Wintering in Spain on a British passport is limited to 90 days in any 180, so a full six-month winter needs a visa or residence. Irish citizens have no such limit. On the Costa Blanca those days bring January highs of 17°C, about 181 hours of sun and direct flights across the UK and Ireland.
How long can you stay in Spain on a British passport?
You can stay without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. That allowance covers every Schengen country, so a week in Portugal or a ski trip to France uses the same days. It is a rolling window. It does not reset on 1 January or when you fly home.
Owning a home changes nothing. The GOV.UK entry rules have no exception for owners. They simply ask for proof of address if you stay in your own property.
The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 and replaces passport stamps. Your first crossing may involve fingerprints and a photo, and your record then lasts 3 years. Overstaying can bring a ban from Schengen countries of up to 3 years.
Before you travel, check these:
- Passport: issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave.
- At the border: you may be asked for a return ticket, travel insurance, proof of address and enough money for your stay.
- ETIAS: the EU's separate travel authorisation is not on the GOV.UK list yet. In April 2026 the European Commission said it was due in the last quarter of 2026, with the date still to come.
Is the rule changing? The Majorca Daily Bulletin reported that the British and Spanish governments discussed it in September 2026, but no change was agreed, and any exemption would need wider EU approval.
How do you count 90 days in 180?
Your arrival day and departure day both count. For each day of your stay, look back 180 days and add up the days you spent in the Schengen area. The total must never pass 90.
Four typical winters, run through that rule:
| Your plan | Days used | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 November to 29 January, straight through | 90 | Your next day opens on 30 April 2027 |
| 1 November to 15 December, then 5 January to 17 February | 89 | Christmas at home, and one day left |
| 3 January to 2 April | 90 | Your next day opens on 2 July 2027 |
| 10 to 24 September, then back on 1 November | 15 + 75 | You must leave by 14 January, not 29 January |
The last row catches people out. Test your own dates in the European Commission's short-stay calculator before you book.
How can you spend six months in Spain?
Irish citizens
Ireland is in the EU, so the 90/180 rule does not apply to Irish passport holders. If you plan to live in Spain for more than three months, you must apply in person for the EU registration certificate within three months of arriving, on form EX18. Dual British and Irish citizens should note that GOV.UK says you need a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement to return to the UK.
The non-lucrative visa
This visa is for people who can live in Spain without working, but it is a move and not a long holiday. The Spanish Consulate in London sets these conditions:
- Money: at least 400 per cent of IPREM, plus 100 per cent for each dependant. With IPREM at €7,200 a year in 2026, that is €28,800 for one person and €36,000 for a couple.
- Health cover: insurance from a company authorised in Spain, covering what the public system covers, or a registered S1.
- Paperwork: a UK criminal record certificate from ACRO, apostilled and translated, plus a medical certificate.
- Limits: no work of any kind. The visa lasts 1 year, and you apply for your foreigner identity card within 1 month of arriving.
Time on a long-stay visa or residence permit does not count towards your 90 days.
Buying property does not get you residence
Spain's golden visa, which offered residence for buying property worth €500,000 or more, ended on 3 April 2025.
Will wintering make you a Spanish tax resident?
Spain treats you as tax resident if you spend more than 183 days there in a calendar year, and temporary absences can count. You can also be resident if your main economic interests are in Spain. If your husband or wife and dependent children live there, Spain presumes that you are resident too.
UK residence depends mainly on the days you spend in the UK in the tax year, which runs from 6 April. If you plan to split the year between the two countries, speak to a tax adviser first.
What health cover do you need for a winter in Spain?
Take a UK-issued GHIC or EHIC and travel insurance. GOV.UK says you need both. The card gets you medically necessary state treatment on the same basis as a Spanish citizen, but it does not cover private care or being flown home.
Prescriptions cost 50 per cent of the price with a card, or 10 per cent with a UK State Pension. An S1 is for people who live in Spain. We explain both in our guide to the hospital in Torrevieja and healthcare for UK residents.
