For years we had a bit of an aversion to Valencian beach towns as they were always too seasonal, full in the summer and totally empty in the winter. One of the problems in many areas of the Spanish coastline is that in the rush to take advantage of the summer months and the beaches there was no thought put into the other nine months of the year and many of them are ghost towns in the winter. There are exceptions of course but not many are in the province of Valencia, they tend to be in the Valencia region, places such as Benicassim and Alcossebre to the north in Castellón province and Denia, Javea and Moraira to the South in Alicante province.
Valencia beach towns such as Canet, El Saler, Gandia, Oliva but most of all Cullera are bucking the ghost town trend by extending their lives outside of the traditional summer months and they put on events throughout the year. Equally, now that summers are longer and winters milder they are great places to be outside of the possibly too hot summer months. This means that places which were previously considered as just summer areas are now getting a second life in the other nine months of the year and as they have wonderful beaches and plenty to do outside of the main tourist season they are getting on the map much more.
Last week we were down in Cullera for some Dragon Boat Racing at the Rowing club, which is just a standard weekend event in October these days but at the same time there was a short film festival on and the beach was popular along with the promenade and the cafes and restaurants too. So we thought it was time to write about the attractions of Cullera and why it's somewhere you should consider for your beachside property.
Connections To and From Cullera
Cullera is easy to get to from Valencia in just over half an hour past the beautiful Albufera lake to your right and the not so beautiful areas of Perrelló and Perollenet to your left. and roughly the same down the A7 motorway from the airport. It also has a train connection directly to Valencia and in just 41 minutes station to station you are in the centre of Valencia or 27 minutes to Gandia at the other end of the line. There is also a bus route from the station in Valencia to Cullera which takes 45 minutes with Alsa. When driving I generally take the Albufera route which is a leisurely drive through El Saler and the Albufera rather than the motorway route past the Ford Factory, I wonder why?
Property Prices
Possibly because of the image of Cullera being a summer holiday centre and little else, property prices are excellent in Cullera with a square metre price on average well below the prices of other places such as Denia, Javea, Benicassim and others. You can find a beachside apartment for under 2000 Euros per m2 which is pretty amazing for the Spanish Mediterranean. Townhouses, villas and apartments are well below other comparable areas.
Variety of Properties
And speaking of types of property you have a good selection from million euro villas to townhouses in the old town to the more typical apartments in the high rises by the beach. There are three distinct areas in Cullera, the headland to the north of the town which is largely apartments, semi detached villas with common facilities or villas. Along the long crescent shaped beach you have plenty of apartment buildings and lots of them have great sea views even in the buildings at 90 degree angles to the sand. The old town gives you a variety of types of property with apartments and terraced townhouses predominating but there are better areas and streets and the further you get from the beach the cheaper the properties. Some of the roads around here are really cheap but not really attractive but there are many that offer great value and location. It's best to take a look at the whole area.
We will be putting more properties on our Cullera page this year but you can see the current selection here.
The Beach in Cullera
We should say here the beaches in Cullera as opposed to just the beach. The main beach is the Playa de San Antonio and this is a Blue Flag beach and has been for 37 years. In fact there are eight blue flag beaches in Cullera. It's an excellent place for being able to swim or paddle safely with clean waters, shallow sandy slopes once in the water and no great riptides. In fact all eight beaches with blue flags offer different attractions and facilities and they are worth exploring.
Cullera Old Town
Cullera Old Town has a different feel to the rest of the town. No high rise and a more established old feel with an all year round selection of shops, cafes and bars along with a more than decent daily food market and supermarkets offering a self contained town without even considering the beach just a kilometre away. It's from the old town that you can take a winding route through cute old houses built into the hillside in the Barrio del Pou up to the Castle and Sanctuary at the top of the hill from where there are fantastic views over the bay and towards the headland.
Cullera Promenade
As can be seen from the photos the promenade at Cullera is a great walk. The Playa de San Antonio itself is over 2km long but then when you include the headland and cove just after the lighthouse you can find there then you are looking at a walk of over 5.5km. So a nice 10k run or stroll from one end to the other and back. There are plenty of opportunities to take a drink during your walk and also nip into town to shops and restaurants if you have that planned.
Cullera Headland
You need to be a bit fitter if you want to explore the headland or live in the area, either that or have an electric bike or scooter. There are steps galore and fewer facilities on the headland but great views over the bay to the south or up the endless beaches to the north towards the city of Valencia. With views comes height of course and this is why you have the steps, the steep roads and you find that it's a quiet area with little passing traffic. At the end of the headland you have the lighthouse and at the base a decent selection of cafes and bars but you'll want transport back up ;-)
Watersports in Cullera
We have already mentioned the rowing club and dragon boat racing but there are plenty of other water sports and activities catered for around Cullera. From the headland you often see jetski enthusiasts going up and down the coast and the increasing number of paddleboarders and kiteboarders you see every weekend are testimony to the placid nature of the waters as it's a great place to learn and there are plenty of offers for rental. If you are into canoeing, yachting and more you are covered in Cullera.
Cullera's Waterpark Aquópolis
The best known tourist attraction of Cullera is a short walk from the railway station behind the hills surrounding the town but not by the sea. Aquópolis has been delighting visitors for years with its water slides and pools and contnues to do so. Walking distance from the old town and with a regular bus service from the main beachfront, Aquópolis is a must visit when in the area for kids and adults alike.
