Los Dolses: residential tranquillity between Villamartín and La Zenia
Los Dolses is a residential area located in the south of the province of Alicante, in the Comunidad Valenciana, within the Vega Baja del Segura district. It forms part of Orihuela Costa (municipal area of Orihuela) and occupies a privileged position between the urbanisations of Villamartín and La Zenia, a few minutes from the beach and the large Zenia Boulevard shopping centre. It is a quiet, very green area with a notable proportion of permanent residents. In this guide we go over its most relevant facts: population, economy, festivals, tourism and gastronomy.
General information
Being a residential area —and not an independent municipality— Los Dolses does not have its own official INE figures. It forms part of Orihuela Costa, which as a whole exceeds 26,000 registered inhabitants. Unlike the more touristy areas of the coast, Los Dolses stands out for its high proportion of year-round residents. It enjoys a Mediterranean climate with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, lies about 4 km from the La Zenia beach and is very well connected by the Villamartín road, which links the N-332 with the interior.
Demographics and nationalities
The character of Los Dolses is markedly international, though with a significant weight of settled residents. The split by sex is balanced, with an approximate percentage of 50% men and 50% women. Among the most present nationalities, the following stand out:
- Britons and Irish, very numerous groups.
- Residents from northern Europe (Scandinavians, Germans, Belgians).
- Spanish population, both permanent and second-home.
This mix, combined with the high proportion of residents who live here all year round, gives Los Dolses a quiet, neighbourhood atmosphere within Orihuela Costa.
Economy
The economy of Los Dolses revolves around three great pillars:
- Residential tourism: the area's driving force, with apartments, bungalows and detached houses.
- Retail and hospitality: the Los Dolses Shopping Centre and the nearby Centro La Fuente concentrate supermarkets, bars and restaurants.
- Golf and leisure: the proximity to several renowned golf courses generates significant service activity.
Emergency and home security services
Los Dolses is made up of detached houses, bungalows and apartments in well-kept urbanisations, with a mix of permanent residents and second homes. That is why reliable locksmith services are especially necessary in the area. It is very common for owners who spend periods away to return and find the door jammed, or for incidents to arise with keys inside the house after arriving on holiday.
Our emergency door opening service covers Los Dolses and the whole of the surroundings of Orihuela Costa and Torrevieja, with on-call locksmiths available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. By day or in the early hours, in high season or in winter, there is always a professional ready to act quickly on openings of homes, apartments, bungalows, storerooms, lock changes and armoured doors, a service greatly valued by the large international community that lives in the area all year round.
Festivals and traditions
Being a young and very international enclave, Los Dolses combines Spanish traditions with the social life of the community:
- Summer festivals and open-air dances around the urbanisations and the shopping centres.
- Cultural and sporting activities organised by the residents' associations.
- Celebrations from the international calendar, keenly experienced by the British and Irish community.
Tourism: what to visit
Los Dolses offers quiet tourism, with the beach, the golf and the shopping a step away:
- The Zenia Boulevard shopping centre, one of the largest in Europe, a few minutes away.
- The golf courses of the surroundings: Villamartín, Las Ramblas, Las Colinas, Campoamor and La Finca, all very close by.
- The Plaza de Villamartín, a social and leisure centre, a short distance away.
- The beaches of La Zenia, Cabo Roig and Playa Flamenca, a few minutes away by car.
Gastronomy
The gastronomic offer of Los Dolses is as varied and international as its population. Here coexist:
- The Mediterranean rice dishes and fish and the arroz con costra of the Vega Baja.
- Traditional Spanish cuisine in the restaurants of the area and the shopping centres.
- A wide presence of international cuisine (British, Irish, Italian), including the popular English breakfast of its cafés.
Other points of interest
Los Dolses has established itself as one of the most convenient and sought-after residential areas of Orihuela Costa, precisely for its strategic location: halfway between the Villamartín golf and the beaches of La Zenia, and a step from the Zenia Boulevard. Its tree-lined streets, its urbanisations with a pool and its serene atmosphere make it an ideal place both to live all year round and to enjoy holiday seasons. A place where having trustworthy 24-hour locksmiths brings the peace of mind that residents and second-home owners deserve all year round.