Altea Old Town Property: What to Know Before Buying

Altea old town property combines traditional village houses with a historic setting found nowhere else on the Costa Blanca. Cobbled streets, whitewashed houses and the blue dome of the church of the Mare de Déu del Consol make up the image most people picture when they think of Altea.

Buying here works differently from buying in a modern urbanisation. The rules differ, the advantages differ and the buyer it suits is quite specific. This guide takes each point in turn.

Can you renovate a house in Altea old town?

You can renovate a house in Altea old town, but any work on the facade, roof, window openings or external volume needs permission from Altea town hall before it starts. The Baluarte y Recinto Renacentista de la Villa de Altea is declared a bien de interés cultural in the category of historic ensemble, under Decreto 69/2013 (BOE); ask Altea town hall's planning department whether a specific house lies inside it or is listed. You cannot change the facade to your taste, or add a floor, even where other houses on the street seem to allow it.

The interior gives you more room for manoeuvre. If your plan includes a full renovation, ask for a planning report (informe urbanístico) on the house before you buy. A planning report is the document from the town hall or your adviser that states what can and cannot be built on that property. Buyers who only find out about the limits after signing end up redrawing the architect's project, at their own cost.

How do you know whether an Altea old town house is protected?

Each house in Altea old town has its own protection level in the municipal catalogue, set by its architectural value, and that level decides how much you can renovate. Protection is not uniform across the old town. Two houses on the same street can sit at different levels, which completely changes what you can and cannot do in a renovation.

Before buying, ask the town hall or your adviser for the planning report on that specific property, rather than a general reference to the old town. Ask for it as early as possible, ideally before you make an offer, so the answer shapes the price you are willing to pay.

What should you check before viewing a house in Altea old town?

Before viewing a house in Altea old town, ask for its protection level, whether it is inside the protected historic ensemble, and the nearest public parking. Those three answers usually decide whether a home fits your plan before you even walk down the street. The table lists the checks in the order we suggest.

What kind of homes will you find in Altea old town?

Altea old town is mainly made up of terraced village houses of two or three floors, many with an inner patio or a roof terrace. On the edge of the old town there are also more recent townhouses, which add some modern comfort while keeping the location.

Floor areas tend to be tighter than in an urbanisation home of similar price. Here you pay for the location and the character of the building, rather than for square metres. Stock and prices change all the time: see the current homes for sale in Altea old town, and compare homes to renovate with updated ones, checking floor area, plot, views and running costs. Asking prices are not municipal statistics of closed sales.

Is there parking in Altea old town?

Most houses in Altea old town have no private garage, because the streets were laid out centuries before the car existed. Buyers here accept parking on the street, in regulated parking, or in one of the public car parks near the edge of the old town.

If a garage is non negotiable for you, this area probably will not fit. Altea Pueblo or one of the urbanisations, where you can insist on a private space, would suit you better.

Is Altea old town noisy at night?

Altea old town can be noisy late at night in high season on the streets with the most terraces, around the main squares and near the viewpoint. The same street life that draws buyers becomes late night noise in summer.

If quiet nights are a priority, ask exactly where the house sits in relation to the busiest squares. If you can, visit on a Friday or Saturday night in summer before you decide. Activity varies a lot from street to street in the old town: some streets, barely two blocks from the centre, are much calmer.

How much more does it cost to renovate a protected house?

Renovating a protected house in Altea old town usually costs more than an equivalent renovation without restrictions, because the required materials and techniques cost more than standard solutions. Keeping the original facade and volume has a price. Add the time it takes to obtain municipal permits, which in the historic centre can run longer than in an unprotected area.

If you are buying to renovate, get a renovation quote before you sign arras, the deposit contract, rather than afterwards. A project that looked viable at the purchase price can stop making sense if the real cost of a protected renovation climbs.

Who does Altea old town suit, and who should look elsewhere?

Altea old town suits buyers who want to live at street level, with shops, bars and the viewpoint a few minutes' walk away, and who value architectural character over modern convenience. It does not suit buyers planning a holiday let: since 29 June 2026 Altea's Ordenanza Complementaria 4-8 admits no new holiday lets in the historic core, save the full rehabilitation of a traditional or listed building.

It does not suit buyers who need a private garage, buyers who want a renovation free of restrictions, or families who want generous space for the same budget. In Altea Pueblo or a nearby urbanisation the same money buys more square metres.

What tax do you pay when buying in Altea old town?

As of November 2026, a resale home in the Valencian Community pays 9 % ITP, with 11 % applying to the whole taxable base when the property is worth more than 1,000,000 EUR, under Ley 13/1997, article 13 (BOE). ITP (Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrimoniales) is the regional transfer tax on resale homes, and resale is almost all of the supply in the old town. Homes above 1,000,000 EUR are rare here.

Purchase taxes and costs come to 9.4 % to 10.1 % of the price for a resale home up to 1,000,000 EUR, and 11.1 % to 11.3 % above that. For a new build they come to 11.8 % to 12.5 % as a second home and 10.5 % to 11.2 % as your main home. The tax is exact; the notary, Land Registry and gestoría part is an estimate, and it does not include a lawyer or mortgage costs. The taxable base for ITP can be higher than the agreed price: check the Catastro reference value, which also decides whether the 1,000,000 EUR threshold is passed, before you calculate the tax. Our guide to taxes and costs of buying property in the Valencian Community has the full breakdown.

This is general guidance, not tax advice: confirm your case with a lawyer or adviser before signing, especially if your plans include works on the facade or the roof.

How does Altea old town compare with the rest of Altea?

If the old town appeals but the parking or the renovation limits hold you back, Altea Pueblo, right next to it, offers more freedom to renovate and easier parking while staying close to the centre. We compare every option in our guide to Altea's neighbourhoods.

See what is available now in homes for sale in Altea old town, or contact us and we will show you the old town houses we have right now, with the planning report already reviewed.