# Planning to move to Costa Brava from UK



## dmitri (Jan 4, 2015)

Hello all,

I am thinking of moving to Costa Brava in a year or so. I am not familiar with the area with exception of a few places, i.e. Lorret De Mar (very touristy), Tossa De Mar (beautiful old town). I have a wife and a baby boy of six months. I will be looking for family friendly place with lots of activities for mums and babies. Hopefully, I will not have to look for work in Spain, as I’m planning to work in UK remotely.

I would like to get some info on good market towns, fishing villages with character. Does not have to be on a coast.

I am interested in learning on schooling options in those towns.
Birth and Vaccinations. Does anyone know what are options for giving birth? i.e. in UK can do hospital, birth centre or home birth. In UK vaccinations are optional, what about Catalonia?

*Long-term rent prices.* What are average prices for renting a 3 bedroom villa? 

*Language.* I’ve read that its best to learn Catalan not Spanish. Is this the case? How different are these languages.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.


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## alborino (Dec 13, 2014)

Until you've been there for a few years and decided you are going to grow roots I suggest most strongly you learn Castellano and not Catalan.

First you can use your investment with millions of people around the world. And if you move to anywhere else in Spain you'll waste nothing.
Secondly everyone you need to speak to speaks Castellano.
Thirdly your kids will learn Catalan from other kids anyway (assuming Spanish school and Catalan area).

I remember years ago talking to a guy who was really annoyed that his kids learnt Catalan from other kids and would talk in a language the parents didn't understand. But that goes both ways so is no reason to change the above.

I also know of people who pay so that kids learn English rather than Catalan.

Of course if Catalunya declares independance please ignore all the above 

On the rest the Barca crowd will be along to help shortly. I only have a spanish aunt and uncle there but they are sweeties. 

Good Luck, Bona sort! Buena suerte


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## mickbcn (Feb 4, 2013)

alborino said:


> Until you've been there for a few years and decided you are going to grow roots I suggest most strongly you learn Castellano and not Catalan.
> 
> First you can use your investment with millions of people around the world. And if you move to anywhere else in Spain you'll waste nothing.
> Secondly everyone you need to speak to speaks Castellano.
> ...


"I also know of people who pay so that kids learn English rather than Catalan." I would like to know this kind of fathers... here the children in the schools learn catalan,spanish and english, and when they finish their classes the knowledge of the spanish is the same or even better than the students of the other areas of Spain (source of the spanish government)( however the knowledge of the english is low in both areas).
If Catalonia get the independence dont be afraid,we will be speaking in spanish too because both languages will be oficials in Catalonia,however I am sure that if you learn spanish you will learn at same time catalan like a loooot of foreigners who come to live here in the last 15 years ,some of they with languages very different to catalan or spanish how russian ,chinesse or arabic.


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