Cloverfiver

Hello thinking in a year or two of spending 4 months dec to end march living in spain to get away from the english winter, first renting then buying to make it a home from home.
Me and my husband suffer from sad every winter those dark depressing skys and would love to have a few months of winter sunshine.
Going to be travelling around spain for the next 2 years in january for 6 weeks looking for a nice place we feel could be our winter home, We dont like nightclubs or lots of high rise hotels but like a mixture of restaurants and a few bars with some live music and a few shops to be near us, Not quiet, but not to busy, near a beach a mixture of spanish and british as i am learning spanish and would like to communicate well in there lanquage. Not sure of the best place to be for winter warmth. Been reviewing places online but feel its better to speak to people that are already living away in our winter.

missile

• Further south = more sunshine.
• Many Spanish homes are not well insulated and can be very cold in winter.
• Strange as it may seem, we often feel the cold more acutely in Spain that in UK.

snikpoh

Maybe because our blood has thinned?

mikelincs

Canary Islands would seem to be best for you, southern Sain can be cold and not too sunny at times, Canaries much sunnier and warmer.

bobd22

The months you mention can be very cold in Spain especially indoors. It all depends on type of property you rent I would suggest you rent somewhere with air conditioning for reasonable heat. Older village housee are difficult to keep warm not insulated. Personally I don't think it is down to aclimatisation I visit from North of England and quite simply at this time of year find the house very cold as someone said it seems a different type of cold. More probably that we are so used to centrally heated houses.

Pilou

We have a house in Spain and in the Algarve. It is cold inside in the winter and a lot of humidity. Strange enough, I think that in Holland people have a better climate inside their house than most people (at the costa's) in Spain and even in the Algarve.
Of course there is more sunshine in Spain and it can be nice outside in the sun.

bob_bob

Gran Canaria is the place to be those months, temps still in the 70's/20's

EsuriJohn

Boseley

I Live in the Canary Islands, all year, El Hierro, winters are not allowed here, the coastal areas are the warmest and the most southerly areas can be too warm even in January.

missile

Too much vino tinto?

Leper

Costa Almeria has the warmest and driest temps not only of mainland Spain but the entire Mediterranean basin. Most Brits head for Costa del Sol which is marginally colder and wetter.

Mojacar Playa is an ideal location for northern european people seeking winter/spring sun. While Mojacar Playa is a resort, it is occupied 50/50 by ex-pats and Spaniards. It is low rise, open all year (although some restaurants close in January/February). Accommodation is cheaper than most areas of CdS.

The local public bus system is good and inexpensive (€1.20). The markets in the nearby towns/villages are accessible. Walks along the 3 mile resort are on the level. There is a cycle lane (but not 3 miles long). If you venture into the near countryside walks can be as difficult as you wish.

Mojacar Playa in the off season is an ideal location for those seeking sunshine (gets colder after 4.00pm) and you could spend most days in shorts and teeshirts, but in the late evenings you would be wearing warmer clothes. You have the chance to practise your Spanish with locals or some expats. The supermarkets are every bit as good as those in the UK, but probably cheaper unless you want the UK brands like Kelloggs etc. Golf is nearby. Mojacar Pueblo (sometimes called the Old Town) is perched on top of a small mountain and has magnificent views you only dreamed of. Beautiful town with narrow cobbled streets and more flowers than the Chelsea Flower Show.

Where do many English speaking peoples retire to? Mojacar Playa is one such place. And many of them exited other Spanish Costas to find peace and a decent quality of life in Mojacar Playa, I kid you not.

Airports:- Almeria, Alicante, Corverá (all served by www.exclusiveairportshuttles.co.uk).

I would say all of the foregoing as I have an apartment there.

criodain

It depends. I've been in apartments in Granada that were quite cold in winter, and I've been in other that were cosy and warm.