Dr George

I would like to move out of UK and live under the sun for either Spain or Portugal.
I travelled to spain for few days, but I have never travelled to Portugal.
I would like to know which place is the most friendly and relaxed.
Spain or Portugal
What is your experience? Please share it with me in order to make my mind.
Thanks

Veleta

I don't think you can really say "Spain is more friendly than Portugal" or vice versa.

It is all down to the individuals that you encounter, but if you wish to generalise then to be honest they are both much of a muchness.

You should make your mind up about which country to settle in based on other factors than this one.

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

yes, as Veleta says its not something you can generalise on. Some Spanish dont like Brits cos they feel we´ve come along and "raped" their country, but just as many love us and some are totally indifferent and are either friendly or not!? But it also depends on YOU!! If you´re friendly then in most cases you´ll find its mirrored back atcha

I notice that my OH, altho a nice chap is very shy and when he encounters new people, especially spanish he comes across as a little "off" , he doesnt mean to, but anyway, they tend to be a little "off" back. I come across as friendlier and smile alot and the same people are really lovely back.

Brits and expats are all in the main friendly cos we all feel a comeradary due our shared language etc

Spain is a lovely country, but I cant comment on Portugal cos I´ve not been

Jo xxx

jdr

I think it would be your attitude to the people that you want to be friendly, whatever country you move to. lol

CAROL ELIZABETH

I know the Algarve well from several visits - more than annual visits but similar also number to Spain. My view is that in general the Portuguese like the British and are on the whole very friendly and helpful. Andalucians can be quite abrupt and often seem unfriendly - smiling does not come easy! However, it is such as lovely place and a little Spanish goes a long way - and is easier to learn than Portuguese (I think) . You can experience both however by living on the Costa de a Luz (border) or by living on the Eastern Algarve.

Hondon Voyager

Give me Spain any day and Portugal is on the Atlantic .

rugbymatt

Never a truer word spoken!

vox populia

Spain, has adapted much more over the years than Portugal, we are moving to Spain soon the accessability being a major factor! Honestly the people in the village make you so welcome, we have never experienced any problems of not being wanted, our village actually involves the whole community in festivals etc. Check it out!

Hondon Voyager

Don't know where your village is but there is a load of crap about the Spanish being unwelcoming etc I can say the same as you for my Village ,I asked my neighbour who is spansish very shortly after I moved in where I could get topsoil as he had a load in his garden couple of weeks later there was a load in my Garden ,Would not take a penny from me ,gave him a good drink and 50 cigars, he was as happy as a sandboy and we still get on well ,but there are numerous other instances similar to this I have encountered over the past 5 years if you respect the Spanish they respect you .Portuguese not a bad bunch of people either C.Ronaldo excluded (you wont forgive me for that one ha ha)

Cleri

What do you mean?

Veleta

Presumably that Spain has moved a bit quicker than Portugal in terms of catching up with its European oounterparts.

Apart from a few pockets of wealthy areas (such as the Algarve) Portugal is still noticably much poorer than Spain.

rugbymatt

Thanks to the EU that is........

Veleta

Portugal is/was just as needy as Spain and I guess it had its fair share of EU money too, so I wonder why it still trails behind?

rugbymatt

Spain had the vast proportion of almost any other countries money.....


"In a study for the Elcano Royal Institute, Mr Torreblanca found that in the two decades after joining the EU in 1986 Spain received net transfers of €93.3 billion (at 2004 prices), the equivalent of an extra 0.83% of GDP growth each year for 20 years."

Cleri

In some parts maybe,but I thought Spain was equal on that.I live near Lisbon...don't see many poor people near here (Actually the Portuguese in the Algarve are a fair bit poorer than their Lisbonite counterparts)

Agree that Spain has thrown off the 'dictatorship' thing more quickly tho',Portugal much more reserved.
But surely Spain has it's poor areas too?...no?