Granada. Doing a reccie
Jun 3rd 2019, 1:38 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 32
Granada. Doing a reccie
Afternoon lovely peeps.
I’m looking to move to the Granada area and want to be able to take advantage of skiing in Sierra Nevada so ideally want to be no more than an hours drive from it.
With one eye on the future and the possibility my two boys may partner up and sprog out I’d also ideally like to be 30- 40 mins from the beach. Just to be clear I have little interest in the touristy beach areas- although you can generally get a good fish supper and that’s not to be sniffed at
I’d like to live somewhere semi remote but there’s a lot to be said for a short walk (or none) to facilities like a supermarket or cafe/restaurant plus reasonable internet connection is a must for running the business.
Ramble over, my questions if any of you good people can help are-
I’m looking to move to the Granada area and want to be able to take advantage of skiing in Sierra Nevada so ideally want to be no more than an hours drive from it.
With one eye on the future and the possibility my two boys may partner up and sprog out I’d also ideally like to be 30- 40 mins from the beach. Just to be clear I have little interest in the touristy beach areas- although you can generally get a good fish supper and that’s not to be sniffed at
I’d like to live somewhere semi remote but there’s a lot to be said for a short walk (or none) to facilities like a supermarket or cafe/restaurant plus reasonable internet connection is a must for running the business.
Ramble over, my questions if any of you good people can help are-
- Is there a way of finding out what areas get better internet speeds?
- I’m guessing I need a larger village or town to be able to get something like fibre optic broadband or is that a pipe dream?
- I’ve had a look on a map and landed on Dúrcal or Padul purely based on google maps travel times, anyone know anything about these areas or able to recommend another maybe prettier place?
- I’ve booked up a week to do a reccie mid July and would really appreciate any advice on what to look out for. We will be staying in the centre of Granada city for convenience (and mainly because it was cheap 😜) and visiting the mentioned potential areas.
Jun 3rd 2019, 2:44 pm
#2
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 843
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Difficult to be close to the ski slopes yet also close to the beach. You are going to have to compromise. The beach resorts are touristy by their very nature. As far as Internet speed..in most places its very slow so if you are dependent on High Speed then you may have to live in a town. Good luck and as you say best to come and have a look.
Jun 4th 2019, 8:20 pm
#3
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Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Córdoba
Posts: 1,558
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Granada is lovely BUT remember that in July, it will be so hot that you won't be able to imagine how cold it will be in winter. When viewing, keep in mind how easy/difficult it will be to heat a place.
Dec 30th 2019, 12:04 am
#4
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 2
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Did you decide and make the move? I am looking now in Granada and have also come across Durcal.
Dec 30th 2019, 7:48 am
#5
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,878
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Cadiar is about 40 mins to the coast and was a nice place when I was in area last. Also Orgiva, not everyone's choice but I like the mix and the vibe in the valley. Lanjaron is also worth a look in my opinion. I have friends there who know Sierra Nevada for walking, hiking and wild life.
Dec 30th 2019, 9:17 am
#6
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Joined: Oct 2019
Location: Aussie nomad with no fixed abode
Posts: 236
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Afternoon lovely peeps.
I’m looking to move to the Granada area and want to be able to take advantage of skiing in Sierra Nevada so ideally want to be no more than an hours drive from it.
With one eye on the future and the possibility my two boys may partner up and sprog out I’d also ideally like to be 30- 40 mins from the beach. Just to be clear I have little interest in the touristy beach areas- although you can generally get a good fish supper and that’s not to be sniffed at
I’d like to live somewhere semi remote but there’s a lot to be said for a short walk (or none) to facilities like a supermarket or cafe/restaurant plus reasonable internet connection is a must for running the business.
Ramble over, my questions if any of you good people can help are-
I’m looking to move to the Granada area and want to be able to take advantage of skiing in Sierra Nevada so ideally want to be no more than an hours drive from it.
With one eye on the future and the possibility my two boys may partner up and sprog out I’d also ideally like to be 30- 40 mins from the beach. Just to be clear I have little interest in the touristy beach areas- although you can generally get a good fish supper and that’s not to be sniffed at
I’d like to live somewhere semi remote but there’s a lot to be said for a short walk (or none) to facilities like a supermarket or cafe/restaurant plus reasonable internet connection is a must for running the business.
Ramble over, my questions if any of you good people can help are-
- Is there a way of finding out what areas get better internet speeds?
- I’m guessing I need a larger village or town to be able to get something like fibre optic broadband or is that a pipe dream?