How warm is the Costa Blanca in winter?
The nearest long-running AEMET station to Torrevieja is at Alicante. We set its 1981 to 2010 averages beside the same 30 years at London Heathrow, calculated from Met Office monthly data:
| Month | Alicante high | Alicante low | Alicante sun | Rain days, Alicante | Heathrow high | Heathrow sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 17.7°C | 7.4°C | 164 hours | 3.8 | 8.3°C | 51 hours |
| January | 17.0°C | 6.3°C | 181 hours | 3.6 | 8.1°C | 61 hours |
| February | 17.6°C | 7.1°C | 180 hours | 3.0 | 8.4°C | 77 hours |
That is about three times London's January sunshine, and the average number of snow days is zero.
The honest minus is indoors. Nights fall to around 6°C and many homes here are built for summer. Of the 514 Torrevieja properties on our books on 30 October 2026, 285 list air conditioning but only 57 list central heating. Ask how a home is heated before you book a winter let.
Is Torrevieja busy in winter?
Yes, because people live here all year. The town hall counted 110,500 registered residents at the start of 2026, from 123 countries, including 4,643 from the UK. By May, Alicante Plaza reported 113,453.
- Fridays: the weekly market runs from 8:00 to 14:00 on Avenida Delfina Viudes.
- Culture: the town programmed 90 events from September to December 2026, with 26 sessions in December at the Teatro Municipal and Auditorio Internacional.
- Getting out: the seafront promenade, the salt lagoons and the Vía Verde walking and cycling route.
Which UK and Irish airports fly direct to Alicante in winter?
Ryanair alone has direct Alicante flights from 24 UK and Irish airports in every month from November 2026 to March 2027. We counted these from its timetable:
| Region | Airports (flights to Alicante in November 2026, then January 2027) |
|---|---|
| London | Stansted 75, 53. Gatwick 47, 32. Luton 13, 9 |
| Midlands and East | Birmingham 49, 32. East Midlands 34, 39. Norwich 10, 2 |
| North of England | Manchester 80, 58. Liverpool 47, 24. Leeds Bradford 35, 23. Newcastle 35, 26. Teesside 9, 9 |
| South West and Wales | Bristol 40, 20. Bournemouth 14, 11. Cardiff 13, 10. Newquay 10, 1. Exeter 9, 2 |
| Scotland | Edinburgh 26, 17. Glasgow 14, 10. Prestwick 14, 11. Aberdeen 10, 9 |
| Northern Ireland | Belfast International 25, 13 |
| Republic of Ireland | Dublin 58, 53. Shannon 20, 11. Cork 16, 13 |
January is the thin month, with 31 per cent fewer of these flights than November. Newquay, Exeter and Norwich almost stop, so plan around them. Knock and Kerry have no Ryanair flights until March.
Scheduled flying time is 2 hours 35 minutes from Stansted, 2 hours 45 from Manchester and Dublin, and 3 hours 10 from Edinburgh.
Other airlines also serve Alicante, including Jet2, easyJet, British Airways, TUI and Aer Lingus. Jet2's Gatwick programme for winter 2026/27 has two a week, on Mondays and Fridays. Timetables change, so check before you book.
From the airport, the Costa Azul L40 bus runs non-stop to Torrevieja in about 40 minutes.
Should you rent or buy for winter stays?
Rent first. A month or two tells you whether you like the town, the neighbours and the walk to the shops, and whether the place is warm enough in January.
If you then want to come back every year, your own home means your things stay put and your dates are always free. It gives you no extra days, so work out how many weeks you will really use it.
On 30 October 2026 we had 514 properties listed in Torrevieja, from around €115,000, and 191 of them at €200,000 or less. Budget up to 13 to 14 per cent on top of the listing price. On a €200,000 resale flat that is about €226,000 to €228,000 in total. Our guide to Costa Blanca buying costs breaks that down, and new build versus resale covers the choice. Browse homes for sale in Torrevieja.
