escape to spain - amazon s3your step-by-step guide to living in sunny spain in this book, escape to...

Escape to SpainEverything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life for Less

By Glynna Prentice and the staff ofInternational Living www.ilaustralia.com

International Living Australia

http://internationalliving.com


By Glynna Prentice and the staff ofInternational Living www.ilaustralia.com

International Living Australia

http://internationalliving.com

© Copyright 2015. International Living Australia Publishing Ltd., Elysium House, Ballytruckle,Waterford, Ireland. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without the express written consent of the publisher. The information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Registered in Ireland No. 285214.

Escape to Spain Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less

Author: Glynna Prentice and the staff of International Living

Editor: Laura Doyle

Designer: Lorie Drozdenko

Cover photos: ©iStockPhoto.com/Sean Pavone

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©iStockPhoto.com/Freeartist

©iStockPhoto.com/Lunamarina

120B002715ISBN: 978-1-905720-88-0

http://iStockPhoto.com/Sean

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................1CHAPTER ONE: A Brief History of Spain .....................................................6

Ancient days .....................................................................................................6The Moors conquer Spain ................................................................................7Reconquest, Los Reyes Católicos, and the New World Order ........................9The pinnacle of Spain’s global power ............................................................13The Bourbons…and Napoleon .......................................................................14Lords of misrule .............................................................................................15The Second Republic ......................................................................................16Civil War… .....................................................................................................17…and Franco ..................................................................................................18The winds of change .......................................................................................19The return of the king ...................................................................................19Spain today .....................................................................................................20

CHAPTER TWO: Say it in Castellano: The Language of Spain ...............23Castilian Spanish: What’s different? ............................................................24Language resources ........................................................................................25Before you go: Online and other language programs ...................................26A pronunciation guide ....................................................................................27Some useful vocabulary .................................................................................28

CHAPTER THREE: Where to Live in Spain ..................................................32Northwest Spain .............................................................................................33

Cantabria ..................................................................................................33Santander .................................................................................................35Real estate examples in Santander .........................................................37Pais Vasco/Euzkadi (Basque Country) ....................................................38Bilbao/Bilbo ...............................................................................................39Culture, cuisine, and even the sea ..........................................................40Real estate examples in Bilbao ................................................................42San Sebastián/Donostia ...........................................................................42A chic city of Michelin quality .................................................................43Real estate examples in San Sebastián ...................................................45Navarra (Navarre) ....................................................................................46Pamplona: Hemingway’s hangout ...........................................................47Real estate samples in Pamplona ............................................................49

Cataluña/Catalunya (Catalonia) ...................................................................51Charming Barcelona ................................................................................52Real estate examples in Barcelona ..........................................................55

The Catalan Coast ....................................................................................56Castelldefels ..............................................................................................56Castelldefels real estate examples ..........................................................58Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú ................................................................58Real estate in Sitges .................................................................................60The inland jewel of Girona .......................................................................63Real estate examples in Girona ...............................................................64

Valencia ..........................................................................................................65Real estate in Valencia Capital ...............................................................71Alicante .....................................................................................................72Real estate in Alicante and the Costa Blanca .........................................74

Murcia: The Costa Cálida ..............................................................................76Murcia real estate examples ....................................................................78Puerto de Mazarrón ..................................................................................79Real estate in Puerto de Mazarrón ..........................................................80

Andalusia (Andalucía) ...................................................................................80Málaga and the Costa del Sol ..................................................................81Real estate in Málaga ...............................................................................84Mijas, Ojén and Torrox ............................................................................85Real estate in Mijas, Ojen and Torrox .....................................................88Granada ....................................................................................................89Real estate in Granada ............................................................................91The Sherry Triangle: Jerez, Sanlúcar, and Santa María .......................91Sherry country coast: The Costa de la Luz .............................................93Real estate in the Sherry Triangle ..........................................................95

Castilla-La Mancha ........................................................................................96Cuenca .......................................................................................................97Real estate in Cuenca ...............................................................................99

CHAPTER FOUR: Buying (and Renting) Property in Spain ....................101Selecting a property in Spain ......................................................................101Renting a property in Spain ........................................................................102Buying your Spanish property.....................................................................103The property buying process ........................................................................106Costs related to buying a property: What you’ll pay ..................................108On-going costs of owning a property ...........................................................110

CHAPTER FIVE: Visas and Residence ....................................................111Residence visas .............................................................................................112Work visas ....................................................................................................113General requirements ..................................................................................114Visa specialists .............................................................................................115

CHAPTER SIX: The Cost of Living ............................................................116Typical costs for Spanish living ...................................................................116A sample monthly budget ............................................................................119A Spanish shopping basket ..........................................................................120

CHAPTER SEVEN: Healthcare in Spain ...................................................122Public healthcare in Spain ...........................................................................122

Private health insurance .............................................................................124Cost of medical care in Spain ......................................................................125Pharmacies ...................................................................................................125

CHAPTER EIGHT: Moving Household Goods and Pets .........................126Moving your household goods to Spain .......................................................126Shipping your household items ...................................................................127Bringing your pets to Spain .........................................................................129European pet passport .................................................................................130Air-travel restrictions for animals...............................................................130

CHAPTER NINE: Taxes in Spain ...............................................................133Income taxes as a resident of Spain ............................................................133Other taxes and financial disclosures .........................................................135Income taxes as a non-resident property-owner in Spain ..........................135Capital gains tax ..........................................................................................137Getting a Spanish tax ID number ...............................................................138Your obligation to your home country .........................................................138

CHAPTER TEN: Traveller’s Spain ..............................................................139Getting here and around Spain ...................................................................139Your exploratory trip to Spain .....................................................................142Madrid: Cosmopolitan city of culture ..........................................................142Barcelona: Creative home to artists past and present ...............................148Bilbao: The new art center of Europe..........................................................150San Sebastián: Chic, stylish, and by the sea ..............................................153Laguardia: Authentic Old-World Spain ......................................................1545 insider tips for an Andalusian road trip ..................................................155Sevilla: The essence of Andalucía ................................................................157Granada: A mix of exotic and Old-World charm ........................................159Ronda: Spain’s most dramatic town ............................................................160Murcia: Spain’s market garden ...................................................................163

APPENDIX A: The Spain Rolodex ...........................................................166APPENDIX B: Map of Spain .....................................................................176

“Right now, for expats, Spain is more affordable than it’s been in decades.”

—Glynna Prentice

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1INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Spain! One of the most seductive, charming and complicated countries we cover at International Living, it’s also a personal favourite for many of us. Where do we go on vacation? Often it’s Spain. Where would we choose to live in our dreams? Again, Spain. Which country’s lifestyle do we love? I think you know the answer….

I love Spain. Every time I’m there, I fall right back into the lifestyle. Someone recently described the Spanish as having “perfected the art of hanging out”, and I have to admit I agree. They’ve raised it to an art form. And the siesta? Greatest invention since sliced bread, in my book.

I’m not alone in my assessment. I meet folks all the time who say, “Spain? Oh, yeah….” And then they sigh. Maybe they remember lingering over drinks with friends at 3 a.m. in Barcelona, or enjoying a paella on the beach in Alicante on a summer’s afternoon. Perhaps they recall watching the moonlight on the Alhambra, in Granada, or the sun glinting on the sea at San Sebastián’s perfect, half-moon beach, La Concha. Whatever the memory, it’s a good one.

And today these moments don’t have to remain memories…they can be day-to-day life.

Spain today is a modern European country, First-World, and a member of the European Union. But, if you’re a retiree, you can definitely remember a time when this was not the case. Spain did not emerge from the shadows until after the death of General Francisco Franco, in 1975. Before then, the country was an anachronism, with a repressive government and customs, as though the previous 40 or 50 years had simply passed it by—which, in many ways, they had.

But oh, did Spain make up for lost time! Much to many people’s surprise, Spain embraced democracy with head-snapping speed once the Generalissimo

2 Escape to Spain

passed on. By 1982—a mere seven years after his death—Spain had transitioned from a Fascist dictatorship to an interim government and then on to electing a leftist party, the PSOE (Partido Socialista de Obreros Españoles, or Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party). Since then, PSOE and the conservative party, the Partido Popular, or PP, have each been in power several times. A half-dozen or more smaller, regional parties also have representatives in Spain’s houses of congress.

Spain enthusiastically embraced membership in the European Union. For many Spaniards, it was a sign that Spain was finally in the mainstream. EU membership and conversion to the euro have raised prices on just about everything. But even so, Spain is still one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe.

More affordable than everAnd right now, for expats, Spain is more affordable than it’s been in

decades. For Spaniards, the reasons for that affordability are grim: a severe economic recession has slashed real estate prices and employment figures, forcing thousands of Spanish youths to head abroad seeking work.

Even before the recession, Spain was one of the least-expensive countries in Western Europe, and that remains true. Day-to-day expenses, for instance, can be very low. Pick one of the many areas with a warm, mild climate, and your monthly utilities can run you $207 or less.

Stick with a Mediterranean diet—the doctors’ favourite for good health—and your grocery bills will be as slim as your figure. (And, while there are plenty of supermarkets everywhere, you can still shop in colourful, traditional markets if you prefer. Bilbao, in northern Spain, and Alicante both have especially nice ones: large, beautiful and well-stocked.)

Real estate prices, which soared during the over-inflated boom days of the 1990s and early 2000s, have plummeted—though we are starting to see turnaround in a few markets like Barcelona and possibly Valencia. Low prices are especially notable in beach areas, where over-building was common. Not all offers are bargains—there’s a lot of dross. But there are excellent deals to be had if you do your due diligence.

And for many potential expats, beach areas are the most practical places to settle. Short-term rentals are more common in tourist areas, giving you the opportunity to try out destinations before committing to a property purchase or long-term rental. (And also giving you time to hunt for that perfect long-term deal.)

3INTRODUCTION

But Spain’s biggest plus may be the people and the lifestyle. Warm and engaging, Spaniards believe in enjoying life, and they put a high value on friends and family. So do as they do… On long summer evenings, when the sun doesn’t set until 10 p.m., sit at an outdoor café with friends until the wee hours…bathe in the warm waters of the Mediterranean…gaze on the Alhambra at sunset…hike the hills of green, northern Spain…explore castles both ruined and restored…

Your step-by-step guide to living in sunny SpainIn this book, Escape to Spain, you’ll find information to help you decide if

Spain could be the right choice for your overseas living adventure. There’s no substitute for boots on the ground, of course. But Escape to Spain will be the closest you’ll get without actually whipping out your passport…

Chapter One introduces you to Spain’s complex history, pointing out some of the factors and events that have shaped Spain’s—and Spaniards’—character. In Chapter Two, we’ll talk about Castellano—the Spanish language as it’s spoken here in the home country. (Hint: there are more differences between it and Latin American Spanish than just the famous lisp… But don’t worry; if you speak “Latin American”, you’ll still be understood just fine in Spain.)

Spain is one of the largest and most diverse countries in Europe…In fact, historically it’s been several countries in one. In Chapter Three, we’ll introduce you to Spain’s many regions and the most popular expat destinations in each area.

Once you’ve decided on where you want to live, you’ll want to know how you can buy your new retirement home. In Chapter Four, we explain the ins and outs of buying property in Spain. We include some helpful links for evaluating historic real estate prices in different areas…and we tell you about the one government official you’ll want on hand to register your ownership.

Of course, you also need to know how to stay in Spain legally. Most nationalities can stay easily for up to 90 days, but if Spain captures your heart (as I’m sure it will) and you want to stay longer, then the information in Chapter Five will be invaluable. In there, you’ll find information on residence and work visas, and we’ll also give you the contact details of some people who can help you with the residence process.

Spain’s cost of living is one of the lowest in Western Europe, and in Chapter Six we give you an idea of how much it may cost you to live here,

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and which items may prove bargains. You can compare our sample monthly budget with how you like to spend your own money.

In Chapter Seven, we tell you about healthcare, one of expats’ biggest concerns in moving abroad. In Spain, it’s a good-news story: Spain has excellent private medical care—and its nationalised, public system is also renowned, as well. We explain how you may qualify for these systems, and how you sign up.

In Chapter Eight, we’ll offer our own guide to moving all your valuables to your new home. That includes the best way to transport your household goods, getting them through customs, and, of course, all the information you’ll need to make sure that your furry friends can share in your new life in Spain.

If you become a Spanish resident, you’ll be liable for Spanish taxes. But with the information in Chapter Nine, forewarned is forearmed…you can work with a tax advisor to minimise your tax burden at home and in Spain.

Chapter Ten is the fun stuff. No matter where you live in Spain, you’ll have easy access to the rest of the country. Modern, high-speed trains can get you from one end of Spain to the other in about seven hours. Or take the bus—fares are low, and bus routes crisscross the country so there’s no excuse not to explore all that Spain has to offer. In this chapter, we highlight some of the favourite tourist destinations and fun things to do in Spain.

And that’s not all…we’ve included some appendices—an invaluable Rolodex, with all the contact details you’ll need for a move to Spain, and, for your reference, a Map of Spain.

For rich, fulfilling living, it doesn’t get much better than beautiful Spain.

Bienvenidos a España….

Glynna Prentice

International Living

About the author: Glynna got the travel bug at an early age. After travelling around the U.S. with her family as a child, she took on Europe during college, and returned to work as a field archaeologist in the U.K. before attending graduate school in New York. She remained based on the U.S. East Coast for much of her professional career, in part because she could get cheap flights from there back to Madrid and London. Eventually deciding this was inefficient, she got a job with (then) Price Waterhouse in Madrid and saved

5INTRODUCTION

the airfare. During her nearly seven years in Spain, she travelled the length and breadth of the country, both for business and for pleasure.

Returning to New York, she worked in healthcare information with a major internet portal, before moving to Mexico in 2007 (where she still speaks Spanish with a Castilian lisp). She travels extensively in Latin America and Europe, and for International Living has written about Mexico, Belize, Ecuador, Peru, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

Glynna graduated from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, and also holds a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York, and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

A word from the authorThank you for buying Escape to Spain: Everything You Need to Know to

Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life for Less.

Please note that all prices in this book reflect an exchange rate of €1 = AUS$1.56 (AUS$1 = €0.63). If the rate has changed since publication, costs may be higher or lower than they are as we write this.

The real estate mentioned in this book was available to buy in February 2015, unless noted as being under contract or a recent sale. Properties are listed to provide you with a snapshot of what to expect, and to help you compare one city or region with another. In some cases, you’ll find that the properties mentioned are still available when you visit Spain, but in other cases, properties will have sold.

Throughout this book, you’ll find references to properties, real estate agents and other service providers. However, inclusion in this report does not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of warranty of any kind. In all cases, it is important that you do your own due diligence when it comes to any property you consider buying or any service provider you may consider using. This applies anywhere in the world, including Australia.

Did you make your own discovery in Spain?If you come to Spain and discover a new place that we haven’t covered,

we’d love to hear from you. Also, if things have changed—for better or worse—we’d like to hear that as well. Write to us via http://ilaustralia.com/contact-us/ (citing Escape to Spain 2015 in your message), and we’ll do our best to get your feedback into the next edition of this book.

http://ilaustralia.com/contact-us/

6 Escape to Spain

CHAPTER ONE A Brief History of Spain

Spain is a modern European country, First World, and a member of the European Union. Its government today is a parliamentary monarchy. The second-largest country in Western Europe (just slightly smaller than France), it has only 48 million inhabitants, a relatively low population for its size.

Spain shares the Iberian Peninsula—the large land mass at the western end of the Mediterranean—with Portugal. The history of Iberia, and the emergence of modern Spain, is complex, convoluted and sometimes tragic, with as many characters and crises as the telenovelas (soap operas) that today’s Spaniards love.

Ancient daysThe Iberian Peninsula has been inhabited by hominids for more than a

million years. Our immediate ancestors, though, arrived there about 35,000 years ago. They have left behind remains of small settlements, burials and—most spectacularly—cave paintings, the most famous of which is the cave of Altamira, in Cantabria, in northern Spain. Today, Altamira is closed to the general public to protect the paintings. But you can see a faithful facsimile of the paintings at the archaeological museum—the Museo Arqueológico—in Madrid. (If you’d like to see cave paintings like the ones at Altamira, the Cueva de la Pileta is open to the public. It’s located 19 kilometres southwest of the town of Ronda in the Andalusian mountains, and you can read more about it on page 160.)

The nearly-forgotten city-state of Tartessos, located in southern Spain, flourished from around 1100 BC, and traded with the Phoenicians and ancient Greeks. The Greeks themselves established colonies in Iberia during the heyday of the Greek republics (about 800 BC to 300 BC). So did the Phoenicians, who founded cities such as Cádiz (considered the oldest continually-inhabited city in Europe), Huelva and Tarragona, among others. The Phoenician city-state Carthage controlled the peninsula’s Mediterranean

7CHAPTER ONE: A Brief History of Spain

coast from about 300 BC to 200 BC, and founded the port cities of Cartagena and Málaga, both in southern Spain.

The most important influence on today’s Spain in the ancient world, though, is the Romans. They began conquering Iberia in about 200 BC, when they took over Carthage’s settlements. The peninsula remained part of the Roman Empire for 600 years.

The relationship profoundly influenced both sides. Hispania, as the province was called, became one of the breadbaskets of Rome, supplying grain as well as a range of other food products like wine and olive oil (which are still staples in the Spanish diet). From its mines, Hispania supplied gold. (Today, Las Médulas, the most important mine, is a World Heritage Site and is worth a visit. It’s in the province of León, in northern Spain.) Hispania also gave Rome some of its most distinguished citizens, including the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, and the philosopher Seneca.

In return, Hispania was gradually Romanised. The Romans constructed roads, bridges, aqueducts and towns. Roman citizens colonised the province. Even today, the remains of small Roman towns and farms are found all over the countryside. Rome also gave Hispania its language and its legal system. Modern Spanish is based on Latin, and modern Spanish law ultimately derives from Latin law.

