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Valencua region

Valencua region

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Old Apr 3rd 2022, 8:41 am
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Richielisa
Hi

We are still looking for the right area for us to retire fom the UK to Spain.

Does anyone have experience of the Valencia region? We have been looking at the area around Alberic, in particular the urbanisation of San Cristóbal. We dont want to be too rural and neither do we want to be in the hussle and bustle of a town/tourist area, but want access to amenities if at all possible.

If anyone could give us a few ideas it would be appreciated.

Regards,

Richie and Lisa
What has drawn you to Alberic and the surrounding area? Have you visited at different times of the year and various times of the day or week to assess whether it suits you? How much do you want to integrate with Spanish people? Think about what your interests and hobbies etc are and check whether the area can fulfil those needs. Moving to another country is a huge decision so I always advise people to make extensive lists of their wishes and needs and then evaluate each place using it as a check list.

We are all different, Spain is diverse, the Valencian province is extremely diverse so finding something to suit everyones tastes is relatively easy, however it takes a lot of research, patience and time to find the fit for you personally.

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Old Apr 3rd 2022, 9:14 am
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Barriej
Depends at what level of amenities you want.
Towns inland down from Calpe towards Benidorm all have a good mix of peoples but can be quiet.

You have La Nucia which is a sprawling mix of a town with lots of attached Urbs, some small, some large.
The main town is Ok and has everything you might need, including a world renowned Sports complex. Panorama Urb has some stunning properties as well as some nice apartments (but there isn't a lot in the locality)
Then there are smaller places like Polop (next to La Nucia) We live in a tiny village attached to Polop (but Polop has no large supermarket or petrol station, the town centre is very Spanish (although you will hear English, Dutch, German, Spanish and it has a nice mix of Scandinavians as well). The local Urbs are Alberca (which has a mix of houses) Polop Hills which has never been finished.
Alfaz de Pi is a good town and has one of the largest Scandanavian populations in Spain.
Finestrat is a very good town, up in the mountains.
The area around Quadalest is stunning and there are a few small villages, we looked here to open a B&B.
Further inland you have Alcoi and Cocentaina both nice towns with small villages dotted around them. Again we looked here in 2016... Good thing about here is the AP7 is close by so airports are easy.

Moving to the coast Albir is Ok but no history to speak of and if you want some quiet you have to be on the outskirts.
Altea has some nice parts but only Russians can afford in Altea Hills.
I actually like Calpe, most of our friends don't for various reasons. Yes its a large town, but there are areas on its outskirts that are amazing and have nice properties. The main town has all you need and the old town is nice as well.

Forget Benidorm and La Cala and I might even say forget Villajoyosa as its a nice beach town but gets very busy with Spanish tourists in August (the only time we never go there) and you will find parking next to impossible.
South of Benidorm it starts to get quiet again BUT there are so many small seaside villages all dotted along the N332 as you head for Alicante.

You really need to spend some time here, it took us years to finally settle on an area, we felt would be good for us for a few years (but the FIL lives in the area, so we had inside info)
But even then, we had never considered the village we now live in. I think during our searches we probably visited every town in a 30km radius of where I am now sitting.
We only looked here because we were talking to the local Police Chief in a bar and he suggested where we now are.

All of our comments and suggestions are based on our individual likes and dislikes, so you will get a varied response, but you alone can make the decision.
I would however suggest you use Google Maps and 'walk' around.
By the way, what is the name of the village you live in please? Will have a look at that sort of area. Thanks.
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Old Apr 3rd 2022, 5:44 pm
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Ronnyone
It is very difficult to make a decision like this. Your perception of Spain at the moment will have changed alot after living here. If you are thinking of retiring then you probably will be a stage of life where the idea of learning Spanish and integrating is probably not likely to happen so I would not go for the full on Spanish experience. Most retired UK nats live in urbanization where English is used and the day proceeds in a manner similar to UK. I suggest you consider these area around Torrevieja than heading to a small inland community where you will probably end up feeling a bit of an outsider
Are not these areas always on the list of impoverished areas of Spain every year. Benidorm also. Low monthly income and most support from the government..

They can have "little britian" in Britian...
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Old Apr 3rd 2022, 7:23 pm
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by growinspain
Are not these areas always on the list of impoverished areas of Spain every year. Benidorm also. Low monthly income and most support from the government..

