# Non-coastal towns for retirement?



## windwalker (Dec 21, 2009)

I'm looking at locations for retirement away from the coasts. One place I've looked at (long distance) is Lleida. I haven't found much about it here, or anywhere. Its size and climate are about what I'm looking for. 

Any comments about Lleida? or any suggestions for other towns to look at?

I want good medical care, public transportation if possible, not too hot, not too humid, preferably having a university, good outdoor areas for walking and such, year round lap swimming. Hilly cobblestone streets and lots of stairs probably won't work in older age.

I speak fluent Spanish, but no Catalan although I could probably learn it. Is Catalan spoken more than Spanish in a place like Lleida? I doubt I could learn Basque.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

10 Day Weather Forecast for Lleida - weather.com

Lleida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I don't know anything particularly positive, or negative about LLerida. As far as Catalan goes everybody speaks Spanish in Catalonia but some are more bilingual than others. Others have a problem with using Spanish and I don't mean linguistically, I mean politically. I lived in Valls, a long time ago it has to be said, for a school year and after a few months they expected me to be coming out with some Catalan, so if you live there permanently I think that would be the expectation.

Depending on what you want, other places to consider would be Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla in the south, Madrid, or Burgos, Bilbao and Leon in the north...


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I don't know anything particularly positive, or negative about LLerida. As far as Catalan goes everybody speaks Spanish in Catalonia but some are more bilingual than others. Others have a problem with using Spanish and I don't mean linguistically, I mean politically. I lived in Valls, a long time ago it has to be said, for a school year and after a few months they expected me to be coming out with some Catalan, so if you live there permanently I think that would be the expectation.
> 
> Depending on what you want, other places to consider would be Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla in the south, Madrid, or Burgos, Bilbao and Leon in the north...


Granada is a beautiful City. If its old, cobbles etc that you want the Toledo near Madrid is a lovely place also.

As for healthcare... I notice your profile says you are from the USA. Would I be right in presuming that you would be using the private healthcare system? If so then you should check with yrou insurers about services available in prospective areas.

The healthcare in the state system is taking a big hit in Spain at the moment, particularly in the Comunidad Valenciana. I have a friend in the North (close to Bilbao) who says that the state healthcare in that area is excellent, fast, and without a thought to cost. I think though generally healthcare depends on the particular doctors, and even in hard hit areas like ours I know that if you get a good doctor or specialist then he will always ensure that you get what you need regardless of the management budgets!


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## Cazzy (Nov 23, 2008)

windwalker said:


> I'm looking at locations for retirement away from the coasts. One place I've looked at (long distance) is Lleida. I haven't found much about it here, or anywhere. Its size and climate are about what I'm looking for.
> 
> Any comments about Lleida? or any suggestions for other towns to look at?
> 
> ...


Sevilla is a lovely city, or you could live on the outskirts, depends on the type of property you want. There are mainly apartments in the center. Ecija is a lovely town which used to be the capital of Andalucia, although no university Seville is only half an hours drive away. It has a lovely new indoor sports complex with lane swimming at certain times. It is a big town, it has good public transport, hospital and everything you would need. It is also very old with some lovely architecture in the center.


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

Granada is a lovely city and the province as a whole is great, particularly if you like spectacular views.

Public healthcare is usually excellent, but as to private, you would need to check whether the insurer you choose has clinics near where you would be setting up home, as this varies considerably.

However.... most of the Granada region is mountainous. Getting from one village to another requires uphill and downhill car journeys (and hiking is not really recommended unless that is your passion ). In most towns and villages (and Granada city itself) the streets are steep, with slippery, tiled pavements which can make walking treacherous).

Sporting facilities are good in the city itself, but once outside the city, apart from the odd municipal swimming pool and small exercise parks set up by the local government, most people make their own sporting entertainment. 
Swimming.... getting to the coast usually takes around an hours drive, but there are many large lakes (some used as reservoirs) in the region, although most of the locals would never swim in them (and neither would I ).

