# 3 months in Spain



## katiawt (Jun 8, 2018)

Hi
We are not exactly expats but though maybe you guys can help us.
My husband and I, retired, and as travell lovers are going to stay 3 month in Spain next year.
We have decided to have this kind of experience. We choose a city, rent apartment and try to live like a local. We do make a great effort in speaking the language so we can have a good relation with the local culture and the local people.
We've donne this in Palermo, in Bologna, in Lyon and in Montreal.(yes, we´ve learned french and italian, and yes, we speak spanish)
Now we are going to Spain and the big challenge is to pick the right city. Never the capital or very touristic places. Not too big, not too small.
We ae simple, easy going people, we love to walk and we love easy going people and places, and, of course, to try new foods and wines 
Can you help us ??
Thanks
Katia


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

katiawt said:


> Hi
> We are not exactly expats but though maybe you guys can help us.
> My husband and I, retired, and as travell lovers are going to stay 3 month in Spain next year.
> We have decided to have this kind of experience. We choose a city, rent apartment and try to live like a local. We do make a great effort in speaking the language so we can have a good relation with the local culture and the local people.
> ...


Sounds great! When would you come? All my choices are in the north
Oviedo, Leon, Burgos, Bilbao. Nice places in themselves, very maneagable and walkable, historic with good walking country around. Both Oviedo and Bilbao are near some beautiful stretches of coastline too.
I have posted on other threads about Asturias and Bilbao if you wnt to a search, better with the advanced search


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## katiawt (Jun 8, 2018)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Sounds great! When would you come? All my choices are in the north
> Oviedo, Leon, Burgos, Bilbao. Nice places in themselves, very maneagable and walkable, historic with good walking country around. Both Oviedo and Bilbao are near some beautiful stretches of coastline too.
> I have posted on other threads about Asturias and Bilbao if you wnt to a search, better with the advanced search


Thans so much Pesky
I think Bilbao is too touristic. Also as I´ve donne many times the "Camino de Santiago" so I do know Burgos and Leon well so a diferent city will be better.
What about Malaga and Pamplona?? What about Malaga and Pamplona??
We will go mid March till mid june...
Katia


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## booksurfer (Apr 21, 2018)

I think the Alpujarras/Granada area is an interesting one.


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## emlyn (Oct 26, 2012)

I particularly like Segovia,however it does attract tourists,but so many places do,you say you are easy going so shouldnt be too much of a problem.


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## katiawt (Jun 8, 2018)

booksurfer said:


> I think the Alpujarras/Granada area is an interesting one.


Isn´t Granada too touristic?


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

katiawt said:


> Hi
> We are not exactly expats but though maybe you guys can help us.
> My husband and I, retired, and as travell lovers are going to stay 3 month in Spain next year.
> We have decided to have this kind of experience. We choose a city, rent apartment and try to live like a local. We do make a great effort in speaking the language so we can have a good relation with the local culture and the local people.
> ...


Spain's number one industry is tourism. You want to live like the locals? Well locals can and do live in cities where there are tourists, and seeing tourists out and about is part of what it's like living in a Spain. I think you'd have to go to a pretty small, remote city to avoid them. Plasencia? Soria? But then, what is there to do in those places? 

Just because a city has tourists doesn't mean you have to live and spend your time among them. I would say that the vast majority of Spanish cities have more neighborhoods without tourists than with them.


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## booksurfer (Apr 21, 2018)

katiawt said:


> Isn´t Granada too touristic?


I rather suspect given your preferences, whatever city/area is suggested to you, you'll come back with one of the following:

1/ too big
2/ too small
3/ too touristy

Good luck with your search.


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## teamdaly (Dec 3, 2008)

Elche in Alicante? I just came from there 2 days ago,it's nice small city. its very Spanish, real local Spanish,good public transport to go around and to the Alicante city to catch bus,Tram,train to go other places.. and depends on where you stay but I walked around everywhere,my friend lives area called Ciudad Jardin its just cross road from area called Altabix,both quiet areas yet near enough to walk to the Centro.


