moving to Spain; where to ?
 

it is my very first post here,
so saying hey to everyone, greetings!

I want to move to Spain. I live in London right now, and have a job utilizing Internet and my skills as audio engineer. It is important to say, this allows me to live wherever I dream of, it just needs to have Internet. I did some research regarding moving to Spain, yet there is still many questions to ask. Let's focus on very important one - where to ?

I supposed to be moving next year, September, with my GF, but it seems I will be moving on my own.
I am 42 yo, no kids, so I don't need to be close to schools, or hospitals, or/and golf clubs:).
I was thinking Andalusia is a region I would love to live, but I am happy to be corrected.
Actually, I still consider Portugal as well, as my main goal is to have
- silence (I have enough of London's noise)
- nature (I really miss it...) view on sea and mountains - very recommended
-weather - sun&blue sky (that's obvious for anyone living in north Europe:)
- food (as veggie eater I believe quality of veggies in sunny place must be better)
- lower cost of living (comparing to London, or anywhere in UK)

To better describe what I am looking for - I am musician/artist, so probably will be looking for same spirited souls. Therefore my first idea about living in rural area was rejected. Going to Spain alone (and still not speaking Spanish, although willing and trying to learn) I rather will live in outskirts of some town, then in complete wilderness. (that was my very first plan). Javea/Xabia seems to be very nice place, but maybe there are other places I don't know about ?
Well I haven't been in that part of Spain, but plan to visit it next month, and then following spring and summer before moving in.

I am very happy to listen to yours opinions, and questions.

namaste

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

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

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Hi and welcome, several areas come to mind given your introduction.

Orgiva, lot of music in and around The Alpujarra. I think internet in Orgiva would be okay plus 35 mins to coast and all the nature flora and fauna you might like all around you. Plenty lovely mountain walks and drives.

Ayamonte, again lots going on in town and beach not far away, again lots of music especially in the season. On the Guadiana River so plenty wildlife around plus Donaña National park not far away. Also close to Portugal,16 mins ferry ride at 1 euro 70 cents each way or by road less than half an hour I suppose ( don't drive) The don't call it Coast de la Luz for nothing :-)

Portugal, the area from Vila Real de Santo Antonio along the coast has all things water based, wild life and lovely villages. Also Rio Formosa Natural Park.

Cadiz area might also fit the bill, there seems to be some live music there also and beaches a plenty.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

:welcome:

if you can find the time and inclination I would suggest you visit a few places for a week or so and get them fixed in your mind
everywhere has pluses and minuses, living in Andalusia it can have the extremes of weather of 40+ for the past 4-5 weeks, although now down to more acceptable mid-low 30's. In the past winter even the coastal strip got down to zero in a few places, although further inland we had snow and -5 or so. Rain was also a problem earlier this year, with reservoir's being at 95% capacity - almost unheard of.

but you are going to have to seriously consider your location as the internet and associated communications facilities are important for the job. And the majority of the high broadband locations are in places like Madrid and Barcelona, where you can get 50mb whilst down the south many people get by with an actual 1.5mb or less :eek:

food wise, the Spanish export their rejects to places like the UK, the quality here is excellent, the prices really low. Where you are paying 80p/£1 each for a small hand held pepper we pay €1.80 a kilo, sometimes that can only 2 or 3 peppers. :thumbup:

but be careful, all utilities - water, electricity are expensive, gas is only limited to certain parts of very large locations so you have to have a canister, rubbish is usually communal bins serving a number of houses as you can't get UK style bins into the houses. And they empty at midnight, so don't live near too near a bin. :(

so long as you can meet the "wealth" check and prepared to pay for private medical then there are many places you may find will meet your needs.

best of luck

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

thank all of you for input, very valuable!
I have a question regarding medical health, though. I was under impression, that from autumn 2012 all legal EU residents earning below 100 000 EUR per annum have a right to free health care.
Could you confirm I am mistaken ?

