AJDallas44

Greetings all. I am an American, but you Brits know Spain much better than us so I am posting my question here.

I am interested in retiring to Spain, or possibly moving there sooner and telecommuting to my present job. I would like some suggestions on where to move, because I don't want to move to the coast like so many others. Here's what I'd like:

(1) Not on the coast. I'd move to Florida if I wanted that scene.

(2) Temperate weather all year round, or close to it. I'd prefer err on the side of too cool than too hot.

(3) Biking trails. Are bike trails ubiquitous in Spain like they are in Germany and other counties? I'm not a spandex-wearer, I just like to be able to bike from village to village while drinking the occasional beer.

(4) A place where one can get a bungalow with a yard for less than 1000euro per month.

(5) As per #4, not a touristy place or in the middle of the city, but not out in the total sticks either. It would be nice to have a cosmopolitan area within 50km.

(6) I'd plan on having a small car, but would prefer to get around day-to-day on a bike. Easy to the train system would be a big bonus.

(7) Old castles etc are awesome. That's one of the reasons I want to move to Europe. Beer taste better on cobblestoned roads drenched in history.

Thanks for any suggestions! Have a great day.

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

notacontrathinker

Try Googling around Tordera, Barcelona Province. You seem to have described it to a "T".

60K Barcelona, 35K Girona.

Big national parks all round with loads of bike trails, ruins of castles on almost every hilltop guarding the backdoor to Barcelona from France 100K away.

Property cheap enough to buy rather than rent.

Near the coast but not on it, certainly not a coastal "scene", more an old agricultural town. Station with rail connections to Barcelona and Girona. Airport at Girona 30-40 minutes.

Weather, pretty much usual Spanish, cold in Winter, hot in Summer.

Drawbacks.

Catalan language, although Spanish is spoken.
Not really Spain (not that it makes much difference).
Difficulties for an American to get permission to settle. Buying a property would help (I'm not trying to sell you one!).

Jon-Bxl

Wow, just checked it for myself, looks great, and of course France isnt that far away as well... with a high speed train from Perpignan/Barcelona hopefully coming sometime. Currently to Figueres. When (If) it comes it will be a 45 min journey!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGV_Per...%80%93Figueres

Also look here for a bit of talk on the train and a look at a bit of French culture, seen from Brit eyes via the links.

http://www.anglophone-direct.com/A-S...Revolution-TGV

I am a big fan of being near a border, as it gives you 2 cultures to enjoy. Also around the Perpignan area, its very beautiful too.. with the Pyrenees towering on one side and the Med on the other.

I think this is a great recommendation for your needs. I'm guessing you are from the DFW metroplex so understand why you don't want the heat!

Though you will miss Texas, my favourite state of the Union IMHO

However if you can retire in a place like this with 2 cultures accessible, castles, differing wines and beers, countryside etc etc.... y'all will have a great retirement - and lots of visits! .

Please let us know which area you eventually chose + good luck

Jon

amideislas

According to at least one expert, Oviedo is perhaps the best place on the entire planet.

Countryboy1

You must be crazy! Half the world is desperate to emigrate to the USA when half of Europe is on the move to escape poverty and unemployment!
The USA is so vast a country that there will be some part of it that will surely meet your needs? OK, no castles in the US, but not a reason to emigrate. Bottled beer in Spain is much the same as available anywhere in the world and don't get romantic about cobblestones!
You say "Not on the coast. I'd move to Florida if I wanted that scene." Since when is Florida the only coastal choice in the US? If you're comparing it to the Spanish Costas then yes Florida can be like that in parts, but northern Florida has a beautiful coastline as do many parts of the whole country.
If you were thinking of retiring to Spain to escape the US for other reasons such as crime (in parts) or other personal reasons then of course that's your choice.
Where you are you have the 'luxury' of speaking the language, have a choice of huge national parks, beautiful mountains and lakes and weather choices ranging from sub-tropical to snow covered.
You seem to have a very 'rose coloured spectacles' view of life in Spain, so I say come over on an extended stay and look around!

Fredbargate

Jimena de la Frontera

Bike trails
In a national park.
On a railway line.
Close enough to Cadiz & Seville.
Smallish expat community
40 Km to Gibraltar with it's British community and AIRPORT.

agoreira

Friend of mine that lives in Avilés and works in Oviedo reckons he never goes anywhere without his umbrella in winter.

Jon-Bxl

I agree that one should always 'try before you buy' and an extended stay in 1 or 2 areas would be good especially is you are changing country and retiring...

However I think you have been too hard as well with the OP, as America doesnt have everything one would need. I had a guaranteed green card but chose not to take it. As much as I love USA I wouldnt want to emigrate there (even though many want to)

There are some wonderful parts of Europe that easily compete with the USA and IMHO win hands down.

Here is a thread coincidentally just started about an American who has taken Spanish nationality and is delighted
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...14&postcount=1

Jon

amideislas

Yeah, but there's no crime, no corruption, the food is perfect, water is perfect, everybody is perfect, and everything is free.

EsuriJohn

I have two Spanish professional friends from Madrid one who was born in Galicia who tell me that Ovido is the nicest place in Spain. They built a house in Galicia to retire to. They now are selling that and want to build in Ayamonte for their retirement because the climate is more friendly than the north and of course not as hot as Madrid in summer.

Have a look at Ayamonte for a border town with easy access to Portugal for a different culture and not on the coast but close enough.

AJDallas44

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I'm now looking into Oviedo, it looks like a strong contender.

BTW, I'm not exactly down on the U.S. I realize that it's given me a lot of opportunity, and I certainly like the job options here. But I think the scenery and culture of Europe is hard to beat.

Example: I'm of a certain age, and I STILL get carded when I buy beer in the U.S. I don't think that's a compliment, it's just weird. And for all of our natural scenery and wide-open spaces, it can be difficult to find hiking/biking paths in the US, unless you are willing to hop in your car and drive for a ways. And you'll never find hiking paths going through picturesque wineyards under ancient castles.

Not to mention the difference in crime rates. You're less likely to get pickpocketed in the US (our thieves aren't that talented), but more likely to have something more dire.

I love the U.S....but I would like to just take a little break for a few years.

Mallory

What type of visa would you be obtaining?

AJDallas44

I guess I hadn't given much thought to the type of visa. I'm a software techie, I telecommute. I can work anywhere in the world. I'm not definitely rich, but have a good middle-class existence. I had assumed the authorities in Spain would have a visa available for that category. Any thoughts?

Dick Dasterdly

I put the low crime rate down to the fact that it's usually too wet even for criminals to be outdoors, except when it's snowing of course.
Yeh, lots of fresh water, up to their necks in it most days, so don't forget your wellies.

To be a little more serious, check out the area West of Valencia and just a little West of the coastal highway.

Pleasant climate, very rural, not expensive, quite pretty, biggest citrus fruit growing area in Europe, plus lots of open campo, excellent communications of every type and well serviced.

Coastal highway close by, main highway to Central Spain and Madrid close by, Air, Rail and Bus services close by, as well as the city Metro service which travels about 40 kms or more inland to the S.W. of the city.
Been there ten years since I moved to the mainland and wouldn't live anywhere else in mainland Spain, thought there are lots of other areas to admire and enjoy.