- I’ve had a look on a map and landed on Dúrcal or Padul purely based on google maps travel times, anyone know anything about these areas or able to recommend another maybe prettier place?
- I’ve booked up a week to do a reccie mid July and would really appreciate any advice on what to look out for. We will be staying in the centre of Granada city for convenience (and mainly because it was cheap 😜) and visiting the mentioned potential areas.
Dec 30th 2019, 10:36 am
#7
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Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Mallorca
Posts: 19,367
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
I can't speak for the peninsula, but I always presumed it would be more or less the same throughout the country.
Virtually all villages here (even the tiniest) have multiple choices of fibre, usually 100 megas or more. In the campo, some areas have fibre, others not. But even when not, 10mega wimax is pretty easy to get. And reliable. And just as cheap as fibre. 10 megas seems to be more than adequate for Netflix and the like.
Virtually all villages here (even the tiniest) have multiple choices of fibre, usually 100 megas or more. In the campo, some areas have fibre, others not. But even when not, 10mega wimax is pretty easy to get. And reliable. And just as cheap as fibre. 10 megas seems to be more than adequate for Netflix and the like.
Dec 30th 2019, 8:38 pm
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 80
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Netflix speeds...
Below are the internet download speed recommendations per stream for playing TV shows and movies through Netflix.
Below are the internet download speed recommendations per stream for playing TV shows and movies through Netflix.
- 0.5 Megabits per second - Required broadband connection speed
- 1.5 Megabits per second - Recommended broadband connection speed
- 3.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for SD quality
- 5.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for HD quality
- 25 Megabits per second - Recommended for Ultra HD quality
Jan 1st 2020, 3:16 pm
#9
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 32
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Not yet.
Drove all over the shop and looked at lots of places around Granada. The recce was very worthwhile and changed a lot of my original thoughts. One visit is not enough to decide. I can’t easily have ski and beach without it taking an off putting length of time to get up the mountain plus the beaches were not particularly pretty or interesting so that changed where I was looking.
I also wanted to monitor the weather for the places I looked at as altitude greatly effects warmth especially in the winter. I added some places to my weather app and have seen up to a 5 degree difference in some places that make me appreciate it would be too cold for me higher up.
I’m doing another recce to check out what places are like in winter and try out the skiing on Sierra Nevada in 3 weeks time.
I wouldnt be surprised if I need to do a third recce.
Decided renting is the way to go for the first year or so as its impossible to know what the reality of living in a place full time is like.
Id recommend hiring a car, taking a checklist, looking at the places and facilities nearby, taking notes and then reassessing when youve had a bit of time to think about it. Durcal among other places fell off my list quite quickly.
Anyone any advice for renting in Spain?
and Happy New Year to all
Jan 1st 2020, 4:08 pm
#10
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2019
Location: Aussie nomad with no fixed abode
Posts: 236
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Hi
Not yet.
Drove all over the shop and looked at lots of places around Granada. The recce was very worthwhile and changed a lot of my original thoughts. One visit is not enough to decide. I can’t easily have ski and beach without it taking an off putting length of time to get up the mountain plus the beaches were not particularly pretty or interesting so that changed where I was looking.
I also wanted to monitor the weather for the places I looked at as altitude greatly effects warmth especially in the winter. I added some places to my weather app and have seen up to a 5 degree difference in some places that make me appreciate it would be too cold for me higher up.
I’m doing another recce to check out what places are like in winter and try out the skiing on Sierra Nevada in 3 weeks time.
I wouldnt be surprised if I need to do a third recce.
Decided renting is the way to go for the first year or so as its impossible to know what the reality of living in a place full time is like.
Id recommend hiring a car, taking a checklist, looking at the places and facilities nearby, taking notes and then reassessing when youve had a bit of time to think about it. Durcal among other places fell off my list quite quickly.
Anyone any advice for renting in Spain?
and Happy New Year to all
Not yet.
Drove all over the shop and looked at lots of places around Granada. The recce was very worthwhile and changed a lot of my original thoughts. One visit is not enough to decide. I can’t easily have ski and beach without it taking an off putting length of time to get up the mountain plus the beaches were not particularly pretty or interesting so that changed where I was looking.
I also wanted to monitor the weather for the places I looked at as altitude greatly effects warmth especially in the winter. I added some places to my weather app and have seen up to a 5 degree difference in some places that make me appreciate it would be too cold for me higher up.
I’m doing another recce to check out what places are like in winter and try out the skiing on Sierra Nevada in 3 weeks time.