They can have "little britian" in Britian...
Yes Torrevieja is statistically the town with the lowest income per head of population but this reflects the fact that it has a large number of retired folk plus a large number are not permanent residence. It doesn't mean that it is a bad place to live- in fact the centre of torrevieja is very Spanish with few foreigners and has a large number of amenities within walking distance. Now Brits seem to refer to all the surrounding urbanization as Torrevieja however they are separate areas and many ,like Punta Prima, Playa Flemenca have very high numbers of foreigners living there.
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Old Apr 3rd 2022, 9:25 pm
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Richielisa
By the way, what is the name of the village you live in please? Will have a look at that sort of area. Thanks.
Polop de la marine. And you will see the national mix we have here by the languages you can translate the page too.

https://polop.org/

There are many small towns or large villages in this area.
Its away from the coast which suits us.
Away from heavily tourist places, again which suits us.
You can get to Calpe (35mins), Benidorm (20mins), Alicante (50mins), Valencia (90mins), Denia, Bennisa with ease (well with a car).

Again this is just my view, we have friends who think we are mad for living so far away from Benidorm, they have everything they need but its good for a day out but I wouldn't live there.
Same with cities, I think Alicante is horrid. Couldn't tell you why, its just one of those things. Barcelona city was ok but again not to live, yet I worked in the Cacoalat factory and there were some nice areas near there, I drove over to Montgat which reminded me of Worthing (a place I would rather spend time in than Brighton)

The other thing while Im on it.
If you are looking for that retirement dream. Be aware of where you end up and how easy it will be to get to doctors, hospitals, that sort of thing when you are older.

A friend of the FIL had a heart attack a while ago now and, because he has a house on the side of a hill with an unmade road leading to it, the ambulance refused to go to him.
My FIL place is about 2.5km from the town, he has 8000 sq m and at 84 cannot care for the land or the house, the wonderful swimming pool he 'had'* to have 20 years ago, has not been used in the last 3 or 4 years. The land is even too much for me and I'm 20 plus years younger than him....

Thats one of the reasons we have a flat (ok on the second floor) but we will probably move again in a few years.

had* This seems to be one of the things on most retirees 'wish lists'. Not just Brits but other Northern Europeans. Not me can't stand the things...and they only add value to the house if the next owner is a foreigner. Very few of our Spanish friends houses seem to have pools round here.

Again my view, take it or leave it...
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Old Apr 4th 2022, 5:34 am
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Barriej
Polop de la marine. And you will see the national mix we have here by the languages you can translate the page too.

https://polop.org/

There are many small towns or large villages in this area.
Its away from the coast which suits us.
Away from heavily tourist places, again which suits us.
You can get to Calpe (35mins), Benidorm (20mins), Alicante (50mins), Valencia (90mins), Denia, Bennisa with ease (well with a car).

Again this is just my view, we have friends who think we are mad for living so far away from Benidorm, they have everything they need but its good for a day out but I wouldn't live there.
Same with cities, I think Alicante is horrid. Couldn't tell you why, its just one of those things. Barcelona city was ok but again not to live, yet I worked in the Cacoalat factory and there were some nice areas near there, I drove over to Montgat which reminded me of Worthing (a place I would rather spend time in than Brighton)

The other thing while Im on it.
If you are looking for that retirement dream. Be aware of where you end up and how easy it will be to get to doctors, hospitals, that sort of thing when you are older.

A friend of the FIL had a heart attack a while ago now and, because he has a house on the side of a hill with an unmade road leading to it, the ambulance refused to go to him.
My FIL place is about 2.5km from the town, he has 8000 sq m and at 84 cannot care for the land or the house, the wonderful swimming pool he 'had'* to have 20 years ago, has not been used in the last 3 or 4 years. The land is even too much for me and I'm 20 plus years younger than him....

Thats one of the reasons we have a flat (ok on the second floor) but we will probably move again in a few years.

had* This seems to be one of the things on most retirees 'wish lists'. Not just Brits but other Northern Europeans. Not me can't stand the things...and they only add value to the house if the next owner is a foreigner. Very few of our Spanish friends houses seem to have pools round here.

Again my view, take it or leave it...
Thanks. All good advice and I appreciate your views. There is a lot to consider. Thanks again.
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Old Apr 4th 2022, 7:38 am
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Default Re: Valencua region

I agree with Benidorm/Alicante and unfortunately a lot of the coast can be ugly in Spain too. I'm not a fan of Barcelona either, but once you get past Montgat, the Costa Maresme is quite pleasant and doesn't have the high rises you get further down. Due to climate it just makes sense for most to be near the beach and there's only so much heat and sun a body can take.
Personally I'm glad that the Costa Brava has escaped the worst (apart from a few towns), the downside is that property prices are now quite high along the coast. One of my favorite areas inland is the part between Vic and Girona and it's nice to see green again. Especially when you take the C-153, you will also see a lot of mixed forest. When you get older it's very hard to find the right place and you don't want to be too far out either. Then again it's good if you can avoid people (sometimes:-).