I cant speak for all parts of Granada province, but I do know that in our area (East of Granada City), public transport is very limited and a longish journey would require much time, planning, and changes of buses. I have heard that this (along with services as a whole) is even more limited in the Las Alpujarras.

If looking for somewhere in Granada which is less hilly, has reasonable public transport, and a good range of shops and services, I would recommend somewhere like Huétor Tájar. It's a largish town, but flatter than usual for Granada (although surrounded by mountains) and you still have the experience of living non coastal. Villages near the airport (not that busy anymore) are also a possibility for less hills and more transport services.

As your Spanish is good, you would have no problem getting by in Granada, but for anyone with little Spanish this is a difficult region, as very little English is spoken here.

By the way, for anyone looking to buy a property in Granada, a word of advice.
Up until around 2007, Granada used to be one of the cheaper areas to buy property in Spain, but it appears that estate agents here haven't allowed for the fall in property prices in recent years, as others in nearby regions have (Malaga for instance). So you would find some pretty over priced properties here if browsing online. Always best bear this in mind for negotiations.


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## windwalker (Dec 21, 2009)

Cazzy said:


> Sevilla is a lovely city, or you could live on the outskirts, depends on the type of property you want. There are mainly apartments in the center. Ecija is a lovely town which used to be the capital of Andalucia, although no university Seville is only half an hours drive away. It has a lovely new indoor sports complex with lane swimming at certain times. It is a big town, it has good public transport, hospital and everything you would need. It is also very old with some lovely architecture in the center.


I have not been looking at Andalucia because it seems like the summers would be too hot. Aren't they? When is the rainy season in Sevilla?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

windwalker said:


> I have not been looking at Andalucia because it seems like the summers would be too hot. Aren't they? When is the rainy season in Sevilla?


Yes, summers are very hot inland in Andalucia with temperatures occasionally hitting 40C in July and August. The rainy season is usually now (December through March) but we are having a drought this year. Even in normal years (which are getting less common!) it only rains an average of six days a month during this time.

On the plus side we have six guaranteed months of very pleasant weather - April-June and September-November.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Windwalker have you thought of the Canary Islands? we have here the climate that you are looking for and universities, cobbled streets etc etc.


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## windwalker (Dec 21, 2009)

Hepa said:


> Windwalker have you thought of the Canary Islands? we have here the climate that you are looking for and universities, cobbled streets etc etc.


Having watched my parents navigate rough surfaces with walkers and wheelchairs, I am not looking for cobbled streets!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Cazzy said:


> Sevilla is a lovely city, or you could live on the outskirts, depends on the type of property you want. There are mainly apartments in the center. Ecija is a lovely town which used to be the capital of Andalucia, although no university Seville is only half an hours drive away. It has a lovely new indoor sports complex with lane swimming at certain times. It is a big town, it has good public transport, hospital and everything you would need. It is also very old with some lovely architecture in the center.


Isn't Ecija the place that had race riots over the immigrant migrant workers a couple of years ago?


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

windwalker said:


> Having watched my parents navigate rough surfaces with walkers and wheelchairs, I am not looking for cobbled streets!


Sorry must have misread your original post. We still have a temperate climate, no need to heat in winter, no need for air conditioning in the summer months, my central heating is a pullover


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

:nono: Please note the OP DOESN'T want cobbled streets and hilly communities!!:nono:


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## Cazzy (Nov 23, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Isn't Ecija the place that had race riots over the immigrant migrant workers a couple of years ago?


I live in a small village very near to Ecija, and have many spanish friends there. I never noticed any riots!!


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> :nono: Please note the OP DOESN'T want cobbled streets and hilly communities!!:nono:


OOH i read that wrong... ok... ermmm... Benidorm?


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> OOH i read that wrong... ok... ermmm... Benidorm?



Too near the coast


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Hepa said:


> Too near the coast


Milton Keynes ? - Brimming with history and culture... and roundabouts !!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> Milton Keynes ? - Brimming with history and culture... and roundabouts !!


Dammit!! I never realised Milton Keynes was Spanish territory


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