steviedeluxe

For a long time I'd have gone for the city option - better facilities, better transport, more people to chat to yet preserve your privacy.
However, especially if you have internet access, I'm increasingly thinking village life may have the edge.
What do others think?

snikpoh

That's a good one ... I've always lived in the country, both in UK and in Spain. However, there is a lot to be said for having people near by that you can talk to. You can walk to shops etc. Children can simply walk into town with friends etc.

In the campo you have to use the car for everything, and there's no one to talk to.

So, my preferred option would be a small village to get (almost) the best of everything. People close by, shops etc. yet far enough out of town to get no 'hustle and bustle', no smog etc. etc.

Veleta

I'd pick outskirts of a city. Having grown up in a village I couldn't go back to that again....everyone knowing your business, no facilities anywhere, nothing going on, ever.

I don't like to feel hemmed in so city centre would be no good, so that's why I say outskirts. There are buses every 20 minutes if I don't want to take the car, activities going on 7 days a week, major hospital 5 minutes away, etc, etc, so no excuses for being bored.

fionamw

Agree with every word, and would add that personal preference would put me on the outskirts of said small village ...... houses too close? No thanks! Walkable/bikeable perfect.... I'm convinced my Spanish would have been far better than it is if we'd chosen to be closer to the village.
Only other possible downside is the small village/campo mentality, you can only really get away from that by being in/near a more cosmopolitan area. But to repeat myself... houses, close????

Mike Cross

I once lived on a small Scottish Island for several years and had a wonderful time.

We had no choice but to be a part of the community and consequently would have to attend meetings and events that I would normally have turned down if I had been living in a city.

There is a better sense of community in a village so for that reason alone I would prefer the village option.

Mike.

bil

Where we are, we are in a small hamlet, with 4 immediate neighbours and the rest within walking distance. Town, about 20 mins away by car, as are the major roads.

That's pretty ideal for me. A nice balance of privacy and neighbourliness without having too many people too close, yet having enough close enough to keep an eye out for you.

Plus the town etc is close enough to utilise, but not close enough to invade the tranquility.

It all depends on your age tho, as our kids find it all a bit boring.

eylesda

Village life for us. People seem a lot happier, more helpful and certainly friendlier.

We had to get a sofa up 3 floors and the movers refused to carry it.
After 30 minutes and a round of drinks me and a couple of local guys hoisted it up the front of the building and in through the patio doors!

We are away a lot and there is always someone watching the palce,
there's always someone watching everything and everyone for theat matter! But in a nice way.

Hondon Voyager

During the week I am on the edge of London and some weekends also ,great for shopping and eating out but too anti social whereas in Spain I am on the outskirts of the Village and I can have a good social life know loads of expats and Spanish but lucky enough that if I dont want to see anyone my grounds are big enough to hide away for the day ,week or however long and all I see is my family and dogs ,heaven, def. village for me .

scampicat

My house in Spain is in a small village in the mountains. I love the scenery, the peace and quiet, the changeable mountain weather, the wildlife, the lack of crime, the lack of 'Brit' bars, the tranquillity, the empty roads and the fact that my house is much bigger than something for a comparable price in a city.

My UK house is on the outskirts of a large city. I love having everything within walking distance, the museum, theatre and art gallery twenty minutes walk away, the fast food outlets within five minutes walk, the fact that if I want to buy anything I can just go and buy it, the public transport, the readily available and cheap wireless internet, .....

....so give me six months in each, which is what we are going to do in 2010.

I like both country and town, for different reasons.

genegenie

[QUOTE=scampicat;7520418]My house in Spain is in a small village in the mountains. I love the scenery, the peace and quiet, the changeable mountain weather, the wildlife, the lack of crime, the lack of 'Brit' bars, the tranquillity, the empty roads and the fact that my house is much bigger than something for a comparable price in a city.

My UK house is on the outskirts of a large city. I love having everything within walking distance, the museum, theatre and art gallery twenty minutes walk away, the fast food outlets within five minutes walk, the fact that if I want to buy anything I can just go and buy it, the public transport, the readily available and cheap wireless internet, .....

....so give me six months in each, which is what we are going to do in 2010.

I like both country and town, for different reasons.

Me too

bil

It's ok for them as likes it, but I hate the urban environment.