Barbarian invasions in the early 400s AD gradually fragmented Rome’s western empire, leaving the provinces to their own devices. Barbarian tribes invaded Hispania, too. One of the tribes, the Visigoths, ultimately united the peninsula into a single Visigothic kingdom by the 600s AD.

Today, the Visigoths are remembered mostly for some small churches in northern Spain and for the beautiful Visigothic crowns in Madrid’s archaeological museum. But they didn’t hold Iberia for long; a bigger fish had its eye on the peninsula.

The Moors conquer SpainIn about 711 AD, Muslim Berber tribesmen from North Africa crossed the

strait to invade Iberia. Sweeping all before them, they conquered most of the peninsula in less than a decade (711-718 AD).

Iberia—all but a small northwestern corner, that is—became Moorish. The Moors remained in Spain for nearly 800 years, and it is hard to underestimate their influence. From the shape of the Spanish language to the culture of machismo that Spain bequeathed to Latin America…it all goes back to the Moorish occupation.

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The Berbers were later joined by Muslim Arabs from the Middle East, and over the centuries many different dynasties, from various parts of the Arab world, held power in Iberia. But all these Muslim groups living and ruling in Iberia are referred to collectively as “Moors”.

Resistance to the invaders began almost immediately, starting in the small Christian corner of the north. The first major victory was the battle of Covadonga, in Asturias, in 722. In 739, the Moors were driven from neighbouring Galicia. Legend has it that the apostle Saint James had come to the aid of Christian forces, and Santiago Matamoros—Saint James the Moor-killer—became Spain’s patron saint. Depictions of Saint James in this guise proliferated throughout the Middle Ages, especially in Spain. His shrine, at Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, became a pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages, second only to Rome in importance. Even today, pilgrims follow the pilgrimage routes to Santiago.

From these beginnings, the Christian armies gradually battled their way south, retaking lands. The Christian re-conquest of the peninsula—or Reconquista, as it’s known in Spain—took centuries. But Spain hasn’t forgotten that the province of Asturias started the resistance. The crown prince of Spain is traditionally titled the Prince of Asturias (Príncipe de Asturias). The current king, Felipe, held this title until his ascension to the throne last year. Today, his elder daughter and heir, Leonor, is Princesa de Asturias.

Moorish Iberia became known as Al-Andalus (today, much of this region is known as Andalusia, or Andalucía). And life there was often almost comfortable for non-Moors, given the standards of the time. True, Christians and Jews were litreally second-class citizens, and had to pay a special tax, but the Moorish caliphates (the dominions under a Moorish ruler, or caliph), particularly in the first centuries of Moorish rule, were generally tolerant. Christians and Jews could usually worship as they pleased, and Jews frequently served as doctors or were esteemed philosophers in the caliphate courts.

There were other benefits, as well. Arab science and medicine, for instance, were far superior to what was practiced in the rest of Europe at that time. (Even as late as the 16th century, its Moorish heritage meant Spain had some of the best mental-health hospitals in Europe.)

The early capital of the caliphate, Córdoba—today a relatively small and sleepy town—was the largest and most sophisticated city in Europe in the 10th century. Córdoba and Toledo, especially, gained reputations as vibrant


urban centres where the three major religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism) interacted fruitfully to create a rich, unique culture. (The remains of all three cultures are major tourist attractions today in these cities.)

But tolerance was not always the rule on either side of the religious/political divide, especially during times of open conflict. And, starting in the 11th century, more repressive Moorish dynasties took control.

Reconquest, Los Reyes Católicos, and the New World Order

By the 13th century, the tide of battle had turned in the Christians’ favour. Moorish Toledo fell to the Christian forces in 1085. Once-grand Córdoba fell in 1236 and Sevilla in 1248. Only Granada, with its grand palace of the Alhambra, survived as a Moorish enclave. And so things remained for over two centuries, until a strategic royal marriage changed Spain forever.

In 1469, Isabella I of Castile married Ferdinand II of Aragón (in Spanish, Isabel and Fernando). Isabella was short and pretty, with blue eyes, auburn hair…and a deceptively iron will. Her cousin Ferdinand was an ambitious, calculating politician. Together, they ruled the two largest kingdoms in Iberia. (Though Isabella was not one to give things away. The two had a clear prenuptial agreement to rule, administer and bequeath their kingdoms separately. Castile and Aragón weren’t legally merged until the 1700s.)

When the Moors ruled Spain, Córdoba was the early capital of the caliphate

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10 Escape to Spain

The fall of Granada. Both Ferdinand and Isabella saw the political need to oust the remaining Moors from Iberia. They also believed fervently in returning the peninsula to Christianity. Their forces besieged the last remnants of the Moorish empire, and, on January 2, 1492, the victorious monarchs—forever remembered as the Catholic kings, Los Reyes Católicos—entered the gates of Granada.

The last caliph of Granada, Boabdil, left the city with his retinue. Legend says that, from a hill overlooking the city, Boabdil looked back at the towers of the Alhambra and wept. (This spot is known today as “The Moor’s Last Sigh”.) His mother, the dowager, said bitterly, “Weep like a woman for the city you could not hold as a man.”

Five centuries on, the fall of Granada continues to hold a mystique for both Spaniards and Muslims alike. If you read Spanish or French, you’ll find an entire body of litreature—novels as well as history—on the lost kingdom of Granada and the diaspora of its Moors. Few of these books (except for Amin Maalouf’s novel Leo the African) have been translated into English. But the longing they evoke speak to an undying nostalgia for this most romantic of cities and its lost glory.

The expulsion of the Jews. The Moors weren’t the only ones to leave Spain in 1492. The Catholic Monarchs decreed that all Jews in the kingdom must convert to Christianity by December 31 of that year or face expulsion. The Jews, one of the country’s best-educated and most productive ethnic groups, left in droves. Many, however, could not make the deadline or could not face emigrating.

Many Moors had emigrated after the fall of Granada, and those who did not were guaranteed religious freedom. But within a decade, Ferdinand reneged on that agreement. So, just as the Jews had been, the Moors were then obliged to convert or leave the country. These two forcibly-converted groups were known collectively as conversos (converts) to distinguish them from the existing “old Christians”.

These were conversions of convenience, especially at first. There were lingering rumours of Islam and, especially, Judaism being practiced in secret for decades. The taint of being a converso stayed with these groups and their descendants for generations, as Spain became increasingly obsessed with religious orthodoxy and blood purity. Long term, these obsessions helped give Spain a reputation for religious fanaticism and even damaged its economy. (See below for more on the Spanish Inquisition.)


The discovery of America. To round out what proved to be a banner year, Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón in Spanish) discovered America in the fall of 1492, claiming the New World on behalf of the Catholic Monarchs, who had funded his expedition.

In the long run, the river of gold and silver that flowed to Spain from the New World, acquired at a cost of millions of indigenous lives and several vanquished civilisations, created galloping inflation and other conditions that ruined Spain.

In the short term, however, it was a game-changer. With now endless wealth; new, vast territories; religious homogeneity and modern military practices, the joint kingdoms of Castile and Aragón became the first superpower of the modern world. And for the first time, under the Catholic Monarchs, the country began to be called Spain.

The pinnacle of Spain’s global

power Ferdinand and

Isabella had six children, for whom they arranged strategic marriages with noble houses throughout Europe. Their middle daughter, Joanna (Juana in Spanish), they married to Philip the Fair, of the House of Hapsburg; the house of the Holy Roman Emperors.

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Ferdinand and Isabella ruled Spain with an iron grip but also financed Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the New World

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A word about the Spanish InquisitionLet’s face it: you’ve been waiting for this bit. From lurid Hollywood treatments

to camp Monty Python skits, the Spanish Inquisition has a firm grip on popular imagination. And no wonder. With tortures like the rack for suspected heretics, and the burning pyres of autos-da-fé (rituals of public penance) for convicted ones, the Spanish Inquisition makes for history at its gory, gruesome best (for more on where you can see some of the Inquisition’s most heinous instruments of torture, see page 155).

So let’s get the facts straight.

The Spanish Inquisition—formally the Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición, or the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition—was founded by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1478. It wasn’t the first inquisitorial office to be formed—popes had authorised inquisitions for years. By forming their own, the Catholic Monarchs simply cut the pope out of the equation. And, like all inquisitions, its purpose was to maintain Catholic orthodoxy by investigating cases of non-orthodox practices. In other words, heresy.

When the kingdoms’ Jews and Moors were forcibly converted after 1492, the Inquisition had a huge group to vet. And they went at it with zeal. Remember, this same time—the 16th century—saw the continued struggles of the Protestant Reformation in England and northern Europe. Spain, in contrast, mounted the Counter-Reformation—a return (often forcibly) to Catholic orthodoxy. Spain became its defender, with the aid of the Inquisition.

No question, the Inquisition aided and abetted racial and religious persecution, creating terror in the population groups it victimised. But, contrary to popular opinion, it rarely used torture—much less often than similar tribunals in other countries did. In Spain, the Inquisition used torture only to elicit information, and it followed a very strict protocol. Neither did the Inquisition itself kill people. Those whom the Inquisition condemned of heresy were handed over to civil authorities for burning at the stake…a very nuanced distinction.

In addition to investigating religious heresy, the Inquisition also handled censorship of heretical texts, and investigated alleged cases of witchcraft, blasphemy, bigamy and sodomy (including child abuse).

The 16th and 17th centuries were the Spanish Inquisition’s heyday. By the 18th century, its power and influence began to decline. But it was not finally abolished until 1834.


Joanna was never intended to inherit the throne, but her older siblings and their children all died. First the throne of Castile, on the death of her mother, and eventually the throne of Aragón came her way. But she never ruled them herself. When her husband Philip died young, her father Ferdinand declared Joanna mentally unfit and confined her to a nunnery. (Scholars aren’t sure what Joanna’s illness was. It may have been anything from clinical depression to psychosis.) Joanna—remembered in history as Joan the Mad (Juana la Loca)—lived in confinement the remaining 50 years of her long life, while her father and then her son ruled in her place.

But her marriage to Philip brought the Hapsburg’s vast territories into the Spanish sphere. Philip and Joanna’s eldest son, Charles, eventually inherited a healthy chunk of central Europe, in addition to the kingdoms of Castile and Aragón, Mexico, and most of Central and South America. In 1519, he became Holy Roman Emperor under the name of Charles V (in Spanish, Carlos V). At its height, his empire spanned four million square kilometres. With his political clout, vast wealth and even vaster land holdings, Charles V was the most powerful figure in Western Europe. For Spain, it was a brief moment at the pinnacle of power.

Charles mostly used this wealth and power to fight wars. Many were to defend his territory. But many were also to defend Catholicism against the rising tide of Protestantism in his northern territories. Using Spanish soldiers and Spanish money to fight his wars, he exhausted his people and his treasury. By the reign of his son, Philip II (Felipe II), Spain was bankrupt.

Philip II inherited his father’s religious zeal, as well as his wars and bad money management. For generations—until 1648—Spain fought wars to hold onto the Netherlands and whip the tiny, Protestant country back to Catholicism. Ultimately, the effort failed. (The most notable reminder may be the collection of Netherlandish art—one of the world’s finest—in the Prado Museum in Madrid.)

By the reign of the last Hapsburg king, Charles II (1665-1700), Spain had become one of Europe’s lesser powers, its wealth vanished.

But the Hapsburgs left behind a new capital city—Madrid, a village that they chose for its central location. They spent millions constructing streets, avenues, plazas and massive buildings in Madrid to convert it into a royal city. Today, these historic areas, which include the Plaza Mayor, the Prado and surrounding buildings, and the area around the Plaza de Oriente, are referred to as Madrid de los Austria (Madrid of the Austrians).

14 Escape to Spain

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The Bourbons…and NapoleonSpain’s last Hapsburg king, Charles II, left no heirs upon his death in

1700. He bequeathed his kingdom to his grand-nephew, Philip of Anjou, of the French royal house of Bourbon.

In return for the Spanish throne, Philip gave up his rights (and those of his descendants) to the French throne. He became Philip V (Felipe V) of Spain and founded the Spanish House of Bourbon (Borbón, in Spanish). Except for a few hiccups along the way, the House of Borbón still rules Spain to this day.

The 18th century was the Age of Enlightenment in Europe, but Spain saw little of it. Philip V spent money as lavishly as the Hapsburgs had, and he bankrupted the country yet again. Philip’s son, Charles III (reigned 1759-1788), who was one of Europe’s “enlightened despots”, did institute some reforms and put Spain on a sounder economic footing. But his son, Charles IV, though well-meaning, proved to be a weak king ruled by his wife and her lovers.

The area around Madrid’s Plaza Mayor is referred to as Madrid of the Austrians

http://Fotolia.com/cainfantes


Meanwhile, in neighbouring France, revolution toppled the French Bourbons, and the young Corsican, Napoleon Bonaparte, replaced them. Napoleon set out to conquer Europe…and in 1808 he forced both Charles IV and his son Ferdinand to abdicate their rights to the Spanish throne. In their place, Napoleon installed his brother, Joseph, as king of Spain.

Napoleon thought Spain would submit easily once Joseph was installed. He was wrong. Instead, spontaneous local fighting (known as guerrillas, or “little wars”—a word that has since passed into English) broke out everywhere. The Iberian Peninsula, especially Spain, became a key battleground in the fight against Napoleon.

The Peninsular Wars, as these years until 1815 (when Napoleon was finally defeated) are called, led to widespread pillaging, butchery and anarchy in Spain. The painter Francisco de Goya chronicles some of this in his grim series The Disasters of War, now in Madrid’s Prado Museum.

Spain’s New-World colonies took advantage of the chaos to declare their independence and begin uprisings. Much of Latin America took up arms against Spain between 1809 and 1812, unravelling Spain’s New-World empire. The uprisings led to a decade or more of bloody fighting across the Atlantic…at the end of which Spain’s New-World holdings were largely gone.

Lords of misrule After Napoleon’s defeat, Charles IV’s son, Ferdinand, became king of Spain

once more as Ferdinand VII.

Though Spaniards had hated their French invaders, many had embraced aspects of Enlightenment; thinking that they associated with France. But Ferdinand would have none of it. Instead, he reinstated an absolute monarchy, ruling as a despot who brutally suppressed opposition and constitutional reforms.

His daughter Isabella II, who succeeded him, was almost as reactionary. Her reign (1833-1868) was marked by almost constant political unrest, including uprisings against her in support of her uncle, Don Carlos, who disputed her claim to the throne.

Eventually, Isabella was forced to abdicate. Spain had its first experiment with democracy—the short-lived First Republic—but soon returned to a monarchy under Isabella’s son, Alfonso XII.

Alfonso proved a capable king, but his reign was cut short due to his early death from dysentery in 1885. His pregnant queen gave birth to his son and

16 Escape to Spain

heir after his death. The queen served as regent until 1902, when the young king, Alfonso XIII, turned 16.

During her regency, Spain lost most of its remaining overseas territories—Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines—due to the Spanish-American War in 1898. By the time Alfonso XIII took the throne, only its territories in North Africa still belonged to Spain.

Alfonso XIII took the helm of a country that was overdue for reform. Instead, he mired Spain in a costly and unpopular war in North Africa, trying to hold onto Spain’s Moroccan territories. By 1930, the king no longer had the support of either his people or his army.

The Second RepublicIn the April 1931 elections, a coalition of anti-monarchical candidates in

favour of a republic won landslide victories all over Spain. That same month, Spain proclaimed the Second Republic and Alfonso XIII fled into exile. He and his family eventually settled in Rome, though he never formally abdicated the throne.

The Second Republic quickly drafted and approved a new constitution. It established freedom of speech, extended suffrage to women, allowed divorce, stripped the Spanish nobility of special legal standing, and set mechanisms in place for nationalising banks, railways and a number of public services. It also gave Spain’s historic regions the right to autonomy (setting a precedent for today’s Autonomous Communities).

More controversially, the constitution was strongly anti-Catholic. It expropriated church property (making it property of the Spanish State), prohibited religious education in schools, removed clerics as educators, and curtailed the civil liberties of Catholics.

Ultimately, the new lawmakers overreached themselves. Spain’s conservative core, very strong in rural areas, vehemently rejected the constitution’s measures. So did the army, which revered traditional values. Even members of the left-leaning intelligentsia were troubled by how anti-Catholic the new government was.

The backlash came quickly. New elections two years later returned conservatives to power and they reversed the Republic’s reforms. Over the next three years, Spain’s politics became bitterly polarised, eventually leading to a right-wing coup d’état on July 17, 1936.

It began with an army uprising in Spanish Morocco, led by the young


General Francisco Franco, and quickly spread. Many of Spain’s major cities remained loyal to the Republic, however, and the coup’s leaders failed to gain control of the country. But instead of abandoning their fight, they settled in for a long war of attrition.

The resulting civil war lasted three years, and resulted in the deaths of between 190,000 and half-a-million Spaniards.

Civil War…The war attracted widespread attention and, for the West, became one

of the seminal events of the 20th century. Both the Republicans and the Nationalists (as the coup’s supporters came to be called) received foreign support. Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany supported the Nationalists, while the Soviet Union supported the Republic.

Both Germany and the Soviet Union used Spain as a testing ground for weaponry and tactics later rolled out during World War II. The most well-known example was the German Luftwaffe’s bombing of the Basque village of Gernika in 1937, which inspired Pablo Picasso’s most famous painting, Guérnica.

Other nations officially remained uninvolved. Unofficially, many intellectuals, journalists and activists across Europe and North America supported the Republic and/or went to Spain as observers. Ernest Hemingway was a war correspondent there, and George Orwell fought for the Republic (and wrote his disillusioned memoir, In Catalonia, on his experiences). In the U.S., the Abraham Lincoln Brigade was formed, eventually sending some 2,800 volunteers to fight for the Republic as soldiers, medical staff and other aides.

Ultimately, the Nationalists won, proclaiming victory on April 1, 1939.

