Guardamar, El Campello, Torrevieja, and Benidorm have emerged as leaders in Spain’s new happiness index, confirming the Costa Blanca and the Valencian Community as some of the country’s best places to live.
According to the Spain Happy Index 2025, compiled by real estate group Sonneil and covering more than 8,000 municipalities, Alicante province once again stands out for quality of life and wellbeing. Three of its cities, Santa Pola (90.62 points), Alicante (89.99), and Elche (89.40), rank among Spain’s happiest municipalities.
Alicante city consolidates its position as Spain’s third happiest provincial capital, behind only Málaga and Almería. The city enjoys 299 days of sunshine a year, an average annual temperature of 20ºC, just 24 days of rain, and low wind levels. Coupled with its coastal lifestyle, proximity to the international airport, and access to schools and hospitals, Alicante offers a compelling mix of comfort and convenience.
Santa Pola, with 313 days of sun annually, proves that smaller towns can also achieve high wellbeing scores. Elche, meanwhile, stands out for its cultural heritage, nature reserves such as El Hondo and Clot de Galvany, excellent transport links, and mild 19ºC climate.
Beyond the top three, other municipalities reinforce Alicante’s dominance. Guardamar del Segura (87.55), El Campello (87.24), Torrevieja (87.19), and Benidorm (86.87) all feature prominently thanks to more than 300 days of sunshine, year-round mild temperatures, coastal locations, and reliable essential services.
Costa Blanca’s happiest regions
The report also places the Valencian Community within Spain’s five happiest regions. In addition to Alicante and Santa Pola, Valencia city (85.97), Sagunto (86.68), and Puçol (85.30) score highly. Castellón’s capital lags behind (67.39), but its coastal towns, Chilches (85.90) and Moncofa (85.36), perform strongly, highlighting the Mediterranean’s appeal.
Nationally, Andalucía leads with Málaga (91.36) and Almería (90.88) topping the table, followed by Cádiz (88.12), Seville (84.35), and Granada (83.15). The Balearic Islands also rank highly, with Ibiza (90.86), Llucmajor (88.44), Calvià (87.73), and Santa Eulària des Riu (86.94). In the Canary Islands, nine municipalities enter the top 20, including Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (88.80) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (88.06).
Elsewhere, Barcelona (86.90), Tarragona (88.70), and Madrid (83.13) demonstrate that larger urban centers can also achieve high scores, particularly when connected to the coast or offering strong infrastructure.
What Makes a City “Happy”?
The Spain Happy Index considers multiple variables, including:
- Number of sunny and rainy days
- Average annual temperature
- Wind conditions
- Accessibility and quality of services (healthcare, education, infrastructure)
- Natural environment and residents’ reported wellbeing
“The Mediterranean climate, excellent services, access to the sea, and a slower pace of life put Alicante province in a privileged position,” explains Alfredo Millá, CEO of Sonneil.
