Retiring in Spain?

Author
Discussion

Mark300zx

Original Poster:

1,345 posts

251 months

Wednesday 18th May 2016
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Clichéd I know, but pending the current brexit vote, I fancy an international retirement and Spain is top of the list, any guides recommended?

battered

4,088 posts

146 months

Wednesday 18th May 2016
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Having worked overseas, I'd say that the priority is your social life. If you want to be at the golf club, choose this. If other brits are essential, choose this. If you choose the local book club over sharing a beer with a retired bricky from Sheffield then sort this out because at the end of the day we all want to spend our time with people like ourselves. You know who you are by now and you can choose your company, at least to some extent. Different resorts and ares attract different types.

Mark300zx

Original Poster:

1,345 posts

251 months

Wednesday 18th May 2016
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Thanks that was my plan smile, at the end of the day we all need to converse in our native tongue and have a life outside of our surroundings,I fancy the Marbella area as there is still an international vibe but open to other suggestions?

CerberusRogue

733 posts

126 months

Friday 20th May 2016
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I'd recommend Marbella. Not the horrible Puerto Banus end which is like Blackpool with Ferraris - and still full of shell suit wearing chavs, but the old Marbella end. It's a good mix of an old fishing village with Spanish locals and a more tourist friendly vibe. Also, you want to mix with Brits easily (which you'll do). You'd be able to see films in the cinema in English if you wish, shop in English, restaurant in English, etc. - or go all out and only be around Spanish people and the culture.

But - learn the language, it's a must. Otherwise you'll confine yourself to eating out at fish and chip places with other Brits, and then you'll eventually come back because you are lonely and/or sick of the other ex-pats and the usual "the Spaniards treated me horribly" theme.

Spain, and the Marbella area, is absolutely beautiful. The people are lovely, amazing place to spend time, and the weather is great. The Spaniards usually get a bad rap but it's because most ex-pats live to the stereotype, which is anathema to them.

PM me if you want to go into greater details :-)

998420

900 posts

150 months

Friday 20th May 2016
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I would really recommend spending a long time looking around at the options,lots of nice places on the Costa Brava between France and Barcelona,many different places on the way down, I really like Altea on the Costa Blanca but further down, the Costa del Sol less as it gets too hot and is a lot more Essex on Sea

Mark300zx

Original Poster:

1,345 posts

251 months

Friday 20th May 2016
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Many thanks for the replies completely agree with all said, will attempt to be "fluent" and open to all options, just hope the referendum say stay in!!!!

998420

900 posts

150 months

Saturday 21st May 2016
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Mark300zx said:
Many thanks for the replies completely agree with all said, will attempt to be "fluent" and open to all options, just hope the referendum say stay in!!!!
The referendum is irrelevant, the Spanish love rich N Europeans who come here for holidays or to live, even if we declared war on Spain they would not round up the ex pats.

jongilesrallying

20 posts

172 months

Tuesday 14th June 2016
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Hi Mark,
Should you find yourself on the Costa Del Sol, 7 years ago my father set up a very successful Classic car club down there. Please don't be put off by the 'Classic' bit as in truth it's more of a social club for like minded Petrol Heads! The first Saturday of every month is an organised jaunt out into the countryside usually coincided with a cracking lunch stop somewhere. Club night is the first Tuesday of every month and regularly sees 150 plus people joining for dinner.
Please note, I'm not trying to sell any of this to new members as I believe they have some 650 active members already! But, for someone like yourself, myself or indeed any fellow PHers, it really is a great place to meet sensible, like minded folk.
I try to get out there as much as possible but unfortunately due to the normal constraints of modern life, time is just getting the better of me! Please feel free to drop me a note if you want any more info, Mark.

ShinyAndy

217 posts

261 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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998420 said:
the Costa del Sol less as it gets too hot and is a lot more Essex on Sea
LOL, I do love these comments!

Having lived full time in various places along the Costa del Sol (avoiding the one or two destination areas that attract those holidaying types) for 10 years I can safely say that the WHOLE Costa del Sol is nothing like the Essex on Sea stereotype that the Daily Mail would have you believe! Ironically, having spent quite a bit of time up on the Costa Blanca for work, we came to the conclusion that it was worse than the CDS for the type of expats you don't want to bump into and no cooler either tongue out

If you're considering the CDS, then don't forget to check the Estepona to Sotogrande stretch. It's much quieter, arguably prettier and significantly cheaper. Estepona town itself is currently going through a massive regeneration and is a fabulous place to go/live.


Edited by ShinyAndy on Monday 20th June 16:20

Yetski

597 posts

162 months

Thursday 23rd June 2016
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ShinyAndy said:
LOL, I do love these comments!

