# Suggestions on expat communities Costa Del Sol



## raptorfan (Nov 15, 2016)

We are seriously considering a move to the Costa Del Sol region from Canada. Logically it makes sense for me to make a trip over to scout out possible areas to live. Trouble is I know very little (other than what I can google) about it. To refine my search for a place, I'm hoping I may be able to get some direction from those here. Neither my wife or I currently speak Spanish so I'm looking for an area with a thriving expat community that I can use for support while we learn (I am 58 and my wife is 50). I'm also looking for an area that has a social scene (pubs and the like). We would like to be within sight of the sea and, coming from Canada, are looking for moderate to warm weather consistently. I would like to live strictly on my pension income (approx 2500 EUR per month) Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated!


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Do you have EU passports? Visas?


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## raptorfan (Nov 15, 2016)

bob_bob said:


> Do you have EU passports? Visas?


My wife has a British passport. However, the plan is to stay two to three months first to determine if this is something we can do long term. I just don't want to waste that time hunting for the right location to live. I'm trying to maximize our time by, hopefully, starting out in the right area for us.


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## src6 (Aug 15, 2016)

We went over for 3 weeks last year scouting locations. We were able to book apartments in our 3 target cities using TripAdvisor, but it turns out they were just AirBnB units. I strongly recommend doing something similar, as it gave us a very good feel for the cities and communities, and some idea of what it would be like to live there day-to-day. 

Overall, I would have preferred to stay in each location a little longer, but a longer visit didn't work for my schedule. On the other hand, we were able to rule out one location pretty quickly, and wouldn't have minded moving to the next spot sooner, but the apartments and travel arrangements were already paid for.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Fuengirola and Torremolinos are full on Brit expat areas with pubs, tribute bands, British shops, full English breakfast and British football on the telly in the pubs.
If you want something a bit more subtle you could try San Pedro de Alcantara or Malaga just up the coast...


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## yesican (Jan 18, 2016)

Prior to our move to the island 7 months ago, we spent a good amount of time flying over to the island every so often to learn more about the area and where we'd want to live. Googling online is easy but it's not worth it in my opinion. Goodluck ☺. 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


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## Gran Erry-Bredd (Nov 1, 2016)

And which island would that be ? eep:


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Gran Erry-Bredd said:


> And which island would that be ? eep:


Well yesican's profile says s/he lives in the UK...
Save​


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## raptorfan (Nov 15, 2016)

src6 said:


> We went over for 3 weeks last year scouting locations. We were able to book apartments in our 3 target cities using TripAdvisor, but it turns out they were just AirBnB units. I strongly recommend doing something similar, as it gave us a very good feel for the cities and communities, and some idea of what it would be like to live there day-to-day.
> 
> Overall, I would have preferred to stay in each location a little longer, but a longer visit didn't work for my schedule. On the other hand, we were able to rule out one location pretty quickly, and wouldn't have minded moving to the next spot sooner, but the apartments and travel arrangements were already paid for.


Of the areas you stayed, any stick out for you?


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Fuengirola and Torremolinos are full on Brit expat areas with pubs, tribute bands, British shops, full English breakfast and British football on the telly in the pubs.
> If you want something a bit more subtle you could try San Pedro de Alcantara or Malaga just up the coast...


Yes San Pedro is not too full on expat. Don't like it as much now the layout has changed. Also La Cala de Mijas on that coast, good balance of expats (although one Street is nicknamed Coronation St.) but overall nice compact friendly place. Some Brit bars but a bit more upmarket than the Bil&Lil bars in Fuengirola.


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## raptorfan (Nov 15, 2016)

Isobella said:


> Yes San Pedro is not too full on expat. Don't like it as much now the layout has changed. Also La Cala de Mijas on that coast, good balance of expats (although one Street is nicknamed Coronation St.) but overall nice compact friendly place. Some Brit bars but a bit more upmarket than the Bil&Lil bars in Fuengirola.


Ummm...Bil&Lil bars?!?


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## Motril Ben (Feb 10, 2017)

I'm a bit further over to the west on the Costa Tropical (we grow weird fruit here, most of which I'd never seen before in my life!), but my Dad's friend is in Nerja and is very much at home. I've visited a few times, and it's a nice little place with most of what you need civilisation-wise, with a fair few English, Germans and Netherlanders around. Lots of restaurants and the like, and my Dad's mate set himself up a little business despite having zero Spanish when he came a few years back and precious little now, so that's enough indication that you can get by round here, I suppose. 

Have you considered renting a mobile home to try out a few places over an extended visit, I wonder? I haven't tried that here, but I lived in one in England for a few years and had the time of my life! Nothing better than doing your shopping, getting to your van, and then sitting there still in the carpark, having a brew in your own little mobile house, before you drive off wherever you're going to...


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## Motril Ben (Feb 10, 2017)

Motril Ben said:


> I'm a bit further over to the west on the Costa Tropical


Mixing up my compass points there, sorry! EAST! No "edit" function on here?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Motril Ben said:


> Mixing up my compass points there, sorry! EAST! No "edit" function on here?


 lol!!! You've gotta be quick to edit - within 20 minutes fo submitting the post!!

