SanNico

Moody teens I can vouch for. If already in the private system they make friends easily as they all seem to have mutual friends, even in different countries. Here's a list here of schools in both cities, scroll down to the 3rd list.

The 30 best valued public, private and concerted schools in Spain (elconfidencial.com)

The central area in Valencia is also around Colon, so that should make the house hunt simple. Anything between Calle Colon and the towers is considered the city centre so prices are higher. Just south of there, although still fairly central, are the areas of La Gran Via and Russafa. A bit cheaper but still very nice.

Right now you may be able to pick up a bargain rental on Placa de la Reina. They're appoaching (April) the end of a huge renovation project where a lot of the tenants vacated due to the noise and dust. Some landlords have taken advantage and renovated the apartments too. The digging is almost finished so from November onwards it should be light construction for a few months. Valencia: The reform of the Plaza de la Reina recovers the monumental scale of Santa Catalina, the Micalet and the Cathedral | Valencian Community | THE COUNTRY (elpais.com)

SanNico

I'm curious, where do you/did you live in Spain? I only have weekend visits to compare it with other cities but would recommend it compared to other European cities. I have colleagues in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville and we argue that we live in the best city. The only thing 3/4 of us agree on is that Seville is not the correct answer.

agree_to_disagree

Well, I am going to be changing location in Spain soon, so where I end up remains to be seen.

You would only get me kicking and screaming to live in Seville. Far too hot for me during the summer.

Madrid is arguably one of the best capital cities in Europe, in terms of work-life balance. Low crime, attractive city, lots going on, very cheap and excellent transport infrastructure. But very Spanish city. The list goes on.....

Barcelona, politics and independence movement are a big issue. Otherwise Barcelona the surrounding area has to be one of the best places in Europe to live. But, I don't have any time for anything Catalan. Did plan to buy in Castelldefels, but scrubbed that idea a few years back with all the independence nonsence. But Barcelona is quite an international city when compared with Madrid.

Bilbao, too cold and wet. The natives have bad press as being stroppy. I have no experience Basques, so cannot comment.

SanNico

Please don't mention Valencia, Madrid and football in the same sentence again this week. I had the pleasure of sitting next to a Real Madrid fan on Sunday night. He was a very gracious winner.

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Moses2013

I would never live in one of these large cities personally and also far too expensive for housing. We do have a place 1 hour drive from Barcelona and the independence movement has never bothered me really.
It might be more extreme in small villages but I can ignore it and we are closer to the coastal touristic areas.

agree_to_disagree

Yes, cost of housing in Spain is astronomical!

Interested in your perspective that you can just get on with life and just ignore them...

Areas both north and south of Barcelona are great.

Sitges seems like a nice spot and within commuting distance of Barcelona.

Moses2013

In fairness I am not a full time resident and only a holiday home, so the rest of the time I'm in Ireland. I suppose I'm just not bothered one bit about the politics and just accept that I'm a foreigner and let other people talk. Apart from that I do find the Catalans to be honest/reliable and you seem to hear less of the mañana. Since we are not that far from Blanes & Lloret (which I must say has improved a lot in recent years), you have more of an international feel and people are quite relaxed. I do avoid the main beach when the younger tourists are around and off season it's a complete different town. I do prefer Tossa which is around 15 km further, but houses were not within my budget. In any case it's very easy to drive to a nice beach, cove and we are in the urbanizations outside the town. Sitges (although not cheap) is also nice and the Maresme coast is a good option for those working in Barcelona. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...pain-catalonia

agree_to_disagree

Some years ago, I travelled both north and south of Barcelona checking out the various towns on the coast looking for a place to buy. I recall the roads were twisty turny going north whereas south they seemed to be better. Will take a note of Maresme coast and have a look at again at some point. Sooner or later I will be buying here. Just sittng on a shed load of investments at the moment instead.

I see Barcelona goes direct to Dublin and Belfast City and Girona gets you to Dublin also. I guess then based on your location Girona would be better, but there seem to be less flights.

Moses2013

I prefer driving to be honest. We usually take the ferry to France and have also booked the Bilbao route recently.
It also allows to bring back plenty of wine. Yes you have a lot of twists and turns between Lloret and Sant Feliu de Guíxols.

Moses2013

​​​​​​​Lol, nice view though

steviedeluxe

Ever tried drinking tap water in Valencia?
Valencia is a very appealing location it's true, but there are always swings and roundabouts for different cities - else no one would live there. Even the "it's cold in winter" argument against Madrid has its upside - you're closer to ski resorts and more likely to see snow. And it does mean that generally more places are adequately heated. It "can" be cold in Valencia at some point, and most buildings aren't good on the heating side.

agree_to_disagree

I went skiing once a few years ago and never plan to try it again.

Daftest sport I´ve tried as it is the best sport to put you straight in a plaster.

So if you buy a property in Valencia then simply ensure you buy one that has adequate insulation....

As for the water, buy bottled water... It´s as cheap as chips!

Moses2013

The problem with skiing is that you would still need a car to get there, or you face a 2 1/2 - 3 hour bus/train journey. A lot of people are paying so much rent that they can't even afford a car in the city, so a quick ski trip is often not possible. In Barcelona you would have beach and skiing options.

Xisle

The Cost of Living in Valencia in 2021 .

There’s a fairly good review and informative article here:

https://valencia-property.com/new/20...encia-in-2021/

I stumbled upon it as I was researching neighborhoods in Valencia.
Hope it helps?

My personal choice is edging towards Mallorca interior.(for retirement)
Busy Intl airport.City with admin and comprehensive shopping and dining connected by choice of Public transport as I have no desire to drive.
Property rental prices may prove to be an obstacle though.

Moses2013

Mallorca is certainly nice if you have the cash to live in the better areas and it still has a lot of charm in parts. Land prices were just too steep for me and have had enough of islands. Maybe also because tourism has gone too far and every German I know goes to Mallorca/ wants to retire there, which has kind of put me off (Das 17. Bundesland). Although you can escape to the interior, public transport is not always that great during the winter. From a landscape point you have everything on offer there and probably one off the reasons why we ended up buying where we bought, similar climate and landscape with cheaper land prices.