Good morning all, seeking thoughts and advice today.
I am retired and this summer my SWMBO retires from teaching.
Currently under serious consideration is spending winters(Jan and Feb)renting in southern Spain. We do not have a preferred location as we have never previously holidayed in Spain.
My question is, are there any TZ-UK members doing this or similar? If so, any thoughts and experiences would be received with great interest! Thank you.
Last edited by KavKav; 23rd February 2020 at 08:16.
My in-laws have a house near Alicante. Afaik, there a lot of English-speaking people there as well. E.g. try Dénia. That area include English speaking doctors, dentists and English professionals for jobs in and around the house like plumbing etc.. And yes, my English-speaking in-laws do speak Spanish (she fluently, he more than reasonable) because that makes daily life a lot more agreeable.Originally Posted by KavKav
Watch yourself, one of my relations went to Spain on holiday the other month.
Was mugged in broad daylight violently, the Police said it is a daily occurrence.
Thanks for your comment which we will bear in mind during our research. Hopefully the risk will be minimised as we consider ourselves to be generally streetwise and we are going to be particularly fussy where we go, we are not interested in living in major city centres or the tourist traps and the further away we are from night clubs and stag/hen locations the happier we will be. Boring maybe, but that is what suits us.
Quality comments, we will look at Dénia and your languages point is taken. My wife is a languages teacher which helps a lot when we are abroad as I only have basic French and simple ‘beer ordering’ skills in German. Thank you for posting!
Not or anywhere near retirement, but we’ve been spending the past few Christmas’s in & around Nerja. The weather has been amazing (for the time of year) and everything is just the right amount of busy for me - a nice gentle buzz everywhere. I could quite happily live down that way for a couple of months and Malaga is also an amazing, underrated city - I love it there.
The only other thing I would recommend is making sure you are not in a localised area full of other Brits.
We will look at Nerja, thank you for your valuable comments! Your point about ‘Brit City’ is very much taken!
Nerja is lovely but definitely need a car if staying there we found
We're entering our 9th year in Southern Spain so a little more than overwintering. We are in the Murcia region, our nearest city is Cartagena about a 20 minute drive and it is about 5 minutes to the nearest beach. Our area is called the Costa Calida because we experience over 300 sunny days p.a., today for example it's clear blue skies, sunny and the temperature will probably be around 18 c. I don't think you can really go wrong providing you follow the advice already offered.
For twenty years my parents have been spending the winter in Tenerife, Los Cristianos.
Considering this when I retire as they look so good for it.
Weather is fantastic, heat wave this winter.
Plenty of walking, swimming & good diet.
Lots of UK folk do same so good network of friends.
Agree with Tenerife, the weather is excellent that time of year.
Lots of variation on things to do and places to eat etc. If you want to have little England in the sun it's available, or be in a more locals based traditional village, it's all there.
Check out Moraira
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My girlfriend’s parents have a house in Nerja and another up the road in Frigiliana. Nerja has great buzz, but not too busy, and a beech if that’s important; Frigiliana is quieter but prettier I think - especially if you like hiking. Let me know if you go to either and we’ll give you some recommendations!
Thanks to all who have replied so far, what a great bunch you are! I have had some really interesting and excellent suggestions and the plan is to decide on a couple of areas and have a two week exploration visit next January to narrow things down.
Thank you guys!
I've got friends in a place called Sanets y Negrals, fairly close to Denia and try to get out to them at least once a year. Climate is good, although Jan and Feb are "changeable" weather wise. Some of the property prices out there are still very cheap for what you're getting. Rentals are plentiful.
There will most likely be consequences following from Brexit for those who want to stay here for longer; the 90 days max. Do look up the Schengen regulations if you plan to stay longer.
It can become a bit of a challenge for many Brits with property here to sort out the correct administrative legal status which suits their situation.
Last edited by Huertecilla; 24th February 2020 at 15:12.
I used to visit Jimena de la Frontera every year and thought seriously about buying a place there. I thoroughly enjoyed the hustle and bustle of a typical Pueblos Blancos, nowhere near another Brit and having to speak Spanish to get along. Easy access from Gibraltar or Malaga airports and within easy reach of decent seafronts at Sotogrande or Tarifa made it somewhere I could picture living for a couple of months in the year.
Be aware that for buying, owning and renting out things, like the 90 days max, will be quite different if nothing is agreed during the transition period. As it is nów, you will fall under third country rules. Just look into it.
I know loads of brits who live in or around Jimena ... its very popular with them
Jan-Feb only avoids the worst of the UK winter, doesn't mean you'll have a guaranteed good time in any part of mainland Spain. I spend good winter time in Alicante for cycle training and it's very variable, rain, grey, cloudy, always windy in Jan -March though you do get warmth and can tan on a clear day. Good place to stay long term (as is Malaga) in contrast to the resorts mentioned which are downright miserable in winter. If I was just doing those months for good weather and needed to be near English speakers then Gran Canaria or Tenerife are the places to go, it'll be 20-23 every day and sunny. Las Palmas is big enough not to get bored.
Last edited by MarkF; 26th February 2020 at 12:16.
My personal preference would be to winter in southern Crete rather than southern Spain.
I've done a week at Oct half term in Ducquesa that was so warm and sunny that we booked again for the following year. That next time it was cold and wet and you realised how much was closed for the season. So if nothing else I would not figure on the weather being as warm as you think and also to go to a place that will be open.
If you want decent weather in winter I think Costa del Sol or Canaries would fit the bill.
I think as long as you go right after Christmas until March you'll miss the worst of the British winter.
Cheers,
Neil.
My father in law lives in Chiclana del Frontera, which is about half way between Cadiz and Gibraltar. The nearest airport in Jerez. There are some Brits there, but it's mostly unspoilt. You'd need to speak at least a bit of Spanish.
This is my favourite part of Spain by far, very few Brits and beautiful beaches
The beaches are pretty, but it ain't half been windy every time we've been there, so you end up being sandblasted.....
Depends what time of year you go there but you are quite right, Tarifa which isn't far from there is considered the Wind Capital of Europe and hosts numerous International wind surfing & kite surfing competitions
Is it as windy as the Canary Islands?
Why do think they have no mosquitoes?
That prevailing breeze is a god send in JJAS when you are grilling under the sun :)
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