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

for sure I am going to visit place before moving in!
but firstly, I'd like to know roughly about places to get some basic idea...
For example, high temperatures and no rain - I know that there are some microclimates where even in south there's a rain and there is some relief from super hot weather. I just don;t know where are those places exactly....:)

also, how to establish, find out about Internet ?
I really don;t need super fast, although I do upload and download files, so at least 12 Megs/1Meg (download/upload).

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

thank you for great info!
just checking those places, Orgiva is in a zone I was thinking of - between Granada and sea, so be able to enjoy summer and winter, plus possibly colder weather and more rain (?)
very interesting

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Sorry to have to tell you this, but that is only applicable if you were already legally resident in Spain at the time this was introduced in 2012. After that date, all newcomers signing on the official register of foreign residents must be able to show proof of either sufficient funds in a Spanish bank account to support themselves (or regular payments eg pensions into one), plus proof that they have medical cover. This can be in the form of a Spanish employment contract confirming that social security contributions are being paid, autonomo (self-employed) social security contributions being paid, an S1 form from the DWP confirming that the UK Government will meet the person's heathcare costs for up to 2 years (if below state pension age), or private medical insurance.

I would echo what other posters have said about the importance of choosing an area where fast, reliable internet connection is available, given your line of work. This is, unfortunately, unlikely to be in a rural area, which means some compromise between your wish for a peaceful, quiet life and your need to earn a crust!

One last word of warning - Spain may grow lots of good vegetables and fruit, but that doesn't mean it is a paradise for vegetarians when it comes to eating out - quite the opposite. My OH is vegetarian (does not eat fish, which some who say they are vegetarian do) and we find it a real struggle outside the major cities to have a decent choice of places to eat. It seems most Spanish restaurant and cafe owners don't consider such things as jamon, chicken or tuna to be meat or fish at all for some reason, and often will not even include them in the listed ingredients of a dish on a menu, which leads to some unwelcome surprises and dishes being sent back. Always ask for confirmation that whatever you order contains no meat or fish and it is safest to specify no jamon, etc. either - sounds incredibly picky, but we have learned from experience! You will have no problem cooking for yourself as the quality of the ingredients is good, but dining out is another matter.

As well as the other places already mentioned, I'd check out Salobrena on the coast in Granada province - the winter weather will be a lot milder than up in Orgiva, and it's a lovely town.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

I visit the Orgiva area at least once a year more if I can. I go to a village above the town and the climate seems to be fairly decent all year round. I see lots of different types of people, music, therapies and the arts and crafts. Lots of good fresh fruit and veg grown the mountains, plenty to have a varied diet. The town has several shops with a choice pulses beans etc I don't think you would be stuck for people to interact with there.

The campsites have various types of music events to cater for most people lots of local musicians. The village I visit has a cultural week with different events including dance, theatre and music. I think many places around there have them and a host of other things.

I love the whole atmosphere of the place, the peace quiet and calm. Nothing beats sitting a top a mountain with kites and kestrels soaring at eye level, eagles above and butterflies and flowers at your feet. :)

If I remember correctly there used to be a vegetarian restaurant somewhere will have a look for it.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Just a small comment the mountain village I visit is likely to get snow but usually it is gone within the day for the immediate surrounding. I was there for Christmas one year and compared to some places I have been it was cosy :) No hat gloves and winter boots required unless going walking up the mountain which some of the ladies do every day come rain hail or shine. The area has a micro climate I believe. They had no snow to speak of that year. I was colder in England this May than have been for years anywhere other than Krakow.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

thank you, that's something I did consider as resolved...:( and seems a bit of a problem now
Well, I don't have to register in Spain, as I will still work here in UK on contract, as a free lancer, and that would be more half of the year.
Anyway, doing so I still prefer to have as a base/home a sunny and less expensive place. Therefore I will be paying taxes in UK. Now I was 100% sure about the health issue, that this is resolved for EU citizens, now it really makes it complicated again...:unsure:
the administration part is something I am not really good at all...

