# Andalucia



## Randolph (Dec 28, 2014)

I will be returning to the area for 3 weeks in February to find a nice place to stay for up to 6 months. I don't want to be in the thick of the pub culture on the coast. can anyone tell me more about Ronda, Coin or towns such as that. I want to know if it's easy to rent, how much? is there ex pats around? Spanish classes etc. Thanks


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Randolph said:


> I will be returning to the area for 3 weeks in February to find a nice place to stay for up to 6 months. I don't want to be in the thick of the pub culture on the coast. can anyone tell me more about Ronda, Coin or towns such as that. I want to know if it's easy to rent, how much? is there ex pats around? Spanish classes etc. Thanks


Not all of the coast of Andalucia is 'pub culture', you know. In fact apart from perhaps Torremolinos I can't think of anywhere that fits that description. Marbella has plenty of nightlife but I wouldn't describe it as 'pub culture'.
Coin has a lot of British immigrants, Ronda has a fair few.
It's cold in the winter in Ronda and very hot in summer.


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> Not all of the coast of Andalucia is 'pub culture', you know. In fact apart from perhaps Torremolinos I can't think of anywhere that fits that description. Marbella has plenty of nightlife but I wouldn't describe it as 'pub culture'.
> Coin has a lot of British immigrants, Ronda has a fair few.
> It's cold in the winter in Ronda and very hot in summer.


Really?? ONLY Torremolinos?! I would have said Benalmadena Costa was far more 'pub culture'; 24 hour square among other such delights spring to mind!! In fact on my several visits to Torremolinos have found it less Brits on the p*ss and more Spanish having a quiet evening in a nice tapas / wine bar! I was pleasantly surprised! I personally would come visit & get a feel for an area. There genuinely seems to be little enclaves of expats everywhere along the coast.


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## Randolph (Dec 28, 2014)

I will make my way from Malaga to Ronda and hopefully stop in some towns that would appeal to me. I don't mind a drink but a little distance from the coastal hot spots would assist my writing and my efforts to learn Spanish. Could anyone suggest a good route from Malaga to Ronda taking in some towns that may be suitable for a long term rental ? Thanks


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

angil said:


> Really?? ONLY Torremolinos?! I would have said Benalmadena Costa was far more 'pub culture'; 24 hour square among other such delights spring to mind!! In fact on my several visits to Torremolinos have found it less Brits on the p*ss and more Spanish having a quiet evening in a nice tapas / wine bar! I was pleasantly surprised! I personally would come visit & get a feel for an area. There genuinely seems to be little enclaves of expats everywhere along the coast.


Tbh I've only visited Benalmadena once and that was to visit a friend who lives on the outskirts.
Thinking about it, maybe Mijas and Fuengirola have a 'pub culture'..Brit tourism is big there, I believe.
Agin , I've only visited three times in six years, to visit the Salon theatre in Fuengirola.
I don't like 'pub culture'.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Randolph said:


> I will make my way from Malaga to Ronda and hopefully stop in some towns that would appeal to me. I don't mind a drink but a little distance from the coastal hot spots would assist my writing and my efforts to learn Spanish. Could anyone suggest a good route from Malaga to Ronda taking in some towns that may be suitable for a long term rental ? Thanks


I can think of only two routes from Malaga to Ronda, the coastal route taking you to San Pedro de Alcantara which passes places like Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Mijas. You take a steep, winding road from San Pedro which climbs up t Ronda. Breathtaking mountain and coast views.
The other route would take you overland behind and to the north west of Malaga. I've never driven that route.
Wherever you go, you'll find the need to speak Spanish and as Angil says there are enclaves of Brits everywhere, in the smallest pueblo.
Once we were out hiking in the remote campo, got lost and waited for a car or person to come along to give directions. After a while a dusty 4x4 pulled up, we asked directions in Spanish and got answered in Essex.


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## Randolph (Dec 28, 2014)

Thanks for the replies everyone.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Randolph said:


> I will make my way from Malaga to Ronda and hopefully stop in some towns that would appeal to me. I don't mind a drink but a little distance from the coastal hot spots would assist my writing and my efforts to learn Spanish. Could anyone suggest a good route from Malaga to Ronda taking in some towns that may be suitable for a long term rental ? Thanks


Check out the Ruta de Pueblos Blancos de Málaga - especially Gaucín, Casares and Jimena (I'm sure the other towns are nice too, but these are the ones I've been to!)


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## amespana (Nov 10, 2009)

So many posters mention" avoiding Brits" on this and other forums.It tickles me,it's all generally Brits on these forums talking about their mutual avoidance!
Maybe people should be a bit more specific about the type of Brits they wish to avoid otherwise our Canadian, American,Australian,Indian etc cousins will wonder however we all become so friendly!
Yours in friendship,Am.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

angil said:


> Really?? ONLY Torremolinos?! I would have said Benalmadena Costa was far more 'pub culture'; 24 hour square among other such delights spring to mind!! In fact on my several visits to Torremolinos have found it less Brits on the p*ss and more Spanish having a quiet evening in a nice tapas / wine bar! I was pleasantly surprised! I personally would come visit & get a feel for an area. There genuinely seems to be little enclaves of expats everywhere along the coast.


