# Las Palmas or Majorca?



## vivabrit (Apr 12, 2013)

Appreciate anyone's useful input here:-

My family (just me and my 14 year old) are relocating from the US in June - and planning to move to Las Palmas Aug/Sep to teach English. After 10 years of LA smog we are glad to be leaving, although my child's asthma has improved.

Never been to Spain, but welcome the new experience. A great friend based in LP has been great, filling me in with the good, the bad and the ugly - and she has offered to help me out once I land. Also plan to rent.

So with all this in plan, I now 'stumble' across Majorca - reading up on it - and find myself mesmerised by its verdant, natural beauty..! 

Now I am wondering if it is better than Las Palmas - in terms of not only housing, living but also air quality. What about a teaching job there? Plus, it is closer to mainland Europe. The drawback is not having a reliable insider friend like I have in LP.

Thanks!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

vivabrit said:


> Appreciate anyone's useful input here:-
> 
> My family (just me and my 14 year old) are relocating from the US in June - and planning to move to Las Palmas Aug/Sep to teach English. After 10 years of LA smog we are glad to be leaving, although my child's asthma has improved.
> 
> ...



they both have good & bad points I dare say - but in the end I think it will boil down to one thing........... where you are actually offered a job


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## Sirtravelot (Jul 20, 2011)

vivabrit said:


> Appreciate anyone's useful input here:-
> 
> My family (just me and my 14 year old) are relocating from the US in June - and planning to move to Las Palmas Aug/Sep to teach English. After 10 years of LA smog we are glad to be leaving, although my child's asthma has improved.
> 
> ...


I'm not living in Spain yet, but I'm playing with the thought of checking out Mallorca before deciding on a place.

I don't think there are many regulars on here who live in Mallorca, but if someone does show up, I'd love to hear what they have to say!

I can't compare it to Las Palmas, but I'd be sure to compare the house prices and rent prices. Try Kyero.com and idealista and fotocasa. I do know that Mallorca is still rather expensive because it didn't have the typical housing boom and crash, being such a small island and all. Is it like that in Gran Canaria? 

Las Palmas will most likely be warmer than Mallorca. I don't think Las Palmas even has winters! Also, I'm not too sure, but I think I have read here that Mallorca can be quite windy. If someone could back this up?

Also, I had a talk with a Mallorquin in Scotland about moving to Spain and he said
that in Mallorca you are more likely to suffer more from arthritis because it is more humid. I doubt however that it ever comes close to Scottish weather!

I don't know how teaching jobs would be like, hopefully someone else can add to that.

I know some people on here wouldn't ever move to Mallorca for their own reasons, but I've always liked it since I was a kid. Then again, I've never been to Las Palmas. Maybe I'm missing something.

EDIT: I agree with Xabiachica.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Yes, the winters in Mallorca can be horrendous - torrential rain, strong winds, cold..... The Canary Islands are much better in that respect. But ultimately it depends on work - you cant move without having that sorted

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Yes, the winters in Mallorca can be horrendous - torrential rain, strong winds, cold..... The Canary Islands are much better in that respect. But *ultimately it depends on work *- *you cant move without having that sorted*
> 
> Jo xxx


& that's not just us saying that

unless you have an outside income or considerable savings you'll need a contracted job in order to register as resident

so if you need to work - then you have to get that sorted first


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## 111KAB (Aug 3, 2012)

I chose Mallorca but there again it is years since I have been to Las Palmas - in fact the last time I went I was in shorts and that was not a response to the warm weather! You really have to visit both/confirm your job situation before you decide. Yes the winters can be cooler/wetter but we prefer the seasonal aspect and indeed the weather generally is UK temps + 5 degrees. The main reason Mallorca has not suffered a large residential price drop is as a result of restricted development growth coupled with planning restrictions. With a fairly static population (tourists and residents) this has maintained property values.


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## Sirtravelot (Jul 20, 2011)

111KAB said:


> I chose Mallorca but there again it is years since I have been to Las Palmas - in fact the last time I went I was in shorts and that was not a response to the warm weather! You really have to visit both/confirm your job situation before you decide. Yes the winters can be cooler/wetter but we prefer the seasonal aspect and indeed the weather generally is UK temps + 5 degrees. The main reason Mallorca has not suffered a large residential price drop is as a result of restricted development growth coupled with planning restrictions. With a fairly static population (tourists and residents) this has maintained property values.


Are houses still selling though? Are the sellers foreign or Mallorquin?


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## 111KAB (Aug 3, 2012)

Sirtravelot said:


> Are houses still selling though? Are the sellers foreign or Mallorquin?


Fairly flat market throughout the Island I believe. Prices down from the highs of 2008 however properties do sell and I would equate it to the UK market at the start of 2012 ie good well specified properties are selling if the buyer is realistic. Fewer Brits are buying although the recent upward trend in respect of £/€ is starting to kick in linked to the summer season means Brits are starting to look around. The German buyers have always been there but we are seeing a lot of 'different' nationalities starting to tap into the market. One of our local restaurants (Brit/Mallorca area) has recently added a Russian translation to their dishes!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

I live in the Canary Isles, if the climate is one of your considerations, we have the best in the whole of the Spanish territories.

Gran Canaria can compete with any of the Balleares, it has its own culture, natural beauty, and charm and the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is one of my favorites. I have visited Mallorca.


