# Trying to move to Spain



## Gatto (Jun 27, 2014)

We are in the process of applying for our non-lucrative visa to Spain. We know we want to live near Barcelona but not in the city. Does anyone have any suggestions? We would like train access and we don't mind a small town or village. Thanks.


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## mickbcn (Feb 4, 2013)

Sitges? Vilanova i la Geltru? in the beach, Sant Pere de Ribes,Vilafranca del Penedès?interior. take a look in Google earth.


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## Gatto (Jun 27, 2014)

Thank you for the quick reply. I don't recognize any of the areas you reference. The maps we have are not that good. We want to be far enough out of the city to have grass and trees - but be able to take a train into the city. There are two that we discovered today - Terrassa and Sabadell but can't figure out if they are provinces or towns? Thanks!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Gatto said:


> Thank you for the quick reply. I don't recognize any of the areas you reference. The maps we have are not that good. We want to be far enough out of the city to have grass and trees - but be able to take a train into the city. There are two that we discovered today - Terrassa and Sabadell but can't figure out if they are provinces or towns? Thanks!


Have you access to google maps and Google Street view? You'll get details of the area.

Jo xxx

Sent from my D5803 using Expat Forum


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## mickbcn (Feb 4, 2013)

Gatto said:


> Thank you for the quick reply. I don't recognize any of the areas you reference. The maps we have are not that good. We want to be far enough out of the city to have grass and trees - but be able to take a train into the city. There are two that we discovered today - Terrassa and Sabadell but can't figure out if they are provinces or towns? Thanks!


Terrassa and Sabadell are 2 industrial cities inside the province of Barcelona with no beach,as Jojo says if you have one new version of Google Earth you can see very very well this cities in 3D and "walk" for their streets, then you can have one idea about if you like or not to live in one of this cities.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

I had to do my research from Canada, so used the internet to find out where to live before coming here. There's loads of info you can get...

Here are the sites that Mickbcn and Jojo are talking about. You have internet connection obviously because you're posting on the forum, so you can get these:

https://www.google.com/earth/

https://www.google.es/maps?source=tldsi&hl=en

On Google maps, you can even find out about public transportation.

Another thing you can do is look at Wikipedia for information. For example, here's info on the two towns you're looking at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrassa

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabadell

Another place you can find info about what to do in the town is TripAdvisor:

Sabadell: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g227870-Activities-Sabadell_Catalonia.html

Terrassa: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g665811-Activities-Terrassa_Catalonia.html

Another place to find info is from city hall (ayuntamiento):

Sabadell: Portal de la ciudad de Sabadell

Terrassa: Ayuntamiento de Terrassa - Ajuntament de Terrassa

So I just used those two towns as examples, but Wikipedia, TripAdvisor, ayuntamiento, Google Maps and Google Earth will tell you just about everything you need to know about a place. Of course there's nothing like really being here, but internet research is a close second!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

AllHeart said:


> Of course there's nothing like really being here, but internet research is a close second!


Or having opinions from people who actually live there, but there are not too many Catalonian based posters here atm.
Try looking for places using the forum search
Sitges, Cambrils, Tarragona, Sabadel, Castelldefels, Sant Boi de Llobregat...


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Or having opinions from people who actually live there, but there are not too many Catalonian based posters here atm.
> Try looking for places using the forum search
> Sitges, Cambrils, Tarragona, Sabadel, Castelldefels, Sant Boi de Llobregat...


I personally put first-hand experience in third place, as there's no way people can give as much information as there is on these sites.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

AllHeart said:


> I personally put first-hand experience in third place, as there's no way people can give as much information as there is on these sites.


Possibly, but I would always be favourable to hearing from people who lived in a place that I was potentially interested in living in.
Pictures of our street from Google Earth are approx 10 years old now. In Spain in some areas they may have built another city there!


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## Helenameva (Aug 15, 2014)

If you are looking at Terrassa or Sabadell, you should also check out Caldes de Montbui which is nearby and very very nice, an upmarket town built around a Roman spa. It still has thermal springs. It's surrounded by hills, forest and nice walks. My father in law lives there, so I know it quite well.


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