My experience of Benalmadena Costa was more of ALL nationalities having drinks and "out on the p*ss". Brits may have introduced that kind of behaviour once upon a time, but other nationalities, including Spanish have embraced it. There are a few places where folk have quiet evenings with tapas, but again its all nationalities. Enclaves of expats are quite rare, altho people who speak the same mother tonue tend to stick together to a point and socialise. But it seems to me, that most expats are second generation and those who arent are more inclined to live quietly

Jo xxx


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

jojo said:


> My experience of Benalmadena Costa was more of ALL nationalities having drinks and "out on the p*ss". Brits may have introduced that kind of behaviour once upon a time, but other nationalities, including Spanish have embraced it. There are a few places where folk have quiet evenings with tapas, but again its all nationalities. Enclaves of expats are quite rare, altho people who speak the same mother tonue tend to stick together to a point and socialise. But it seems to me, that most expats are second generation and those who arent are more inclined to live quietly
> 
> Jo xxx


Well my_ current _experience is very different from yours! The Spanish / other nationalities I socialize with are lively enough without too much booze (fyi - I only speak English fluently)! I suppose it depends on the circles you move in, and what your idea of a good time is! 
& the voices I hear shouting, singing and generally being really foul at stupid o'clock in the morning throughout the 'silly season' are most definitely British! I am right on the sea front! I am guessing holidaymakers? Maybe not! 
& I would thoroughly disagree with your "enclaves of expats being quite rare". I visited a friend in an urb in Calahonda and the lack of anything Spanish, other than the weather, was eerie! & your other statement "most expats are 2nd generation." Are they?? 
Anyhoo I am sure this isn't helping the OP at all. Other than getting a feel for where to avoid!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

angil said:


> Well my_ current _experience is very different from yours! The Spanish / other nationalities I socialize with are lively enough without too much booze (fyi - I only speak English fluently)! I suppose it depends on the circles you move in, and what your idea of a good time is!
> & the voices I hear shouting, singing and generally being really foul at stupid o'clock in the morning throughout the 'silly season' are most definitely British! I am right on the sea front! I am guessing holidaymakers? Maybe not!
> & I would thoroughly disagree with your "enclaves of expats being quite rare". I visited a friend in an urb in Calahonda and the lack of anything Spanish, other than the weather, was eerie! & your other statement "most expats are 2nd generation." Are they??
> Anyhoo I am sure this isn't helping the OP at all. Other than getting a feel for where to avoid!


yes, I guess it depends on where you live and you cant really generalise, its very much how and what you see!! I'm not a "going out" type of person and much preferred sitting with a non alcoholic drink, eating tapas and where I went, it was a broad section who were doing the same. But I guess it depends on the bar??. On occasions when I ventured into the more lively parts of Benal/Fuengirola?Torremolinos - all nationalities were there - if anything I was aware of Spanish lads chasing young "ladies" of various nationalities - all making a noise and behavng a tad crazy lol?!


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## jilltim (Jan 29, 2015)

I would suggest the area East of Malaga. Just got back from there, got NIE's and made an offer on a house. Competa is nice but if you want more coastal maybe Nerja.


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## Randolph (Dec 28, 2014)

jilltim said:


> I would suggest the area East of Malaga. Just got back from there, got NIE's and made an offer on a house. Competa is nice but if you want more coastal maybe Nerja.


I went to Torrox last week. I was on the coast and was let down by an estate agent who did not turn up and two others there could not be bothered showing me properties in the town. So Torrox is out. What is Nerja and Competa like? I want to learn some Spanish and live in an apartment with balcony or terrace so I can do some writing in the sun.


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## Randolph (Dec 28, 2014)

I will be looking for a base for 3 weeks from the 8th of Feb is anyone can help?


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## Pokerface (Dec 22, 2014)

angil said:


> Well my_ current _experience is very different from yours! The Spanish / other nationalities I socialize with are lively enough without too much booze (fyi - I only speak English fluently)! I suppose it depends on the circles you move in, and what your idea of a good time is!
> & the voices I hear shouting, singing and generally being really foul at stupid o'clock in the morning throughout the 'silly season' are most definitely British!


Most Brit´s I know try to avoid "silly season" so as to continue living in relative peace and quiet before the Spaniards decend for their holidays.
If I wasn´t tied to my business, you wouldn´t see me for dust come August!
It´s fair to say, I´ve never seen anything like the staying power of a Spaniard when it comes to party! Having been the only Brit living amongst Spaniards in Granada, I know what I´m talking about.
What might be a nice and quiet urbanisation seems to turn into a 24 hour disco with late night music, late night dancing, speaking at volumes only the Spanish seem to find necessary, and all washed down with plenty of plonk.
But then I choose to live on the coast, no harm is ever meant, which is a bloody good job as the Spaniards don´t take too kindly to being asked to quieten down, and it´s all about taking the rough with the smooth.
Fortunately for me, I live in a small quiet street but regularly meet those that suffer the above mentioned.
Truth be told, I think it´s a bit rich for someone to live in a busy town on the sea front, who holds a poor attitude to people enjoying themselves.
Personnaly I find all drunk people a tad annoying, but as someone has already said, it can´t just be attributed to the Brit´s.