Though the Nationalist cause originally had several leaders, attrition and in-fighting quickly reduced them to one: Francisco Franco. When civil war ended, Franco—now dubbed the Generalísimo and el Caudillo (the leader)—took control of Spain.

…and FrancoFrancisco Franco ruled Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975; one of the

longest dictatorships in modern history. His death is also recent enough that Spaniards aged over 50 can remember living under his regime.

The early years of his dictatorship were extremely brutal. Mass executions

18 Escape to Spain

and imprisonments, which began during the war, continued through 1945, as he and his cohorts sought to remove enemies and stamp out dissent.

Many of Spain’s best and brightest fled the country for exile after Franco came to power: teachers, doctors, lawyers, university professors, and artists of all stripes. They included luminaries like artist Pablo Picasso, film-maker Luís Buñuel, cellist Pablo Casals and many more. In addition, many children had already been sent abroad during the war to escape the conflict, to sympathetic countries like Mexico.

(Many exiles never returned, building new lives elsewhere. For this reason, until recently Spain’s immigration laws granted citizenship to foreigners who could prove their parents or grandparents were Spanish, in an effort to repatriate the descendants of these political exiles.)

Franco sought national unity by suppressing ethnic and cultural diversity. He revoked the autonomy of culturally distinct regions like Cataluña and the Basque country, banned all languages in Spain but Castilian (that is, banned the use and teaching of Catalán, Gallego, Valenciano and Vasco), and even banned books and regional dances.

On the other hand, he supported culture that he deemed “Spanish”, including bull-fighting and flamenco. Above all, he supported the Catholic Church, positioning himself as its defender, and he retained the church’s backing throughout his rule. (As a result, after Franco’s death all these institutions faced a backlash in opinion, which lasted for decades among many Spaniards.)

Franco’s regime became less violent with time, but Spain remained politically and economically isolated for many years. (It was kept out of the United Nations until the mid-1950s, for instance, until its location made it strategically important for military bases.)

And censorship, intimidation and the use of informants—even within families—were tactics until the end.

The winds of changeThough Franco was Spain’s head of state for 36 years, he agreed to return

Spain to a monarchy after his death—but only with a king whom he could personally train and indoctrinate.

Spain’s last king, Alfonso XIII, died in exile in Rome in 1941. Alfonso’s son, the Infante Juan de Borbón, Count of Barcelona, was the old king’s heir. But Franco profoundly mistrusted Juan de Borbón. He deemed the prince too


liberal, and was opposed to his regime. Instead, Franco skipped a generation, choosing as his heir Don Juan’s son, Prince Juan Carlos.

Juan Carlos was born in Rome, where Spain’s royal family was in exile. He came to Spain in 1948 to be educated there, eventually doing military service and studying law. Franco officially made Juan Carlos his heir in 1969, giving him the new title of Prince of Spain (not the traditional Prince of Asturias, with its weight of history and connotations). In return, the prince swore loyalty to Franco’s government and its political doctrine.

For the remaining years of Franco’s life, the prince attended many public functions by the dictator’s side, apparently a willing acolyte. He even served as acting head of state during Franco’s illnesses. But in secret, the prince was meeting with opposition leaders who sought reforms. He was also being advised (again in secret) by his father, the exiled Don Juan de Borbón.

Francisco Franco died on November 20, 1975, after a long coma. Two days later, on November 22, Spain’s legislature proclaimed Juan Carlos I King of Spain, and he was officially anointed on November 27.

The return of the king To the surprise and dismay of Franco’s many supporters, the new king

quickly appointed transitional figures to government who could move Spain toward democracy. In 1977, Spain held its first democratic elections since Franco took power. In 1978, it ratified a new constitution.

Given the circumstances, Spain’s transition to democracy was amazingly fast. But it was not problem-free. On February 23, 1981, a group of army officers, unhappy with the transition from Francoism, staged a coup. One officer ordered tanks into the streets of Valencia. Most famously, another officer, accompanied by 200 Guardia Civil armed with submachine guns, burst into Spain’s parliament and took hostage the leaders of the major political parties. (Parliamentary video cameras caught part of the coup attempt on film. It’s been televised frequently in Spain. You can see it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcc0_8i0CYs.)

King Juan Carlos, as head of the armed forces, took personal command of the military and, in a televised broadcast, ordered the coup leaders to surrender. When it was clear that the king would not support the coup, it quickly folded. But the event proved a watershed in showing that the democratic process had support at Spain’s highest levels.

A year later, in 1982, the Partido Socialista de Obreros Españoles (PSOE), the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, won the national elections, becoming

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcc0_8i0CYs

20 Escape to Spain

the first left-wing government in Spain in 43 years. The election ushered in a decade of exuberant cultural opening in Spain—especially in Madrid—that came to be called la movida (the movement). Chronicled by filmmakers like Pedro Almodóvar (whose Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown introduced the “new Spain” internationally), Spain became newly chic. Spanish food, too, became popular, as tapas bars cropped up everywhere from Sydney to San Francisco and Paris to Phuket.

The PSOE held power until 1996, when the right-leaning Partido Popular (PP), or People’s Party, won elections, in a peaceful transition of political power. The two parties have taken turns in power since then. Currently, the PP is once again in power, having won general elections in November 2011. The Prime Minister is Mariano Rajoy.

Spain todaySpain joined NATO in 1982 and the European Community (now the

European Union) in 1986. In 2002, it switched its monetary system from the peseta to the euro, which it continues to use.

Under its new constitution, Spain eventually organised itself into 17 Autonomous Communities and two Autonomous Cities (Ceuta and Melilla, two islands off North Africa). Each of the Autonomous Communities, in turn, is divided into several provinces.

This structure has allowed Spain to devolve into its historic nationalities and ethnic groupings. Today, Spain is a decentralised state, with the Autonomous Communities largely governing themselves.

Culturally and ethnically, Spain has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. Under the PSOE, and in a spirit of Hispanic solidarity, Spain facilitated immigration from Latin America. This resulted in a flood of mostly poor immigrants to Spain from South America and the Caribbean.

In addition, Spain has long been the point of entry to the EU for North African immigrants crossing the strait—a bone of contention within the European Union. But, given Spain’s historic ties with the Maghreb (Franco only gave up Spanish Morocco in 1956, with a few last territories ceded in 1975), Spain has been reluctant to deny asylum to these refugees.

Spain’s warm climate and more-vigorous economy also attracted Eastern Europeans, especially Romanians, once these countries started affiliating with the EU.

All these groups have made many Spanish cities significantly more


international. Schools in cities like Barcelona, for instance, have become mini United Nations. Immigration has also changed the makeup of Spain’s unskilled labour force. (Almost all maids in Spain today, for instance, are Latin American. Twenty years ago, they were all Spanish.) And the immigrants have stretched the resources of Spain’s nationalised health system, the Seguridad social.

With Franco gone nearly 40 years now, entire generations of Spaniards have grown up knowing only democracy. And until recently, these generations also knew only prosperity.

In the 1990s, an extended economic boom led to massive over-construction in Spain, especially along the coasts. Real estate prices soared (a 200% increase in the 1996 to 2007 period). Real estate developers, taking advantage of widespread prosperity, threw up building after building, and banks facilitated loans.

The 2008 economic downturn hit Spain hard, as this entire house of cards collapsed. Banks failed, companies went bankrupt, and the economy stalled. Many real estate developments were left unfinished, while finished developments remained empty, the potential buyers gone. Many Spaniards lost their jobs and, subsequently, their homes, as they could no longer afford to pay their mortgages.

Today, Spain’s economy is still fragile. The overall unemployment rate has hovered near or above 25% since 2012, and among Spain’s youth, unemployment is more than 50%. Many young Spaniards—doctors, engineers and the like—seek jobs abroad because there are none at home. And though Spain’s real estate slump may have hit bottom in a few major markets, it is by no means general.

Likewise, Spain’s royal family, once much loved, has taken its hits, too. Its popularity plummeted in recent years amidst a financial scandal centred on a royal relative. In the spring of 2014, an ailing King Juan Carlos announced he would abdicate the throne in favour of his son, who took the throne in June 2014 as King Felipe VI.

The good news for foreigners in all this unrest is that, if you’ve ever dreamed of living in Spain, now is a good time to look. Prices—from meals to hotels to real estate—are down, making Spain more affordable than it’s been in years.

And Spain’s gracious lifestyle, bright sun and blue, Mediterranean waters are as appealing as ever.

22 Escape to Spain

CHAPTER TWO Say it in Castellano:

The Language of Spain

Spain gives official status to several regional languages, most notably Catalán, Gallego, Valenciano and Vasco (Euskera). These languages are widely spoken in their respective regions—Cataluña, Galicia, Valencia and the Basque Country—but are not used elsewhere.

The official language for the whole country, which everyone speaks, is Spanish. So for living and travelling around Spain, Spanish is the most useful language for you to have on the tip of your tongue. And every word of it that you learn and use will enrich your Spain experience that little bit more.

In Spain, the Spanish language is generally referred to as Castellano, rather than Español. It’s called Castellano because the dialect that modern Spanish developed from originated in Castile, in central and north-central Spain. This region is still where you’ll hear what is considered to be the purest, most classic expression of Castellano.

If you know anything about Spanish as it’s spoken in Spain, you probably think of the famous lisp. It’s one of several things that distinguish Spain’s language from what’s spoken in Latin America.

But most of the differences are pretty superficial. Spanish accents differ from country to country, as does some vocabulary, just as Australian English differs a bit from British or American English. But Spanish grammar is pretty much standard throughout the Spanish-speaking world. In that sense, it makes no difference where (or what accent) you learn.

But Spain can be a wonderful place to learn the language, and it’s popular among students of all ages. For that reason, language schools abound.

Castilian Spanish: What’s different?Here are some of the most notable differences that distinguish Spain’s

Spanish from Latin America’s Spanish.

23CHAPTER TWO: Say it in Castellano: The Language of Spain

The lisp. Yes, the famous lisp is part of classic Castilian Spanish. But it’s actually only heard in northern and central Spain, Castellano’s birthplace. You don’t hear it in Andalucia or in Extremadura, in far southwestern Spain, where the conquistadores came from. (This is why the lisp didn’t migrate to Latin America.) The lisp is only used when pronouncing the letter “z” and when pronouncing a soft “c”—that is, the letter “c” followed by an “i” or an “e”.

Thus, in northern Spain the word for swan, cisne, is pronounced THEES-nay, while in Latin America (and in Andalusia), it’s SEES-nay. But a word like corona (crown), which has a hard “c”, is pronounced ko-RO-na in all these places.

Guttural “j”. You may already know that, in Spanish, the letter “j” is pronounced like the English letter “h”. (So is the letter “g” when it’s followed by the vowels “i” or “e”.) In Latin America and in Andalusia, that “h” sounds like the “h” in the English word hotel. But in northern and central Spain, this sound is aspirated. It therefore sounds much more like the “ch” in Yiddish or German. For instance, in words like l’chaim or hoch.

Vosotros. The use of this pronoun is probably the biggest grammatical difference between Spain’s and Latin America’s Spanish. And even this is no biggie…but here’s the explanation anyway.

Unlike English, Spanish has two forms of the pronoun “you”—the informal tú, used for family members, children, and people with whom you have a certain degree of familiarity—and the formal usted, used to denote respect for elders, authority figures, or someone whom you’ve just met. If you’re unsure which form to use, it’s a good idea to err on the side of caution and use usted. If people prefer you to use tú, they’ll tell you.

The plural form of usted is ustedes, and in Latin America this plural is used for everyone, regardless of how well you know them. It’s multi-purpose. But Spain continues to use a very old plural form of tú, called vosotros, when addressing groups of friends or family. It reserves ustedes for groups of strangers and the like.

If you speak Latin American Spanish and never learned the vosotros form, don’t worry. You will be understood perfectly well in Spain simply using ustedes. But if you plan to spend time in Spain, it’s worth learning how to conjugate the vosotros form. Spaniards are generally much more informal than Latin Americans. They more readily use the familiar forms—tú and vosotros—in social and even business settings. In Spain, you are likely to use vosotros much more than you use ustedes.

24 Escape to Spain

Language resources There are language schools all over Spain, and some language schools that

have facilities in multiple cities. The choice is yours, but here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Pick a region where Spanish is the primary language. Cataluña is a wonderful region, for instance, but Spanish isn’t the primary language there. The same is generally true of the other regions with an official co-language. You’ll want to practice your Spanish outside class hours…so go someplace where you can do so easily. (However, note my exceptions below.)

• Pick a clear, easily-understood accent. The clearest, most classic accent in Spain is said to be that of Valladolid, several hours north of Madrid. You don’t have to study there, of course. But cities in central Spain, including Madrid and Burgos, do tend to have easily-understood accents. The same is true for the accent of Salamanca, the historic university town in western Spain. In northern Spain, the accent in Pamplona is relatively clear. And—despite being in the Basque Country—so are the accents in Bilbao and the little Basque capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz. Along the Mediterranean, Valencia/Alicante have surprisingly clear accents.

Note: Andalusian accents have their charm, and they are closer to Latin American accents than any other accent in Spain, which you may consider a plus. But in general, they can be hard for beginners to understand; locals tend to slur their words and drop the “s” at the end of syllables. Still, if you plan to spend time in Málaga, Granada, or elsewhere in Andalusia, don’t pass up Spanish classes simply because of the accent…especially as the locals’ friendliness makes it easy to interact with them.

• Pick a teaching method that works for you. It helps to match up the classroom style with how you like to learn. And if you’ve studied any Spanish before, make sure you have some flexibility about switching classes if the grade level doesn’t prove appropriate for you.

Here are a few language schools.

• Don Quijote: website: www.donquijote.org. This school has programs (and partner programs) in a dozen cities throughout Spain. It also has programs in numerous Latin American countries.

• International House Spain: website: www.ihspain.com. International

http://www.donquijote.org

http://www.ihspain.com


House has seven language schools in Spain, which focus on teaching Spanish language and culture to foreigners. The schools are located in Barcelona, Cádiz, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, San Sebastián, Seville and Valencia. The schools offer a variety of programs, including intensive Spanish, business Spanish, one-on-one classes, and “Third Age” courses for older adults.

• Malaca Instituto: website: www.malacainstituto.com. Located in Málaga, on the Costa del Sol, this institute offers language classes, cooking classes, dance and other activities. A variety of Spanish-class options are available, including business Spanish, intensive classes, and private one-on-one lessons. There is also a master class for Spanish language and culture, specifically designed for those aged 50+.

Finally, there is an additional all-purpose resource—both back home and in Spain: the Instituto Cervantes (website: http://eee.cervantes.es/en/index.asp). Spain considers the Spanish language part of its cultural heritage. In 1991, Spain set up the Cervantes Institute (Instituto Cervantes) to spread Spain’s culture, including its language, in countries abroad. Within Spain, the Instituto Cervantes evaluates language courses and gives its stamp of approval when merited. If you’d like to find a language program that has been approved by the institute, you can do so on the website.

Before you go: Online and other language programsKnowing some Spanish before you actually get to Spain will make it

much easier to integrate into the country and culture. (It’s a myth that all Europeans speak English, and it’s definitely not true for Spain.) Consider taking classes at your local university or a local language school.

Depending on where you live, you can also consider taking classes through the Instituto Cervantes (website: www.cervantes.es). The institute’s one-and-only Australian branch is in Sydney. You can take Spanish classes there.

In addition, there are plenty of tried-and-true programs that are internet- or computer-based for self-help learning. These allow you to go at your own pace or schedule, from the comfort of your home. Here are a few of the most popular and effective:

Berlitz: website: www.berlitz.com. This global language-education company has seemingly been around forever. It teaches lots of languages, and offers both face-to-face and online teaching options. The Berlitz method doesn’t work for everyone, but if it does for you, go for it. Note that Berlitz’s online classes do have set times.

http://www.malacainstituto.com

http://eee.cervantes.es/en/index.asp

http://eee.cervantes.es/en/index.asp

http://www.cervantes.es

http://www.berlitz.com

26 Escape to Spain

Pimsleur: website: www.pimsleur.com. Pimsleur’s CD-based courses let you go at your own pace, whenever you can work in a lesson. The method is a fast vocabulary-builder, though you may need to put in extra time later on grammar. Be sure to get the comprehensive courses, which include 30 lessons—and if you can get a bundled package, even better. You’ll need more than one course to get a good basis in the language. The Pimsleur website isn’t the cheapest place to buy the courses; you can check on the internet and find better deals.

Rosetta Stone: website: www.rosettastone.com. The Rosetta Stone program has proved very popular. It’s interactive and can be done on the computer. Like Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone offers separate courses for Castilian and Latin American Spanish, so you can take your pick. If you’re serious about developing some ability in the language, get a bundled set.

A pronunciation guideSpanish is a relatively simple language to pronounce and to read aloud.

You pronounce just about every letter in Spanish (except for “h”). And written Spanish is very phonetic, so you basically pronounce it just as it’s written.

Learning which syllable to stress in a Spanish word is also simple. There are two basic rules:

1. If the word ends in a vowel, or the letter “n” or “s”, stress is on the next-to-last (penultimate) syllable.

2. If the word ends in a consonant other than “n” or “s”, stress is placed on the last syllable.

There are exceptions to these rules, of course. And in print, that’s what accent marks are for.

For words in print, look for an accent mark showing which syllable to emphasise. For example, in all words ending in “–ión”, (such as información), the emphasis is placed on the final syllable. The accent is like a flag saying, “Forget those two rules; go here instead.”

