Palmeral of Elche: 200,000 Unesco Palms 20 km from Alicante
500 hectares of date palms, a 10th-century Arab irrigation network and a 2000 Unesco listing. Walking the Costa Blanca oasis 20 km from Alicante.
Jubalcoy, Alicante
This is a unique family estate in Hubalcó — a rare find that combines historic charm with modern comfort. Built in 1910 and fully restored in 2010, the house occupies an impressive area of 445 m² on a plot of 4,723 m². Spread across two levels are 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and spacious living areas, each thoughtfully designed for maximum convenience. A separate studio on the lower floor with an independent entrance provides additional possibilities — from a home office to a creative space. The house beautifully combines original architectural elements with modern amenities. High ceilings on the first floor, attic windows on the second, original doors, sturdy walls — all of this creates an atmosphere of tranquility and elegance. At the same time, a state-of-the-art solar panel system (5.4 kW) has been installed, air conditioning in three bedrooms, and spacious terraces and a glazed veranda are perfect for family leisure. The plot is a true oasis with a garden, parking for several cars, a vegetable area, and a small sports ground. The location in Hubalcó offers the best of both worlds: the tranquility of rural surroundings immersed in nature and complete accessibility to everything you need. Alicante Airport is 15 minutes away, beaches are 15-20 minutes away, the city center is 20 minutes away. This is an ideal choice for those who value quality of life and practicality.
Foto: Diego Delso
Elche (Elx in Valencian) sits in the province of Alicante, about 25 km southwest of the city, and is home to some 242,000 people. It is known for the largest palm grove in Europe, a network of date-palm orchards that wraps around the old town and slopes down towards the Vinalopó river. A living farming tradition, a footwear industry famous across Spain and a countryside of rural districts such as Jubalcoy, on the Alicante border, all meet here, where country houses with gardens can still be found.
The Palmeral of Elche has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2000. It gathers close to 200,000 palms across almost a hundred historic orchards, the legacy of the farming and clever irrigation the Iberian and later Arab settlers built here. At its heart lies the Huerto del Cura, a garden where the many-armed Imperial Palm grows among cacti and quiet ponds. Walking beneath the palms at dusk is one of the images that define the city.
The Palmeral of Elche, the largest in Europe. Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Elche's past runs deep. The Lady of Elche, the Iberian bust that became the symbol of the city, was unearthed at the La Alcudia site. In the old centre stands the basilica of Santa María, a Baroque church raised over earlier temples, its blue dome rising among the palms. Every August it hosts the Misteri d'Elx, a sung medieval sacred drama that Unesco recognised as part of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Basilica of Santa María, Elche. Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Local cooking grows out of the orchards. The signature dish is arroz con costra, oven-baked rice finished with a crust of egg, served alongside dates from the palm grove and the sweet, almost seedless Mollar pomegranate. The festive calendar is full: beyond the Misteri in mid-August come the Moors and Christians parades and the Nit de la Roà, while Holy Week processions carry the white palms grown in the orchards themselves.
Huerto del Cura, Elche. Photo: Halina Frederiksen / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Elche enjoys one of the best connections on the Costa Blanca. Alicante-Elche airport lies within the municipality, about ten minutes by car from the centre, bringing the whole of Europe within reach. High-speed AVE trains arrived in 2021, and the motorway links Elche with Alicante, Murcia and the beaches of Santa Pola in minutes. Rural districts such as Jubalcoy offer the calm of the countryside without giving up that closeness.
People who look in Elche usually want space and Mediterranean light without leaving services behind. In Jubalcoy, on the edge of Alicante, we have a four-bedroom country house with a garden, made for year-round living between the huerta and the city. If you are looking around here, let's talk.
500 hectares of date palms, a 10th-century Arab irrigation network and a 2000 Unesco listing. Walking the Costa Blanca oasis 20 km from Alicante.