robynb

Hi all,

Firstly thanks for taking the time to read this. I'm a single parent and want to move to Valencia with my 4yr old. I've looked into International Schools for my daughter.

I'd love to be close to the beach, not far from the Int. School etc.

I'm finally in a position where I can move to Spain full time, but unaware of the best areas to go.

Any advice you could give me would be amazing! Thanks x

Opinion

We'll need a bit more info than that.

Do you have property in the UK? Are you looking to buy or rent? Do you need to work in Spain? And so on.

I split my time between the UK and Valencia, so any questions Valencia specific, I'll try and help.

mikelincs

You need to think about what Brexit will mean, some things will change on Saturday, others not till December. Frankly I personally would not be moving to any of the EU countries until everything is decided, moving and uprooting your family only to find that you don't qualify to live there next year will be a real PITA, not to mention very expensive. Do not, in any case, fail to have a bolt hole in the UK to return to if the worse comes to the worse.

dmu

Hi, why an International School? Your daughter is at an ideal age to learn to speak Spanish in a State Nursery School, and even if you decide that Spain isn't for you after all and you return to the UK, she's young enough not to miss out on the UK Curriculum. On the contrary, it would broaden her outlook, even at that age.
As said, you've got the consequences of Brexit to consider, and you need to give more info, particularly your employment status which would govern your healthcare coverage. How is your Spanish?
HTH

robynb

I am selling my property currently. I was considering renting for 6 months then possibly purchasing if all goes well.

I do not need to work, I work remotely and would be able to sort My tax out in Spain.

I’d just love an idea of areas good for families, but still lively and close to the beach. Thanks!


I hold both Irish and UK passports so wouldn’t have an issue living in Europe.

I personally chose an international school as it would be an easier transition for my daughter initially then potentially move to a Spanish school when her language skills improve. Additionally it would help me to make acquaintances quickly.

Opinion

Definitely rent out here first. Don't even think about buying without renting.

That's great. Have a look at the tax laws / Autonimo etc. as it's a lot different to the UK. You'll want to hire a good accountant.

Do you have an idea as to why sort of property you'd like? Any criteria? I'm assuming you've visited Valencia before, too? You've got the Turia park which is beautiful and great for families and kids. I live quite central in Ciutat Vella, about a minute walk from the Mercat Central. The Turia Gardens are about a 6 minute cycle, and the beach is about 23 minutes (if I take the longer route through the park, as it's lovely!)

You'll make friends over here easily, don't worry about that. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat more.

Mark.London

El Cabanyal is the old fishing quarter of Valencia, 5km east of the centre. It is a cute and unique residential district of seaside Valencia. Connected by tram and nearby metro. Is a 5 minute walk to the city's most popular beaches. The Guardian just named it as one of Europe's ten coolest neighbourhoods.

chopera

I stayed around the El Cabanyal area for a long weekend just over a year ago. My first impression was that it´s rough: just down the road from us there were gypsies living in various derelict houses, with makeshift open fires blazing away, and kids running around the streets shouting abuse at each other. We didn't feel threatened, and in fact we had a great time and would happily go back, but it didn't strike me as an area to live in if you have kids. What I couldn't understand is how such a centrally located neighbourhood, that is effectively front line to a fantastic beach, not have been bulldozed over by property developers.

Moses2013

Apparently they wanted to bulldoze the place for years and move these families. Sure the beach looks nice but you get the beach all along the coast. After looking on streetview it does seem rough in parts and I would assume there are nicer cheaper areas for someone with kids.
https://www.elsaltodiario.com/urbani...stica-cabanyal

klevakloggs

Valencia is a very safe, very beautiful city. So anywhere in the Ciutat vella would be good. But perhaps you would prefer to be in the old dock areas to the east. I don't know the area personally, but | hear it's becoming v popular with ex-pats. And of course it's close to the beaches.

A possible compromise could be the university area around Benimaclet, which is a lively and pleasant student area, but offers easy travel to the beach.

One word about the old city, it really is very old, and so parts of it look scruffy and graffiti covered, but that doesn't mean they are bad areas. Valencia is not London or Liverpool.

SanNico

It seems Opinion is my neighbour, I also live in that area near Placa del Tossal. I agree with his/her opinions. Anyway, I'm a newbie here but lived in Italy and Germany when my kids were of similar ages. We lived beachfront, countryside, city centre and in the suburbs. Of all of the locations we found the city the best option for living a balanced life with kids, hence our decision to live in the old town here.

It's nice to be near a beach but as mentioned, El Cabanyal is a bit of an eyesore and lacking in the facilities of the city. For a convenient life the city is perfect and you may not even need a car. We've only filled up twice since arriving in June, walking to most places and using the city bikes to go further afield. If you want to spend your money with local businesses, it's the place to be. The Central Market is an amazing place. They say if you can't find it there, it doesn't exist (not true, they don't sell taramasalata). Another bonus, the local cinema shows movies in English. That sounds very ex-pat of me, believe me when I say I'm not the type that looks for a full English breakfast and Guinness on tap. It's not something I was interested in before moving here, but it's a pleasant experience.

The British Schools are in Russafa. We looked at that area as well but found it very crowded and the apartments small. It's an up and coming area with excellent transport links and lots of bars and restaurants. From the center, you can walk or cycle there in a few minutes. Regarding schools, I haven't seen any benefit in using international schools. My kids did a mix of both and the local schools always came out on top. When you send them to the international schools they mix with very sheltered children, in some cases children who are very entitled and not very street wise. If you want private, go local.

Many of our colleagues live in the area of the Arts and Sciences. It's a nice area on the Turia with more of an American feel to it but we found it didn't feel very Spanish.

Rosemary

Rosemary