Some useful vocabularyFood and shopping

mercado market

supermercado supermarket

menú del día menu of the day; daily (lunch) special

http://www.pimsleur.com

http://www.rosettastone.com


café coffee

café solo black (espresso) coffee

café con leche coffee with milk (very strong, almost cappuccino-style)

café americano U.S.-style, weaker coffee (black)

café cortado espresso with a shot of milk (drunk after lunch or later)

té tea

cerveza beer

caña draft beer (rather than bottled)

vino tinto red wine

vino blanco white wine

tinto de verano a lightly fizzy, sangria-type drink served in summer

pincho a light bar snack

ración serving

Measurementsmetro metre

centímetro centimetre

hectárea hectare; about 2.47 acres.

litro litre

Real estate termsagencia inmobiliaria real estate agency

gastos de comunidad property-management apartment fees

metros cuadrados square metres

amueblado/a furnished

vivienda dwelling or home

lote lot

28 Escape to Spain

Around the housecocina kitchen

salón living room

comedor dining room

habitación bedroom

sala de estar sitting room

baño bathroom

ducha shower

balcón balcony

calefacción heating

aire acondicionado air conditioning

sofá sofa

estufa stove

nevera freezer/refrigerator

armario wardrobe (older homes seldom have built-in robes)

estantes/estantería shelves/shelving

empotrado/a built-in (such as shelves or closets)

entrada foyer (of apartment or building), entrance

portero doorman

apartamento apartment (generally means a smaller space)

piso larger apartment (can be entire floor of a building)

Construction/housing/utility spacestecho roof

tejas tiles (for roofing, generally)

lozas floor or wall tiling

bodega storage room

sótano cellar

bomba pump


garage garage (pronounced ga-RA-hay)

terraza terrace

taller workshop

vista view

Meals*desayuno breakfast

merienda a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack

comida lunch

tapa(s) bar snacks

cena dinner

*A note about meals:

In Spain, breakfast is usually very light: just café con leche, or with the addition of a pastry (of which there are many kinds).

Because lunch is generally at 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. (many restaurants don’t even offer lunch before 1 p.m.), many people have a mid-morning snack, called a merienda. Parents generally give their school-aged children a late-afternoon snack to tide them over until dinner, and this is also called a merienda.

Lunch, la comida, is the big meal of the day in Spanish homes. It is generally a first course of a salad, soup or vegetables of some type, followed by a main course of meat or fish. Dessert (which used to always be fruit) and coffee complete the meal.

Dinner, or cena, in consequence, tends to be light. It is served anytime from 9 p.m. onwards. (It generally is not served before sunset, which in summertime can be 10 p.m. or later.)

30 Escape to Spain

Ordering a beer…and other important reasons for learning Spanish

by Koren Helbig

Penny Hierons didn’t think she was capable of learning another language. Now she makes a living as a Spanish-to-English translator…and she lives on the beautiful south-eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain.

“I assumed I just didn’t have the bit of the brain that involved doing languages because I’d never shown any inclination or talent for them. But that wasn’t true.”

Penny fell in love with Spain some 20 years ago after visiting Barcelona for a holiday, and returned 10 years later—for good.

“I spoke nothing,” she recalls. “I had four phrases: por favor (please), gracias (thank you), vino (wine) and cerveza (beer). But nobody could understand me when I said cerveza. It was like: ‘For God’s sake, I can’t even order a beer.’”

She immediately enrolled in a 10-week, three-hour-a-day, intensive Spanish course and later signed on for another 10 weeks.

“By the end, we’d gone through every tense and conjugation so reading had become easier but I still couldn’t really speak,” she says.

But Penny didn’t give up. A voracious reader, she began buying any kind of second-hand book she could get her hands on, and says her level further improved when she started dating a Spaniard.

“It’s like magic when the words suddenly turn into something that you can understand,” she says. “When I first started studying, I would watch The Simpsons in Spanish to see if I could understand anything. At first, I could identify just the odd word here and there.

“I remember going into class and studying a new word, and then coming back, watching The Simpsons, and, lo and behold, that exact same word would appear in the program.”

Within four years, Penny’s Spanish was so advanced she was able to start making a comfortable living as a freelance Spanish-to-English translator.

“I can’t imagine, now, that I couldn’t speak Spanish,” she says. “I miss speaking it even if I’m only away for a week.”

31CHAPTER THREE: Where to Live in Spain

CHAPTER THREE Where to Live in Spain

The click of castanets, the swirl and passion of flamenco dancers, white-washed villages tumbling down hillsides toward the blue Mediterranean…for many people, this is their impression of Spain. And this Spain does exist—in Andalusia.

But Spain is one of the largest and most geographically varied countries in Europe. Depending on where you are, the terrain, the look of the people, the accents—even the language they speak—can be different. In Spain, you can find almost any sort of geography you choose.

And a variety of cultures. Yes, there are certain constants… Lunch is still the big meal of the day, and the siesta is still a custom (though less so in the large cities), but specifics of the lifestyle can vary as widely as the terrain.

So let’s go exploring, starting in the north and heading clockwise. You’ll find a map at the back of this book that will help you navigate your way around the country.

Real estate contact informationA complete list of real estate contacts for each area that we talk about in this

chapter can be found in the Rolodex section on page 170.

Note: Outside the popular coastal destinations on Spain’s eastern and southern Mediterranean coasts, you may find that many real estate agents are not fluent in English or accustomed to dealing with English-speaking clients. If you don’t speak Spanish, it’s therefore a good idea to brush up on real estate terms in Spanish before you view properties. And if you proceed to the purchase of a property, you should definitely seek out English-speaking specialists to assist you.

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Northwest SpainGreen mountains, ringed with mist, rolling down to the sea. Rocky outcrops

and golden-sand beaches. Cool summer days and mild winters, where rain patters on the red-tiled roofs, darkens the stone cottages, and breaks prism-like across the panes of glass on the high, enclosed balconies. The wail of bagpipes—the Spanish gaita—on the wind. Strong cider frothing into a wide-mouthed glass, fizzy white wine that tingles on your tongue, bright rosés, and rich red wine.

“Green” Spain is a far cry from the Spain of castanets and flamenco dancers. Here, mountains and green-clad hills roll right down to the sea. And that sea is the cold, blue waters of the Bay of Biscay, the northern border for much of this region. The coast is often rocky, punctuated with small, perfect coves and their sandy beaches. Inland, sheep and cows nibble grass in the lush green fields, and farmhouses here are solid stone.

It would be easy to mistake this region for parts of Ireland—and, indeed, there are similarities. Abundant rain (an average 119 centimetres per year) keeps Northwest Spain green. Summers are cool, with occasional rain, and winters are mild, at least along the coast. (Inland, winter temperatures can drop to freezing.) And in Galicia, Spain’s far-western province, the inhabitants are even Celts, as are the Irish.

CantabriaBy Eoin Bassett

High above me are slate-gray mountains capped with snow. Despite the altitude, it’s 20 C, and in the narrow valley the meadows are in full flush, and horses take shade in the orchards. In the monastery’s courtyard, the sounds are of birdsong and the distant tinkle of cowbells. An elderly Franciscan monk hobbles over the time-worn flagstones. Both the flagstones and the monk look as though they were here in the 8th century, when the monastery of Santo Toribio was founded.

You are only an hour from the sandy beaches of the coast and not much farther from the amenities of the provincial capital, Santander. Yet in the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain, you often get the feeling that the clock stopped in the Middle Ages. Beatus wrote Commentary on the Apocalypse here, back when Spanish Christians feared the Moors more than the devil. And inside the chapel, it’s still hymns, flickering candles and whispered prayers. Pride of place and gilded in silver is the largest existing piece of the Lignum Crucis, the true cross. (Tests have confirmed it’s thousands of years old and from Palestine.)


These enormous mountains hide not only Romanesque chapels and shrines, but also bears, wolves, wild boar and eagles. Separating Cantabria from the province of Castilla y León, the peaks slope down to a coastline 322 kilometres long, made up of cliffs, shell-shaped coves and attractive beaches.

Sandwiched between the Basque Country and the province of Asturias on Spain’s Atlantic coast, Cantabria is a small province by Spanish standards, and a secret the Spanish keep to themselves. These mountains are called the Picos de Europa (the Peaks of Europe), as it’s said that their snowy tops were the first land Spanish sailors saw when returning from the Americas. You’ll find some of the world’s deepest caves here, amazing hiking trails, ancient villages, and laidback and open locals.

On the fertile coastal strip, you can explore preserved medieval towns and walk in lush woodlands. It does get wet here. It’s a green land and that means rain.

But this is Celtic Spain—think Ireland or England’s West Country, with better food at better prices. The locals drink as much cider as they do wine. You won’t find the high-rises of the southern costas. The coast is unspoiled, and the towns and villages haven’t been overwhelmed by development.

There are some expats here—usually with a rural retreat and mainly English (London is a two-hour direct flight). And, as with the south, the country’s economic meltdown has affected property prices. You’ll find a sea-view apartment for $207,000 or a village retreat in the mountains from $138,000.

Well-to-do Spaniards holiday here and have done since the 19th century. In fact, the provincial capital, Santander, reminds me of Biarritz in the south of France (only a 2.5-hour drive away). Famous as a getaway for royalty and celebrities, Biarritz is a place I’ve never really enjoyed. I much prefer Santander, which also has immaculate urban beaches, a grand casino, and elegant old buildings. And it’s got less airs and graces, it’s cheaper, and the beaches are nicer.

Head south of Santander, into countryside dotted with cone-like hills clad in pines, and soon you’ll come to one of Cantabria’s most popular—and best preserved—towns. Santillana del Mar, despite its name, is less than five kilometres from the sea. The immaculate state of its buildings attracts lots of tourists, as does its proximity to Cantabria’s most famous attraction: the caves of Altamira, famous for its Stone Age paintings.

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SantanderCantabria’s capital, the seaside city of Santander, about an hour’s drive

west of Bilbao, looks out on the chilly waters of the Bay of Biscay. Founded as a port by the Romans in 25 BC, Santander is still a port city today.

And the sea still plays its role. In the old town, rows of windowed balconies jut out from the cream-coloured, 19th-century buildings, looking out to expansive sea views. Santander’s long beach, El Sardinero, draws crowds of sunbathers in summertime, and it’s been a popular seaside resort among Spaniards since King Alfonso XIII began coming here in the early 1900s.

The city isn’t big, home to 182,000 people. A big fire in 1941 means Santander doesn’t have the medieval centre you’ll find in many Spanish cities. But there’s more than enough character among the elegant cafés, eateries, bars and municipal buildings that survived.

At the main Sardinero beach, you can have a coffee in Balneario de la Concha, with its big glass windows and sweeping vistas. Then take a stroll beneath palms and pine trees, while all the time in view of the emerald-green ocean. Farther toward the centre, sycamores, honeysuckle, rose bushes and ferns climb the slope from golden-sand beaches to the main promenade. Bird song mingles with the crash of waves. Each beach is numbered, 1a, 2a and so on, and each has outdoor showers and a good café nearby.

Santander’s beach, El Sardinero, draws crowds in summertime, and has been a popular seaside resort among Spaniards since the early 1900s.

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Sardinero and the other urban beaches stretch west of the centre. Here, apartments facing the sea rent for as little as $690 a month. To the east of the centre is the port, with a grittier vibe and the best restaurants in town. You’ll eat delicious, fresh-off-the-boat seafood for less than $17. (Try Los Peñucas. I had steamed lomo de merluza—fillet of hake—in a tomato sauce with fried potatoes, washed down with a Galician Albariño—a light, aromatic white wine.)

The airport is 15 minutes away from the city, and flights connect with Madrid, Barcelona and some other European cities. You can also get a bus to Bilbao’s international airport from Santander’s airport. And there’s a car ferry to England. Transport around the city is easy to use and inexpensive, and there’s also a bike rental service.

In the centre of town, I discovered odd antique stores like Gloria Monasterio, festooned in aging chandeliers, and plenty of good tapas bars. Don’t miss Bodega de Galeia. This wood-panelled cave of a bar claims to stock the world’s smallest bottles of whiskey, and, judging by the dust and peeling labels, they have some of its oldest wines. Leaning on a suit of armour, complete with halberd, I drank a sweet cider ($3.45) and examined the glass case containing the “Cemetery of Wines”.

Santander lacks the high gloss and chicness of resorts like San Sebastián. Instead, it offers a casual, comfortable atmosphere, which can be very appealing. Santander is well under the radar for most Australians. But the city increasingly attracts young European travellers who take advantage of budget-airline flights from Santander’s small airport.

The city’s seaside climate is moderate: average summertime highs are in the low- to mid-20s C, while winter lows average between 5 C and 7 C.

Santander also makes a great base for exploring Cantabria and this part of the coast. The cave of Altamira, with its famous Paleolithic cave paintings, is less than 29 kilometres from Santander. You can’t actually go into the caves. Instead, an underwhelming replica has been constructed. But the accompanying museum has enough of interest to make it worth a stop (entry $5.25). After this, if you want to see the real deal, you can visit the paintings in the caves of Monte Castillo, in the village of Puente Viesgo, 24 kilometres from Santander. You can also make a convenient day trip to Santillana del Mar, which is considered one of the prettiest villages in Spain. It’s just 26 kilometres from Santander.

For a view of Santander, see the city’s official webcam at: www.webcamsantander.com.

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36 Escape to Spain

Real estate examples in SantanderReal estate prices here are very appealing. Depending on the

neighbourhood, you can buy a comfortable, 65-square-metre apartment here starting from about $276,000, and rent one long-term from about $828 a month.

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with 66 square metres of living space. Located in the El Sardinero area, within walking distance of the beach, it also has a living room and a kitchen. Price: €99,000 ($154,440).

• In the Puerto Chico area, a one-bedroom, one-bath, ultra-modern apartment, with sea views, was recently for sale. It has 62 square metres and is on a fourth floor, no elevator. Price: €119,900 ($187,044).

• A modern, furnished, one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the El Sardinero neighbourhood, within walking distance of the beach and with exterior views, was recently for rent. Rent: €500 ($780) a month.

• A two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 70-square-metre apartment in the town centre, fully furnished and within steps of all shopping, was recently for rent. Rent: €500 ($780) a month.

The rest of Cantabria

My favourite coastal town is Comillas, 26 kilometres on the dramatic R-5 coastal road from Santillana del Mar. It’s retained a village feel, has a real community, and there is a good beach a short walk from town. Comillas is on one of the Camino de Santiago routes and there is a small marina, which means frequent visitors to the lively bars and restaurants. I saw a two-bedroom apartment for sale here for $151,800.

Built along an estuary, San Vicente de la Barquera, down the coast, is a bigger town with an imposing castle. The focus here seems to be Spanish bus tours; perhaps the buses find it easier to manoeuvre. While it’s worth a visit, I don’t recommend eating here, and it would not be my choice for living in, either.

But if San Vicente is a disappointment, then Potes, gateway of the Picos de Europa, more than makes up for it. Drive 50 minutes on a road that winds along the rushing River Deva up the Liébana valley, and you are suddenly enveloped by the mountains.

There are holiday homes in Potes. And tourists, too. But you’ll still see old men whiling away the afternoon with a card game and a glass of wine as


sparrows hop around the cobblestones, pecking in the cracks.

Get a glass of Somarroza cider poured from a height into a flat-bottomed glass. It’s made from apples grown around Potes. In fact, much of the food is local. At the deli in the small supermarket, I bought a block of cheese so good that I ate it like an ice cream as I explored the town. Called queso de Cabrales, it’s a blue cheese aged in caves in the mountains here.

However modern and globalised Europe may be, in mountains like these you’ll find a seasonal lifestyle not much changed in hundreds—in some ways thousands—of years. Even the real estate agents here are behind the times, quoting real estate prices in pesetas, even though Spain joined the euro in 1999.

A five-minute walk from Potes, a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, in a small development, is for sale for $241,500. Apartment rentals in Potes run in the $621 range but, given the country’s dire straits, I think there’s room to negotiate.

Bells ring, cockerels crow. You could get bored here. Apart from eating well and walking it off, by exploring the valleys and historic villages, there isn’t a lot to do. But as a part-time rural retreat, it’s perfect. Or maybe as a temporary base on a roaming retirement.

Pais Vasco/Euzkadi (Basque Country)The Basques are possibly one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world. Their

roots are lost in history, and their language—known as Euskera in Basque—is not even Indo-European. They have inhabited a region of northwest Spain and southern France for millennia.

Today, three provinces in Spain and three in France comprise the Basque Country (Euzkadi, in Basque). Spain’s three Basque provinces are Álava, Vizcaya (Bizkaia, in Basque) and Guipúzcoa (Gipuzkoa, in Basque). The charming little inland city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, in Álava, is the capital of the Basque Autonomous Community.

Overall, this is one of Spain’s most prosperous regions. Wages here are relatively high, and—despite the many bucolic areas, where sheep and cows graze peacefully on green hillsides—this region has long been one of the industrial engines of Spain’s economy. As a result, the Basque Country offers many amenities and a high standard of living, but not the property bargains that you may find elsewhere. Real estate prices here have dropped since the heady pre-crisis days, but they haven’t nose-dived. However, you will find good value.

38 Escape to Spain

Food is important here, and you’ll find a huge range of local products—cheeses, sausages, and meat and fish of all sorts. Basque cooking is famous: half of Spain’s three-star Michelin restaurants are in the Basque city of San Sebastián (known as Donostia in Basque). But you can find good cooking everywhere here.

The Basques are also sports mad. Basque pelota, a handball sport played on a two-sided court called a frontón, is played everywhere. But hiking, mountain-climbing, fishing and other outdoor sports are also very popular here.

Euskera is officially a co-language with Castilian in this region, and it’s taught in all the schools. Street signs, shops and even highways are marked in both languages. Roughly a third of the residents in the Basque Autonomous Community speak fluent Euskera and use it daily. Prohibited during the Franco era as a symbol of insurrection, the speaking of Euskera is now on the upswing. However, use of the language always contends with the Basques’ own hard-headed practicality and business success…which often leads to assimilating into Spain’s majority, Castilian-speaking population.

Bilbao/BilboBilbao (Bilbo in Basque), on Spain’s green north coast, is a modern urban

miracle. In the last 20 years, this industrial port city—the pride of the Basque country—has transformed itself from a gritty metropolis into the poster child for urban renewal, all the while preserving its romantic, medieval heart. The transformation has garnered it a fistful of awards, an explosion of tourism, and made it one of the most enviably livable cities anywhere in Europe.