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

Visited Palma in November and damn near froze to death. Heating in the hotel wasn't switched on because aside from me and my OH there were only three other guests... We were treated as royalty however in one restaurant we visited... probably again because the place was almost deserted and this at 9pm...
Seriously... Mallorca... great for a visit or an extended holiday, but I wouldn't want to be there full-time.
Gran Canaria on the other hand is a different matter. If you can avoid the tourist destinations mainly on the South Coast, it's a great place, very scenic, but cosmopolitan too. Has to be said that driving in Las Palmas is an experience to be missed if at all possible. G.C. wouldn't be my first selection of the Canary Islands, that would definitely be Fuerteventura...


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## Lonely (Aug 11, 2012)

whitenoiz said:


> Visited Palma in November and damn near froze to death.



 Palma? Is it in the Canaries?


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Lonely said:


> Palma? Is it in the Canaries?


Palma de Mallorca probably, but there is an island called La Palma, La Isla Bonita, 40 miles to the north of here, in the Canarian Archipelago.


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

Thanks Hepa... I was indeed referring to Palma de Mallorca... as opposed to Las Palmas in G.C. or the island of La Palma!


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## Sirtravelot (Jul 20, 2011)

whitenoiz said:


> Thanks Hepa... I was indeed referring to Palma de Mallorca... as opposed to Las Palmas in G.C. or the island of La Palma!


But is it not known that in Mallorca things get really quiet in the winter time?


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

*vivabrit*



> I now 'stumble' across Majorca - reading up on it - and find myself mesmerised by its verdant, natural beauty..!


That 'verdant, natural beauty' comes at a price; as has been pointed out it can be very wet, very cold and they even have snow on a regular basis. Summers are hot and the place is full of tourists, Brits and Germans especially for whom Mallorcan resorts make for a cheap holiday. Thousands of tourist families flock to the coastal resorts, and some resorts have acquired a very dark reputation as can be seen here...





Shagaluf – Expat - My Telegraph

For a possibly naive incoming American not well acquainted with Brit and German youth it could be more than an eyeopener! 

*Sirtravelot*
Yes it is very quiet out of season but the place needs to be able to recuperate from the annual invasions!

For me, given the choice of Mallorca or Gran Canaria it would be G.C. every time especially the North of the island. Mallorca to me, is what it is, or what it has become, a place to visit rather than to live permanently. I realise there are those who will disagree, it's different strokes for different folks....


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## Sirtravelot (Jul 20, 2011)

whitenoiz said:


> *vivabrit*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No point in driving myself crazy, I should go there and actually see it for myself. :clap2:


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## jonmlb748 (Oct 30, 2011)

Mallorca has a rather mild winter( average14degrees)snowfall is still regarded as a novelty,generally settling for a few hours over 1000 metres two three times a year.also regarding magaluf and it's like of being typical of Mallorca is rather juvenile .mallorca is well known for many other things other than these handfull of resorts that millions who visit here never venture near.
.palma is a great city.loads of fun and choice of activities.we have a massive cycling ,walking and other outdoor activities scene going on.
just my thoughts as a resident of over twenty five years who lives and works here.on my route to work here I still think its a beautiful place to live


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## Sirtravelot (Jul 20, 2011)

jonmlb748 said:


> Mallorca has a rather mild winter( average14degrees)snowfall is still regarded as a novelty,generally settling for a few hours over 1000 metres two three times a year.also regarding magaluf and it's like of being typical of Mallorca is rather juvenile .mallorca is well known for many other things other than these handfull of resorts that millions who visit here never venture near.
> .palma is a great city.loads of fun and choice of activities.we have a massive cycling ,walking and other outdoor activities scene going on.
> just my thoughts as a resident of over twenty five years who lives and works here.on my route to work here I still think its a beautiful place to live


It really grates me when people hear about Magaluf and think the rest of the island is like that.

However, I've also met people my age who went to Magaluf, yet were not aware that it was in Mallorca. 

By the way, since you live in Mallorca, may I ask: do you ever get "Islanditis" or "Island Fever" and feel the need that the Island is too small and that you have to get off it from time to time?


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## jonmlb748 (Oct 30, 2011)

yes I think it fair to say you can suffer from 'rock fever' occasionally. we miss not being able to explore the peninsula at the drop of a hat or for example go for a couple of days skiing in Andorra,though Barcelona is only a twenty minute flight away and we get 50% resident discount on flights ,it still adds up


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## loulou-81 (Dec 3, 2013)

jonmlb748 said:


> yes I think it fair to say you can suffer from 'rock fever' occasionally. we miss not being able to explore the peninsula at the drop of a hat or for example go for a couple of days skiing in Andorra,though Barcelona is only a twenty minute flight away and we get 50% resident discount on flights ,it still adds up


Hi there,

My husband are I are moving to Majorca in February next year and will be residents... This 50% discount on flights sounds fantastic... can all residents get it??

Many thanks,
Louise


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## callie (Jun 15, 2012)

Hi Louise - as far as I remember, you need all the paperwork to show you are on the European residents register AND the Padron and your NIE & it's only for flights within Spain.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

loulou-81 said:


> Hi there,
> 
> My husband are I are moving to Majorca in February next year and will be residents... This 50% discount on flights sounds fantastic... can all residents get it??
> 
> ...


Providing you have registered residencia, and are on the Padron. We are issued with a six month paper from the padron office, that has to be shown when purchasing tickets boarding and checking in. The discount is for ferries and flights within Spanish territory, it applies to persons who are residents of the Baleares, Canarias and the two colonies in North Africa.


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