I wouldnt be surprised if I need to do a third recce.
Decided renting is the way to go for the first year or so as its impossible to know what the reality of living in a place full time is like.
Id recommend hiring a car, taking a checklist, looking at the places and facilities nearby, taking notes and then reassessing when youve had a bit of time to think about it. Durcal among other places fell off my list quite quickly.
Anyone any advice for renting in Spain?
and Happy New Year to all
I'm also looking at the Granada area, why is Durcal off your list and which beaches didn't you like and why?
Jan 1st 2020, 4:34 pm
#11
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Joined: Aug 2012
Location: Granada Province
Posts: 549
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
I live in Baza, Granada. Fibre internet only reaching the town centre now. Other considerations above and beyond hot summers and cold winters are language, you will have to have a good command of Spanish 'up here', and you will need to appreciate a more 'rustic' style of life. I love it, you may not.
Sierra Nevada approx 1.5 hours, beaches of Almeria the same. Cost of living is low, property prices very reasonable.....but its NO 'little England' as with most Spanish towns in Granada Province, its wholeheartedly Spanish really. Depends what you want.
Two types of expat settle here, the first, like me ,who really want to cut out the bullshit of some Expat areas and live amongst the Spanish and their culture and those who want to live 'on the coast' or in an enclave but simply cannot afford it, so come here as 'it will do' but later regret it and become miserable.
Murcia International, hire a car and look around!
Sierra Nevada approx 1.5 hours, beaches of Almeria the same. Cost of living is low, property prices very reasonable.....but its NO 'little England' as with most Spanish towns in Granada Province, its wholeheartedly Spanish really. Depends what you want.
Two types of expat settle here, the first, like me ,who really want to cut out the bullshit of some Expat areas and live amongst the Spanish and their culture and those who want to live 'on the coast' or in an enclave but simply cannot afford it, so come here as 'it will do' but later regret it and become miserable.
Murcia International, hire a car and look around!
Jan 2nd 2020, 4:27 pm
#13
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Hampshire and La Zenia
Posts: 99
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Last edited by Rosemary; Jan 2nd 2020 at 5:47 pm. Reason: corrected quote
Jan 25th 2020, 10:40 am
#14
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 32
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
Yes reconnoiter or if you’re from the West Country then having a ‘looksee’
If you move along from Motril the beaches are better but they’re not the yellow sandy beaches you think of when you imagine a beach. More grey and stoney. I realised I have little interest in frying myself on a beach and prefer the quieter places to busy beaches but that’s just my preference.
Durcal went off the list for two reasons, Id rather have faster access to the ski area and the facilities being near or in Granada are good so I’m swayed that way. Also the financial crash is evident here and Durcal is sadly quite down at heel at the moment.
Yikes that is pricey for a ski pass! It’s been snowing so we will be checking out the skiing on Monday or Tuesday when the weekenders go home and the sun comes out. Anyone used the ski bus from the centre of Granada?
Im using Idealista to look at where rental properties are available and probably going to view a couple of properties next week.
Does anyone have any advice on renting? Are there other sites like Idealista I should look at? I assume I need to find a solicitor to go through the rental contract. How should I go about finding one? Anything I should be wary of?
Any help appreciated.
If you move along from Motril the beaches are better but they’re not the yellow sandy beaches you think of when you imagine a beach. More grey and stoney. I realised I have little interest in frying myself on a beach and prefer the quieter places to busy beaches but that’s just my preference.
Durcal went off the list for two reasons, Id rather have faster access to the ski area and the facilities being near or in Granada are good so I’m swayed that way. Also the financial crash is evident here and Durcal is sadly quite down at heel at the moment.
Yikes that is pricey for a ski pass! It’s been snowing so we will be checking out the skiing on Monday or Tuesday when the weekenders go home and the sun comes out. Anyone used the ski bus from the centre of Granada?
Im using Idealista to look at where rental properties are available and probably going to view a couple of properties next week.
Does anyone have any advice on renting? Are there other sites like Idealista I should look at? I assume I need to find a solicitor to go through the rental contract. How should I go about finding one? Anything I should be wary of?
Any help appreciated.
Jan 25th 2020, 12:44 pm
#15
Started off with nothing
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,944
Re: Granada. Doing a reccie
I would not bother with a solicitor for rental, would you do that in UK? You might need to get contract translated, but that is cheap and agent ought to do that for you. It is quite a journey to the slopes from Granada, you might want to consider staying at the resort. When we visited we found the hotel quite nice and reasonably priced, the slopes were ...........…. disappointing.