RobP

I've been looking at the Murcia area Cartagena and North. Apart from reading nice reports from the liveaboard sailing community about Cartagena and that I know people on Mar Menor who love it, it seems a good balance for climate and prices. However, apart from time spent visiting many of the areas from Marbella northwards, I know very little. I don't need to be totally immersed in UK hotspots. I would like to try and become part of Spanish community.

I don't expect anyone to criticise areas or towns but some positive guidance would be very helpful. Perhaps particularly nice places to look out for? I've read a bit on these forums, fora?, whatever, today about crime and hadn't thought about it particularly before. Coast is always nice but not absolutely necessary and maybe more for my money inland a bit. I will however be looking to get to coastal marinas easily.

As ever, any & all opinions are very welcome. Thanks

Moses2013

Just depends what you personally want and can get for your money in that specific area. Like you say, more for your money but what is that for you (house, garden, pool, walks etc.)? There are so many nice parts of Spain but what I also find is that many places also just look the same. I know most people are focused on climate but let's face it, anywhere along the east coast is worst case Mediterranean. It's only my personal view but I just find that many parts of Murcia are boring in terms of flora. Even along the coast it's always the same and you don't get that excitement you'd find on the Costa Brava or Northern Spain. You come around a corner and suddenly see an amazing cove surrounded by trees, but in Murcia it's just Rocks. Of course some people just want a beach and a long promenade but I couldn't see myself doing that every day and I can still go on holiday to experience that, while others are just not interested in flora apart from their own garden maybe.

lurchio

Looking ar your criteria, I would personally avoid Stalag Camposol with its 'sectors' at all costs. Looked there in our early days search. Although the prices were low, so was the build quality, availability of title deeds and flood plain.

Fair play, some love it and good luck to them, but you won't.

missile

We have seen this question so many times. It really is impossible to answer without knowing your requirements. One will like this location and another will like that.

You could watch back episodes of A Place in the Sun

RobP

Thanks. Yes I understand.

Like many, I'm thinking that I can get a better lifestyle in Spain. I'm 70 and dislike cold, wet winters in the UK more and more.

I'm reasonable flexible as to a town house or perhaps more rural. Whilst I very much look forward to meeting Expats, I don't need to be in area that it exclusively expat. This is because I would like to try and be part of a Spanish community and of course learn Spanish. Maybe I'm wrong to try that but I'll find out during my trial renting period.

I love to be on the water and plan to buy another yacht, either before arriving in Spain, or during my time there. I need to research the most cost effective place to keep a boat. I don't need to live right on the coast but would like to be within reasonably easy reach by car. Also I'm wondering if I can pick up some part time work with a yacht broker or marina.

The property I prefer would be fairly modern, 2 bedroom up, with up to date bathroom, kitchen etc. Also preferably with a basement garage and workshop. Space for a couple of cars and maybe a small RIB outside.

To sum up, perhaps out of town, even in hills. reasonably warm in winter. (Perhaps that should relatively warm in winter). I'm not expecting 20 plus degrees all year. Easy reach of Med. One hour max from international airport. (EasyJet). I do understand Moses' point about pleasant surroundings. I've seen Costa Brava and more North in my younger days and yes it's beautiful. I even have friends in Barcelona. However, climate is important.

Sorry for the long post but hopefully I can get a bit of guidance. Although I'm a UK resident, I'm planning on coming to Spain when I leave Australia. Possibly during March.

Moses2013

Yes but even just above Barcelona you get 2500 hours of sunshine and although you do get crisp mornings in winter it still warms up during day and in summer you'll be thankful to have a bit of rain. It's also no problem to take a holiday further South if it gets too cold and even now Almeria is not really much hotter (2 or 3 degrees depending on area). This is a nice video with surrounding areas. Especially for sailing a dream.
https://www.spain-holiday.com/Costa-Brava

Hornets_Nest

I'm looking too - I love the Costa Brava having been to L'Escala on many occasions, climate is perfect and it's a short hop from France and not too far from Barcelona. I also like Alicante (City). I'm looking for something where a decent city isn't too far away and there is a good variety of landscape without too many migrants from other EU countries and like the look of the Costa Tropical wher Granada/Malaga are not too far and you have the wonderful area of La Alpujarra and the Sierra Nevada mountains. The latter is probably the area I will eventually choose but not before having a look at other places .... Jerez and Cadiz look like they are worth a look, not too commercialised.

Moses2013

Indeed and the main thing is to be open to different areas and look for yourself. The good thing is that in Spain you have easy access to other places and it doesn't cost the world to book a holiday. So even if you end up in Alicante, you can still travel to Valencia and so on.

Hornets_Nest

My last 'viewing' holiday was Alicante/Granada/Lanjaron/Almunecar in Oct - coach from Alicante to Granada was around 20 Euros for BOTH of us. What I like about Alicante is the transport links, El Campello is a nice little resort but only 30 Mins on the Tram to central Alicante. It depends on what you want .... I too would try and avoid the desert like areas or those too overpopulated with Brits. I'm sure areas like Marbella are fantastic and I will visit them, but I'm not sure I would want to live there and not just because of the price of property.

Leper

Newsflash Rob! You're 70 and I'm not too far that myself, so don't get offended. You need to rent and not buy and if you are renting longterm you will get cheaper rental over the whole year (that is if you wish to stay that long or longer). Fair rent for a 2 bedroom apartment would be around €600 (not GB£). You will be paying electricity charges too say circa €75.00 per month.

You enjoy heat so I reckon you need coastal southern Spain. Even a few miles inland can make a great difference to heat/cold in winter/spring. Therefore, my advice is to look along the coast from Alicante to Gibraltar. Find what you think you'll like (and I think you have your mind set on a particular area). Move there for at least five weeks and find a place with an option of extending the rental time, if possible.

Incidentally, the driest and warmest area of Spain is Costa Almeria. You need an airport handy too and a place with good public transport.

Horlics

Not sure I'd be thinking, "ah well, climate's not up to much, but at least I can holiday in Spain", while looking for my ideal settling place - in Spain! Also, I for one would never ever be "thankful for a bit of rain" in summer. Quite happy to see some in other seasons, but summer is summer, time for the beach, the early morning walks and late evening outside cooking in reliable, dry, weather.

But, I must admit, the area around the Ebro appeals to me. If I were ever to move that is where I would head to, it's lovely up there.

As much as I like it further up, and I have been around Girona and all the coast between France and Barcelona, and it is lovely, I have to say that these days I would take into account that it's where the frothing-at-the-mouth separatists live. If you plan to integrate, as they say, then that would mean learning Catalan, because permanently-settling foreigners turning up and speaking Spanish, while they are ironing their "Catalonia is NOT SPAIN" flags of an evening, wouldn't be very welcome. All of which would make those essential holidays elsewhere in Spain, sorry, not elsewhere in Spain, I mean, in Spain, a bit of a pain.

On this occasion I agree, Catalonia is NOT Spain, and you want Spain, as you jolly well should.

Moses2013

Believe it or not, even with a Mediterranean climate you have summer. The only difference is that you might get enough rain to see a bit of green in between the brown. Well I don't see the difference with your mentioned flags elsewhere. You go to Wales and don't see the British flag too often and when you go to Liverpool, you hardly ever see people waving the Man City flag (unless they are visiting Liverpool/ Away Match:-).

Horlics

We've got green too!

https://en.xabia.org/

We should work for our local tourist boards :-)

Moses2013

Probably well paid too

MontyNelly

The last time I was in Jalon in Jan/Feb it snowed