I was talking to someone about this the other day and how we both noticed that people are so tense and stressed about life and just getting by in general and we both agreed that sometimes what you need is a little perspective, to get away from all your troubles and stress and take a peek at the bigger picture and we both agreed that one thing that really helps is looking at the positives, or maybe the helpful negatives about where you live... I'm not asking why you live there what made you move there, I'm more talking about what your area makes it special for you. Its not a competition, no one upmanship, just what makes where you live right for you. Its not even important if the reason is that its not somewhere else, but other people reading what makes your place special to you might help others see what is special for them, and it may just help them get some perspective.

So come on... sing up for your area.

LALALA!!!!!!!!!!

Im singing the praises for Valencia city.

There is more here than we have ever had,not including the sun.

We can find anything we want.

There is so much going on always.Sometimes its difficult to choose without missing out on something else.

15 mins to the city but we can get there by tube also.

But at the same time we have countryside around us and a garden big enough for a dwarf goat which will be our next purchase.

People are wonderful.We too now spend time chatting in the street with spanish people we have met here.

We dont have to go without anything cos we're in Spain as its all here in Valencia.

Could never imagine being anywhere else.

This is home now.

Valencia rocks!!!!!!!!!!!

What a good thread..........

We like where we live, because it is very lively and we love city centre living, its not everyones cup of tea, but we dont like peace and tranquility, hustle and bustle wins everytime. (which is normal as the Spanish are considered to be the noisiest people on the planet)

Also we are near beaches, and there is a good mix of people from all walks of life, mostly Spansih or SAmerican.

Great little local bars and a good choice of more trendy ones.

Handy for all the Corte Ingles, and everyting nearby. Busy all year round, which is what I like.

I love my town...this weekend there is going to be professional cyclers coming and whizzing though the town...

The town is already buzzing....TV crews are here, barriers along the roads and it's going to be heaving with people watching.

Far out in front of the positives for me is the people around me, all Spanish.

Then there are the views from our roof terrace and all around us no matter where we are driving to.

Rosemary

Mountain,Campo and sea views. No bars, no rentals. Short walk to nice beach. Mainly middle class spaniards but a nice sprinking of 4 other nationalities. Short drive to tourist areas, shops etc. if we want it. 4th time lucky. We moved once close to an Inland pueblo and hated it. As Painter Mujer pointed out it is personal preference. sometimes one persons dream is anothers nightmare.

The East End in the sun by the sea, that will do me. A short drive away, Glasgow by the sea, next door, Dublin by the sea. Another short drive away, 'real' Spain. I like the choice, and I like the sunshine and the sea.

As Jacky said, some people's dreams are other people's nightmares. An isolated finca full of olive trees and donkeys gives me nightmares.

Back home in England, surrounded by beautiful countryside, even the weather doesn't bother me as I have loved the snow we had in the winter and enjoy being able to visit family and friends I haven't seen for years. Also with all the walking I have been doing I have dropped two dress sizes and feel healthier and happier than I have in years

Near Vejer de la Fra in a small aldea, good neighbours, at the end of a dead end street so the loudest things are the chickens and the buzzing of the bees in the orange trees.

I get fresh squeezed orange juce from my own trees each day, I have reliable sunshine, and this evening I had the last nisperos off one of our trees and shared them with the dogs.

I shall have croissants and home made marmelade tomorrow for breakfast and we shall do a bit of weeding tomorrow. There are seeds to collect and sow from the cosmo plants and the flowers are looking lovely.

This is no song but it does have music in the video.

This is the area we live in, and it even shows our house.

Relaxed way of life. Some really lovely friends of different nationalities. Sea views and countryside around us yet most things are a short walk or drive away. Easy to get to beaches which are good for picnics and walking and, in the summer, swimming. Chiringuitos. The spontaneity of life here - whether it's an unplanned coffee with friends or whether everyone just starts dancing Sevillanas when a particular piece of music is played. Late nights. Everyone has time for a chat. Local ferias. The warmth (now that Winter has gone). Open air concerts. Lots of birds. Frog noises at night.

Here I am sitting in my studio writing silly messages on expats which is becoming addictive. They sun is sreaming through the windows so I have had to partly lower the blinds and I'm being deafened by my canaries loud singing. I ought to do a bit of dead heading in my patio or stroll through the orange groves to our campo to see what my husband is up to and say hello to the hens. My three cats are sleeping in the sun and all is well with the world on La Costera 5 minutes from Xativa and 15 minutes walk from Cerdá, Torrella, LLanera and la Granja. As today is a holiday and no students I may visit the village bar for a coffee buy some cream crackers and a secondhand book and collect the free news papers. The bar is British and does an incredible Menu del Día for 6.50 euros and on Sundays an enormous british lunch for 10 euros. They views all around are spectacular and we are like one big family with a population of 70 odd residents including 5 Brits. This is my village Vallés hidden in a sea of oranges.

I thought with that name you must live in Seville, but obviously not!!

As much as I enjoy Spain, you cannot beat London!

I'm gonna jump on this before the inevitable happens....

So tell us what it is about London that makes it THE place for you... why does it do it for you more than other places.