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Old Apr 4th 2022, 7:41 am
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Moses2013
I agree with Benidorm/Alicante and unfortunately a lot of the coast can be ugly in Spain too. I'm not a fan of Barcelona either, but once you get past Montgat, the Costa Maresme is quite pleasant and doesn't have the high rises you get further down. Due to climate it just makes sense for most to be near the beach and there's only so much heat and sun a body can take.
Personally I'm glad that the Costa Brava has escaped the worst (apart from a few towns), the downside is that property prices are now quite high along the coast. One of my favorite areas inland is the part between Vic and Girona and it's nice to see green again. Especially when you take the C-153, you will also see a lot of mixed forest. When you get older it's very hard to find the right place and you don't want to be too far out either. Then again it's good if you can avoid people (sometimes:-).

Thanks. A lot of sense in what you say. Its a steadier life we want now that we are able to do that. Will look at the area you suggest. Cheers.
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Old Apr 4th 2022, 8:07 am
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Moses2013
I agree with Benidorm/Alicante and unfortunately a lot of the coast can be ugly in Spain too. I'm not a fan of Barcelona either, but once you get past Montgat, the Costa Maresme is quite pleasant and doesn't have the high rises you get further down. Due to climate it just makes sense for most to be near the beach and there's only so much heat and sun a body can take.
Personally I'm glad that the Costa Brava has escaped the worst (apart from a few towns), the downside is that property prices are now quite high along the coast. One of my favorite areas inland is the part between Vic and Girona and it's nice to see green again. Especially when you take the C-153, you will also see a lot of mixed forest. When you get older it's very hard to find the right place and you don't want to be too far out either. Then again it's good if you can avoid people (sometimes:-).


"Again this is just my view, we have friends who think we are mad for living so far away from Benidorm, they have everything they need but its good for a day out but I wouldn't live there"

And my view is.......I love Benidorm!!
To many people make their minds up, sometimes unfairly, and often by people who have never visited the city, about Benidorm after watching those ridiculous TV "in the sun" programs.

My OH and I moved to Benidorm years ago and live in the more quiet area on the outskirts of the main town area. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist area it can be nice and quiet both day and night. If we want some (excellent) entertainment then we can be amongst the crowd within a 15 minutes walk.

The medical facilities here in Benidorm are plentiful and a lot of the clinic and hospital staff speak good English. There is also a plentiful supply of translators if required.

There are many good restaurants that cater for all tastes including Spanish, French, Italian and Japanese. Not everywhere is fish and chips, burgers or Sunday roast (and yes, I like them all).

The rowdy part of Benidorm, which is the same as Torrevieja, Villamartin or any other major holiday destination is confined to a very small area which is easily avoidable. I've been to Torrevieja and would not want to live there for many of my own reasons which I won't list here. My family live at Villamartin and i would get bored stiff living on those sprawling estates.

It's each to their own opinions which I do understand and appreciate.

Steve
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Old Apr 4th 2022, 8:17 am
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Default Re: Valencua region

We all want different things from our lives in Spain. Thank goodness there are so many places to choose from that we can all find our own suitable place to fit our needs. It is down to personal choice, wishes, needs etc so although many members can provide insights into a variety of towns and areas there is nothing to beat exploring and getting a real feel for a place in person.

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Old Apr 4th 2022, 9:51 am
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Richielisa
Thanks. A lot of sense in what you say. Its a steadier life we want now that we are able to do that. Will look at the area you suggest. Cheers.





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Old Apr 4th 2022, 12:46 pm
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by tebo53
"Again this is just my view, we have friends who think we are mad for living so far away from Benidorm, they have everything they need but its good for a day out but I wouldn't live there"

And my view is.......I love Benidorm!!
To many people make their minds up, sometimes unfairly, and often by people who have never visited the city, about Benidorm after watching those ridiculous TV "in the sun" programs.

My OH and I moved to Benidorm years ago and live in the more quiet area on the outskirts of the main town area. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist area it can be nice and quiet both day and night. If we want some (excellent) entertainment then we can be amongst the crowd within a 15 minutes walk.

The medical facilities here in Benidorm are plentiful and a lot of the clinic and hospital staff speak good English. There is also a plentiful supply of translators if required.

