Where is El Pinet?
El Pinet lies on the coast between Santa Pola and Guardamar del Segura, in the southern part of the Elche municipality. It sits beside the Parque Natural de las Salinas de Santa Pola, a protected wetland of salt pans, saltwater pools, salt marsh, dunes and beaches.
The beach itself is backed by dunes and a large pine wood that runs south towards Guardamar and north into the natural park. It forms part of one of the longest sandy stretches on this coast, joining up with the beaches of La Marina and El Rebollo.
Inland, a few minutes away, you have La Marina village and then the large residential areas of San Fulgencio. Elche city is roughly a 20 to 25 minute drive, and Alicante around 35 minutes.
What is it like to live in El Pinet?
Quiet, green and low rise. There are no tower blocks here: the building is small in scale, and the pine trees, dunes and salt flats set the tone. People who live in El Pinet tend to walk, cycle and swim rather than go looking for nightlife.
Day to day shopping happens in La Marina village, which is part of Elche and home to roughly 2,000 people. The village has supermarkets, cafés, a pharmacy and other everyday services, plus a weekly street market with fruit, vegetables, clothes and leather goods.
For healthcare there is a public health centre in the village for first appointments, and the Hospital General Universitario de Elche is around a 20 to 25 minute drive. There is also a private clinic in the nearby La Marina urbanisation.
Be honest with yourself about the pace. El Pinet is calm all year, and in winter it is very calm. If you want a busy promenade with dozens of bars open in January, look instead at Guardamar del Segura or Santa Pola.
How much does property cost in El Pinet?
At the time of writing (September 2026), the homes we have in El Pinet are all new build apartments, and they all come with a communal pool.
- Prices run from around €248,000 to €340,000.
- A typical two-bedroom apartment sits at about €285,000.
- Built size is usually around 78 m², with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
- Ground floors normally have a garden, middle floors a terrace, and top floors a private solarium.
Many new build apartments here include a parking space and a storeroom, which is worth checking plan by plan. Prices sit above the older resale stock inland in La Marina, and that reflects the setting: protected surroundings, low density and walking distance to the sand.
On costs: a new build purchase in the Valencian Community carries 10% IVA plus 1.4% stamp duty (AJD). A resale purchase carries 9% transfer tax (ITP), rising to 11% on the portion above €1M from 1 June 2026.
How far is El Pinet from the beach and the airport?
Most homes in El Pinet are within a short stroll of the beach, often 10 to 15 minutes on foot through the pines, and only a couple of minutes by car.
The Pinet sand is fine and golden, with dune walkways, parking and beach bars on the busier sections. The part inside the natural park is left deliberately undeveloped, with only basic facilities, which is exactly why regulars like it. On a clear day you can see the island of Tabarca from the shore.
Alicante-Elche airport (ALC) is about 16 km away in a straight line, which is roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car. Región de Murcia airport (RMU) at Corvera is around 57 km in a straight line, so allow about an hour by motorway.
Is El Pinet good for golf and outdoor life?
It is better known for nature than for golf, but golf is close. La Marquesa Golf at Ciudad Quesada is the nearest 18-hole course, about 13 km away in a straight line, so roughly 20 to 25 minutes by car. Several more courses around Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa are within 30 to 45 minutes.
Outside golf, the draw is the walking and the birdlife. Trails run through the dunes and along the salt pans, where flamingos and many other birds gather, and the pine woods give shade on hot days. Cyclists have flat, quiet roads in every direction.
For a change of scene, the port and fish market at Santa Pola, the boat to Tabarca, and the palm groves of Elche are all easy half-day trips.
Who buys in El Pinet, and is it good for renting out?
Buyers here are usually people who have already seen the busier resorts and want something calmer. We see British, Belgian, Dutch, Scandinavian, German and Polish buyers, mostly looking for a holiday home or a place to retire to, plus some families who like having the beach on foot.
For holiday letting, the location works well in the warmer months: a short walk to a natural beach, a pool on site, and the airport close by. Winter demand is thinner than in the big resort towns, so plan your figures on a summer-led season rather than year-round occupancy.
If you want more rental weeks across the year, compare El Pinet with Playa Levante in Santa Pola before you decide. Always check the current tourist licence rules and the community statutes before you buy with letting in mind.
If you would like to see any of the homes above, or just talk through how El Pinet compares with nearby areas, our office is in Cabo Roig and we are happy to help.
Frequently asked questions
Is El Pinet in Elche or Santa Pola?
The El Pinet homes and the village of La Marina belong to the municipality of Elche. The neighbouring natural park and part of the coastline fall within Santa Pola, which is why you see both names used.
Can I manage in El Pinet without a car?
You can walk to the beach and, from many homes, into La Marina village for shopping. For anything further, including the airport, hospital and the larger supermarkets, a car makes life much easier.
Are there mosquitoes because of the salt flats and wetlands?
Insects can appear in the warmer months near any wetland, as they can anywhere on this coast. Most homes have fly screens, and residents rarely list it as a serious problem.
What are the community fees like on a new build apartment here?
Fees depend on the size of the development and its facilities, such as pools and lifts. We can give you the exact figure for any individual apartment before you commit.
Will the countryside around El Pinet be built on later?
Much of the surrounding land is inside a protected natural park and a dune system, which greatly limits development. We can point out which land near a specific home is protected and which is not.
Is El Pinet suitable for year-round living?
Yes, and some owners do live here all year, with village services and Elche close by. It is much quieter in winter than the main resort towns, so it suits people who want peace rather than a busy social scene.