Bilbao’s medieval centre, the casco viejo, has cobbled or flag-stoned streets, lined with enticing restaurants and bars, trendy shops, hair salons, butchers, bakers and—a few blocks away—La Ribera, the largest enclosed food market in Europe. Down one street, on a raised platform, a juggler is performing. At a nearby restaurant, diners sit chatting at outdoor tables as they enjoy their meals. Tourists and locals stroll in small groups, laughing, joking and window-shopping.

A mere 10-minute walk away lies the modern city, with its broad boulevards, sleek high-rises and spacious parks.

If you like convenient urban living; accessible culture; delectable food; an engaging seaside atmosphere; and green, hilly countryside just a short drive away, then come to Bilbao.


Culture, cuisine, and even the seaLess than a half-hour’s walk from the casco viejo is the building that

kick-started this city’s renewal: the Bilbao Guggenheim (website: www.guggenheim-bilbao.es), an offshoot of the New York museum. A deliriously exuberant hulk of gleaming titanium, it sits in a large park right along the estuary that runs through central Bilbao. With its swooping, gleaming form and the park’s whimsical sculptures (one looks like a giant crab), this museum is just plain fun.

And so is Bilbao. This city of about 352,000 people has miles of park on both sides of the estuary. You can walk through leafy green space, beside water, from one side to the other of central Bilbao—and many people do. Locals and tourists stroll, bicycle and skate along this promenade, while children romp in playgrounds. The two sides of the estuary are connected by delicate pedestrian bridges, which arc over the water.

Not up for a long stroll? Take public transport instead. Bilbao has three public transportation systems: metro, bus and trolley car. All three systems are sleekly modern, efficient and cheap—with a multisystem card (available for less than $11).

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In the last 20 years, Bilbao has transformed itself from a gritty metropolis into the poster child for urban renewal

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And for the cost of a single ride (about $1.40), you can take the metro to the city’s outlying neighbourhoods…all the way to the beach.

Bilbao lies almost 15 kilometres from the coast, connected to it by a long estuary. This gives the city and surrounding suburbs 15 kilometres to use for waterside living.

Two metro lines, one on each side of the estuary, run to the seaside. The eastern line takes you through some of Bilbao’s most exclusive neighbourhoods of single-family homes, such as Getxo. It ends in the seaside town of Plentzia, a neighbourhood of large private homes and cheerful seaside restaurants.

The shorter, western line ends at Santurtzi, a suburb of high-rise apartments with wide estuary views. True, part of that view is of huge freight ships at anchor, but they lend an odd grandeur, and are part and parcel of Bilbao life—this is one of Spain’s largest and most important ports.

A long esplanade from Santurtzi runs back toward central Bilbao. Toward the Santurtzi end are large, well-maintained row houses, which look out on the estuary. It’s a tranquil, attractive, residential neighbourhood. Be prepared to hunt if you want a bargain here, though. Most high-rise apartments in Santurtzi start at about $414,000. The row houses south along the esplanade generally run $552,000 or more. But at just half an hour from the city centre, it’s princely urban living.

In the casco viejo, expect apartment prices to start at about $276,000. You’ll be steps from green-grocers, boutiques, and the phenomenal La Ribera market. You’ll also have easy access to bus and tram stops, and to Bilbao’s main train station, Abando. But this is not a neighbourhood for a car—parking is difficult, if not impossible.

Just across from the casco viejo, though, on the other side of the estuary, is a row of attractive apartment buildings, with water views and a pristine esplanade right out front. Remembered by locals as a dockside area with an iffy reputation, it’s now being gentrified by young couples. You’ll get apartments here at a discount of as much as 30% over casco viejo prices…for now.

Real estate examples in BilbaoThe real estate contacts for Bilbao are on page 170. You may find fewer real

estate agents who are fluent in English than you’ll find on the Mediterranean coast. Note that, while Bilbao is a cosmopolitan city and one of Spain’s most important, it is not a centre of mass-market tourism.


• Right in the casco viejo, a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with 41 square metres of living space. It also has a kitchen and a living room. Price: €150,000 ($234,000).

• In the Portugalete neighbourhood, near the promenade along the estuary, is a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with 73 square metres of space. Price: €188,000 ($293,280).

• A fully furnished, modern, one-bedroom/one-bathroom apartment, with 40 square metres of space, is for rent in the casco viejo. Rent: €750 ($1,170) a month.

• A 100-square-metre, three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Santurtzi near the port area. It comes fully furnished and has a terrace. Rent: €890 ($1,388) a month

San Sebastián/DonostiaFrom the seaside promenade, or paseo marítimo, the beach opens out in

a perfect half-moon curve to embrace the blue Atlantic. Scattered sail boats, moored about 100 feet out from shore, bob gently in the current. West of the beach, rolling green hills tumble to the sea; to the east lies verdant Monte Urgull, ringed by the stone sea wall and artfully weather-beaten buildings. In the center of the bay lies the green island of Santa Clara.

The view is so picture-perfect that even hurrying businessmen, briefcases

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In central Bilbao, the two sides of the estuary are connected by delicate pedestrian bridges that arc over the water

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in hand, pause to take it in. The rest of us lean our arms on the promenade’s parapet and ogle shamelessly. But San Sebastián, like a beautiful woman, is used to being ogled.

This stylish seaside city on Spain’s north Atlantic coast has a legendary charm and arguably one of the world’s most beautiful urban beachfronts. Here curving, golden-sand beaches like Playa de la Concha, with its long promenade, offer a feast for the eyes. Equally beautiful is the city itself, with wide boulevards and frothy belle époque buildings.

San Sebastián—Donostia, in Basque—has been a resort since the mid-1800s. It first became popular under Queen Isabella II, who summered here and wanted to create a resort to rival France’s Biarritz, just over the border (which was patronized by the French empress—and fellow Spaniard—Eugénie). Where the queen went, the court followed…and over the years San Sebastián became an architectural (and shopping) delight.

In fact, with all that this sophisticated city offers today, the beaches are simply the icing on the cake…

In San Sebastián, golden-sand beaches like Playa de la Concha offer a feast for the eyes.

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A chic city of Michelin qualityWalk from the city centre toward the seashore, for instance, to stroll down

the 19th-century Centro Romántico’s broad boulevards, where creamy turn-


of-the-century buildings house high-end designer boutiques. Here, you can shop ’til you drop…and even if you don’t intend to spend a cent, San Sebastián makes you want to look.

Gaze at $2,760 jackets in the windows of luxury retailer Loewe, and at absurdly fashionable shoes at Ayestaran…check out trendy but lower-priced threads at Mango and Zara…stroll by the cathedral, the theatre, the market, and finish off the morning with a café con leche in a sidewalk café alongside chic Spanish matrons in summer skirts and heels.

Don’t miss walking the elegant Paseo de la Concha to gaze at the beach. And, whatever else you do, plan to enjoy San Sebastián’s food. After all, this city is the high temple of Basque cooking, widely considered one of Spain’s best regional cuisines. Half of Spain’s three-star Michelin restaurants are in this city of 186,000.

But even the lowest bar here serves scrumptious chow. For a quick, inexpensive route to gustatory nirvana, try bar-hopping through San Sebastián’s old city, known as the parte vieja. Just steps from the beach, the parte vieja’s narrow cobblestone streets are perfect for wandering. And its tall stone buildings are home to a staggering number of bars serving pintxos, as tapas are called here in the Basque country.

By noon, bar counters groan under the weight of up to a dozen trays of pintxos, laid out for hungry customers—toothsome offerings like béchamel-topped crab on tiny rounds of toast; skewers of anchovy-filled olives and onions; and field mushrooms sautéed in garlic and olive oil. To wash them down, what else but the Basque country’s astringent, slightly fizzy white wine, txakolí? A half-glass of txakolí and a couple of pintxos run $7 to $10. For about $28 you can have a filling lunch…and never repeat a single dish.

Summers in San Sebastián are mild and pleasant—often in the 20s C—but you can’t count on sunshine every day. As a result, this city attracts beachgoers who don’t mind that uncertainty. The population can almost double in the peak tourist months of July to September.

But crowds are thinner the rest of the year, and temperatures are mild—with averages around 12 C—even in the dead of winter. Off-season and long-term rentals can be very reasonable, too. For a centrally located, two- to three-bedroom apartment, you can pay about $1,200 to $1,500 a month off-season or long-term. (Expect to pay several times that amount in high summer season.)

But for glamour, sophistication and sheer beauty, San Sebastián is hard to beat.

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Real estate examples in San SebastiánIf you’re looking to buy property here, be prepared for a steep price tag.

This city has long been a coveted resort, and it shows in the prices. Most properties under $483,000 are tiny—and, depending on the area, $690,000 may buy you less than 93 square metres.

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, with 45 square metres, in San Sebastián parte vieja. Price: €237,000 ($369,720).

• A 70-square-metre, two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in the Centro Romántico area, needing some renovation. Price: €270,000 ($421,200).

• A 55-square-metre, two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the Centro Romántico for rent. It’s fully furnished, and with a small exterior patio. Rent: €800 ($1,320) a month.

• An unfurnished apartment in the Gros area is for rent. It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a balcony, a sitting room with many windows, and lots of light. Rent: €900 ($1,404) a month.

Over the years San Sebastián has become an architectural (and shopping) delight.

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Navarra (Navarre)The Autonomous Community of Navarre is probably best known among

foreigners for the annual running of the bulls in its capital, Pamplona. But among Spaniards, Navarre is also known as a particularly beautiful region, which offers one of the highest standards of living in Spain, along with a rich history, delicious regional cooking, a relatively mild climate, and sports like trout-fishing, hunting, skiing, horseback-riding, hiking and much more.

Navarre, officially the Comunidad Foral de Navarra (Chartered Community of Navarre), stretches from the Pyrenees Mountains (the border with France) in the north down to the Rioja wine region to the south. To the west lies the Basque Country, while to the east is Aragón. Navarre’s location gives it a diverse geography, with hilly green slopes and peaks in the Pyrenees running down to plains in the wine country.

Culturally, Navarre is sometimes grouped with the Basque provinces. Certainly, Basque place names and surnames are common here, and Basque is an official co-language with Castilian in northwestern Navarre, which abuts the Basque Country and is where most of Navarre’s Basque speakers live.

But Navarre’s history is quite different from that of Euzkadi. In the Middle Ages, Navarre was its own kingdom until King Ferdinand of Aragón forcibly annexed it in the early 16th century, and Navarros still retain a strong sense of their regional identity.

One of the main pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela lies through Navarre—and many pilgrims still begin their journey in the little Navarrese town of Javier. (It’s the birthplace of Saint Francis Xavier, who co-founded the Jesuits with fellow saint Ignatius of Loyola, born in nearby Guipúzcoa.)

Navarre has a relatively low population—less than 650,000—and the only city of any size is Pamplona (population about 198,000). Vast tracts of land in Navarre are privately owned and used for hunting—you’ll frequently see signs that read coto de caza, or game preserve. (It also helps explain why the fierce jabalí—Spanish wild boar—is so often seen on the menu here.)

But the low population also means plenty of wide-open spaces for enjoying nature and spectacular mountain views. It also likely played a role in Navarre becoming the leading European centre for renewable energy—the bulk of the region’s energy is generated from renewable sources such as wind farms, water turbines and solar panelling

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Pamplona: Hemingway’s hangoutby Eoin Bassett

It’s late on Monday night in the Café Iruña, on the Plaza del Castillo in the heart of Pamplona’s Casco Viejo (Old Town). The Gran Hotel La Perla, from where Hemingway watched the bulls run, is a few seconds’ walk away on Calle Estafeta. Things are quiet; a lady in her 60s is taking a meal, I’m reading at the bar, and two bearded men are on the anis, cloudy with ice.

Despite being a magnet for tourists following in Hemingway’s footsteps, the Iruña is still worth some of your time. Stop in for a coffee and admire the belle époque interior. But if he were alive today, my guess is the author would take his meals in Iruñazarra, a minute’s walk away on Calle Mercaderes.

The food in the Iruña is fine, €12 ($18.70) for a menú del día, but a smile’s always nice and you’ll get more of them from the waitresses in Iruñazarra. There, to the strains of Basque folk music, indulge in estofado de patatas (potato stew), carrilleras de cerdo (pig’s cheeks—much nicer than it sounds) and a slab of cheesecake, all washed down with a bottle of cider for €11.50 ($18).

Pamplona is one of my favourite Spanish cities. I keep coming back. Its historic centre buzzes during the day, and at night—at the weekends—it’s a non-stop party. Much of the city’s 16th-century defences are intact, and the

Among Spaniards, Navarre is known as a beautiful region that offers one of the highest standards of living in Spain

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bastions and enfilades are encased in leafy parks these days. You’re never far from a bench, a café terrace or a plaza, from which you can watch the world go by.

Founded by the Roman general Pompey, Pamplona was ruled by the Moors for a time before the Christians took it back. Unlike other Spanish cities, you won’t find much evidence of that Muslim past. But the medieval street layout is obvious, and many of the elegant town houses were built during the Renaissance.

Historically a wealthy city, thanks to passing pilgrim trade, it still feels prosperous. It’s regularly on the shortlist of cities in Spain with the highest standard of living, and many locals and expats don’t bother using a car, as there’s a well-run public bus service, called villavesas.

The city’s undoubted highlight is the annual, week-long San Fermín Festival. It attracts visitors from all over the world, some of whom join the locals in running from bulls released into the streets on their way to the bull ring. The party is legendary, and the Old Town is jammed with revellers for the entire festival.

The rest of the year, Pamplona is a place of contentment, but it’s not dull. There are two universities in town, the Baluarte (website: www.baluarte.com) performing arts centre always has something on offer, and social life revolves around a lively bar and pincho scene. You’ll sometimes see it spelled pintxo, because it’s the Basque word for the delicious variety of bar snacks you’ll feast on while you’re here.

One last tip: every local and expat told me to try the pinchos at Bar Gaucho on Calle Espoz y Mina. Well, I did, and they’re right. You won’t need dinner after working your way through the fantastic creations under glass at the bar. Just point and eat; I even tried the sea urchin. Plaza del Castillo is the heart of Pamplona’s Casco Viejo (Old Town)

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Real estate samples in PamplonaProperty in Pamplona is affordable. Here are some examples of what’s on

the market right now.

• If you’re up for some renovation work, there’s a three-bedroom, one-bath in the Old Town that might suit you. The apartment has 92 square metres, with two balconies looking onto the street. And though the apartment needs some minor work, the building itself has already been renovated. Price: €82,000 ($127,920).

• A four-bedroom, one-bath in the Old Town, with two balconies offering street views, was recently for sale. The apartment is renovated and has 65 square metres of space. Price: €105,000 ($163,800).

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the Ensanche area of Pamplona. With 68 square metres of living space, it get lots of light and has a modern kitchen, which comes with appliances already installed. It’s on the seventh floor of a building with an elevator. Price: €170,000 ($265,200).

Rentals:

If you’re looking to rent, you can find furnished long-term rentals, centrally located, starting near €500 ($780) a month.

• A good example is a lovely, light, two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with 70 square metres of space. It’s centrally located in the Old Town, with two balconies looking out on the street. It’s totally renovated and comes fully furnished. Rent: €480 ($748) a month.

There’s plenty on offer in Pamplona—both in the Old Town and in surrounding suburbs. Many listings show price cuts of 10% to 15% off the original asking price, so it continues to be a good time to look.

“I don’t need a car to get around”by Theresa Osinga

When I was young, Spain was just another exotic, faraway place, full of bullfighters and flamenco dancers. I never thought I’d end up living here, much less in Pamplona, the city where bulls run through the streets.

My first real contact with the country was as an exchange student in Madrid.


I loved the experience and, by the time I left, I was irresistibly drawn to everything Spanish.

That’s probably one of the reasons why—three years later—I fell in love with and married a Spaniard. When he was offered a post back in Spain, we jumped at the chance to return there. And since 1992, I’ve been living my Spanish adventure…first in Málaga, on Andalusia’s Costa del Sol, and now in the small town of Mutilva, just outside Pamplona.

One of the things I like most about living here is that I don’t need a car to get around. That’s a big change from life in California, where people practically live in their cars. My husband goes to work by bike, and the kids can take a five-minute walk to school. Then I stroll to the centre of town to buy freshly baked bread for lunch, which in Spain is usually around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m.

Everything is just a walk away. There are a couple of small grocery stores, a medical centre, a sports complex, a pharmacy, and, of course, several bars where you can enjoy a glass of wine before lunch (Navarre’s specialty is rosé). For anything else I might want, Pamplona is just a 10-minute bus ride away; it costs me just $1 each way.

Navarre is one of the wealthier regions of Spain, so it’s more expensive to live here than in some other regions, but it’s still affordable. You’ll find apartments to rent for $620, for instance. Groceries are cheaper than back home, and you can get a good three-course menú del día (menu of the day) for $16.50.

But the added expense is well worth it. The city and surrounding towns are clean and well-kept, the transportation system is excellent, and public administration is easier to deal with than in other regions of Spain.

People in the north of Spain are more reserved than those in the south, but they’re still courteous and friendly. I’ve made many good friends, and one thing is true about Navarros: once they are your friends, they are loyal to the end.

The weather isn’t perfect, but here I can enjoy the beauty of changing seasons. We even get snow sometimes, but it never lasts more than a couple of days. And summers are mild, with plenty of opportunity to enjoy the parks and terrazas—the outdoor café terraces—of the city.

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Cataluña/Catalunya (Catalonia)If you want to visit a different country while in Spain, without ever actually

crossing the border, consider a trip to Catalonia (Cataluña in Spanish and Catalunya in Catalan). This large Autonomous Community, bordering both France and the Mediterranean, cherishes and fosters its regional identity and the many ways in which it’s not like Spain.

