maxwell_

Hi,

So I decided I'm done with England, and ready for a new adventure.

I visited Valencia a year ago, and really fell in love with the city. After much research and thinking, I believe I would prefer to be a bit outside Valencia but still close, and Gandia seem to fit the bill, specially Gandia beach. My requirements basically are that I want to live along the beach, have a sea view just like I have here in England, except there is no sand just pebbles and rocks, and the water is freezing cold.
Researching the smaller towns along the cost, it seem like many of them are dead during winter, is this the case for Gandia as well? Not sure how much of a negative that is, I like my own company and as long as grocery chains/stores are open....
Any other recommendations close to Valencia, north or south along the cost?


- Im bringing my dog with me, other than the pet passport and updated vaccination, what other things is needed to look in to/take care of, when bringing a dog?

- Hows the internet speeds in that area? and what providers are recommended, and not! recommended?

- Banks, should I just talk to my local Barclays bank and open an international banking account? Or which banks are recommended, and not! recommended?

- Would a week be enough to fly down to Spain, sort out apartment, banking, NIE (i understand this can take a long time, but at least get the ball rolling) etc, before moving all my stuff and getting the dog over?

- I understand there is a lot of expats further south, hows the expat community in Valencia region?


Most likely more questions later, but this will do for now
grateful for any help/answers!

cheers!

Rosemary

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst myself and BEVS moderate Europe. Please read the Site Rules Site Rules | British Expatriate Community adhere to them so that the site runs smoothly. Moderators are there to ensure that the rules of BE are maintained. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

dougal03

Welcome to our world.That's a lot of questions & I am sure you will be well informed from people on here.I live in Alfaz/Albir area,Albir is the beach part & Alfaz more residential.It is said there are about 100 different nationalities on the padron,mostly Scandinavians.Although there are a lot of British holiday homeowners,particularly in Albir,there is a well established English school in Alfaz.And of course,Benidorm is just down the coast,if you are looking for a Brits.community,but actually the non-Brits.are pretty good at speaking our language as you will find out if ever getting on a bus & paying your fare!I can tell you about your canine pal.You will have everything to get him here but then he has to cope with a different climate & the nasty crawlies(as indeed you will too).Forget about the stuff you used in UK,the Spanish bugs have complete immunity.Only use what you are advised by your Vet.& remember your pet is"new blood" & will be a target initially so must be properly protected from day 1.There are pet diseases here not known in Britain but hopefully he will lead a full active life if you follow the guidelines as we all have had to do.As a dog owner/lover,you will also find it interesting to see a huge number of different breeds walking around with their foreign owners,some you only see in England at"Crufts"or similar championship shows.It was a fascinating part of my job learning how to handle them when they were in my Kennels.I am sure we all wish you well in your new life in Spain.

maxwell_

thank you for your reply and wishes dougal03. Interesting about the bugs, im going to have to do some research on that and talk to my local vet.

johnnyone

Gandia playa is a fairly large beach resort that can get very busy in the summer months that quietens down in the winter.
I personally don't know but apparently there can be some pretty bad anti social behaviour when the Madrilenos descend on the playa in the summer.
I much prefer Gandia town (about 3km inland). It has a good feel all year round.
Have you considered Cullera to the north or some of the smaller towns to the south.
We are in Oliva and whilst the town is not everyones cup of tea the beaches are fantastic, very family based and not that touristy. It is also walkable to the town (1km) where all the main services are and being a working town there is always something going on. There are more expats here than Gandia but a lot less than the towns to the south.
Denia may also appeal to you being about the same size as Gandia. Whilst it is busy in the tourist season it is also a working town with a port and beaches etc. so remains reasonably busy all year with all the amenities within walking distance.
There is a fairly large number of expats here.

maxwell_

Thanks for your reply Johnnyone,
I wil have to look in to Oliva, I thought its not a beach town? Could you tell me a bit more about life in Oliva?
And Cullera, I did research on it but it seem Gandia was the better option of the two.

Denia is a good idea, but I want to be closer to Valencia i think.

johnnyone

I only have a holiday home in Oliva so cannot comment on full time living there.
As a working town (pop.c30k) it is reasonably busy all year as it does not rely on tourism as much some other towns.
The beach area is mainly apartments used in the summer season and a few camp sites that are open all year.
As there is only 1 hotel at the playa and no high rise the beaches do not get as crowded as some others.
It is seasonal and quiet out of season but some bars and restaurants remain open all year.

If I were you I would rent in various towns on a short term basis until I found one that I felt most comfortable in.
We all have different reasons for choosing where we are in Spain and are obviously biased towards the town we choose so you need to make up your own mind and the only way to do that is by researching and visiting the towns.

Most towns have comprehensive websites that may be useful in the first instance. eg. https://oliva.es/
Generally the tourist sections are also in English
Good luck

maxwell_

thanks again Johnnyone, yeah perhaps airbnb it for a while first would be a good idea.

Loafing Along

A big issue along the coast which was new to us when we moved to the Costa del Sol ,is leishmaniases. Devastating disease caused by sandfly bites. There is a vaccination, a course of three and then annual booster. Would recommend it as soon as you get here, if not before.

johnnyone

Just a thought many beaches ban dogs, although enforcement varies from area to area.

jonboy

Who should be immunised the human the dog or both?

jonboy

Maxwell_

The Airbnb idea would be best for you as you would then get a flavour of the areas you are thinking about.

Gandia beach could see you living in a block of empty flats for most of the winter, this may appeal to some and yet induce "cabin fever" in others.
The good news is that there is a bus to the city of Gandia and all its facilities every 20 minutes.

So don't feel the need to rush as you will surely regret at leisure.

Loafing Along

The dog

maxwell_

Looked that one up some months ago, Gandia has a dog friendly area of the beach.

maxwell_

I love my own space, and as long as my best friend, aka dog, is with me, i dont mind having the beach and neighbourhood to myself