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## katiawt (Jun 8, 2018)

booksurfer said:


> I rather suspect given your preferences, whatever city/area is suggested to you, you'll come back with one of the following:
> 
> 1/ too big
> 2/ too small
> ...


It was not an afirmative, I was asking


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## cermignano (Feb 9, 2017)

Yeah Malaga, Valencia and Alicante are nice. Lots of tourists leave the cities by 6pm as they are often there on guided tours and head for their coaches. Good luck


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Don’t come to Extremadura, horrible here, not many tourists, beautiful walking, amazing wildlife. Definitely don’t come here


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## katiawt (Jun 8, 2018)

kalohi said:


> Spain's number one industry is tourism. You want to live like the locals? Well locals can and do live in cities where there are tourists, and seeing tourists out and about is part of what it's like living in a Spain. I think you'd have to go to a pretty small, remote city to avoid them. Plasencia? Soria? But then, what is there to do in those places?
> ...


I understand what you said but I think there is a huge difference between tourism an touristic stress. 
I am searching a city touristic stress-free. Rome, Venice, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, New York and a lot of others have a lot of touristic stress. I am in Bologna right now. There are tourist but the city is not "deformed" buy the tourist industry.
I was in Barcelona 2 years ago and there were lots of outdoors with "TOURISTS GO HOME" because the stress is too much for the ordinary people that does not live from the tourism...
Thats my ponit of view, i´m not naive, I´m not searchin a tourist free environement because even we will be kind of tourist anywere that's not home 
Also I agree that a city with no tourist ... well maybee trere is nothing to see/do there


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## katiawt (Jun 8, 2018)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Oviedo, Leon, Burgos, Bilbao. Nice places in themselves, very maneagable and walkable, historic with good walking country around. Both Oviedo and Bilbao are near some beautiful stretches of coastline too.


One question, Pesky, about Oviedo... the tapas bars are also an institution there as in others parts of Spain or it is all about sidrerias??


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Some threads about the north of Spain
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/1118377-asturias.html

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/54850-photos-north-spain-cantabria.html

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/59893-northern-spain.html

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/835514-spain-your-oyster-where-why.html#post7938914


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## booksurfer (Apr 21, 2018)

katiawt said:


> It was not an afirmative, I was asking


Fair enough.

You need to do some of your own research. What is it about Spain that interests you? Why do you want to go and live there?

Here's a good place to start The New Spaniards that will give you a potted history of Spain post Franco—where it's come from, where it's going and who they are.

Spain is a big land mass, it's about three times the size of the UK and each of its regions is quite different to the others in many ways. The North is different to the South, the West from the East, the North West from the South East and the South West from the North East and they're all different to the centre. It's a lot like American states—they're mini countries within a country.

So what is it that interests you about Spain? Is it their history? Culture? Language? You need to find out what it is and look in that area.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

katiawt said:


> Thans so much Pesky
> I think Bilbao is too touristic. Also as I´ve donne many times the "Camino de Santiago" so I do know Burgos and Leon well so a diferent city will be better.
> What about Malaga and Pamplona?? What about Malaga and Pamplona??
> We will go mid March till mid june...
> Katia


Malaga might work, I don't know It well enough to give a personal recommendation.
Bilbao is not touristy imho. There are tourists, but mainly concentrated in and around the Guggenheim. In the other parts of the city tourism is not particularly noticeable and when you get out and around there is low tourism impact. It's now an attractive city with its museums and concerts, good food and lovely countryside and coastline nearby. There's some info in this old thread about Bilbao and the area
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/la-tasca/164300-pa-s-vasco-cantabria-holiday.html


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

katiawt said:


> Thans so much Pesky
> I think Bilbao is too touristic. Also as I´ve donne many times the "Camino de Santiago" so I do know Burgos and Leon well so a diferent city will be better.
> What about Malaga and Pamplona?? What about Malaga and Pamplona??
> We will go mid March till mid june...
> Katia





booksurfer said:


> Fair enough.
> 
> You need to do some of your own research. What is it about Spain that interests you? Why do you want to go and live there?
> 
> ...


