students from ages three up to 16 years.
If you want your kids to learn in a language other than Spanish and Valencian, then your options are private international schools. There are two international schools in Jávea – the first is Xàbia International College, which follows the English national curriculum and accepts children from ages 2 to 18. The second is the bilingual International Waldorf School El Montgó with classes for primary students in Spanish and English. The school focuses on the individual child with unique ways of learning.
Jávea is served by local and regional bus networks, which travel to nearby towns, as well as big cities in the region. The local network is run by Autocares Denibus SL and it runs between the Arenal beach area, the Port, and the Old Town.
There are also the regional ALSA buses which run services to the major towns and cities in the region including to Alicante via Benidorm and some of the smaller coastal towns, as well as to the capital of the region – Valencia. If you plan on travelling around the area a lot or want to access natural areas for hiking and outdoor sports, having your own car is best. It means that you will also have more freedom to travel when you want. Read our guide on driving in Spain to find out more.
The nearest international airport is Alicante-Elche Airport, which you can reach by bus in around two and half hours, or by car in just over an hour. Alicante airport serves 112 destinations throughout Europe.
You can also reach Valencia Manises Airport by bus in three and half hours and by car in one hour 20 minutes. From here you can reach destinations across Europe and north Africa.
Things to do in Jávea
Water sports
Yachts in Jávea's marina
Living right on the Mediterranean coast means that you get to make the most of where your location. One of the best ways of doing this is to get into water sports. Whether you’re into adventurous sports or just want to enjoy the sea and outdoors more, there are lots of options. Things you could try include kayaking, snorkelling, paddle boarding, kitesurfing, sailing and water skiing.
Golf
Costa Blanca golf course in nearby Calpe
There are lots of golf courses on the Costa Blanca and Jávea is a good golfing destination. Whether you’re already a golfing enthusiast or you want to learn, this is a great place to hone your skills. There are several golf courses in and around Jávea. Approximately 5km outside of town lies the 9-hole Club de Golf Jávea offering beautiful views of Montgo mountain. One of the best courses in the area is located in Dénia – the 27-hole Marriott La Sella Golf Resort & Spa. More courses can be found further afield in Calpe and closer to Benidorm.
Shopping
Leather belts, bags and hats for sale at the Open Market held on Thursdays
Supermarkets like Masymas and Mercadona are scattered throughout the Old Town, Port, and Arenal areas, catering to everyday needs. For those missing home comforts, Overseas imports British products from Iceland and Waitrose, specialising in frozen and shelf-stable goods. Puga, a cash-and-carry supermarket near Mercadona, provides wholesale options for everything from meats to kitchen supplies. The town's vibrant weekly market every Thursday in Plaza de la Constitución showcases local produce, clothing, and delicacies. For an authentic local shopping experience, the Municipal Food Market in Plaza Celestino Pons offers fresh local produce, open Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings.
Hiking & biking
If you love the outdoors, Jávea offers lots of chances to get out into nature and hike and bike. The closest space to the town is the Montgó Natural Park, but there are also walks along the sea cliffs and through citrus groves in all directions. All in all, there are around 45km of trails in the area, meaning that you can explore new ones all the time.
Watch a movie
Jayan Cinema, operating for over 65 years, offers a charming movie experience in Jávea. With its single, intimate screening room, the cinema focuses on independent films and original version movies rather than mainstream releases. Reflecting the town's international character, where over half the residents are foreigners, Jayan regularly screens English-language films.
Expat clubs & activities in Jávea
Cocktail bar in Jávea
Living in Jávea will be a lot easier if you have an active social life. Luckily the town has a big expat community with a lot going on and lots of clubs and meetups to attend, whatever your hobbies and interests.
The Jávea Players is a big amateur dramatic society who put on several plays and productions throughout the year. Getting involved in plays and theatre is an excellent way to meet people and learn a whole host of skills. They’re not only after actors and singers, but also want stage managers, people who can construct sets, props management, web designers, people to run the box office and directors.
Rotary Club Jávea - Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends, leaders, and problem solvers who meet to take action and help create change within their local communities, and the wider world. If you want to help volunteer, the club helps promote peace, fight diseases, provide access to safe water, promotes education and develops local economies.
The Jávea Computer Club is both a computer club and so much more with various groups in one. If you want to learn more about technology and meet new people at the same time, this could be a great club to join. There is a group for Android users to learn more about their phones and a group for Apple users. Then there are workshops for making greetings cards, a group for those who want to research about their genealogy or technical workshops for those who want to start their own WordPress site or blog or even those who want to learn video editing.
Moving to the Mediterranean coast means that you can make the most of living near the sea and learning new hobbies such as sailing. The Costa Blanca Yacht Association is a great club to join if you want to take lessons or rent a boat.
Javea Connect is a local Facebook group created by expats that live in the area. It has been going since 2011 and now has over 30,000 members. It’s a page where you can ask questions, get tips from others and even post messages if you’re looking to make new friends and socialise.