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

really appreciate your input, thank you!
I don't mind snow, if there is sunshine - like in mountains near Krakow, during winter. Yours descriptions are really appealing.
Do you know how to check Internet provider in area?
is it phone line company in Spain?
is it related to phone line

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Internet outside the big cities is likely to be slow, with less than 2mbps as normal, there may be better speeds in some areas, but they are more likely to be using satellite, and therefore much more expensive pnone and internet are considerably more expensive than the UK.
Southern Spain, where the best of the sunshine is, can be very wet in Autumn, and amny people have recently found out, and the rain is usually a short cloudburst, which leaves areas flooded, of about a couple of hours, and then the roads dry, well except for the flooded areas.
If you are making your home in Spain, then you will have to become a resident, otherwise much of officialdom will be denied you, and, unfortunately, Spain is a very beaurocratic country.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

If it weren't for the need of sea I'd suggest Madrid - but in a town outside the city, maybe somewhere like Pozuelo, Majadahonda or Alcobendas...

But if you need to be near the sea, then perhaps Barcelona would be a good choice. But you'll need plenty of money (it's not a cheap place to live). And one thing you seek - a quiet place - maybe hard to find.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

please don't make me laugh - this is SPAIN .:rofl:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...d#post10840535
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...internet+speed
will give you some indications of the problems in getting an internet connection and a speed that is useful.
do a search on the site, but beware - like many things on forums you need to have a pinch of salt with you

hth
kr

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

I agree with Cptains Wench Las Alpujarras, sounds like it would fit the bill, maybe not the highest part as cold in Winter, very cold the ski up there, or along the Costa Tropical coast, Almuñécar to La Rábita.:D

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

I think the bit, "Therefore my first idea about living in rural area was rejected" would rule out the Alpujarras, it doesn't get much more rural than that. Beautiful area for retirees, hippies, Buddhist monks etc, but doesn't strike me as the ideal place for a young man looking for a bit of life. Órgiva never did it for me, I thought it was a bit grotty!

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

I based my reply suggestion Orgiva area after reading this part of his post 'I am musician/artist, so probably will be looking for same spirited souls '

Orgiva is not everyone cup of tea but given the above statement and having spent time the area for a few years now I thought it may suit him. It may look a bit grotty but I found the people there open and friendly, and for a single man plenty of places for music and painting.


.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

I just said las alpujarras, meaning general área, it is quite large.:) we dont live near Orgiva, but on the coast 4kms from the sea, but not everyones cup of tea, was meaning Costa Tropical and área in general. we are retirees, but most definately not hippes or buddhist lol, we like it here as relatively nice diving, not as good as UK but free and clearer lol

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

thank you all for support, it's really valuable info.
I must say I am hippie and Buddhist:) although still exploring and learning.
That places close to the Sierra Nevada, looks very interesting. I was planning to research that area, as its close to coast, and mountain, and Malaga/airport and Granada. Anyway new situation in my life force me to get little bit 'back into society'. As much as I love being alone, this is not something I want at the moment.
I was researching 'Internet issue' in Spain, seems like a real drawback, when you consider rural area. So it seems semi small town/city would suits me best.
Something like Xabia/Javea (I hope there is no problem with Internet there?)
Sure I want to have a taste of Spain, language, culture, food&wine:). Living in rural areas is not best suited for me.
What is your opinion on this ?

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Have you considered the Basque country?

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Granada has a good night life, mountains all around and is already 750metres asl, close to the ski resort, just a distance to go to the beach.
good communications inside the city and some places outside
cheap bus service and flights to/from LGC although a bus to malaga only takes an hour or so.
what with the students, the Jazz festival and many other functions its biggest drawback is - poor advertising, but that seems to be normal in Spain. Surprising how many things get advertised the day before or even the day after.
:confused:

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

no,
I must say, Mediterranean sea got some kind of magnetic force...I just love the coast. Although I don;t reject any other parts.
All I want is a sunshine, sea and mountains:) I don;t mind when winter is colder, as long as is sunshine (and all UK residents know what I mean:)

