forry

Hi, i have been looking at potential areas to stay for a year before myself and my family make a decision on weather to stay or not.

i am looking for info on the la cala de mijas and mijas costa area.
We are from scotland so an expat/spanish community would be good.

I have also looked at Coin which looks lovely.


Any info would be great.

thanks

bxpuser24710519

Coin did nothing for me, anytime I went through it it was a minefied of road works and builders. I looked run down and scruffy, maybe it has changed in the last year or so.

I know someone who lives on an urb in Mijas, which part I can't remember, it is up the top, nearer the old part. The urb itself looks very nice but is dead ! mostly ex pats many who don't live there permanent and now come less and less. The bins and mail are at the bottom of the urb, a lot illegal builds I think. I quite liked Mijas and have wondered if I might take a rental there, if the mountains don't get me

forry

ok thanks. it so hard to figure out where to start the search.
I ve heard so many conflicting stories about areas.

bxpuser24710519

Aye thankfully we don't all like the same places there would be no room for us all.

jackytoo

La cala de mijas is a long way from mijas. It is a nice compact place with a lot of ex-pats but also still a lot of spanish living there. On the coast with a decent beach and some reasonable places to eat. Has everything, health centre, farmacia, banks and supermarket. Could be ideal for you. Mijas costa is just purpose built urbanisations and doesn't have a soul.

anninspain

We made Coín our home town 9 years ago and we still love it. We have seen many changes over the past years. In that time the town has almost doubled in size. The old hill town is still very Spanish, friendly with little English spoken and almost impossible to drive through. The new part on the outskirts is where most of the Ex-pats congregate it even has a Dunns Stores and the Cinema shows English films once a week. The countryside is lush and green, iirrigated by the Rio Grande.
The ex-pat community are mainly retired. The often socialize in organizations like the Royal British Legion, Animal Charities. You will find quite a few of the younger ex-pats living in the nearby countryside who keep horses. It is a great area for horse riding, mountain bikingand walking on the tracks near the river.

forry

anninspain, would it be easy enough to make friends as it is a large town.

Where we decide to stay for a year will have a huge facotr on weather we stay for good or not.

i know my wife will get home sick more than i will so having support from new friends etc will be a huge boost and she will not be working initially.

if it is more retirees in this area then it might mean looking more coastal.

anninspain

I think that is wise. A young couple with 2 young children bought a house near to us in the deepest countryside. She was miserable and lonely, not speaking a word os Spanish didn't help. They sold up after a couple of years and are now living happily in Arroyo de la Miel near Benalmadena - Spanish not required there.

forry

ye that was my worry. i love the coutnryside and would be happy in a finca, for a while at least but i think the coast offers more for kids etc.

just dont want to stay somewhere where they show only fools and horses and there isnt any aunthentic spanish

the search continues.

thanks again

Dougle

Hi Forry

I 100 percent agree with Anninspain, You would definitely fit in better within a community of British and other ex pats.

And i have seen it many times when we turn up to do our work and the wife is so sad, Lonely etc., We bring a little comfort from home, But its not enough.

You need to be with people with similar needs, Then if all goes well you can decide whether its good for you or not.

But this way around I think you have a better outlook. And not needing the language straight away, How ever you will soon realise that your life will be a lot easier if you do speak Spanish.

If you choose the Campo (In land) then Spanish is more of a neccesity.

Kindest regards.

Carl.

Claudia1

My husband & I previously spent 2 weeks in Mijas Pueblo & loved it. There is a large expat community with all the facilities an "outsider" would require. Beautiful historic town up on a hill overlooking & set well back from the busy coastline below - great restaurants & very welcoming locals.

I suggest well worth checking out !

Claudia

forry

thanks again everyone.

i think we will narrow our search to the mijas area( coastal).
Claudia1, were the expat community more retirees or was it mixed. we are in our 20's so need people around our age group

Do you need a car to get to beech etc

thanks

Claudia1

Mostly retirees although there were younger people running pubs/restaurants.

Its just 15 minutes by regular bus to the coast from Mijas Pueblo.

Good luck,

Claudia

jackytoo

I used to go to a hairdressers in La cala de Mijas. There seemed to be a youngish community. Lots of people popping in for a chat all 20 to 30's.

forry

excellent. i have read there is a lot of crime in andalucia due to it being so close to africa. is this true.

Im from Glasgow so anything crime wise will be better than here just thought i would ask