# Newbee wanting to move to Spain



## lyricalme (Sep 15, 2013)

Hi all, I am new on the Thread and am hoping to move to Spain within the next year or so. I was hoping that you may be able you enlighten me as to where there are mainly English speaking communities. Thanks for your help.


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## BronwynBean (Nov 20, 2012)

You may want to post in the Spanish forum..... Might get a few more answers.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

lyricalme said:


> Hi all, I am new on the Thread and am hoping to move to Spain within the next year or so. I was hoping that you may be able you enlighten me as to where there are mainly English speaking communities. Thanks for your help.


:welcome:


I don't know that there are 'English speaking communities' as such - although there are areas with a higher proportion of English speakers than other areas, if that's what you mean

where have you been in Spain & what did you like/ not like?

that's usually a good place to start


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

BronwynBean said:


> You may want to post in the Spanish forum..... Might get a few more answers.


I've moved it


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

What are your reasons for moving to Spain? 

If you still want to mix with the Brits and not integrate with the Spanish, then maybe there are some better places to live.

Are you retiring here?

Do you have children who will need schooling?

Can you give us a little more information on your circumstances and we may be able to suggest somewhere for you - as Lynne said, there really aren't any 'English speaking communities' per se.


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## lyricalme (Sep 15, 2013)

Thank you ...I am hoping to semi retire there with possibility of part time work? Am not looking for an all English community (little England), but a mixture. My partner plays golf and we would like to be within reasonable distance to the coast. or on the coast preferably. We have been down to Malaga, travelled all round the south coast area (Malaga across to Estepona)and would prefer something a little less commercialised. We were thinking more along the coast of possibly Murcia or Ameria, but would appreciate some advice/input from people in or around these, or other areas that could be suggested, as we plan on coming out in February next year to have a look around and get some ideas. Thanks again for so many quick responses...this forum is brilliant!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

lyricalme said:


> Thank you ...I am hoping to semi retire there with possibility of part time work? Am not looking for an all English community (little England), but a mixture. My partner plays golf and we would like to be within reasonable distance to the coast. or on the coast preferably. We have been down to Malaga, travelled all round the south coast area (Malaga across to Estepona)and would prefer something a little less commercialised. We were thinking more along the coast of possibly Murcia or Ameria, but would appreciate some advice/input from people in or around these, or other areas that could be suggested, as we plan on coming out in February next year to have a look around and get some ideas. Thanks again for so many quick responses...this forum is brilliant!


Welcome!

With six million unemployed (over 30% in Andalucia, one of the worst regions) there isn't really any chance of you finding work, but if you just want something to fill your time there are plenty of opportunities for voluntary work.

There are places to suit all tastes and pockets, so have a good look round when you come over (excellent idea to come in February, as many places are completely dead in winter). 

Don't even think about buying property till you've rented for a year or two - if you change your mind you won't be able to sell it again! Rents are still low, and the further inland you go, the more house you get for your money.


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

lyricalme said:


> Thank you ...I am hoping to semi retire there with possibility of part time work?


Semi-retire, part time work?

If you're having to rely on income to survive then I'd strongly advise against this. Spain has massive unemployment and finding any work is difficult for many. You're not likely to find any part time work.

The first thing you need to do is your sums and see if this is financially viable or not.

Almeria is lovely in my opinion. It has more sunshine hours than any other place in Europe.

There are many places along the Almeria coast and inland from the coast that would suit your requirements. Mojacar is very popular and has many Brits there, Vera likewise and there's all manner of inland villages that would be a combination of both all not far from gold courses or the coast.

You just need to do your research and go and take a look for yourself.

This is an interesting site that will give you an overview of Almeria -

Almeria Spain - Property


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## xxxxxxxMilesofSpain (Sep 16, 2013)

Hi,

The Costa del sol has a thriving British expat community. With bars, British papers, international schools and even companies.

There are many other pockets of expats in Spain but the Costa del Sol seems the most popular as the weather there is always milder


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

MilesofSpain said:


> Hi,
> 
> The Costa del sol has a thriving British expat community. With bars, British papers, international schools and even companies.
> 
> There are many other pockets of expats in Spain but the Costa del Sol seems the most popular as* the weather there is always milder*


I don't think jojo my co-mod would agree - while she lived there she was flooded in for days, scraped ice off the car & all sorts


the only place pretty much guaranteed mild in winter is the Canaries 

here on Costa Blanca it's great because we do get seasons, on the coast, although it's usually chilly at night in winter it's warm during the day 

& where I live I'm halfway between Alicante & Valencia

my town has about 55% non-Spanish population & maybe 1/3 of those are Brits - yet it's still very 'Spanish' in atmosphere

Home - Xàbia Tourism Portal - Town Council of Xàbia


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We have been in the Nerja/Frigiliana/Torrox area for over three years and have yet to experience any ice in winter - nada. However, as the summers here are HOT and do acclimatize so that temps of 8C (the lowest we have experienced) seems very very cold. BUT, we enjoy the extremes; it means we get definite seasons again, something that was lacking where we lived in UK. There it was a long dreary winter followed by a sort of spring/summer/autumn all rolled into one without really knowing what it wanted to be. A few kilometres north of us, the winters can be far harsher with a lot of frosts and snow, but they are 500m + higher than we are.

Villages around Nerja can be very Spanish with little or no English spoken, but Nerja is a thriving town with many British, German, Dutch, French and Spanish tourists in the summer months. It is a lovely place to be from October through to early June with some tourism but not overwhelming by any means. Also it is just 45 minutes from Malaga and the airport (quicker now the legislation to open the new link to the airport from the new motorway has been opened). Have a visit and see what you think. In spite of what others might say, the cost of living here is cheaper than UK. An English family we know live here for 13 weeks of the year (school holidays, basically) and they have no doubt about the difference between the costs here and UK - far cheaper they believe. 

We love it here and have no plans to move from the area - well, for now!!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

The Costa del Sol is not all Brit-ghetto, golf-courses and 'commercialised' seaside resorts. 
I live in a village of 1008 souls that has remained almost entirely Spanish, although there are a couple of fairly Brit-populated urbs across the A 7. 

Estepona in particular is a very quiet, Spanish, family-orientated seaside town. The main toursity area seems to be by the Port but I don't know much about that as I rarely go there.

But as has been said, work is almost certainly out of the question. Malaga Province has one of the highest unemployment rates in Andalucia, over 34% which will rise in October when the tourist season is over.

Wherever you go in Spain, in the remotest village, you will find Brits, Scandinavians, Germans and other immigrants. 
One thing few people think about is the rare but not uncommon 'catastrophic event': floods, fires, mudslides, landslips...even earthquakes.....You need to check out your chosen area and as Alcalaina says, rent before you buy.


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