Where to Live?
 

New to the forum and would like to canvas opinion.

British national but have been living in the Caribbean & South America. Now looking to return to Europe for family reasons. Spain is my preferrred location because of the language and the weather. Anybody have an opinion on the best part of Spain to start looking.

My budget is reasononable, I work on-line so no work issues . Prefer small towns to cities. I have young wife & children. Would like to be near the coast for sailing scuba beaches etc and near to a friendly ex-pat community. I know what I'm looking for but its a big country and I need a few suggestions.

Re: Where to Live?
 

Hi and welcome, do you have a boat ? getting a berth here is a long wait depending on the length. Some places quote 300 on waiting list.

If you like to sail at any time then the marina at Mazagon near Huelva is a great place. Sheltered harbour, you can sail up river or out to where ever. Good stretches of beach you can moor out and dingy in. I think there are ex pats in the Huelva area.
I live outside Sevilla, on the Huelva side, my village ( big) has many ex pats of various nationality also plenty schools to choose from. Donaña National Park has many attractions for a family to explore.

What type of accommodation are you looking for ? urb, on edge of villages, public transport, campo ?

If I can be of any help just ask.


Oh and the nosy bit :) where in the Caribbean were you ?

Re: Where to Live?
 

Hi,
I would suggest the southern part of Spain (Andalsusia), and I think it would suit you with some smaller town on the Costa del Sol.
For instance: San Pedro de Alcantara, Istán, Ojén, Coín or Alhaurin el Grande.

Re: Where to Live?
 

I'll chip in with the Costa de la Luz, may be El Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz, Rota. Take a look at this video about the Costa de la Luz and see what you think!

Re: Where to Live?
 

Have a look at Ayamonte Costa del la Luz.

Re: Where to Live?
 

Thank you all. It is helpful to have a starting point. I would probably not have considered the Costa de la Luz but it looks interesting and now you mention it I remember visiting Cadiz in the 70's and being very taken with the place.

Thanks again

Re: Where to Live?
 

Do you plan to send your children to a Spanish school or British/International school?

Re: Where to Live?
 

only brits who have never been to any where in spain or experanced the better places, go to ayamonte

Re: Where to Live?
 

That is an appalling statement, I wonder what you base your opinion on ? what was your experience of Ayamonte ?

Re: Where to Live?
 

what has it got going for its self.

Re: Where to Live?
 

Quite a lot according to the people who live there. You know it well then?

Re: Where to Live?
 

Mojácar is a good place - reasonably far away and quiet.

Re: Where to Live?
 

I would stick with the Caribbean:D

An 8 page supplement on St Kitts in yesterdays Telegraph. Invest $350,000 in a property or whatever and you get residency, right to work, no taxes such as inheritance tax etc. 2 flights a week to London with BA.

Re: Where to Live?
 

I don’t feel like facing the firing squad this morning, so I won’t mention the place where I and 100,000 other expats have chosen to live. It lies halfway between Alicante and San Javier airport and has four blue flag beaches.

Re: Where to Live?
 

SSHHHHHH I know where you mean but I wont let on that it is

TORREVIEJA or Torreveccia as it is often called

Re: Where to Live?
 

You are the one that made the outrageous statement.

Maybe you can support it with something substantial.

Re: Where to Live?
 

Probably not.

Graham

Re: Where to Live?
 

Have you thought about the Canaries or would they be too small?

Graham

Re: Where to Live?
 

why is it outrageous.you have a marina where any one with a boat sails away.you have portugal over the river where every one with a bit of nowse goes for a better time.you have gridlock with traffic in the summer because there is only one main road in or out.you have two squares and some shops,cafes,bars ect.Go any were else and you have treble that or more.you cant move for portuguise trying to save a bit of vat.and ex pats sitting in the cafes thinking they have sudenly become spanish.

Re: Where to Live?
 

Grass.

Re: Where to Live?
 

Are you offering certain substances on a BE forum, I dont think the mods will approve.......:rofl:

Re: Where to Live?
 

Illegal substances for sale in Torre? You get them for free with an Americano, and if you have a menu del dia, they give you a happy bag for a sweet.

But you don’t need any of that, just walk the length of Bar Street on a Friday night and you’ll be bouncing along.

Re: Where to Live?
 

there are some nice places to choose in the costa de la luz. you can be close to beaches, half hr from sevilla, huelva, near towns, the choice is yours. if you want expat community, i am sure you'll be recommended a few. if you want spanish living, then the choice is yours.

I live 15min to beaches, 40min sevilla, 30min huelva, 5mins town. great places nearby, great schools, predominantly spanish tho a few expats dotted around.

just depends what you're looking for really.

Re: Where to Live?
 

I have been there quite a few times, a few good mates from Uk have places in torre itself, or quite near by, La Zenia and thereabouts. We were down in the "pink port" the other week, very quiet.

But according to my mates mum who has lived there for about 12 years, she say that there is a good social scene down there.
With plenty of things to do for a single person, she is divorced and loves it there.

Re: Where to Live?
 

Costa de la Luz is pretty good.

Re: Where to Live?
 

I think we’ve discussed it many times before, but why not again, it’s probably the most important factor for people moving to Spain. Lonely fincas may appeal to some people, or totally Spanish towns where you don’t understand what people are saying to you, or wind-swept coasts where you choke on the sand, but surely most of us want to have some sort of social life, similar to what we’re used to?

JLFS mentioned a friend enjoying a vibrant social life in a typical expat area. That’s the kind of area I live in, I’ve tried the rest and this is where I’m happiest.

I don’t join in that much, but have a wide circle of like-minded friends, we want to live in Spain, we love the excitement of a foreign country, most of us are quite fluent in the language, but if we occasionally fancy fish and chips we don’t want to drive fifty miles to have it.

If I wanted to, even in an expat area, I could easily ensure that I would never meet another expat and totally immerse myself in Spanish culture. I don’t want to do that and I’ve tried it, I love Spain but want it both ways, Spain and where I come from, and I’ve found it, right here in Torrevieja.

To be fair, I found it in Estepona too, and Denia, and Javea, and (the faint hearted should cover their ears) in Benidorm.

Re: Where to Live?
 

I'll second that ... re. Denia.