# jimena for two month family experience



## berk (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi we are taking a sabbatical with two teens and close to choosing Jimena de la Frontera as a base for two month stay. It seems like there is good accommodation. Just looking for reassurance/advice/info on whether this is a good choice for an extended stay. We will be homeschooling but kids may have a chance to visit local school. We'd love to experience an authentic Spanish town and get to meet some local people. We love to bike, hike and horseback ride. Two of us speak Spanish the other two need a crash course. One site says the expat - mostly British - community makes up about 10% of the population. I don't know if this is considered too much of a British influence on the town - or should I say make it too easy for us to socialize with fellow English speakers rather than branching out to Spanish speakers 
Also we'll be there in October/November - will it still be relatively sunny and warm? All the weather sites give differing opinions.
Thanks so much for any feedback.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Welcome to the forum. 

Our regular poster jimenato Expat Forum For Expats, For Moving Overseas And For Jobs Abroad - View Profile: jimenato is your man, he runs a bar there!! I'm sure he'll be around soon

Jo xxx


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## Cazzy (Nov 23, 2008)

Its a small town, we go to the music festival there every year. It seams quite nice.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

berk said:


> Hi we are taking a sabbatical with two teens and close to choosing Jimena de la Frontera as a base for two month stay. It seems like there is good accommodation. Just looking for reassurance/advice/info on whether this is a good choice for an extended stay. We will be homeschooling but kids may have a chance to visit local school. We'd love to experience an authentic Spanish town and get to meet some local people. We love to bike, hike and horseback ride. Two of us speak Spanish the other two need a crash course. One site says the expat - mostly British - community makes up about 10% of the population. I don't know if this is considered too much of a British influence on the town - or should I say make it too easy for us to socialize with fellow English speakers rather than branching out to Spanish speakers
> Also we'll be there in October/November - will it still be relatively sunny and warm? All the weather sites give differing opinions.
> Thanks so much for any feedback.


Hi - Jimenato here. 

We have lived in Jimena for a number of years - unfortunately not running the bar any more but never mind. There is a large expat community - mostly British and Romanian but the place remains very Spanish. Nearly all Brits here speak reasonable Spanish. Most are retired although a large number work in Gibraltar which is a short drive away. 

It's great here for walking and horse riding - biking as well but probably of the mountain bike kind as it's quite hilly. 

You will find English speakers to chat with if you want to (and you will want to) but you wil have no problem avoiding them and immersing yourself in Spanish as well.
Luckily for you the main British bar/restaurant has just closed so you won't be tempted to go there.

October can be one of the best months for weather, if it's sunny the temperature will be perfect for outdoor activities - but if it decides to rain it mind do so for days on end and very heavily. 

Look forward to meeting you if you decide on Jimena.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

berk said:


> Hi we are taking a sabbatical with two teens and close to choosing Jimena de la Frontera as a base for two month stay. It seems like there is good accommodation. Just looking for reassurance/advice/info on whether this is a good choice for an extended stay. We will be homeschooling but kids may have a chance to visit local school. We'd love to experience an authentic Spanish town and get to meet some local people. We love to bike, hike and horseback ride. Two of us speak Spanish the other two need a crash course. One site says the expat - mostly British - community makes up about 10% of the population. I don't know if this is considered too much of a British influence on the town - or should I say make it too easy for us to socialize with fellow English speakers rather than branching out to Spanish speakers
> Also we'll be there in October/November - will it still be relatively sunny and warm? All the weather sites give differing opinions.
> Thanks so much for any feedback.


Hi there, I live about 17 km from Jimena as the vulture flies (but an hour and a half by road!) I would thoroughly recommend it as a base for your stay. The Alcornocales natural park offers all the outdoor activities you want, you are near the coast when you want a change of scene, and to the northeast you have the magnificent Sierra de Ronda.

Jimena is most definitely a Spanish town, but unlike where I live there are enough English-speakers around to socialise in your native tongue when you need to. I promise you, however good your Spanish you will struggle with the Andalusian dialect! But it's fun trying.

The weather at that time is completely pot luck, as Jimenato says. When the sun is shining, it is the best time of year for outdoor activities, but there can be a lot of rain. Fortunately the meteorological forecasts are pretty accurate and can usually predict the rainfall a week in advance, so you can plan your excursions accordingly!


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## berk (Aug 5, 2012)

Thank you for all the replies. Are we really chancing it with the weather at that time - we do want to stay through to December. Would it be less rainy further inland? We don't mind some rain but clearly don't want to be stuck inside for too long!
Are there lots of kids around for mine to meet? 
We do mountain bike so the hills won't deter too much. Are there many locals who mountain bike - or any walking/biking groups you might know of? 
Also any possible volunteer opportunities for my teens?
We will be travelling with our small terrier - do you foresee any issues with that in town?
Any other input/advice gratefully received. Sorry for so many questions!
Thanks!




jimenato said:


> Hi - Jimenato here.
> 
> We have lived in Jimena for a number of years - unfortunately not running the bar any more but never mind. There is a large expat community - mostly British and Romanian but the place remains very Spanish. Nearly all Brits here speak reasonable Spanish. Most are retired although a large number work in Gibraltar which is a short drive away.
> 
> ...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

berk said:


> Thank you for all the replies. Are we really chancing it with the weather at that time - we do want to stay through to December. Would it be less rainy further inland? We don't mind some rain but clearly don't want to be stuck inside for too long!