Frequently asked questions
Can a UK citizen stay in Spain for 6 months? Not as a visitor. British passport holders are limited to 90 days in any 180, across the whole Schengen area. A continuous six-month stay needs a visa or residence permit, such as the non-lucrative visa, which requires proof of income or savings and health insurance, and does not allow work.
Can I stay in Spain for 6 months on an Irish passport? Yes. Ireland is in the EU, so Irish citizens are not bound by the 90/180 rule. If you plan to live in Spain for more than three months, you must apply in person for the EU registration certificate within three months of arriving, using form EX18.
How warm is Torrevieja in winter? Expect days of around 17°C to 18°C and nights of 6°C to 7°C from December to February, based on AEMET averages for nearby Alicante from 1981 to 2010. January has about 181 hours of sun and fewer than four rainy days. The average number of snow days is zero.
Is Torrevieja open in winter? Yes. Torrevieja has more than 110,000 registered residents, so shops, restaurants and services work for a year-round population, not only summer visitors. The market runs on Fridays from 8:00 to 14:00, and the town's cultural programme had 26 sessions scheduled for December 2026.
Does owning a property in Spain let you stay longer? No. Buying a home adds no days. British owners without residence are treated like any other visitor and stay on 90 days in any 180. The golden visa, which offered residence for buying property worth €500,000 or more, ended on 3 April 2025.
Can I use my GHIC while wintering in Spain? Yes. A UK-issued GHIC or EHIC covers medically necessary state healthcare on the same basis as a Spanish citizen, often free or at reduced cost. It does not cover private treatment or repatriation, so you still need travel insurance. Check that your policy allows a trip of this length.
Planning your first winter on the Costa Blanca?
Tell us your dates, and we will help you plan viewings that fit inside your 90 days. Tripinvest ES is a licensed agency (RAICV 4221) with offices in Torrevieja and Calpe and a head office in London. Service is in English from first call to the notary. Our clients don't pay us commission.
Or call us on +44 20 3888 0008.
Sources
Last checked: October 2026
- GOV.UK, Spain travel advice, entry requirements: gov.uk (official)
- GOV.UK, Healthcare for UK nationals visiting Spain: gov.uk (official)
- GOV.UK, Tax on foreign income, UK residence: gov.uk (official)
- European Commission, short-stay calculator: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu (official)
- European Commission, main differences between the EES and ETIAS, 28 April 2026: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu (official)
- Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Article 6: legislation.gov.uk (official)
- Consulate General of Spain in London, non-lucrative residence visa: exteriores.gob.es (official)
- Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IPREM table: exteriores.gob.es (official)
- Policía Nacional, EU citizen registration certificate: sede.policia.gob.es (official)
- Agencia Tributaria, tax residence of individuals: sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es (official)
- AEMET, climate normals, Alicante station 8025, 1981 to 2010: aemet.es (official)
- Met Office, Heathrow historic station data, our 1981 to 2010 averages: metoffice.gov.uk (official)
- Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja, 7 January 2026: Torrevieja begins 2026 with 110,500 inhabitants (official)
- Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, Torrevieja market: comunitatvalenciana.com (official)
- Aena, buses from Alicante-Elche airport: aena.es (official)
- Costa Azul, intercity lines: costazul.net (official)
- Ryanair, routes from Alicante, read 30 October 2026: ryanair.com
- Ryanair, timetable by airport and month, November 2026 to March 2027, read 30 October 2026, example: ryanair.com
- Travel Weekly, Jet2 Gatwick winter 2026/27 programme: travelweekly.co.uk
- Wikipedia, Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, airlines and destinations: en.wikipedia.org
- KPMG, end of Spain's golden visa: kpmg.com
- Majorca Daily Bulletin, 23 September 2026: Britain and Spain have discussed the 90 day rule
- Alicante Plaza, 12 May 2026: Torrevieja supera los 113.000 habitantes
- El Periòdic, Torrevieja cultural programme, 5 August 2026: elperiodic.com
- Tripinvest ES listings, 30 October 2026
