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| The Only Independent Educational Website for People Retiring to Spain | |||||||
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| The Only Independent Educational Website for People Retiring to Spain | |||||||
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General Advice
The biggest question of all for some - which communities in Spain are
right for us? Do your research, visit different areas at different times
of year, use local specialists to point out areas that correspond to your
desired lifestyle criteria. Do not be over influenced by the property
itself, as in time, you will be unhappy in your dream house if the area
that it is in does not live up to your lifestyle requirements.
In general terms, Valencia and areas south have clement winters,
Marbella has the best winter climate of all and Murcia / Almeria regions
have the most sun.
Temperatures in Winter Vast tracts of Spain have cold and often wet winters, therefore avoid North of Valencia and inland more than an hours drive anywhere. The best places for clement winters are Costa Blanca, Costa Calida, Costa Almeria, Costa Tropical and Costa del Sol. As a rule of thumb if lemons or avocados are grown, then the winter climate is a clement one. Temperatures in Summer Spain often has ten lovely months a year and then two from hell - July and August, when it is often a good idea to rent your house out and go North, or simply close the door and go visit friends and family back home. Particularly hot summer temperatures are found in Seville, Cordoba, Madrid, Jerez, Huelva, Murcia capital, Albacete, Toledo, Extremadura and all of Almeria. If you donīt like the heat, then avoid these communities in Spain.
Coastal or Inland? - this debate continues apace. Arguments FOR the Coast are that it is more developed, has a more clement climate, a breeze in the summer,a warming sea in the winter, a higher concentration of ex-pats, lovely beaches, good infrastructure, roads, hospitals, main cities and railways. Arguments AGAINST the Coast are that the towns are often deserted in winter leaving you rattling around in a ghost town, property prices are high, development has often been unregulated leading to concrete jungles, the cost of living is higher, you cannot move during the summer due to road and beach congestion, & restaurants are packed. There is a proliferation of high rise apartments and a general lack of green spaces. Arguments FOR Inland - a more authentic, all year round environment for daily living, cheaper property, quieter roads, spectacular scenery, cheaper cost of living, quieter pace of life, BUT do not go too far inland - up to one hour ONLY from the coast. Arguments AGAINST Inland - less ex-pat infrastructure, need to speak Spanish, can be too hot in the summer, although the heat and the cold tend to be dry in nature and as such more tolerable and kinder to the joints. People are simpler, less sophisticated and often ignorant to Anglo Saxon ways. NOTE: Too far inland and winters can be very cold, often wet and bad for arthritis. Summers can be dry and unbearably hot. Depending on how mountainous the area and also where the prevailing winds come from, you are often best to be between a half and one hours drive away from the coast. There are exceptions to this rule. Ask a Spanish Retirement Property professional which of the communities in Spain are best for you. Top Ten Best Retirement Destinations (chosen for climate, infrastructure, healthcare provision and ex-pat local mix) Coastal - Five of the Best - Javea / Moraira, Estepona, Roquetas del Mar, Guardamar, Nerja. Inland- Five of the Best - Ronda, Caravaca de la Cruz, Jalon, La Nucia, Antequera. Checklist Location Criteria - Where to go in Spain
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