About

I’m Joanne. I’ve lived on the Costa Blanca North for 20 years, in Dénia, Jávea, Calpe and the towns in between.

We came for a holiday home and never went back. For 14 years my husband and I ran two apartments, Cumbre del Sol and Golden Beach 2, under the name Sun Sea Sangria. Guests arrived for the view and left talking about evenings on the terrace. Those years were the real education: markets, neighbours, schools, and the paperwork nobody puts on the brochure.

I’ve also cleaned villas, poured candles, and taught English online while fireworks went off mid-lesson. The site is that life, written down and definitely not a tourism brochure.

What you’ll find here

Sun Sea News — every Monday: what’s actually happening from Alicante up to Dénia

Sun Sea Lifestyle — how the year feels once August leaves

Sun Sea Foodie — markets, rice, tapas, the places we’d take our friends

Red Tape & Tears — NIE, TIE, SIP, driving rules, the boring stuff in plain English

Sun Sea History — the older stories and a trip into the past of the Costa Blanca North

Paws & Mischief, hikes, weekend trips — when we get out of the house at weekends

Come and say hello

On Holiday, moving, or already on this stretch, pull up a chair; this might be the place for you. 

Subscribe to the Friday newsletter, or reply when something on the coast doesn’t match what you were told.

Joanne x Sun Sea Sangria — Costa Blanca North