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

One thing which worries me about Granada is 45 degrees hot for 6 weeks...
but the rest seems very appealing. Living in outskirts of town would suits me best.
Am I correct that coast town like Xabia will have less hot summer and milder winter?
If I could choose between seaside town and mountain, I'd go for the water:)
especially considering 4 months of proper hot.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Given your interest in Buddhism, you might like to know about this place:-
http://www.karmaguen.org/en/

It is close to where I live, Velez-Malaga which is the administrative capital of the Axarquia region. This is a large working town which, although there are expats here of many different nationalities, has a predominantly Spanish population. It is 5km from the coast and we have a good climate, without the really high summer temperatures and really cold winter ones experienced inland. I live in the historic centre within the original city walls, there is no car access here but we don't find that a problem. All the shops and facilities of the town are 5-10 minutes' walk away but it is quiet here, especially at night and many houses have wonderful views as the area is uphill from the town centre. We have a good broadband connection with this company (costs €29 per month inc. IVA).

http://www.broadband4spain.com/

More info about Velez here (just to throw another suggestion into the mix!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A9lez-M%C3%A1laga

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

that's fantastic info!
really thank you
this kind of town is something (I think) I am looking for.
what is average speed of Internet, and is it provided without any hassle/stop, etc?

actually I plan to visit Malaga in October, and have a trip to Granada, and then further east to Alicante, and then fly back to London week later from there.
If anyone can advise on some places I should see/visit, please be welcome.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

We get around 6mbps, we have had the service for about 18 months now and it has been very reliable. Once it was off for about 24 hours because their wireless mast had suffered a lightning strike, but I couldn't really blame them for that! Being a large town, getting a Telefonica landline isn't usually a problem either (although we don't have one, have never bothered with it) and I believe they now do 10mbps ADSL broadband, I know a couple of people who have it and are very pleased with it.

Oh, and you mentioned earlier that you are an artist. A new Contemporary Arts Centre is to open in Velez-Malaga on the 14th of this month, and there are quite a few painters living and working here. This lady's studio and gallery, for example, is about 20m from my house:-

https://www.facebook.com/lacasadelapintora

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Regarding internet connections: 4G is being rolled out in Spain, and should vastly improve internet connections across the country. I suspect most areas will be covered by the end of next year (but you never know!).

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

I lived in Albunol for a while many moons ago, not a Brit to be seen anywhere, not even in the nice little coastal villages close by.

However it's a good way up the mountain from there to the Alpujjaras and a much cooler climate.
Ag describes it as rural, well maybe, but travel East from the Alpujjaras then you'll find out what rural really is, though unfortunately many of the villages had been abandoned, partly due to unsafe crumbling foundations on the unstable ground and partly due to the difficulties of a much more hostile and arid climate in that direction.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Ronda, coin, alora?

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

:thumb:I am going to visit Malaga in October. What places besides obviously Granada, and Almeria are worthy to visit on 7 days short trip ?

thanks for advice in advance!

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

We live in Torremolinos and are regularly in Benalmadena and Fuengirola.
We find that the choice of vegetables is limited but the quality is Good.
On the fruit side we (us and our acquantances) find that the fruit is of poor quality, almost never ripe, cannot be kept to ripen because it goes mouldy within 48 hrs, and more importantly without ANY taste. We only buy from the large supermarkets and local greengrocers. We often go to Italy and the fruit comparison is like night and day.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

I used to live down that end, you have to be careful where you buy the fruit and veg from

There is a local market at the back of El Corte Ingles on Saturday mornings that has excellent fruit, most of which is grown locally. This has nothing to do with the terrible fruit in the supermarkets down there

There are a couple of good fruit and veg shops in Arroyo de la Miel which have great local products very cheap. There is also a small indoor market in Los Boliches that has two good fruit & veg stalls.

