Gray C

Hi

Have been looking on the net at properties for sale in Asturia and Galicia. Can anyone tell me a bit more about the areas as a place to live. Do many expats head for this area, what is the weather like, especially in winter etc etc.

We have also looked at Extremadura. Similarly, can anyone else shed a bit of light on living in this region also.

Graham & Pauline

big wheels

Re weather. They don't call Asturias "Green Spain" for nothing.

BW.

coralsoft

We love Asturias, but it's not really expat country. As hinted, the weather that makes it so green can mean wet and cold days even in the height of summer - we've not been outside June/August, so can't comment on the rest of the year, but I'd imagine it's pretty much like Ireland/Britain. I'd expect it to be milder than Madrid in winter, but nowhere near as pleasant as the Costas (though even they can get freak weather like the snow last year and storms battering the seafront).

There are Brits living there, including one other forum user, and I met a chap on my TEFL course in Madrid who has been living in Extremadura for years. There's no way these areas have the ex-pat communities of the Costas, nor even Madrid. But there are plenty of offsetting benefits if they match up with what you're looking for.

I'd suggest taking some holidays to get a feel for the places. Whilst the beaches in Asturias are fantastic, numerous and largely unspoilt, this means that holiday homes need a bit more selection to find. There are developments, but not as many as the southern coasts to make them standardized.

Gray C

Thanks for your reply. We have been considering southern Extremadura for the following reasons:

Good value property prices
Would like to consider opening a guesthouse for birdwatching holidays
Cost of living cheaper
Hopefully away from the crime areas
Live life the Spanish way
Hopefully our income will go a bit further.

We are only considering this option at this time, so a lot more research is needed.

gfx

Graham, Pauline, my partner Judy & I have just moved to Gijón, Asturias. The two main cities in Asturias are Gijon & Oviedo - Gijón suited us fine but it is expensive to rent or buy like any city. Obviously the further out you move the less services you have et al & the cheaper it gets - Asturias is very pretty & I guess the climate is similar to southern England - however once you get near the mountains expect snow.

Regards, Graham

Carol&John

Hi folks,
I am interested in your posts, primarily because I too fell in love with the beauty of Asturias. However, I am fickle because I also love Granada, Sevilla, Huelva, Pais Vascos, and Castilla-La Mancha provinces. I'm sure there is much more to fall in love with in Spain, but the problem lies in choosing only one area in which to reside. I digress...
Extremadura, from what I have heard, is very hot in the summer. There is a huge lake near Badajoz - perhaps good for birdwatching activities. (Have you looked at Las Marismas del Daimiel, a few hours south from Madrid?) I hope to visit parts of Extremadura this summer, all being well...
Asturias and Coruna, with Gijon and Oviedo being major cities in their own right (coal being Gijon's industry, I think) would have some similar inner-city problem like other cities around the world. There was a program on TVEi (channel 802 Sky) last night (Sunday) called, "Espana entre tierra y cielo", around 7pm GMT, that is aimed at the expats (Spanish, British, and others)/tourist industry. It is a bird's eye view of different regions of Spain: there are about 15 episodes, perhaps it will be a weekly viewing. Last night's was from "Ribadesella to Santiago de Compostela". It's lovely to watch.
Another program to watch, and improve your spanish, is "Espana directa" at around 6pm GMT. It covers everyday life stories (festivals, gastronomy, education, denuncios, and worse) in different regions, a bit like Newsround.
Hope this helps in a small way...
Regards and good luck!
Carol