Like many regions in Spain, Cataluña was an independent country in the early Middle Ages and has had short periods of independence since then. But it’s arguably been better than any other region at maintaining its regional identity, culture and language in today’s world. If you speak to other Spaniards about Cataluña, they are apt to say that Catalans can be downright obnoxious in their ethnocentricity.

But Catalans’ dogged loyalty to their way of life has paid off. Cataluña today is one of the wealthiest and best-educated regions of Spain, with one of the highest per-capita GDPs in the country. It’s a centre for art and industry, and offers a very comfortable way of life. Catalán—once prohibited by Franco—has been an official co-language since 1979 and is taught in all schools. It’s a living, sophisticated language. Significant litreature continues to be produced in Catalán, and—outside the large cities of Barcelona and Tarragona—it’s what the locals overwhelmingly speak at home.

The striped Catalan flag flies from a government building in Barcelona

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Not surprisingly, many Catalans are in favour of independence from Spain, and referendums on the issue come up regularly. (The last was on November 9, 2014. More than 80% of those who cast ballots favoured independence. But the Spanish government considers these referenda non-binding.) You’ll likely see the yellow-and-red-striped Catalan flag flying from buildings or draped from balconies all over Cataluña.

Like northwest Spain, much of Cataluña is green and hilly. The Pyrenees form part of its northern border, and ample rain keeps the inland region green. The Mediterranean, on Cataluña’s eastern border, plays a large role in the region’s economy. The ports of Barcelona and Tarragona bring millions of dollars’ worth of goods into and out of Spain every year. And beach tourism—from mass-market destinations to more discerning beach resorts like Sitges—keeps the Catalan coast hopping in the summertime.

Cataluña is a center for industries such as high tech, pharmaceuticals, and finance. But this is also a major wine-producing region—Spain’s cavas, or sparkling wines, come from Cataluña—as well as the Priorat reds and the easy-sipping whites from the Penedès region. And, as in the Basque Country, food is taken seriously. Unless you’re a very finicky eater, you certainly won’t starve here.

The Autonomous Community of Cataluña consists of four provinces. The provinces of Barcelona, Tarragona, and Girona (Gerona, in Spanish) all have substantial coastlines, while Lleida (Lérida, in Spanish) is inland. Barcelona is far and away the most populous: With 5.5 million people, it has nearly six times the population of Tarragona, the next largest.

Charming Barcelonaby Steenie Harvey

It’s stylish, it’s vibrant and it charms the socks right off you. Oozing colour, culture and creativity, Barcelona offers up an intoxicating medley of old and new. Its highlights include Gaudí’s eye-popping architecture, the Ramblas and the atmospheric maze of the medieval Barri Gòtic.

Cheap eats, fine dining. High fashion, street chic. Beaches, blues and ballet. Electric nightlife, lashings of Mediterranean sunshine. Barcelona delivers almost any pleasure you desire.

Spain’s second-largest city, Barcelona is the capital of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia (Cataluña). The city’s heart beats around Plaça de Catalunya, which separates old Barcelona from the grid-like streets of the late 19th-century Eixample neighbourhood. Below this vast square, the famous

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Facing the sea, on your left-hand side is the medieval quarter, the Barri Gòtic, and its adjoining neighbourhood, chic and trendy El Born. Here in El Born, you can find the beautiful Gothic basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, the Santa Caterina market and, in the heart of the neighbourhood, the tree-lined Passeig del Born. This has become one of the city’s most fashionable neighbourhoods, heaving with crowds at night. Its streets are also tightly packed with bars, eateries, galleries, boutiques and red-hot design stores.

To the right of the Ramblas is El Raval—sometimes known by its old name of Barri Xino. A more edgy, bohemian quarter, its “alternative” nightlife once attracted sailors. Although its louche reputation is fading fast, El Raval still offers a glimpse into the old Barcelona that existed before the 1992 Olympics and gentrification.

Look right at the end of the Ramblas and you’ll see Montjuic’s green hill, site of a fortress, and a number of galleries and museums. Turn left and you come to the Barceloneta, the city’s old fishing quarter. Behind a restaurant-lined boulevard and the new yacht marina lie the working-class bars and back streets of the original Barceloneta.

Sprawling east from Barceloneta is Port Olimpic and the Mediterranean

Oozing color, culture, and creativity, Barcelona offers up an intoxicating medley of old and new

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Ramblas of the flower stalls and street entertainers arrows down to the waterfront and the Columbus monument.

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area. The giant golden fish by Frank Gehry is the starting point for promenade walks above the string of beaches that loop out toward seaside suburbs such as Poblenou.

Back in the city centre, above Plaça de Catalunya, the streetscape changes dramatically. Rambla de Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia are the two main arteries leading into the elegant Eixample neighbourhood. This is where you’ll find the best examples of modernismo architecture, including Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló and Casa Mila. Built from 1860 onwards, Passeig de Gràcia was where Barcelona’s moneyed classes bought apartments designed by the leading architects of the day. Facades drip with magnificent floral decorations, exuberant ironwork, neo-gothic details and stained-glass work.

North of here, Gràcia is one of the city’s most likeable neighbourhoods. With little squares, refurbished palaces and traditional buildings, it feels quirky and bohemian—and its alternative bars aren’t heaving with mad crowds of tourists. Along with theatres, cinemas and cultural centres, vegetarian cafés and health-food stores abound, too.

Real estate examples in BarcelonaBarcelona real estate is not cheap.

This is Spain’s second city, after all, and a bigger tourist attraction than Madrid. At December 2014, resale properties in Barcelona were selling at an average of $408 per square foot. That’s slightly higher than the price it was selling at a year ago…while prices in other regions have continued to drop.

However, Barcelona real estate today is nearly 33% below 2007 prices. And the city remains a bargain compared with many European cities…especially considering all Barcelona offers (including a much better climate than Paris, London, Berlin, Rome…need we go on?). It’s also a bargain compared to Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne.

Barceloneta is the city’s old fishing quarter, where you’ll find the new yacht marina

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And, while you can spend a fortune on a Barcelona property, you don’t have to. In Barceloneta, with its low-rise, bohemian-village feel (plus walking distance to one of Barcelona’s most popular beaches), you can find small, one bedroom apartments—say, 35 to 50 square metres—in the €150,000 to €200,000 ($234,000 to $312,000) range.

• In Barceloneta, a cosy, 35-square-metre studio apartment was recently for sale. It has one bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen and a small balcony, plus a communal terrace on the roof. Price: €145,000 ($226,200).

• In the central Sant Antoni neighbourhood, just a 15-minute walk to the beach, is a 46-square-metre apartment that was recently for sale. With a double bedroom, an office and one bathroom, it’s near bus connections and shopping. Price: €190,000 ($296,400).

• Prefer a neighbourhood like Gràcia? The following apartment is typical of what you’ll find here. A bright, four-bedroom loft apartment is available near Parque Güell. It has two bathrooms; a modern kitchen; a long, narrow, two-square-metre balcony; and a 33-square-metre terrace with expansive views over Barcelona. Price: €330,000 ($514,800).

Rentals:

Looking to rent? For long-term rentals, you can find small, centrally located apartments starting at about €650 ($1,014) a month. You’ll get more space and/or better furnishings, and prime locations, starting at about €1,000 ($1,560) a month.

The Catalan CoastNo question, Barcelona is many people’s favourite city in Spain. And it’s

fabulous. But, while Barcelona is a great place to visit, not everyone wants to live in a major metropolis.

If you like what Barcelona offers but prefer day-to-day life on a smaller, more intimate scale, check out the Catalan coast. A number of small towns, within easy striking distance of Barcelona, give you the best of both worlds.

Much of the Costa Brava, north of Barcelona in the province of Girona, has long been associated with mass-market tourism. Spain identified this area in the 1950s as one to develop. But inland is the charming city of Girona.

The coast south of Barcelona is rather different. Called the Costa Dorada for the golden sand of its beaches, it’s home to small towns that the Catalans themselves have long patronised.


The Catalan Coast south of Barcelona is called the Costa Dorada for the golden sand of its beaches

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CastelldefelsJust 20 minutes south of Barcelona on the commuter train (a $5.50 ride

off-peak) is the town of Castelldefels. Long known as the “beach of Barcelona”, this town of about 63,000 people sits on a stretch of golden beach that runs for 12 kilometres.

Unlike some of the towns along the Costa Dorada, Castelldefels has very few historical buildings left. This is mostly a modern town. But for comfortable living and ease of access to Barcelona, Castelldefels is hard to beat.

There are actually two parts to Castelldefels: the main town, which sits slightly inland, and Castelldefels Platja, or beach (there are even two separate train stops).

Castelldefels proper is largely residential streets and low-rise buildings (almost all are six stories or less). In typical Spanish fashion, shops and cafés are on the ground floor, with residential apartments above. Almost all apartments have balconies—you notice them as you walk down the street.

Head toward the town centre and you enter a large, pedestrian-only zone; the flagstone-paved streets shady and inviting. Small green-grocers, clothing stores, furniture emporia and hair salons line the sidewalks here.

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After window-shopping or buying your fruit and veg, stop at one of the many terrazas—outdoor cafés—for a café con leche or a cold drink. Terrazas are chock-a-block here, so you have plenty to choose from.

Instead of shorts- and bathers-clad teens or tourists, those around you are more likely to be prosperous, middle-aged matrons, businessmen with mobile phones clamped to their ears, and young mothers with baby strollers. Despite the typical seaside climate, warm and sunny for much of the year, Castelldefels doesn’t otherwise feel much like a beach town.

For pure beach ambience, head to Castelldefels Platja, less than two kilometres away. Here, you’ll find low-rise apartment buildings right next to the beach, seaside restaurants and a few small supermarkets. This part of town is hopping pretty much 24/7 in summertime. The apartments fill to bursting with holidaymakers, both foreigners and Spaniards.

In winter, many beach apartments are vacant and the area is a bit isolated. But this is changing. In recent years, some beach-lovers have chosen to move here full-time. For now, shopping options are limited and you must still go into the town centre for many basics. The trade-off: you have the beach largely to yourself (and it’s warm enough here to stroll the beach year-round, with a light jacket at most).

For comfortable living and ease of access to Barcelona, Castelldefels is hard to beat

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Castelldefels real estate examplesOnce bargain-priced, Castelldefels real estate is now more expensive but

still affordable. Two- to three-bedroom apartments in central Castelldefels, near all shopping, start at about €150,000 ($234,000) for 74 to 84 square metres.

• A three-bedroom, one-bath apartment, in central Castelldefels, was recently available. With 64 square metres of space, it also has two balconies and a 10-square-metre terrace. It comes with a completely equipped kitchen. Price: €125,000 ($195,000).

• A three-bedroom, two-bath apartment in central Castelldefels, right next to the pedestrian-only area, is available. It has 90 square metres of space and has a terrace. Price: €115,000 ($179,400).

• In the La Pineda neighbourhood, not far from the beach, is a comfortable 60-square-metre apartment with two bedrooms and one bath, a kitchen and laundry area, and a south-facing terrace. It sits in a building on sumptuous grounds, with a community pool. A garage parking place comes with the apartment, and it’s a 12-minute walk to the train station and town. Price: €190,000 ($296,400).

Long-term rents for apartments in this area start at about €650 ($1,014) a month. For central Castelldefels and along the beach, expect rents starting at about €800 ($1,248).

Sitges and Vilanova i la GeltrúJust 10 minutes by train south of Castelldefels (and 30-40 minutes from

Barcelona) is Sitges, easily the best-known beach town on this stretch of coast. Wealthy Catalans began summering here in the 19th century, but Sitges only took off as a general tourist resort in the 1960s. Today, it’s also known for hosting the world’s top fantasy film festival every September/October, its Carnival celebrations every spring, and its gay pride festival.

This is easily the prettiest town around. Sitges has 11 beaches, several of them lovely little coves, and hilly terrain nearby. The town’s architecture complements its natural beauty. A medieval quarter looms over the town from a hilltop, while a newer, Belle Époque-influenced town lies below. The 17th-century church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla dominates the skyline, with grand steps that lead right down to the water.

The medieval quarter, with its narrow cobbled streets and grand buildings, is mostly given over to government offices and museums. The newer town is

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where you find hotels, holiday apartments, and more boutiques than you can shake a stick at. These sell everything from high-end beachwear to hand-made jewellery to leather goods and other tempting baubles.

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Many streets in the new town are pedestrian-only, and thank heavens for that—because in summer they’re heaving with tourists. Sitges is more obviously a beach town than Castelldefels, and is also clearly on the backpacker route.

A less-scenic and less-expensive alternative to Sitges is Vilanova i la Geltrú, which is about an hour south of Barcelona on the commuter train. This is actually two towns: La Geltrú, an older fisherman’s village, and the new town (litreally), Vilanova. Today, they are thought of more as two separate neighbourhoods. Vilanova has the train station.

Like Sitges, Vilanova is very much a beach town and has been discovered by British holidaymakers. But come off-season and it’s quite pleasant. The town has a pretty, pedestrian-only downtown, with sidewalk cafés and shops, and some good restaurants along the road opposite the beach.

Sitges is the prettiest town in the area and its architecture complements its natural beauty


Real estate in SitgesThe crowds of summer tourists—and the high prices for real estate—are

the town’s biggest drawbacks. In Sitges, you can easily pay over $276,000 for an apartment that is less than 50 square metres. Want two bedrooms in about 75 square metres? You can expect to pay $468,000 or more.

• A pretty one-bedroom, one-bath in central Sitges. The apartment has 45 square metres of space, which also includes a small balcony. The apartment is recently renovated, just a short walk to the beach, and is being sold fully furnished. Price: €210,000 ($327,600).

• A three-bedroom, one-bath, ground-floor apartment about an eight-minute walk from the Sitges town centre and the beaches. The 70-square-metre apartment also has a terrace, with an outdoor fireplace/grill. Price: €250,000 ($390,000).

• Just a few minutes’ walk from San Sebastián beach, one of Sitges’s best beaches, is a sunny two-bedroom apartment with plenty of outdoor space. It has a balcony with nearly 35 square metres, in addition to 59 square metres inside. Price: €293,000 ($457,080).

Rentals:

An easier solution is to rent. Six-month winter rentals, for a small one-bedroom, can start at about €600 ($936) a month. Expect full-time rentals to be perhaps 25% higher, since you’ll be taking the apartment off the lucrative summer-rental market. An added plus: in winter, with fewer tourists, you can enjoy this town’s many charms.

The inland jewel of GironaA beautiful, cultured, artsy alternative to Barcelona is Girona (in Spanish,

Gerona). This city of nearly 100,000 lies inland, 100 kilometres northeast of Barcelona—a trip of 30 to 90 minutes, depending on which train or bus service you take from Barcelona.

In recent years, Girona has attracted artists and artisans, who like its intimate feel and slower pace. Their presence, and that of the many university students here, gives Girona a youthful vibe.

The city itself is spectacular. The River Onyer bisects Girona, and bridges—including the cast-iron “red bridge”, built by Gustav Eiffel of the tower fame—connect the two halves. Both sides of the river are lined with colourful buildings, which rise from retaining walls right at the water’s edge.

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Enjoy a great lifestyle by the beach in Sitgesby Shanna Kurpe

Salud! Ching, Ching!

These three words are so simple, yet they hold so much meaning. Friendship, happiness and a lifetime of health—that’s what we toast to as we raise our sparkling Catalan cava to the blue sky.

A refreshing glass of sparkling wine is just what the doctor ordered to celebrate this sunny day with friends in Sitges, on Spain’s coast. And you can get a gorgeous bottle from the region for only $19, so we do our best to find every reason to celebrate all 300 sunny days of the year.

That’s right! This seaside paradise is sunny more than 80% of the year. That’s because we’re surrounded by the hills of the Garraf Natural Park, creating a microclimate like no other in Cataluña.

That means the weather here is quite pleasant year-round, ranging from 10 C to 27 C.

With so many beautiful days in Sitges, residents and tourists alike spend most of their free time outdoors. There is so much to do here, from hiking in the Natural Park and touring wine country, to spending the day at the beach.

This small fishing village boasts 17 different sand beaches to enjoy sunbathing, swimming and paddleball almost year-round. You can also take a variety of classes, from beach yoga to surfing. Or you can rent a paddleboard, sailboat or kayak to explore the crystal-blue water.

If you ever get tired of the sand in your shorts, the Paseo de la Ribera offers 2.4 kilometres of paved beachfront promenade lined with palm trees—perfect for running, biking or rollerblading.

And when you finally work up an appetite, there are more than 250 delicious restaurants to choose from. Sitges is known for fresh Mediterranean seafood, but you can find a variety of dishes ranging from traditional Catalan favourites, like paella and pan con tomate, to Asian, American, French, Italian and Thai cuisines.

During the weekday lunch hour (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.), you can get a three-course meal, including bread and wine, for only $19. Dinner (8 p.m. to 12 a.m.) usually starts at around $34.50 per person.

If you’re on a smaller budget, you can opt for a local tapas bar. It’s best to go with friends, so you can order a little bit of everything and then split the bill. You


can eat and drink to your heart’s content, while only spending about $14 per person.

Eating in, however, is always the cheapest option for food. My husband and I eat like royalty and only spend about $207 a week—maybe a little more if we’re entertaining guests.

We eat very healthily. That buys us a week’s worth of fresh veggies and fruit—mostly locally grown and/or organic; lean meats, such as chicken breasts, turkey breast, salmon and other fish; a few dozen eggs and bottles of egg whites; fresh bread; granola; Nespresso coffee capsules; milk and yogurt; dried fruits and nuts; olive oil...

We don’t go hungry, that’s for sure!

That budget even covers cleaning supplies, like garbage bags, laundry detergent, etc., and we always have the cabinets stocked with wine, champagne and beer in case we have visitors.

We enjoy having visitors on a regular basis, which is one of the many perks of living abroad. We host international travellers, which allows us to meet people from all over the world. And many of our friends from back home have come to visit, like the guests we’re entertaining today.

