The Costa Blanca could soon be awash with northern Europeans popping over for a blast of winter sun, as the Alicante area was reported to have landed a winter heat-wave.

While British weather has kept to type, Spanish information site ThinkSpain.com claimed that the south eastern tip of the Iberian peninsula – typically one of the hottest – hit a high of 20 degrees C at the weekend.

Flying over to Alicante to enjoy the unexpected sunshine on local beaches is easier than ever for Brits, with low cost airlines providing direct flights from many UK cities – and plenty of ex-pats only using the flights in order to travel home occasionally.

The heat-wave is forecast to continue into next week, claimed ThinkSpain.com, meaning that those lucky enough to live in the Costa Blanca area or to be planning a Christmas break there could be making an unexpected trip to the beach.

The site claimed that beaches in Benidorm and elsewhere have been filled with hopeful sunbathers – many likely to have been British – and even some who decided on a risky winter dip in the sea.

Hotel occupancy rates on the Costa Blanca remain high well outside of peak summer holiday periods, while foreign property purchase in the region is growing ever more popular.

Tags: Alicante, Benidorm, low cost airlines