Other Attractions in Cullera
We don't generally talk about tourist attractions as such in this blog because we are not a tourism blog, obviously we are more about living in a place or having property in a place, but in the case of Cullera we will make an exception as when you live there you will obviously take your visitors to the local attractions. So a visit to the Cave of the Pirate Dragut, a walk around the lagoon, the Estany, a visit to the modernist style market constructed between 1896 and 1900 with its underground Civil War bombshelters (constructed somewhat later), a walk up to the Santuario de la Señora de la Encarnación and to take in Cullera Castle while up there and obviously going up to the Albufera for a boat trip on the lake are the biggies without mentioning spending time on the beach and promenade and sampling the seafood in the plentiful cafes and restaurants offering views over the sand.
We think you'll agree that Cullera has a lot going for it and is a great destination for your seaside property near enough to the city in order to enjoy what Valencia offers too but far enough away to feel you are on holiday when you go down there.
Cullera Properties For Sale
By the time you read this the properties we feature may well have sold but they were available when it was written in mid October 2023. You can check out the latest availability of Cullera Property for sale here.
Opportunity in Mareny de San Lorenzo
On the road down from Valencia to Cullera is this fantastic opportunity for anyone who has been considering moving to the Valencia region but also hoping to have a little tourist business. This house is in Mareny de San Lorenzo, a little town well known to generations of Valencians as a stop off on the road down to or back from the great beaches south of the city to grab almuerzo or merienda at the famous Horno de Beata Inés.
It's a ten minute walk from the beach, and a ten minute drive from Cullera town. Valencia city is about 35 minutes if you take the scenic route through the Albufera Natural Park.
The property itself consists of 3 units, and there is the potential for a fourth. Upstairs are 2 self contained units, one with two bedrooms, the other with one. Both in perfect condition and are being rented out regularly on AirBnB at the moment. Downstairs the owner is just putting the finishing touches to the renovation of another self-contained unit. Larger, with an open patio and 2 bedrooms when finished, it is bright and airy. This could be a home for you to live, or another rental unit. The garage makes up the rest of the lower floor. As yet this is undeveloped, but there is the potential there for anything, from a yoga studio to a local shop, which the village needs. There are 2 restaurants, a bar, but no corner shop.
The current owner has considerably upgraded the property in the last couple of years, including rewiring and connecting the property to the sewerage system. All the fun stuff that puts people off taking on a big house like this, but here its already been done. Solar panels have been installed, and air-conditioning and wifi. There is a large roof terrace, sea and mountain views and with lots of room for both you and guests to relax and enjoy the evening summer breeze.
As I mentioned, there is a decent rental business already up and running, with regular customers throughout the winter months giving a steady income. In fact the longer you look at this, the more of an opportunity it really is! Get in touch now and we'll tell you more.
Blue Skies and Sea Views
I think its time we (you) started paying more attention to Cullera, often cited as Madrid on Sea for many generations of city dwellers looking for a summer retreat it has really started to look like an excellent option for people who are familiar with Valencia but don’t want to go too far for a few days on some excellent beaches and invest in a second home, and whilst we generally steer clear of this type of modern and minimalist build if you’re looking for a lock up and leave kind of place in the sun you could do a lot worse than this.
Set high in the hills of the Faro Urbanisation, this modern multi level town house gives you more than enough room to spread out and take in the panoramic views over the bays, hills, coves and beaches from its numerous balconies and terraces. 3 Bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, Living Room and Open plan Kitchen, it also has an Elevator! and a massive garage for Kayaks, Padel Boards, Bucket and spades or even car, trailer and jet skis.
Airy and light and clean and simple and because its an end terrace you get a bit more patio and garden, theres also a community pool to wash off the day at the beach before you freshen up and hit the town, and if you’ve made it this far, all you need to do now is drop us a line and we’ll go and take a look at everything this hidden gem of a town has to offer.
Spectacular Beachside Villa
Spectacular house above the beaches of Cullera. If your dream of living in Spain is waking up to the sun rising over the Mediterranean, look no further.
Located in Cullera town, this is a large property over 3 floors, with 2 terraces from which to enjoy the amazing views. 4 double bedrooms, one en-suite. A large private garage, and if you can't be bothered to walk the 100 metres to the beach, there is a shared pool immediately beside the house.
Cullera is a big seaside town 40kms to the south of Valencia, on the edge of the Albufera natural park. Unspoilt beaches run to the north and south, and the mountains are a short drive to the west if you do manage to get sick of the beach now and again.
The villa is east and south facing, so you could probably fry an egg on the terrace in July, but that's the point really. Sun, sea and sand as far as the eye can see from this property.
Coming Soon on the Site
Within 200m of San Antonio beach and it's fantastic prom we find this 4 bedroom, 107m2 penthouse apartment with a 30m2 terrace. Fourth floor with a lift of course and how much do you think it costs? Just 150k. That's what value is in Cullera. Contact us for visits as it won't last long. By clicking on the image you can now see the full listing and contact us there.
News From Valencia
Work has started on the grounds for the VW Battery Gigafactory in Sagunto and contracts have been put out for companies to provide services for the construction. This will be a huge provider of jobs to the north of Valencia. And just a bit further to the north in Almenara work has started on Jysk's new warehouse and distribution centre which is going to provide another 250 jobs. Jysk is a sort of mini IKEA with better quality furniture and shops all over the country.
On the sporting front Valencia new, still unfinished, football stadium has been named as one of those that will be hosting the 2030 World Cup (Supposedly) Maybe they'll get a bit of a move on with its construction as a result (I won't be holding my breath on that score)
Stepping Stone Rental News
We published a new article on the SSR blog yesterday. Take a look by clicking on the image below. In it we talk about the continuing rental crisis in the city and how SSR is helping Digital Nomads to establish themselves here before finding a longer term rental. Take a look.
If You Liked This...
Then we have previously featured Cullera among our places on the Valencian coast that are worth looking at and we have also featured some other towns and our reasons for liking them. Just click on the images to be taken to those other posts.
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