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> lol!!! You've gotta be quick to edit - within 20 minutes fo submitting the post!!
> 
> Jo xxx


And the edit fuction doesn't become activated until after 5 posts.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> And the edit fuction doesn't become activated until after 5 posts.


...and that  

Jo xxx


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## yesican (Jan 18, 2016)

We are in Canary Islands .. Sorry, I need to change in my profile.. ☺ 

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## yesican (Jan 18, 2016)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Well yesican's profile says s/he lives in the UK...
> Save​


Canary Islands - I completely forgot to update my profile..My bad..


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## yesican (Jan 18, 2016)

Gran Erry-Bredd said:


> And which island would that be ? eep:


Canary Islands - My sincere apologies for not updating my profile sooner, its done now...


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## Gran Erry-Bredd (Nov 1, 2016)

I was interested in which of the Canary Islands. I'm still in England but very interested in finding about Maspalomas, Gran Canaria. Anything you care to tell about ups and downs in the moving process would be welcome. Thanks. :yo:


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## src6 (Aug 15, 2016)

raptorfan said:


> Of the areas you stayed, any stick out for you?


We settled on Torre del Mar as our target, or as close as we can get to it. Ideally, my wife would want to be in Caleta de Velez. We stayed at an apartment in Malaga and took the bus to Torre and Velez-Malaga for our explorations, so it wasn't quite a good as being on-site the whole time, but we were there enough to decide it was a good fit.

Personally, I really enjoyed the time we spent in old town Valencia. If it were just me, I'd probably be looking there first. 

Our third site was Alicante, and we could tell within the first two days that it wasn't going to be a good fit for us. Neither of us could really pin it down to anything in particular, it just didn't feel right.

Of course, once we are over there we are open to moving around if we find somewhere better. We don't expect to find our forever home right away.

While we were there, we made a point of not renting a car. We used public transport and the trains to get around. We felt it would give us a better chance to figure out how our day-to-day lives would work. Such a huge difference from here in the States, where we would only use public transport in an emergency.


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

Isobella said:


> Yes San Pedro is not too full on expat. Don't like it as much now the layout has changed. Also La Cala de Mijas on that coast, good balance of expats (although one Street is nicknamed Coronation St.) but overall nice compact friendly place. Some Brit bars but a bit more upmarket than the Bil&Lil bars in Fuengirola.



Yes, La Cala de Mijas is a lovely, quaint, low- rise Village. No night-clubs there - so it is favoured by the more mature 😉 During the summer, it is popular with couples and their pre-teen children. The beach area is wonderful.

It is very, very popular - therefore, it is difficult to find rental properties.

The road mentioned is Calle Antequera. The locals refer to it as 'Coronation Street,' due to the amount of foreigners, initially Brits, who have bought there ; mainly to use as 2nd homes.

Good morning to you All x


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Allie-P said:


> Yes, La Cala de Mijas is a lovely, quaint, low- rise Village. No night-clubs there - so it is favoured by the more mature 😉 During the summer, it is popular with couples and their pre-teen children. The beach area is wonderful.
> 
> It is very, very popular - therefore, it is difficult to find rental properties.
> 
> ...


Thanks, forgotten it's name. Great location though, stones throw from beach and shops etc. We viewed a house on that street as a second home around 25 years ago. We quite liked it except the back patio overlooked a builders yard! Don't know when the Corrie nickname started.

We had friends who lived there, they didn't have to leave the village, health centre, schools, Police, supermarkets, deputy Town Hall all within walking distance plus the great beach and chiringuitos. When we stayed in winter I used to go to cookery classes there put on by the Ayuntamiento....and you got to eat it. Also had some lovely wooden doors made there to own design at good price.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Allie-P said:


> The road mentioned is Calle Antequera. The locals refer to it as 'Coronation Street,' due to the amount of foreigners, initially Brits, who have bought there
> 
> Good morning to you All x


The locals watch Coronation Street and know what it is?


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## Motril Ben (Feb 10, 2017)

Pesky Wesky said:


> The locals watch Coronation Street and know what it is?


Thankfully not. We've a bad enough reputation as it is! I'd only ever let them see episodes from before 1985 or so, myself... 

The locals in this case must be local by address, but not native.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> The locals watch Coronation Street and know what it is?


Doubt it, just something going around the expat community. Don't know when it started.

Corrie is available in Africa by South African satellite company. They have a channel with a selection of TV3 programmes and only a couple of days behind uk.

Does Spain have any equivalent Soaps? Some years ago I used to watch Cuantame, my Spanish neighbors were mad about it.


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## Travelfam6 (Feb 28, 2017)

Hey! We are new here and fellow Canucks! Torre is lovely!


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## Travelfam6 (Feb 28, 2017)

We have been going for three months a year for four years now.it is the perfect combo not too isolated and full of Spanish charm. We hope to start spending winters in Torre in two years once our youngest is done college. For now we go May to September 1st. We are 58 and 62. We have made wonderful friends and we 
love living there!

Let us know if we can answer any questions. Happy planning!


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