We have a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home on the beach, with everything brand-new and all amenities (A/C, parking and two terrazzas, for example). We pay about $2,500 per month (everything included—utilities, internet, phone, etc.) But we have a killer deal—and, looking at listings now, a comparable apartment would go for $4,800/month.

But that doesn’t mean you won’t find something in your price range here. We have a friend with a very small, older, two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment and he only pays €500 ($780) per month, plus utilities.

If you have a budget of $1,400, you can get a pretty normal two- or three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in the centre, close to the beach.

If you want a second bathroom, and some nice Western amenities like A/C, then you need at least a $1,600 budget.

Whatever you decide to spend, take it from us, it’ll be money well spent. As we sit together on our balcony overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, sipping cava and enjoying good company, I can hardly believe that this is my life.

I’m in paradise, and I’m not on holiday. I live here—and what a wonderful life it is.

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In recent years Girona has attracted artists and artisans, who like its intimate feel and slower pace

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On one side of the Onyer lies the old medieval city, or ciutat vell, which includes one of the largest and best-preserved Jewish Quarters, or juderías, in Europe. I recommend walking boots (and plenty of rest stops) if you plan to walk the judería’s narrow cobbled streets, which wind up and around steep hills. But the medieval buildings, mostly in weathered, cream-coloured stone, are worth the climb. A number of these have been converted into small hotels or private homes, offering panoramic views of the city.

Most of the new city lies on the opposite side of the Onyer. Just over the river is the popular Plaça de la Independència, whose colonnades are lined with restaurants and tapas bars. In late afternoon, all the locals gather here to stroll and to stop for a drink. A glass of good local wine at a terraza here starts at €2.50 ($3.90) and it comes with a dish of tasty, locally cured olives as a tapa, for free.

Girona has plenty of lively bars and restaurants. A gourmet-quality menú del día here costs €12 to €15 ($19 to $23). And, this being a student town, there are plenty of simpler, cheaper options available, too.

Girona is easy to reach. It’s only about 80 kilometres from Barcelona’s international airport, and there are train and bus services. But Girona is also only 13 kilometres from the Girona-Costa Brava Airport, a hub for low-cost European airline Ryanair (website: www.ryanair.com), which offers cheap flights all over Europe.

http://www.ryanair.com


Real estate examples in GironaDepending on where you look in central Girona, a one- to two-bedroom

apartment can run from the low $100,000s to about US$380,000. Because this area is quite small, it’s worth looking around. You can also look outside the centre.

• Near the university is a 50-square-metre apartment that was recently for sale. A second-floor apartment, it’s in a tranquil part of Girona, with plenty of green space nearby. Price: €37,000 ($57,720).

• A cozy, 25-square-metre studio apartment, with one bathroom and right in the town centre, was recently for sale. Price: €77,000 ($120,120).

• A light and airy two-bedroom, one-bath duplex in the town centre was recently available. It has 55 square metres of space and plenty of windows. Price: €135,000 ($210,600).

Rentals:

Rents for central Girona start as low as €425 ($660) a month, though these often are student-style digs. From about €550 ($860) a month, though, you can get one or two bedrooms and from about 65 square metres of space, all in good condition.

From as little as €750 ($1,170) a month, you’ll get a family-sized apartment, with perhaps three bedrooms and 93 square metres or more of living space.

ValenciaSouth of Cataluña lies the Autonomous Community of Valencia.

The climate is mild, tending toward hot and humid as you reach the Mediterranean coast. The garden of central Spain, inland Valencia is home to vast vineyards and to cultivated fields, growing vegetables of all kinds. Valencia also grows rice—not surprising in a region whose signature dish is paella.

But most tourists know Valencia for its coast. The best-known stretch, which runs from Valencia south to Alicante, is known as the Costa Blanca. Less well known is the Costa de Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast), which runs from Valencia north to about Castellón, in Cataluña. Most of this coast is lined with small beach towns, which are separated by rocky outcrops, where the inland hills run right down to the water.

The port city of Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city, is the capital of the

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Autonomous Community. The city proper has about 809,000 inhabitants, with somewhere in the two-million range in the greater metropolitan area. Valencia’s port is a heavy hitter: it’s the largest container port on the Mediterranean and the fifth-largest in Europe.

Needless to say, the sea plays a key role here, from the port to the prevalent seafood in Valencia’s beautiful Central Market. (Though don’t turn your nose up at the wealth of beautiful vegetables…or the toasted, salted marcona almonds that are a specialty here.)

Valencia is a business city. Expats tend to pass on it and live instead in the small beach towns or in Alicante, the Community’s second-largest city. And tourists tend to overlook Valencia in favour of Madrid and Barcelona. But the city has a lot to offer.

This is a prosperous Autonomous Community. It also has its own language, Valenciano, which is related to Catalán. (Some experts consider it a dialect of Catalán…but don’t call it that in the locals’ presence.) Valenciano holds co-official status with Castilian here, with newspapers and television stations in Valenciano, as well as street signs and the like. But locals here are less dogmatic about the use of their language than Catalans are, and they readily speak Spanish. In the many tourist areas, English is also widely spoken.

For tourists, Valencia also offers a mild, Mediterranean climate, urban beaches, plenty of culture, and a large historic center to wander

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Valencia Capital

At a sidewalk café in the Plaça de Sant Jaume, patrons chat over their cafés con leche or sit reading the paper, their dogs lying patiently at their feet. Trees shade this corner of the city from the summer sun, turning the café and its little square into oases of cool, civilised tranquility. Yet mere steps away is the busy Plaça de la Mare de Déu (Plaza de la Virgen, in Spanish), with its government buildings, spouting fountain, and camera-toting tourists from a dozen countries.

It’s a meandering walk to Sant Jaume along the narrow streets of the ciutat vella, the old city. At practically every corner, it seems, is a plaza, a medieval building or a row of elegant, neo-classical facades. This is one of Europe’s largest and best-preserved historic centres; it can take days to explore it all. And after you’ve done that, there are still the many modern neighbourhoods to see, with their shops, museums, concert halls, parks, and chic apartment buildings.

Relatively few Australian tourists come to Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city and a major business centre. And that’s too bad. Because this is a great city.

As in Barcelona, music is important here. And Las Fallas, Valencia’s most important festival, is in a class by itself—a pyromaniac’s dream. Held for five days around the Feast of St. Joseph on March 19, Las Fallas is known for its superb fireworks, and for the incredibly elaborate and detailed sculptures (some as big as a city block), made in papier-mâché, which are on display during the festival. On the last evening of Las Fallas, the papier-mâché sculptures are set ablaze all over the city, and smoke, sparks and ashes fill the air.

For tourists, Valencia also offers a mild, Mediterranean climate, urban beaches, plenty of culture, and that large historic centre to wander. And if you’re looking for a place in Europe to call home, whether full- or part-time, you’ll find in Valencia all the First-World lifestyle, urban amenities and real estate you could want…and costing a fraction of what you’d pay in Madrid or Barcelona. This is comfortable urban living at very affordable prices.

And this city is a particular bargain. Hard hit by the recession, Valencia offers bargain rates on everything from real estate to menús del día. It’s a great time to be considering this city.

Culture, beaches, and eight months of summer

Valencia’s climate is famously mild. Two summer months, generally July and August, are hot, with temperatures hovering around 30 C, with high

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humidity. And about two months of winter, generally December and January, can be chilly and damp. But the rest of the year—a full eight months—Valencia enjoys summery and spring-like weather, when only short sleeves or, at most, a light jacket are needed.

This is a seaside city. Valencia lies smack in the middle of Spain’s Mediterranean coastline, almost 322 kilometres south of Barcelona and about 129 kilometres north of Alicante. It’s Spain’s largest container port on the Mediterranean, and it also has long stretches of beach right in the city—you can take a bus or the metro there. Seaside restaurants and small hotels line the beachfront, and palm trees are everywhere, all over the city, leaving no doubt that you’re in a warm-weather climate.

The city is also very green. There are numerous parks. But even more importantly, a great swath of greenway runs from northwest to southeast, in a long curve right through the middle of the city, all the way to the sea. Called the Turia Gardens, this swath was once the riverbed of the River Turia. Today, it’s home to green meadows, giant shade trees, walking and bicycle paths, and kiddie gardens. Toward its seaward end, the Turia Gardens are home to the City of Arts and Sciences: a vast entertainment complex that includes a planetarium, a science museum, the largest ocean aquarium in Europe, an opera house and performing-arts centre, an IMAX cinema and more.

Joggers, cyclists, people walking their dogs, and business types heading to the Turia Gardens’ metro stop, Alameda, can all be found in the park. I even enjoyed tapas here one night, sitting tranquilly amidst trees and chirping birds—yet only a five-minute walk from Valencia’s historic centre. For the ciutat vella—as well as a number of other pleasant residential neighbourhoods—sits right alongside the Turia Gardens.

Valencia has both a metro and an extensive bus system. (You can even get to Valencia’s international airport, 10 kilometres outside town, via metro.) A number of central neighbourhoods, many within walking distance of the Turia Gardens, offer attractive living options.

The Ciutat Vella: Living with history

Valencia’s historic centre, the ciutat vella (as it’s called in Valenciano), is practically a city-within-a-city. It’s filled with narrow, cobbled streets, some medieval Christian towers and monuments, the 13th-century cathedral, and remains of Moorish walls, all reminders of Valencia’s 2,000-year-old history. But it’s hardly a relic. It’s crisscrossed with a few broad, modern streets, which house shops on the ground floor, and most ordinary buildings look 19th


century or later. Valencia’s main city and provincial government buildings are in the ciutat vella. So are the Valencia Stock Exchange, the main bank offices, some museums, and the city’s huge central market.

Though the ciutat vella is where the tourists flock, it’s also home to some 26,000 locals. Many of the ciutat vella’s neo-classical buildings have been converted into apartments, some of them quite large, family-sized dwellings. And, away from the main plazas where the tourists congregate, the old city can be quite a tranquil place to live.

This is particularly true of the eastern part that borders the Turia Gardens. It’s a stable neighbourhood of narrow streets, and offers a range of properties, with prices starting at about €100,000 ($156,000). Decent furnished rentals in this neighbourhood start at about €500 ($780).

The ciutat vella’s southern end is more commercial, with several pedestrian-only streets of shops, fast-food outlets and large, multilevel stores, which are part of the Spanish chain El Corte Inglés. This area tends to be crowded during shopping hours and rather noisy for living. But it’s an easy walk here from elsewhere in the ciutat vella. And the presence of these stores—plus the central market and the many small shops scattered around—means you can buy just about anything you’d want within the confines of the ciutat vella.

The El Carmen neighbourhood, in the ciutat vella’s northwest corner, is the bohemian, artsy area. Parts of it, such as the charming Plaça de Sant Jaume, have a slight Left-Bank feel to them. This area attracts a lot of young, both as tourists and residents, and some streets can be noisy late at night.

But El Carmen is also where you’ll find proportionally more real estate for sale or rent. The bargain properties are often not renovated or are in non-elevator buildings. But renovated apartments on lower floors of non-elevator buildings can start at less than €100,000 ($156,000).

Turia Garden is home to green meadows, giant shade trees, walking

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El Carmen is definitely a neighbourhood you’d want to explore in person before buying or renting a specific apartment. Some parts of El Carmen are charming, while other streets look rundown. But every place in the old city is safe.

El Pla del Real

Due east of the ciutat vella, across the Turia Gardens, is a district known as Pla del Real. This is a more modern neighbourhood, with a layout that’s typical of upscale neighbourhoods in Spanish cities. Streets are wide, with broad sidewalks on each side, lending an open, airy feel. Most buildings are mid-rise—perhaps eight to 10 stories. Shops are on the ground floor and balconied apartments above. Here you’ll find hairdressers, clothing boutiques, green grocers, outdoor cafés…even a school, and the university is walking distance away. There are two metro stops nearby, and a convenient bus service.

The neighbourhood is also rich in park space. The Turia Gardens form its southern border, while a large park called the Royal Gardens lies to the west. (Valencia’s Fine Arts Museum anchors the Royal Gardens, so you’re steps away from it.)

Many apartments in this area are three-bedroom, with sizes for two- to three-bedroom units starting at around 65 square metres. Sale prices for apartments start at about €85,000 ($132,600), though you should generally expect to pay in the low $100,000s and up.

If you’re looking to rent, you can choose among some large, beautiful, furnished apartments in this neighbourhood. Small, furnished studio and one-bedroom apartments (in the 50-square-metre range) run in the low €400s (low $600s) a month. But in the €750-a-month range ($1,170), you can have a two- to three-bedroom apartment with 100 or more square metres of space and high-quality furnishings. You’d have to pay at least twice that much for comparable digs in Madrid or Barcelona.

Extramurs

The district of Extramurs—litreally “outside the walls”—lies south of the ciutat vella, and just west of the Renfe train tracks and stations. Toss aside any preconceptions about grubby train-station neighbourhoods. Extramurs is surprisingly pleasant and upscale, with some broad boulevards, smaller streets, and plenty of shops and residences. It’s short on green spaces, but the commercial end of the ciutat vella is just north of here for easy shopping. And you’re just a short walk to the train station. (Valencia’s charming old train


station, the Estació del Nord, is now used for local trains. Behind it is the new Joaquín Sorolla station, which serves the high-speed AVE trains that can get you to Madrid in about two hours or to Barcelona in three.)

You can find small, renovated one- and two-bedroom apartments in this area selling for as little as €60,000 to €75,000 ($93,600 to $117,000), but they’ll be in buildings without elevators. Apartments in elevator buildings start in the low $100,000s.

Rentals in this district are astonishingly cheap. You can find a number of furnished apartments for €400 to €500 a month. (That’s just $620 to $780.) For those prices, you may be willing to forego the green spaces and buy a plant (for your balcony with a view) instead.

L’Eixample

For those who want to go upscale, there’s the L’Eixample district, especially the neighbourhood known as El Pla del Remei. Lying southeast of the ciutat vella, El Pla del Remei is home to designer boutiques and the well-heeled crowd. Here you’ll find the chic Mercado Colón, with its wine bars, coffee shops and seafood restaurants catering to the blue-suit population.

This neighbourhood is quiet and well-groomed, with impeccable buildings and manicured shade trees. You’re within easy walking distance of the Turia Gardens and of the ciutat vella. Not surprisingly, El Pla del Remei isn’t cheap. But for one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in the city, it’s not that expensive, either. Expect sale properties to start in the low to mid-€200,000s (low to mid-$300,000s) for one and two-bedroom apartments.

For the nicer parts of L’Eixample, like El Pla del Remei, expect to pay in the €1,000-a-month range (about $1,560) for a furnished rental with around 93 square metres of space. Nice unfurnished rentals start at around €750 ($1,170) a month.

Real estate in Valencia Capital• In the El Carmen area of the ciutat vella, a 73-square-metre apartment,

with one bedroom, one bathroom, and French windows in the living room/dining room, giving onto a 39-metre terrace. It’s in an elevator building. Price: €130,000 ($202,800).

• A modern, furnished, two-bedroom, one-bathroom penthouse, right in the heart of the ciutat vella, was recently available. The split-level apartment has high ceilings, brick walls, and a balcony off the dining room in 85 square metres of space. Price: €180,000 ($280,800 for sale

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or for rent at €800 ($1,248) a month.

• In the L’Eixample neighbourhood, a modern, furnished, two-bedroom, one-bath apartment with a balcony. The apartment has 70 square metres. Price: €125,000 ($195,000).

• A one-bedroom, one-bath apartment in the L’Eixample neighbourhood is available for sale or rent. It is in a refurbished period building with an elevator. The apartment has 65 square metres of space and is being rented unfurnished on a 12-month lease. Price: €165,000 ($257,400) for sale or €570/month ($890) for rent.

Alicante by Steenie Harvey

Even travel writers need escapes. One of my favourite getaways is Alicante, on Spain’s Costa Blanca.

I’ll admit I’ve disparaged “the Costas” in the past. Spain-without-the-Spanish...paunchy northern Europeans overdosing on sun, sex and cheap booze...Sunday roasts and greasy fry-ups...hideous plastic donkeys...concrete jungles...acres of lookalike holiday homes.

So why Alicante (or Alacant, as it’s called in Valenciano)? Well, there’s a big difference between seaside cities and purpose-built resorts. Alicante is lively, sunny and inexpensive, for sure. But it’s also charming, fairly sophisticated, and its ambience is as Spanish as Madrid’s. And the Costa Blanca’s climate is arguably the best in Europe, with 325 sunny days a year and low humidity.

A Mediterranean city of over 334,000 people is obviously no secret. But most visitors are Spaniards—the majority of foreigners only encounter Alicante’s airport. As it’s the gateway to sprawling Benidorm and other Costa Blanca resorts, there are flights from across Europe.

Yet Alicante also has splendid beaches—eight in total. San Juan beach alone stretches for over six kilometres. Below St. Barbara’s Castle, an old Moorish fortress, there’s a marina, parks, shady plazas, cinemas and a theatre.

Lined with palm trees and paved with 6.5 million marble tiles, the Explanada is the promenade. It’s perfect for the paseo, the evening stroll when everyone is out and about, eating ice creams and chatting outside café-bars. For a cool-down, non-alcoholic drink, try iced horchata—made from tiger-nut milk. The city centre is also partly pedestrianised, so traffic isn’t a nuisance.

Flanked by the Explanada, El Postiguet is Alicante’s pristine in-town


beach. Like all Spanish beaches, it’s free. If you haven’t got your own paraphernalia, you can hire an umbrella and two sunbeds for €12 ($19). Public transport is excellent, and regular buses serve beaches further from the centre.

As Alicante keeps traditional Spanish hours, your body clock may need adjusting. If you want an early lunch, think 2 p.m.; sitting down at 3 p.m. isn’t considered late. Most stores and offices close for the three-hour afternoon siesta. They don’t reopen until 5 p.m. for the shopping/work evening session.