I think this is _*part*_ of their research. They've done this before and are having a good time. They are not coming here to live, they're only coming for 3 months so they just need a pleasant place to base themselves...


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

kalohi said:


> Spain's number one industry is tourism. You want to live like the locals? Well locals can and do live in cities where there are tourists, and seeing tourists out and about is part of what it's like living in a Spain. I think you'd have to go to a pretty small, remote city to avoid them. Plasencia? Soria? But then, what is there to do in those places?
> 
> Just because a city has tourists doesn't mean you have to live and spend your time among them. I would say that the vast majority of Spanish cities have more neighborhoods without tourists than with them.


Well there's few if any British tourists or any other nationality tourists for that matter in Asturias, if that's what the OP is trying
to avoid. Also very good local food in Asturias as well.


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## katiawt (Jun 8, 2018)

Well, you all have helped alot. I've reduced my choices to:
- Olviedo
- Bilbao
- Salamanca
- Sevilha
- Granada

Its a lot better now !!
Thanks
Katia


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Megsmum said:


> Don’t come to Extremadura, horrible here, not many tourists, beautiful walking, amazing wildlife. Definitely don’t come here


Jaén is awful as well - all you can see for miles is olivos - hardly surprising for the world's largest producer of real Extra virgin olive oil rather than inferior stuff that is just labelled EV. A couple of possibilities that liven the place up a bit are volcanoes and earthquakes, the former have been a bit quiet in recent times but we got the odd quake now and then plus a few thrilling almost dried up lakes where you can almost see the bottoms just like Lake Baikal without having to go all the way to Russia.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

kalohi said:


> Spain's number one industry is tourism. You want to live like the locals? Well locals can and do live in cities where there are tourists, and seeing tourists out and about is part of what it's like living in a Spain. I think you'd have to go to a pretty small, remote city to avoid them. Plasencia? Soria? But then, what is there to do in those places?
> 
> Just because a city has tourists doesn't mean you have to live and spend your time among them. I would say that the vast majority of Spanish cities have more neighborhoods without tourists than with them.


Actually Soria(provincia) has plenty to see for 3 months and nice countryside too. Burgo de Osma, Calatañazor, castles and Romanic churches. Soria capital is indeed very small.
https://www.discoversoria.com/rutas/que-visitar-en-soria.html The weather can be a bit harsh


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## cermignano (Feb 9, 2017)

Absolutely beautiful. I take it Madrid airport is nearest one?


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## Yakout (Dec 3, 2016)

Hi
south of Spain is great. Andalucia region. Granada, Sevilla, Marbella... Many villages and small cities in the south offer a nice spanish touch in the life tyle


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

cermignano said:


> Absolutely beautiful. I take it Madrid airport is nearest one?


If you mean Soria, I'm not sure, but could be. I think it's about 160 mins from Madrid


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## Roland_O (Oct 17, 2016)

I would like to suggest Valladolid. 

No tourists, and it feels like it’s own place. Good sense of community and chilled. Lots of life. 

Mind you so many Spanish towns are good places to love, as long as you keep away from the tourist towns and retirement zones.

I agree with Soria (small, but again, it’s own place). Burgos is worth a look.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

katiawt said:


> Well, you all have helped alot. I've reduced my choices to:
> - Olviedo
> - Bilbao
> - Salamanca
> ...


We like Sevilla very much, so much so that we visit every year, but it has to be said that it is VERY popular with tourists - as is Granada, of course, but personally I think that there are fewer tourists in Granada in the evenings as it is a much smaller city and many people visit just to see the Alhambra, whereas they tend to stay for a few days in Sevilla.

We found Bilbao to be much less touristy than either when we spent a few days there.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Whenever we visit a place we’re tourists, aren’t we?
Or are we that seemingly superior being, a ‘traveller’?
We Brits do like to keep away from our compatriots....


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> Whenever we visit a place we’re tourists, aren’t we?
> Or are we that seemingly superior being, a ‘traveller’?
> We Brits do like to keep away from our compatriots....


