# Adequate areas to retire



## ducksoup (Apr 2, 2010)

Can anyone tell me about the outskirts of Bihlbao. Rents and sales prices look rather inexpensive even near the beach towns. Why is this? It appears to be a beautiful area. I speak some Spanish but will be seriously studying in the next two and a half years prior to retirement. I really don't mind moving to areas that are outside of major metro areas but have some transportation available. At this time it is our intention to not have an automobile in retirement. We are pretty wide open as to what areas to look at or move to. We will probably be coming over for a look-see summer of 2011. Any suggestions. We are just starting to look around.


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2010)

ducksoup said:


> Can anyone tell me about the outskirts of Bihlbao. Rents and sales prices look rather inexpensive even near the beach towns. Why is this? It appears to be a beautiful area. I speak some Spanish but will be seriously studying in the next two and a half years prior to retirement. I really don't mind moving to areas that are outside of major metro areas but have some transportation available. At this time it is our intention to not have an automobile in retirement. We are pretty wide open as to what areas to look at or move to. We will probably be coming over for a look-see summer of 2011. Any suggestions. We are just starting to look around.


Which beach towns are you talking about, and how far out of Bilbao are you looking? Pais Vasco proper and its "vacation colonies" (Castro Urdiales, Laredo, and Noja in Cantabria) can get pricey. It's ALL gorgeous, with the exception of La Arena which has the unfortunate luck to be next to the PetroNor refinery.

I'm from New England originally and I adore the north of Spain for the juxtaposition of the mountains and sea because in many ways it feels like home.

As for speaking Spanish, you're going to definitely need to sit yourself down and study. However, I will say that the vast majority of people here are extremely patient once they see that you're at least giving it a try.

If you can let us know which towns you're looking at maybe we can help. Regarding not having a car, Vizcaya is very well connected by BizkaiBus, Feve, Renfe, and EuskoTren. If you're looking at Plentzia, they even have metro service into Bilbao! From Bilbao you've got proper frequent international bus service. The other reason it would be interesting to know where you're looking is linguistic and cultural. Once you get up into some of the smaller towns like Bermeo and Lekeitio you're going to run into issues (I won't say problems in case we have any nationalists here  ) with Basque language.


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

ducksoup don't miss out on Asturias especially the area around Gijon. Great transport as in Bilbao but no language issues  We can even throw in a few bears to make you feel really at home  Happy hunting


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

halydia said:


> Which beach towns are you talking about, and how far out of Bilbao are you looking? Pais Vasco proper and its "vacation colonies" (Castro Urdiales, Laredo, and Noja in Cantabria) can get pricey. It's ALL gorgeous, with the exception of La Arena which has the unfortunate luck to be next to the PetroNor refinery.
> 
> I'm from New England originally and I adore the north of Spain for the juxtaposition of the mountains and sea because in many ways it feels like home.
> 
> ...


There are some beautiful places around the Bilbao area as you have said halydia, although Noja and Castro for example have both come in for huge expansion projects in the last few years almost to rival the constuction in the south of Spain. 
As you say, in the smaller towns there may be problems, but I don't think it's so much with the language as with other, (perhaps linked) more serious, political issues, don't you think?? Without naming names...


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> There are some beautiful places around the Bilbao area as you have said halydia, although Noja and Castro for example have both come in for huge expansion projects in the last few years almost to rival the constuction in the south of Spain.
> As you say, in the smaller towns there may be problems, but I don't think it's so much with the language as with other, (perhaps linked) more serious, political issues, don't you think?? Without naming names...


Laredo and Castro are, if just looking at the 70s/80s era high rises, not all that aesthetically pleasing. However in Laredo you've got the gorgeous mini casco viejo and, at least in the winter, a nice small town feel. (Note: As soon as we get permission to renovate, I'll be moving to Laredo. I will admit a major pro-Cantabria bias!) 

Regarding language, I made that comment thinking about the times I've been in a bar in some of the northern coastal towns and heard more "tx"-s and "z"-s than "ñ"-s. Sure, you're hard pressed to find someone who doesn't know how to (or refuses to) speak Spanish, but if you're new to Spanish it could be just too much to have more Euskera than "agur" thrown at you. And isn't half the fun of learning Spanish listening in on (or joining!) the debates with your neighbors in the bar? 

Regarding political issues, I'm not quite sure how to reply. The scariest thing I've seen here was a terrorist police control up in the mountains one day. I'll take an alcohol control any day over a terrorist one!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

halydia said:


> Laredo and Castro are, if just looking at the 70s/80s era high rises, not all that aesthetically pleasing. However in Laredo you've got the gorgeous mini casco viejo and, at least in the winter, a nice small town feel. (Note: As soon as we get permission to renovate, I'll be moving to Laredo. I will admit a major pro-Cantabria bias!)
> 
> Regarding language, I made that comment thinking about the times I've been in a bar in some of the northern coastal towns and heard more "tx"-s and "z"-s than "ñ"-s. Sure, you're hard pressed to find someone who doesn't know how to (or refuses to) speak Spanish, but if you're new to Spanish it could be just too much to have more Euskera than "agur" thrown at you. And isn't half the fun of learning Spanish listening in on (or joining!) the debates with your neighbors in the bar?
> 
> Regarding political issues, I'm not quite sure how to reply. The scariest thing I've seen here was a terrorist police control up in the mountains one day. I'll take an alcohol control any day over a terrorist one!


I agree halydia
Laredo, not that I know it that well, is a nice small seaside town.
The language thing as well is also to be noted in some smaller coastal towns, but more worrying to my mind are the *free political prisoners now *posters that you find plastered all over the walls, the refusal to fly the Spanish flag from some town halls, the palestina scarves (that my daughter wears here in Madrid purely as a fashion item!)...


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