Weatherwise you are taking pot luck anywhere in the Mediterranean at this time of year. The only 99%-guaranteed dry months are June till about mid September. 

This chart shows the average number of days with more than 1mm precipitation per month for Jerez (the nearest I could find to Jimena): 

October 6
November 7
December 9

And the number of CLOUDLESS days:

October 9
November 10
December 8

Hope that helps put it into perspective!


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

berk said:


> Hi we are taking a sabbatical with two teens and close to choosing Jimena de la Frontera as a base for two month stay. It seems like there is good accommodation. Just looking for reassurance/advice/info on whether this is a good choice for an extended stay. We will be homeschooling but kids may have a chance to visit local school. We'd love to experience an authentic Spanish town and get to meet some local people. We love to bike, hike and horseback ride. Two of us speak Spanish the other two need a crash course. One site says the expat - mostly British - community makes up about 10% of the population. I don't know if this is considered too much of a British influence on the town - or should I say make it too easy for us to socialize with fellow English speakers rather than branching out to Spanish speakers
> Also we'll be there in October/November - will it still be relatively sunny and warm? All the weather sites give differing opinions.
> Thanks so much for any feedback.


Great Post Berk - uplifted me - I hope you have a great experience. Weather will be good in October and November. The nights get particularly cold during December and colder in January/February. Have a Great Time.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Good luck and have loads of fun and laughs. Home schooling is perfectly allowed since you are not resident here. As for volunteer opportunities for the teens, there are but you do need to do your research well before you arrive - and when I say there are it's because there are such opportunities throughout Spain quite a lot of them concerned with ecology etc. As for the weather? Be positive. Sure you might get some rainy days but not many when it rains throughout but you will get a lot of sunny days and they can also be hot, especially in October. We were still having BBQs throughout December last winter but some of the nights required a roaring log fire. Shame.


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## ken27 (Aug 12, 2017)

*Car rental in Jimena*

I would like to add another question about Jimena de la Frontera if I may. We will be spending the month of September there and I'm trying to figure out the best way to get around. We land in Malaga so I was planning to get a rental car car at the airport and then drive to the village. My options then are to 1) keep the car for the entire month or 2) take the car back to Malaga after a week or so and then make other arrangements while we're in Jimena. The issue is that their will be many days in Jimena when we won't need a car (for day trips etc.). We'll just be spending our time in the village. So, that's why I'm wondering if it is possible to rent a car for a few days at a time when in Jimena itself (looking at the Web there don't seem to be any agencies there). I also have the problem of getting back from Malaga when dropping off the rental car (buses? train?). Any suggestions as to the best way to approach this would be welcome! Thanks.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

ken27 said:


> I would like to add another question about Jimena de la Frontera if I may. We will be spending the month of September there and I'm trying to figure out the best way to get around. We land in Malaga so I was planning to get a rental car car at the airport and then drive to the village. My options then are to 1) keep the car for the entire month or 2) take the car back to Malaga after a week or so and then make other arrangements while we're in Jimena. The issue is that their will be many days in Jimena when we won't need a car (for day trips etc.). We'll just be spending our time in the village. So, that's why I'm wondering if it is possible to rent a car for a few days at a time when in Jimena itself (looking at the Web there don't seem to be any agencies there). I also have the problem of getting back from Malaga when dropping off the rental car (buses? train?). Any suggestions as to the best way to approach this would be welcome! Thanks.


I don't think it's possible to hire a car in Jimena and public transport is poor with the exception of the train which is useful for Ronda and Algeciras but only runs a few times per day.

Malaga is possible by public transport (train/bus) but will take you the best part of a day. 

I would keep your hire car for the duration.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

BTW we shall be there for a week in September - might catch you.


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## ken27 (Aug 12, 2017)

jimenato said:


> BTW we shall be there for a week in September - might catch you.


Hi Jimenato,
We'll be there Sept. 5-Oct. 5 so we'll get in contact then. 
Cheers.


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## ken27 (Aug 12, 2017)

Hi Jimenato,
One more question if you don't mind: is there a forum used exclusively by expats in Jimena de la Frontera to communicate with each other? Thanks!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

ken27 said:


> Hi Jimenato,
> One more question if you don't mind: is there a forum used exclusively by expats in Jimena de la Frontera to communicate with each other? Thanks!


There's a facebook group...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/445874525493669/


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## angkag (Oct 29, 2013)

Only been to Jimena a couple of times for the kids football games vs Jimena. It seems like a relatively nice place, main memory being how cold it was for the last game (think that was a January), so bring the winter woolies !


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