# Huelva



## BillisDead (Oct 19, 2018)

I'm considering moving to Seville in the new year fro 12 months or so. However, I've read you can get much more for your money staying somewhere like Huelva. Is that true and what is it like? Thanks


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola 

Huelva / Sevilla you are talking Chalk / Cheese. There are differences between the two but are you retiring or working for one year in Sevilla and are prepared to commute? 

Generally living in a city is more expensive than living outside the city in a satellite town. Please give a little more detail on your requirements 

Davexf


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Do you mean the city or the province? It's a pretty big and varied area. Big English-speaking community around Ayamonte, if that's on your wish-list.


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## BillisDead (Oct 19, 2018)

Hola,

I've no need to commute or anything like that. I want to experience Spanish culture and pick up the language. I'm in my 40's so I don't want to be in a quiet retiring place. I have a budget of 500 euros a month to rent a one bedroom or studio. I have an open mind about where to go as long as there is some life in the evening to walk around and take in. Thanks


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## suiko (Dec 7, 2015)

I've only been in Huelva once, and it was a long time ago, but they are really completely different. Huelva is a provincial town with almost no tourism, Sevilla quite a large, sophisticated city with loads of tourists. Renting in Sevilla would no doubt be a lot more expensive, but Huelva could be boring?


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## danboy20 (Jul 10, 2017)

I found Huelva to be incredibly dull, with little discernible culture....Seville on the other hand is beautiful city with a lot to offer. 

As another poster said, it´s chalk and cheese. It´s like comparing Middlesbrough to Bath!


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## BillisDead (Oct 19, 2018)

Thank you for the advice as it's really helpful. I think the best thing to do is to come over in January and speak to estate agents. Seville and Cadiz are on top of my list now.


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## suiko (Dec 7, 2015)

danboy20 said:


> I found Huelva to be incredibly dull, with little discernible culture....Seville on the other hand is beautiful city with a lot to offer.
> 
> As another poster said, it´s chalk and cheese. It´s like comparing Middlesbrough to Bath!


Rather better weather than Middlesbrough. And probably nicer inhabitants too


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

BillisDead said:


> Thank you for the advice as it's really helpful. I think the best thing to do is to come over in January and speak to estate agents. Seville and Cadiz are on top of my list now.


Cadiz is a great place and plenty of nightlife. Flats in the old town are really expensive though. Keep an open mind and remember there is an excellent public transport system so it's not a problem to live a bit further out.

NB Have you had any practice with the Cadiz accent? It is probably one of the most difficult dialects in Spain - even folks from Madrid have problems.


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## BillisDead (Oct 19, 2018)

Alcalaina said:


> Cadiz is a great place and plenty of nightlife. Flats in the old town are really expensive though. Keep an open mind and remember there is an excellent public transport system so it's not a problem to live a bit further out.
> 
> NB Have you had any practice with the Cadiz accent? It is probably one of the most difficult dialects in Spain - even folks from Madrid have problems.


What would be decent areas on the outskirts of the centre Cadiz? I'me not an expert on the Cadiz accent or any Spanish regional accent to be honest. I have very basic Spanish at present.


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola 

Chiclana while being a world away should have a tram service actually running by March 31st 2019 and it will run from Chiclana through San Fernando to Cadiz - there are bus services currently. It is probably further away than you would want. 

I've no idea about rents in Cadiz but would concur that it is a lovely place to live with everything being within walking distance normally 

Davexf


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

BillisDead said:


> What would be decent areas on the outskirts of the centre Cadiz? I'me not an expert on the Cadiz accent or any Spanish regional accent to be honest. I have very basic Spanish at present.


If you look at a map of Cadiz, you'll see it's a long, thin peninsula with a "knob" on the northern end - that's the "old town" which is the most touristy and expensive area.

Anywhere along the "stem" will be cheaper, though properties along the western side (which has a wonderful beach) will be more expensive. 

To the east of the peninsular is an industrial area and the city of Puerto Real - not very exciting.

To the south is San Fernando, which has a military training base. I don't know anyone who lives there or what the prices are like, but it has good facilities including a train station.

South of that is Chiclana, which as DaveFX mentions is a very nice place to live and if the tramline ever gets opened (we've only been waiting 12 years!) will make it very easy to get into central Cadiz. In the meantime the bus service is good, cheap and frequent.

But if I were you I'd look at the area east of the Avenida de Andalucia in the newer part of Cadiz city.


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## BillisDead (Oct 19, 2018)

Thanks. I'll certainly look at Avenida de Andalucia.


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> If you look at a map of Cadiz, you'll see it's a long, thin peninsula with a "knob" on the northern end - that's the "old town" which is the most touristy and expensive area.
> 
> Anywhere along the "stem" will be cheaper, though properties along the western side (which has a wonderful beach) will be more expensive.
> 
> ...


No mention of El Puerto de Santa Maria!!!!!! 20 mins to Cadiz by boat with several boats per day in the extreme off season. Train to Cadiz 25 mins every half hour. Was largest sherry exporting port in Spain. Bullring (biggest around showing the former wealth), church, market and castle. Seville 1 hour 10 mins by train. Jerez airport 15 mins, Seville airport 90 mins. 9 Bodegas. Great food. Tuna a great treat. Los Toruños Natural Park. Great cycling. Great kite surfing. Very active Rugby club (seriously).


Great accomodation. History by the bucket load. Nightlife (Spanish style). Great empty beaches. Lovely people. And I live there. What is there not to like? (OK skip the last one ).