There are many good restaurants that cater for all tastes including Spanish, French, Italian and Japanese. Not everywhere is fish and chips, burgers or Sunday roast (and yes, I like them all).

The rowdy part of Benidorm, which is the same as Torrevieja, Villamartin or any other major holiday destination is confined to a very small area which is easily avoidable. I've been to Torrevieja and would not want to live there for many of my own reasons which I won't list here. My family live at Villamartin and i would get bored stiff living on those sprawling estates.

It's each to their own opinions which I do understand and appreciate.

Steve
Thanks Steve. Candid response and appreciated!
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Old Apr 4th 2022, 3:57 pm
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by tebo53
And my view is.......I love Benidorm!!
To many people make their minds up, sometimes unfairly, and often by people who have never visited the city, about Benidorm after watching those ridiculous TV "in the sun" programs.

My OH and I moved to Benidorm years ago and live in the more quiet area on the outskirts of the main town area. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist area it can be nice and quiet both day and night. If we want some (excellent) entertainment then we can be amongst the crowd within a 15 minutes walk.

The medical facilities here in Benidorm are plentiful and a lot of the clinic and hospital staff speak good English. There is also a plentiful supply of translators if required.

There are many good restaurants that cater for all tastes including Spanish, French, Italian and Japanese. Not everywhere is fish and chips, burgers or Sunday roast (and yes, I like them all).

The rowdy part of Benidorm, which is the same as Torrevieja, Villamartin or any other major holiday destination is confined to a very small area which is easily avoidable. I've been to Torrevieja and would not want to live there for many of my own reasons which I won't list here. My family live at Villamartin and i would get bored stiff living on those sprawling estates.

It's each to their own opinions which I do understand and appreciate.

Steve
And today was a case in point.
A ex workmate of mine is here for a week with his OH and his sister and her OH.
The sister has been here 20 times at least but has never eaten in any of the Tapas bars.
It was my mates first time here.
We took them to the one we go to and her husband spent most of the time moaning about the hard seats and the food. Loudly of course, cause the locals can't understand you anyway....
My mate was quite happy because he got to sample a few local dishes (we travelled the world for our jobs, so have eaten local in many countries).
I think he now loves fried baby squid as we had seconds.....

His sister and her husband stay full board in the Ambassador Playa (he moaned about it being pink now) and only go to the English bars along that part of town.
They may as well have gone to Blackpool to be honest...

We all like different things and thats a good thing.. Although sometimes...
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Old Apr 4th 2022, 4:38 pm
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Barriej
And today was a case in point.
A ex workmate of mine is here for a week with his OH and his sister and her OH.
The sister has been here 20 times at least but has never eaten in any of the Tapas bars.
It was my mates first time here.
We took them to the one we go to and her husband spent most of the time moaning about the hard seats and the food. Loudly of course, cause the locals can't understand you anyway....
My mate was quite happy because he got to sample a few local dishes (we travelled the world for our jobs, so have eaten local in many countries).
I think he now loves fried baby squid as we had seconds.....

His sister and her husband stay full board in the Ambassador Playa (he moaned about it being pink now) and only go to the English bars along that part of town.
They may as well have gone to Blackpool to be honest...

We all like different things and thats a good thing.. Although sometimes...
It's the same everywhere though and some Chinese only go to the Chinese, Indians bring their own food to the hotel and Germans eat Currywurst. Demographics are changing anyway and it's hard to really stick to traditional and traditional doesn't always mean it's better. Although I also love to eat Chipirones when we arrive, I think the best Calzone I have eaten was in Spain and the best tapas probably in Ireland. Of course only going to English bars is not something I'd support, although I can understand some might feel more comfortable.
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Old Apr 4th 2022, 4:54 pm
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Default Re: Valencua region

Originally Posted by Barriej
And today was a case in point.
A ex workmate of mine is here for a week with his OH and his sister and her OH.
The sister has been here 20 times at least but has never eaten in any of the Tapas bars.
It was my mates first time here.
We took them to the one we go to and her husband spent most of the time moaning about the hard seats and the food. Loudly of course, cause the locals can't understand you anyway....
My mate was quite happy because he got to sample a few local dishes (we travelled the world for our jobs, so have eaten local in many countries).
I think he now loves fried baby squid as we had seconds.....

His sister and her husband stay full board in the Ambassador Playa (he moaned about it being pink now) and only go to the English bars along that part of town.
They may as well have gone to Blackpool to be honest...

We all like different things and thats a good thing.. Although sometimes...
Ha! Typical!
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