Who said anything about Brits? There are tourists from all over the world in both Sevilla and Granada, loads of them. My only misgivings about how popular a place is with tourists is down to sheer weight of numbers, once it becomes too crowded to be able to walk about without dodging round people, or it gets difficult to find a table in restaurants or get a decent night's sleep because of the noise, it ceases to be pleasant to visit, for me. I won't go to Barcelona any more because it passed that point years ago.

Of course I'm a tourist myself whenever I visit anywhere else, I just prefer places where the numbers haven't yet grown to a point where it makes visiting not enjoyable any more.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> Who said anything about Brits? There are tourists from all over the world in both Sevilla and Granada, loads of them. My only misgivings about how popular a place is with tourists is down to sheer weight of numbers, once it becomes too crowded to be able to walk about without dodging round people, or it gets difficult to find a table in restaurants or get a decent night's sleep because of the noise, it ceases to be pleasant to visit, for me. I won't go to Barcelona any more because it passed that point years ago.
> 
> Of course I'm a tourist myself whenever I visit anywhere else, I just prefer places where the numbers haven't yet grown to a point where it makes visiting not enjoyable any more.


This weekend, it is the Cherry Festival so we have joined the places where there are too many tourists to make it enjoyable. We had planned to show our faces from 10 am to noon but SWMBO had a migraine so we felt ourselves excused.


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## katiawt (Jun 8, 2018)

Lynn R said:


> Who said anything about Brits? There are tourists from all over the world in both Sevilla and Granada, loads of them. My only misgivings about how popular a place is with tourists is down to sheer weight of numbers, once it becomes too crowded to be able to walk about without dodging round people, or it gets difficult to find a table in restaurants or get a decent night's sleep because of the noise, it ceases to be pleasant to visit, for me. I won't go to Barcelona any more because it passed that point years ago.
> 
> Of course I'm a tourist myself whenever I visit anywhere else, I just prefer places where the numbers haven't yet grown to a point where it makes visiting not enjoyable any more.


Exactly my point.
Thanks


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> Who said anything about Brits? There are tourists from all over the world in both Sevilla and Granada, loads of them. My only misgivings about how popular a place is with tourists is down to sheer weight of numbers, once it becomes too crowded to be able to walk about without dodging round people, or it gets difficult to find a table in restaurants or get a decent night's sleep because of the noise, it ceases to be pleasant to visit, for me. I won't go to Barcelona any more because it passed that point years ago.
> 
> Of course I'm a tourist myself whenever I visit anywhere else, I just prefer places where the numbers haven't yet grown to a point where it makes visiting not enjoyable any more.


Exactly. I don't think there's anything negative anout expressing a preference to avoid crowds and noise. On the other hand some people like the hustle and bustle of crowds. When I stay with my sister they always take me to pubs that are full to bursting with big groups at tables, places OH and I would naturally shy away from. That number of people plus the summer sun of the south of Spain spells misery to me, tourist or not! Nothing to do with snob values or feelings of superiority, just likes and dislikes


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Exactly. I don't think there's anything negative anout expressing a preference to avoid crowds and noise. On the other hand some people like the hustle and bustle of crowds. When I stay with my sister they always take me to pubs that are full to bursting with big groups at tables, places OH and I would naturally shy away from. That number of people plus the summer sun of the south of Spain spells misery to me, tourist or not! Nothing to do with snob values or feelings of superiority, just likes and dislikes


Our best holidays here in Spain have been: 

Our annual Christmas/New Year visits to Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segra y las Villas - there are very few people about until the 28th and even then, not that many.
Our trip up to Galicia including a couple of nights in Àvila on the way - Santiago was crowded and horrible but, otherwise we had very little company but, then, we do seek out the different attractions that are generally off the beaten [tourist] track such as obscure monasteries
Visit it to Almería and although we stayed in a "cottage" on part of one of Sergio Leone's sets, we saw very few other tourists.

Bear in mind that I was born just a few miles from a certain UK beach resort popular with day-trippers from London - I hate tourists, especially that type. Call me a snob if you wish but, at almost 77, I wish for a quiet life.


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