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

nigele2 said:


> No mention of El Puerto de Santa Maria!!!!!! 20 mins to Cadiz by boat with several boats per day in the extreme off season. Train to Cadiz 25 mins every half hour. Was largest sherry exporting port in Spain. Bullring (biggest around showing the former wealth), church, market and castle. Seville 1 hour 10 mins by train. Jerez airport 15 mins, Seville airport 90 mins. 9 Bodegas. Great food. Tuna a great treat. Los Toruños Natural Park. Great cycling. Great kite surfing. Very active Rugby club (seriously).
> 
> 
> Great accomodation. History by the bucket load. Nightlife (Spanish style). Great empty beaches. Lovely people. And I live there. What is there not to like? (OK skip the last one ).


But where are the affordable bits?

We thought about moving there a few years ago, but way out of our price range.


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## BillisDead (Oct 19, 2018)

This is very interesting. Thanks


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> But where are the affordable bits?
> 
> We thought about moving there a few years ago, but way out of our price range.


The days of high property prices here Alcalaina have gone. One of my mates had a 2 bedroom flat in the centre of El Puerto for less than 500 for just one month, and that included Easter. And out of season holiday homes are "make me an offer". But there are plenty on offer just out of town, and the bus service, 50 centimos an hour has connections everywhere. Cycle paths are everywhere but the bus gives chat opportunity and you can eavesdrop everyone's conversations. 

In all seriousness if Bill wants to gain something in 1 year he needs a course, to study very hard, but also some English/Spanish speakers he can mix with. Then use local transport and guarantee he is permanently lost. Nothing like asking directions to get talking. He will also need to bore bar staff stupid. (I did that 35 years ago in Madrid. A big gracias to you all ).

He could also help offer English lessons for free. That would get him meeting Spaniards.

But for accommodation IMHO the best thing is to arrive at the time and hunt the agents with a spanish speaker. If he can commit to 6 months to a year then the price will not be more than 500 all in. And if language really is an objective then lodge with a family. It's scary, can be boring, limited in freedom, but you sure a h*ll will learn the language (being spaniards not always the language you imagined).

Sorry wittering. Wish you luck Bill but ignore El Puerto at your peril. And if you drop in send me a message. First copita is on me.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

nigele2 said:


> No mention of El Puerto de Santa Maria!!!!!! 20 mins to Cadiz by boat with several boats per day in the extreme off season. Train to Cadiz 25 mins every half hour. Was largest sherry exporting port in Spain. Bullring (biggest around showing the former wealth), church, market and castle. Seville 1 hour 10 mins by train. Jerez airport 15 mins, Seville airport 90 mins. 9 Bodegas. Great food. Tuna a great treat. Los Toruños Natural Park. Great cycling. Great kite surfing. Very active Rugby club (seriously).
> 
> 
> Great accomodation. History by the bucket load. Nightlife (Spanish style). Great empty beaches. Lovely people. And I live there. What is there not to like? (OK skip the last one ).


So different from your "native" Asturias! I have been to Asturias something like 5 times in the last 7 years - LOVE it!!! Couldn't you carry on going there, or did you fancy a change?


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> So different from your "native" Asturias! I have been to Asturias something like 5 times in the last 7 years - LOVE it!!! Couldn't you carry on going there, or did you fancy a change?


Pesky once we decided to have MIL living with us it meant ground floor bedroom/bathroom with plenty of room and a conservatory. And Asturias was just beyond our budget. And Candas is a hilly place and not ideal for a wheelchair. So needs must.

We still have the flat there but will not part with it for less than 50,000 and to date the market is defying us. I’m happy enough in El Puerto for the time being. And as MIL said un prompted the other day: “I can’t think of a better place to spend my last few years”. She is a sweetie.

And in the future, hopefully a few years, next stop for us might be Catalunya.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

nigele2 said:


> Pesky once we decided to have MIL living with us it meant ground floor bedroom/bathroom with plenty of room and a conservatory. And Asturias was just beyond our budget. And Candas is a hilly place and not ideal for a wheelchair. So needs must.
> 
> We still have the flat there but will not part with it for less than 50,000 and to date the market is defying us. I’m happy enough in El Puerto for the time being. And as MIL said un prompted the other day: “I can’t think of a better place to spend my last few years”. She is a sweetie.
> 
> And in the future, hopefully a few years, next stop for us might be Catalunya.


So, El Puerto de Santa Maria is significantly cheaper than Cangas?


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> So, El Puerto de Santa Maria is significantly cheaper than Cangas?


I think Asturias is an odd market. Our ground-floor flat with three bedrooms (it needs modernising) has halved in price in 10 years. But we saw a 3 bedroom house in Candas two years ago at 246,000. It was small. 

If you don't mind being away from the airport and inland there are options but a beach is great for the Madrid family.

Here in the south we are near the roots of the family. Pilar's sister is in Jaen so they stay here and look after MIL when we travel. I think they'd find Asturias much harder.

But I wouldn't swap my times in Asturias for anything. I do miss the bagpipe festival and the Asturian way of life.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

nigele2 said:


> I think Asturias is an odd market. Our ground-floor flat with three bedrooms (it needs modernising) has halved in price in 10 years. But we saw a 3 bedroom house in Candas two years ago at 246,000. It was small.
> 
> If you don't mind being away from the airport and inland there are options but a beach is great for the Madrid family.
> 
> ...


Hmm, food for thought. Thanks!


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