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Pokerface said:


> Most Brit´s I know try to avoid "silly season" so as to continue living in relative peace and quiet before the Spaniards decend for their holidays.
> If I wasn´t tied to my business, you wouldn´t see me for dust come August!
> It´s fair to say, I´ve never seen anything like the staying power of a Spaniard when it comes to party! Having been the only Brit living amongst Spaniards in Granada, I know what I´m talking about.
> What might be a nice and quiet urbanisation seems to turn into a 24 hour disco with late night music, late night dancing, speaking at volumes only the Spanish seem to find necessary, and all washed down with plenty of plonk.
> ...



I can honestly say, hand on heart, I have not heard any shouting etc. from Spanish at some ungodly hour in my little area / within earshot when I am try to sleep! The voices without exception are British. & a gang of louts jeering Land of Hope and Glory at 3am? Just having a good time lads then?! 
You don't need to tell me about the staying power of the Spanish! 8pm - 8am on a quiet night! But I can also honestly say I am generally the only one with a glass in my hand! & by then its water! & again, although the streets are buzzing in the wee small hours they aren't being loud and unnecessary (although I must add this is well away from Benalmadena). Maybe I have just been lucky with who I have met?!
Whenever I have asked bar staff why they don't have Spanish customers or don't encourage them during the dry season the answer I get is "they sit all night with one drink". 
I am not saying Spanish don't drink. That would be ridiculous. & given the relative cheapness of alcohol in the stores and the current appalling economic state of this particular province I would be amazed if more aren't turning to drink. But that's another post all together.
I speak from my current experience. Without bias. I really disliked Spain when I first arrived! But Spain is my home now & my children's. It's where they go to school and we all trying to live a normal life. So fleeing off somewhere come August would be unthinkable, just to avoid the noise. & I am well within my rights as a rational human being to think it is unreasonable behavior to rant like a lunatic in the streets, even on your bloomin holidays!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Pokerface said:


> Most Brit´s I know try to avoid "silly season" so as to continue living in relative peace and quiet before the Spaniards decend for their holidays.
> If I wasn´t tied to my business, you wouldn´t see me for dust come August!
> It´s fair to say, I´ve never seen anything like the staying power of a Spaniard when it comes to party! Having been the only Brit living amongst Spaniards in Granada, I know what I´m talking about.
> What might be a nice and quiet urbanisation seems to turn into a 24 hour disco with late night music, late night dancing, speaking at volumes only the Spanish seem to find necessary, and all washed down with plenty of plonk.
> ...


Anyone who has truly lived amongst Spaniards know that they are the noisiest, latest most committed partyers on earth.

They knock Brits into a cocked hat and I love them for it.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Spaniards*



jimenato said:


> Anyone who has truly lived amongst Spaniards know that they are the noisiest, latest most committed partyers on earth.
> 
> They knock Brits into a cocked hat and I love them for it.


Yes, they have an enormous love of life. I lived above a bar for 18 months and drove us silly at times. Of course we had the tables and chairs being put out at 6.30 in the morning and then stacked back again in the summer at nearer 12 at night. I suppose we were lucky cos a lot of the bars go on much later. But, I was amazed at the constant chattering between the waiters, usually only a couple would do the early morning shift, but alive and ready to chatter.
It is probably very good for relieving tension and perhaps that also gets them through some very difficult times. Most of the waiters below us are now just popping in and out and one explained that that was it until carnival and then semana santa and the June. I felt it was rude to ask how he and family survived in between, but assume they are entitled to some money from the State.


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Lived among them and party with them. But there is a difference in all things!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

angil said:


> I can honestly say, hand on heart, I have not heard any shouting etc. from Spanish at some ungodly hour in my little area / within earshot when I am try to sleep! The voices without exception are British. & a gang of louts jeering Land of Hope and Glory at 3am? Just having a good time lads then?!
> !


Young Conservatives on holiday??


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Young??! Not the shower I could see from my bedroom window! But hey they were just having a good time and presumably trying to drown out the noise from the hoards of noisy Spaniards shrieking above them!??


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

angil said:


> Young??! Not the shower I could see from my bedroom window! But hey they were just having a good time and presumably trying to drown out the noise from the hoards of noisy Spaniards shrieking above them!??


Years ago I went to Blackpool for a Party Conference and was really shocked at the number of drunken over- fifties cavorting in the streets.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

This reminds me of when years ago I organised a staff weekend in Boulogne. We had dined very well and were wandering back to the hotel after midnight. I admit we were a bit raucous.
Suddenly a shower of liquid from an upstairs window of a tall house hit the guy next to me with such force that he fell on his knees to the pavement and an angry Gallic voice told us to **** off!
I collapsed with laughter, it was so funny. You read about it or see that happening in films but in real life...
I do not know what sort of liquid it was....


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