The other option, but one we rarely used, is to go to Hipercor. They always have two fruit and veg areas. One where you help yourself and the fruit is of poor quality, and one with a guy behind the counter where the fruit is excellent quality. The problem here is that you pay a big premium e.g. 3 euros 50 for 1kg of bananas or 15 euros for a kg of cherries

The quality of everything is a bit hit and miss in that part of Spain, but there is a lot of good quality food, but you must seek it out! Good luck

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

you really have me worried.....:(

what vegetables are you missing ???
tomatoes, peppers (red & green), onions, potatoes, cabbage, "coliflor". "Pepino" etc
are all available without problem - they are staple diet for the local Spanish;
if in any doubt - shop where they shop, just learn a few Spanish words first.
my local fruiteriar stocks at least 3 different types of tomatoes, apples and other fruit etc as well as 2 or 3 types of lettuce....
you just have to get out there with the locals, put up with the queue's as it is always a social gathering, but find what they are offering, what price and just give them the money.
it is really much cheaper than UK
:thumbup:

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

We went to a little village shop above Cartama today, Quality of the local fruit was excellent and very cheap, The Figs were 2 Eu a Kg eg.

I think that Mercadona/Supersol/Carrefour/Lidl etc have seen the last of us for fruit etc and we will be heading inland regularly. As for missing Veg;- Choice of greens and decent potatoes, Fennel, turnips, Jerusalem artichokes, fresh Ginger, choice of Funghi, To name but a few of those that we were used to in Italy through the year.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

Our local indoor market and fruterias are pretty good on quality and price generally, but I agree that the choice can be limited. We've found that the big markets in the large cities offer a much better range - La Boqueria in Barcelona and the Mercado Central in Valencia are especially good. We tend to go a bit mad buying stuff to bring home when we go on city breaks, especially funghi - we buy a range of dried ones which although not as good as the fresh ones at least give a bit more choice than is available locally. I guess it isn't worth the shopkeepers' and stallholders' while to buy in more expensive items in the current economic climate when they fear they might be left with them on their hands. Our local market tends to get a few more things like boletus in in the run-up to Xmas which we pounce on eagerly!

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

On the topic of buying fruit and veg in the towns and villages around Malaga, the best places are often the weekly open markets or sometimes depending on season the local small family run shops where it was often picked that morning from their parcel of land and surplus is then sold. When shopping it is a good idea to buy where the price is displayed clearly, get a general idea of what the going rate is that week supply and demand will dictate, if there is no price showing always ask price per kilo before making selection.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

ok,
I was in Malaga, Granada and Cordoba 3 weeks ago, really enjoyed Spain, such a beautiful country!
I came to the decision, after my short 9 days visit - I want to stick to coast, or close to the coast, as the climate/weather is very appealing.
Granada and Cordoba (although I like both cities) are not for me:), I presume in summer it's madness there..
So now, my plans are aimed at Spanish coast, let's say from Malaga, to Xabia, east direction (although again I could be wrong)
I really love Malaga, beautiful city, sunny, not too busy/noisy, 15 min trip to airport, just by the sea (although the beach was nasty..). I think that moving a bit further from big city, could be good idea to rent a villa/finca cheaper, and also less noise, less buzz and maybe nicer beach.any thought on this ?

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

[QUOTE=imissun;10991160 I think that moving a bit further from big city, could be good idea to rent a villa/finca cheaper, and also less noise, less buzz and maybe nicer beach.any thought on this ?[/QUOTE]

Sure, although the whole of the Coast that way is basically one big built up urban area, there arent really any peaceful areas.

If you want a detached villa/finca with gardens then you will have to go inland somewhat unless you have a very large budget

I really liked Malaga city because it feels real. It is a proper city and there are some nice but expensive places to rent in Malagueta or just East of there. That is where I would choose to live

Once you get to Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, some bits are nice enough (there are also really ugly terrible bits) , but there is much more of a tourist atmosphere and lots of "us and them" with the 100,00s of foreigners keeping themselves to themselves and not really mixing and doing what the Spaniards do.

Re: moving to Spain; where to ?
 

thank you for information,
by Inland do you think 10 km is Inland or it is still 'coast' ?
what kind of prices I should be prepared for for renting average size 2 bed finca/villa in that area ?

thank you for answer in advance