A popular holiday destination in Spain has been recognised as Europe’s sunniest city with an impressive 345 hours of sunlight per average each month.
The city in question is Alicante on Spain’s eastern coast which basks in 4,140 hours of sunshine per year, or an average of 11.33 hours per day.
Spanish cities dominated the table compiled by the vacation rental search engine Holidu with Murcia and Malaga taking third and fourth place, respectively.
Holodu formed the list by logging the monthly sunshine hours in Europe’s most populous cities from 2009 to 2021.
According to another survey conducted by Expat Insider from InterNations, Alicante also now ranks first in the world for housing affordability.
The survey, which included over 12,000 expats from 49 cities around the world, highlighted Alicante’s notable affordability. Properties in Alicante are currently priced as low as £21,653 for a four-bedroom villa.
To put this into context, the average price for a three to four-bedroom property in the UK in 2020 was £291,618.
Alicante is not only inexpensive, but it also has breathtaking views, particularly of the harbour from the Castle of Santa Barbara.
This castle, a popular tourist destination, offers panoramic views of the city and a ninth-century Arabic fortress to explore.
However, Holidu heaped praise on Malaga, saying: “The port city of Malaga is located on the southern coast of Spain, on the Costa del Sol, and is a highly valued tourist destination throughout the year, especially in the warm summer months,” they said.
“Malaga’s modern skyline is home to a variety of hotels and resorts that sit along the sandy beach, making it perfect for a city break with a nearby beach option.
“Malaga It also has a great cultural offering, such as being the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, so be sure to visit the Picasso Museum while you are there.”