Having lived full time in various places along the Costa del Sol (avoiding the one or two destination areas that attract those holidaying types) for 10 years I can safely say that the WHOLE Costa del Sol is nothing like the Essex on Sea stereotype that the Daily Mail would have you believe! Ironically, having spent quite a bit of time up on the Costa Blanca for work, we came to the conclusion that it was worse than the CDS for the type of expats you don't want to bump into and no cooler either tongue out

If you're considering the CDS, then don't forget to check the Estepona to Sotogrande stretch. It's much quieter, arguably prettier and significantly cheaper. Estepona town itself is currently going through a massive regeneration and is a fabulous place to go/live.


Edited by ShinyAndy on Monday 20th June 16:20
100% yes

998420

900 posts

150 months

Monday 4th July 2016
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Well, I have visited the Costas a few times, both have really nice places, but the CdSol has more gangland activity, smuggling and associated types, shootings etc.

I had no idea that overall people think the CdSol is a better area with less Essex on sea attitude, AFAIK Andalusia is a lot more richly varied and nicer inland than the Valencia area

battered

4,088 posts

146 months

Monday 4th July 2016
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I've spent a bit of time in both Andalucía and Valencia, I like them both. The feature of both places is that there is a world of difference between the coast and even as little as 10 miles inland. I must admit I like getting into the hills as it's nice to get away from the Benidorm aspect of some places on the coast. However YMMV, if you want the Golf Club or the Gary Lineker Sports Bar kind of lifestyle than that's for you to choose.

There are of course some quiet bits on the coast that are not at all Benidorm.

CerberusRogue

733 posts

126 months

Monday 4th July 2016
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battered said:
I've spent a bit of time in both Andalucía and Valencia, I like them both. The feature of both places is that there is a world of difference between the coast and even as little as 10 miles inland. I must admit I like getting into the hills as it's nice to get away from the Benidorm aspect of some places on the coast. However YMMV, if you want the Golf Club or the Gary Lineker Sports Bar kind of lifestyle than that's for you to choose.

There are of course some quiet bits on the coast that are not at all Benidorm.
Agreed, the difference going slightly inland is huge. In some areas of Marbella you wouldn't even know you had a huge tourist zone a couple of miles away as they have plenty of sleepy villages around as well.

I always found the Costa Brava to be way way more chav that the Costa del Sol (which certainly has it's elements of it), I'd avoid the areas up north towards Cataluña and go for Andalucia - I've always found it much nicer for everything: location, people, food and weather are the ones that most spring to mind.

998420

900 posts

150 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
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CerberusRogue said:
Agreed, the difference going slightly inland is huge. In some areas of Marbella you wouldn't even know you had a huge tourist zone a couple of miles away as they have plenty of sleepy villages around as well.

I always found the Costa Brava to be way way more chav that the Costa del Sol (which certainly has it's elements of it), I'd avoid the areas up north towards Cataluña and go for Andalucia - I've always found it much nicer for everything: location, people, food and weather are the ones that most spring to mind.
Well I am in Barcelona/ area and spend time around platja d'aro area and have never encountered Chavtards there, but guess it depends on which resorts offer cheap deals and where they offer them. Platja d'Aro and Palamos are pretty upmarket areas, but I would definitely agree about the locals, much friendlier, fun and nicer in Andalusia and Valencia than here and less French looking for cheap holidays

NormalWisdom

2,139 posts

158 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
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Will follow this with much interest. Mrs NW and I plan on moving to Andalusia area in the next 18 months, probably about 25 miles or so inland.

littlewheels

18 posts

98 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
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Yetski said:
100% yes
I have owned property here since 1986, it's grown but it's still relatively quiet in real terms, no package tours here.

As for going in land to find the real Spain all the towns and villages throughout this stretch are 95% Spanish apart from a couple of Marinas that are multi-national.

Come on down.

Mark300zx

Original Poster:

1,345 posts

251 months

Friday 8th July 2016
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Does anyone have links to forums/facebook pages that could be useful?

Yetski

597 posts

162 months

Friday 8th July 2016
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You can try Manilvalife to ask any questions for around the Estepona area

R6Kev

9 posts

93 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
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+1 for Estepona
I've got an apartment just off KM167, and generally head towards Estepona rather than Puerto Banus..

ShinyAndy

217 posts

261 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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Manilvalife is pretty much a dead duck nowadays

I'd stay away from all the expat forums if you want to remain vaguely sane and not brainwashed by self-righteous, bored, retired people with nothing better to do than tell you how st everything is.

Feel free to fire over any specific questions about the Fuengirola-Sotogrande stretch via PM if you want though