My favourite restaurant is Casa Ibarra, cornering Plaza Santísima Faz and Calle Mayor, on the old town’s edge. With a choice of starters and mains, the two-course menú del día at lunchtimes is a bargain €10 ($15.60) and a bottle of house wine is included. Homemade classics often include gazpacho and paella. And fish fans won’t go wrong with merluza (hake) or emperador (swordfish).

At night, I didn’t go out to eat until 9.30 p.m. or even 10 p.m. Lunch is so filling, it can be a good idea to opt for tapas instead of dinner. Cod or ham croquettes, green peppers and patatas bravas (fried potatoes in spicy sauce) are staples, but you’ll also encounter unusual morsels such as squid stuffed with morcilla (blood pudding).

Depending on choices and portion sizes, a couple can feast well on a tapas selection for €20 ($31.20), sometimes less. In most bars and restaurants, beers

Narrow, centuries-old streets fill Alicante’s old town, just a short walk from its beaches.

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cost €1 to €1.50 ($1.50 to $2.30) and a bottle of Rioja is €8 to €10 ($12.50 to $15.60). There are numerous tapas bars in the modern quarter and Barrio Santa Cruz. With its little houses and flower-filled lanes huddled below the fortress, this is the city’s oldest neighbourhood.

But a tapas crawl is only the start of things. By midnight, I’m usually heading to Ruta 13 or El Tributo, a couple of goth/heavy metal bars behind the Mercado Central, the covered food market. Few music bars and clubs get going until the wee hours, so the Alicante lifestyle definitely suits creatures of the night.

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Below St. Barbara’s Castle, an old Moorish fortress, there’s a marina, parks, shady plazas and lots of beautiful beaches

Real estate in Alicante and the Costa BlancaPrices in Alicante have plummeted since the Spanish market went into

freefall. Five years ago, you wouldn’t have got a poky beach studio for €90,000 ($136,000). Nowadays, that buys a furnished one-bedroom, 45-square-metre apartment with sea views, five minutes from central Alicante.

Rentals:

If you’re looking to rent, rates for long-term rentals are appealing and there’s plenty on offer. Rentals start at about €400 ($603) but you’ll find more on offer starting at about €500 ($754).


• A modern, furnished, two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment was recently available in central Alicante. With 70 square metres of space, it’s located right near Alicante’s fabulous central market. Price: €73,000 ($110,000) for sale or €375 ($565) a month for rent, including maintenance fees.

• A number of apartments are available in central and historic Alicante in the €400 to €450 range ($603 to $678). Typical is a furnished, modern one-bedroom in a modern high-rise, elevator building, with 64 square metres of space. It’s in the heart of central Alicante and within walking distance of El Postiguet beach. Price: €450 ($678) a month.

For Sale:

• A three-bedroom attic apartment with 87 square metres of space, on the second line from the beach, was recently for sale. It has one complete bath, a living room/dining room with a terrace, panoramic water views, and semi-exclusive access to a large roof terrace. It’s located near the port and about five minutes from the Alicante town centre. Price: €96,000 ($145,000).

Alicante: Will it get under your skin, too?by Koren Helbig

I arrived in Alicante planning to stay just a few months, thinking I’d wait out Spain’s scorching summer months here, beside the city’s languorous stretch of Mediterranean coastline, a chance to relax and recharge before returning to a larger city.

My German landlord eyed me dubiously. He’d moved here a decade ago, planning to stay just one year. “There’s something about this city that gets under your skin and makes you never want to leave,” he told me. “You watch. You’ll still be here next year.”

It was only last month that I realised his prediction had come true. Not only had I clocked up a year here, but I’d fallen in love with the place.

Alicante may not have the bustling importance of the Madrid capital, the flashy sophistication of tourist-draw Barcelona, or even the bohemian street art that splashes the buildings of its nearest big city, Valencia.

But this little place, home to about 330,000 people, offers an unbeatable combination of comfortable city living and relaxed country friendliness. Alicante

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shows its city side by always offering something to do, whether it’s dressing up for fiestas and concerts, or getting fancy at the theatre or a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Like Spaniards right across this grand country, Alicantinos know how to party, especially during the famed Bonfires of Saint John (Hogueras de San Juan), a crazy five-day cacophony of noise and dancing. It’s impossible not to enjoy yourself as endless parades snake through the streets, huge fireworks boom across the city twice a day and, on the final night, giant artistic monuments are burnt to the ground around midnight. It’s an extravagant tradition, which perfectly illustrates the city’s fun-loving and gregarious personality.

At the same time, the people here are small-town friendly, always ready to stop and chat, reflecting the Spain-wide culture that family and friends come first. Too often, I’ve found myself abandoning errands, having bumped into a friend on the street and then somehow gravitated to a rowdy tapas bar, filled with loudly chattering locals, sipping contentedly at cañas (small glasses of beer).

Disconnecting from the city’s hubbub is as easy as a weekend walk among the surrounding mountains or lazy day at one of the many picture-perfect beaches and coves nearby. While Alicante has its own little beach, just 15 minutes away by tram is San Juan, a seven-kilometre stretch of uninterrupted white sand. They don’t call this area the Costa Blanca (White Coast) for nothing.

Like so much of Spain, living here is astonishingly cheap. A decent restaurant meal with a caña can set you back as little as $10, and there’s an abundance of fresh food available—at even cheaper prices—at the daily central market. With an international airport, and train station offering high-speed connections to Madrid and beyond, I’ve found Alicante a great hub from which to experience Europe.

I particularly love that Alicante has two distinct rhythms. In the summer, the city transforms into a sunshine playground for holidaying Spaniards and foreigners from further afield, especially the British, Germans and Russians. Gelato shops spring up on almost every street, men walk the beaches selling ice-cold cans of beer, and a myriad of languages bubble through the streets.

Things slow down as the weather grows colder and the tourists head home. Yet winter here is entirely pleasant as the temperature rarely drops below 10 degrees. Most days, the sky remains a crystal-clear blue, and the wide beaches become yours alone to wander and explore.

All of this adds up to that special something my German landlord spoke of, which allows Alicante to get under your skin...until you never want to leave.


Murcia: The Costa Cálidaby Steenie Harvey

Between Andalucia and Valencia, Murcia is an Autonomous Community that gets overlooked in the dash elsewhere—usually further south to the Costa del Sol or north to the Costa Blanca. Most summer holidaymakers here in Murcia are Spanish.

Relatively few outsiders know about its 241 kilometres of mostly unspoiled Mediterranean coastline. There are a handful of seaside towns, but they’re not overbuilt. Homes are mostly low-rise. All that punctuates large swathes of its coast are sandy beaches, hidden coves, peculiar rock formations, and fishing villages.

Murcia’s hilly hinterland, Spain’s “market garden”, is patch-worked with groves of citrus fruit, almonds, olives and fig trees. Some areas are given over to salad crops and vegetables, often grown inside giant poly-tunnels. I won’t pretend poly-tunnels are pretty, but produce is certainly fresh and inexpensive. In markets, figure $1.80 or less for a kilo of almost anything. Half a kilo of some of the sweetest clementines I’ve tasted cost 75 cents.

Cartagena combines history and architecture with a waterfront promenade and extensive shopping opportunities

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The regional capital here is also called Murcia. With narrow streets, sunny squares and 3,000 years of history, it’s a lovely baroque city to stroll around. Its bars are renowned for Spain’s most interesting tapas. One good hunting ground for tapas bars is Barrio del Carmen, the old town, especially in the adjoining squares of Plaza de las Flores and Plaza Santa Catalina.

It was pure coincidence that I stumbled across a wine-tasting event hosted by bodegas from the region’s north—three big glasses of quality nectar for €5 ($7.50). But it’s hard to avoid special events in Murcia city. Cultural highlights include mock “Moors and Christians” battles, Easter Holy Week processions, and an offbeat spring fiesta—the Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine).

Murcia’s main coastal settlement is Cartagena. A naval base, it combines history and architecture—there’s a Roman amphitheatre—with a waterfront promenade and extensive shopping opportunities. There’s a lot to see, so try to include it on any scouting trip.

Costa Cálida means “the warm coast”, and whoever thought up the name was not kidding. Summer temperatures in Murcia soar above 32 C, with at least 320 days of sunshine annually. But in winter, early-December afternoon temperatures can nudge 21 C. Scarfs and cardigans aren’t needed then, but sunblock would be useful. You’ll find sunbathers out, and even a few swimmers.

Some of Spain’s finest beaches...pink flamingoes and therapeutic mud baths...steeped-in-tradition towns… All reasons to put Murcia in a “European escapes” notebook, but they’re not the only reasons. On the coast, spacious furnished rentals are $680 to $885 monthly. Many quality apartments with sea views are under $173,000. And prices inland can be half that much.

Murcia real estate examples• A four-bedroom, two-bath apartment in central Murcia city was recently

for sale. With lots of light, and a balcony off the large dining room, the apartment has 110 square metres in all. Price: €115,000 ($179,400).

• Just outside Murcia city’s centro, in an upscale area near parks and a pool, is a 74-square-metre, two-bedroom, one-bath apartment, which recently was on offer. The modern apartment comes with a garage space in the price. Price: €136,500 ($212,940).

• Long-term rental rates in central Murcia city start at about €400 ($620) a month for a smaller apartment. From about €600 ($940) a month, you can get as much as 93 square metres of space. You’ll find both furnished


and unfurnished properties. Typical of what’s on offer is a furnished, 38-square-metre, one-bedroom, one-bath apartment, right by the cathedral in central Murcia city. Rent: €450 ($700) a month.

• Another typical rental is a light, airy, three-bedroom, one-bath apartment in central Murcia city, right in the historic area, and near shopping and services. It has 100 square metres of space and comes fully furnished. Rent: €650 ($1,014) a month.

Puerto de MazarrónSheltered by low mountains, Puerto de Mazarrón is one of my favourite

locations. An active fishing port as well as a beach town, it’s the Bay of Mazarrón’s focal point. Its 15,000 permanent residents have a good range of shops and supermarkets, as well as a covered market and Sunday street markets—it’s a proper town. But it also has stunning beaches, miles of promenade, a new marina, and numerous bars and restaurants. Scuba diving, shore fishing and sailing are year-round activities.

The Bay of Mazarrón is strung with more than 30 beaches and curious rock erosions, particularly around Bolnuevo. Looking almost otherworldly at sunset, a scenic road south to Aguilas goes past hills splashed into bizarre colours by mineral ores. Head north and you’re into the Sierra Espuña National Park, with its hiking trails. And, like anywhere in southern Spain, a golf course is never far away.

Sun down on the Bay of Mazarrón

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For a big-city fix, Cartagena is a 30-minute drive. The motorway network means it’s feasible to see Granada’s fabulous Moorish architecture on a day trip. Slam your foot on the pedal, and you could be swooning over the Alhambra in just over two hours.

Real estate in Puerto de MazarrónReal estate in Puerto Mazarrón is very affordable. Apartments of 50 square

metres start at about €50,000 ($78,000). Small apartments right near the beach start for just slightly more, though the price will jump if you want space and views.

• Typical of the offerings is an 89-square-metre apartment in the town centre. A three-bedroom, two-bathroom property, it has a separate kitchen, a living room/dining room, a laundry room, a garage space, and it’s near the boardwalk. Price: €79,500 ($124,000).

• If sea views are your thing, a two-bedroom, one-bath apartment, with panoramic views of the mountains and the Bay of Mazarrón, was recently for sale. It has 65 square metres of interior space, plus a 70-square-metre private terrace, accessible from the living room and the master bedroom. The apartment comes totally furnished and includes an underground parking space, as well as access to a community pool. Price: €165,000 ($257,400).

Rentals:

Rentals are equally reasonable. You can rent apartments long-term, starting at about €350 ($546) a month. But holiday rentals are also inexpensive here, working out to as little as about €15 ($23) per person per night..

Andalusia (Andalucía)Andalucía is the classic Spain of film lore: strumming guitars, dark-eyed

gypsies, flamenco dancers, bullfighting, Moorish palaces… And you can find all that here, as well as some of Spain’s most popular beach destinations.

But there is much more to this huge region… Inland, mountain ranges, dotted with villages, create dramatic scenery. Sevilla, Córdoba and Granada—Andalucía’s culture triangle—serve up lively nightlife as well as an exotic Moorish ambience. The Sherry-producing region, around Jerez de la Frontera, offers seafood with that Sherry, and some of the finest horseflesh (and horseback-riding) in Europe. And, despite the floods of tourists, former fishing villages along the coast still ooze charm.


The Autonomous Community of Andalucía is Spain’s most populous, with about 8.5 million people. It’s also the second-largest in the country, covering more than 87,000 square kilometres in eight provinces. Most of the population is concentrated in the cities, however, so much of the countryside looks dramatically wild and ripe for exploring.

Though, economically, Andalucía is one of Spain’s poorest regions, culturally it’s very rich: Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Moors…they all staked a claim here and left their mark. The area around Huelva, in western Andalucía, is thought to be the site of Tartessos, an early city-state whose zenith was about 1100 BC. The Moors were here longer than in anyplace else in Spain. They’ve left remains of cities and fortresses throughout Andalucía, and their influence is felt even today. Andaluces, as locals are called, continue to have a very strong regional identity.

Andalucía’s Costa del Sol, on Spain’s southern border, looking across the strait at North Africa, is a major destination for European holidaymakers. Less well-known is the Costa de la Luz. It lies in western Andalucía, and includes the Cádiz and Huelva area.

Andalucía’s provinces are Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Sevilla. (The capital of each province bears the same name as the province.) Sevilla is the capital of Andalucía as a whole.

Málaga and the Costa del SolMálaga, on Spain’s southern Mediterranean coast, is the gateway to the

Costa del Sol, long one of Spain’s biggest beach-tourism regions. Málaga’s international airport greets more than 12 million tourists, primarily Europeans, each year on their way to Torremolinos, Marbella, and a dozen or more whitewashed villages along this coast, which today make their living from tourism.

Half of these tourists never spend time in Málaga itself. And that’s a shame. For this city of half-a-million people (more than a million in the major metropolitan area) is lovely and lively, with a rich history, plenty of shops and museums, and food to die for.

That wasn’t always the case. Twenty years ago, Málaga was definitely scruffy. But since then, the city government has given Málaga a makeover. It has doubled the length of the city’s cheerful, seaside boardwalk. It has smartened up the harbour area, which now offers well-maintained park space and the trendy Muelle Uno (Wharf One), a long wharf lined with shops and restaurants. A huge section of the city centre is pedestrian-only and enticingly

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chock-a-block with hotels, shops, restaurants and museums, including the Museo Picasso Málaga (Picasso was born here; you can read more about it on page 155) and the Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga.

Incredibly tourist-friendly, the city centre is also consumption-savvy. It’s a disciplined soul who can pass by the cheerful outdoor cafés, the ice cream parlours, and the many beckoning shops without pulling out a wallet to buy something. Who would want to forego those pleasures on a bright, sunny day, anyway? And in Málaga, about 300 days a year are sunny and bright, with average annual temperatures ranging from 13 C to 23 C.

If you’re into history, Málaga has one of the oldest histories in the world. Founded by the Phoenicians nearly 3,000 years ago, it was ruled and settled successively by ancient Carthage, the Roman Empire and the Moors, who ruled Spain for nearly 800 years. Today, you can still visit the excavated Roman amphitheatre and a medieval Moorish neighbourhood, the Alcazaba. Both are in the city centre (and conveniently near popular restaurants like El Pimpi, where you can rest with a drink and a tapa after viewing the ruins).

Unlike cities such as Córdoba and Granada, though, Málaga doesn’t use its pedigree as its calling card to fame. Rather, it’s a major business and financial centre; the fourth-largest in Spain in terms of economic activity. High tech, industry and, increasingly, transportation are all big here. (In addition to the international airport, you can get ferries to nearby North Africa from the port, the fourth-largest in the country. And the centrally-located train and bus stations can take you all over Spain. The high-speed AVE train can get you from Málaga to Madrid in three hours and on to Barcelona in seven.)

Málaga’s industrial focus proves a saving grace. Because Málaga doesn’t rely totally on tourism, it manages to remain a “real” Spanish city. Especially

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The Spanish government has given Málaga a makeover, and smartened up the harbor area


outside the centre, there is a sense that life goes on as it does anywhere else in Spain (and with non-tourist prices to prove it). Spanish is still spoken everywhere—but you can get by in English, too.

For full- or part-time living, Málaga is a great choice for expats who want big-city life by the sea. As in other Spanish cities, centrally-located living tends to be in apartments or condos, which are small by Australian standards. An acceptable size for a couple in a two-bedroom apartment is about 88 square metres. (Many Spaniards, in fact, live happily in 56-square-metre apartments.)

One neighbourhood I especially like is Huelín. It’s less than five kilometres from the historic centre, in a neighbourhood known as the Carretera de Cádiz (Cádiz highway).

Twenty years ago, Huelín was a working-class, fishermen’s neighbourhood…but the city was already expanding the seaside boardwalk, the paseo maritimo, out this way. Today, Huelín is a lively, middle-class neighbourhood of good-quality apartment housing, with plenty of bars and restaurants, supermarkets and other amenities. Bus service is frequent, and a metro line from the centre to Huelín is under construction. The main bus station

While in Málaga, visit the excavated Roman amphitheater and the medieval Moorish neighborhood, the Alcazaba

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and the María Zambrano train station, which sit conveniently back-to-back, are not far away.

Real estate in MálagaReal estate prices have dropped in Málaga in recent years, as financially

strapped owners have been forced to sell. Modern apartments in the 74-square-metre range, right in the historic centre, start in the low- to mid-€100,000s (roughly, $150,000 up to about $200,000). If you’re willing to take on some renovation, you can find apartments below €100,000 ($156,000).

In Huelín, you can find small one- and two-bedroom apartments for sale for under €100,000 (about $156,000), though many may require some updating. And $900 in rent can get you about 84 square metres of living space—you may even get a sea view with it.

Neighbourhoods similar to Huelín are nearby. If you plan a longer stay in the area, it’s worth looking beyond the centro at the string of neighbourhoods near the sea.

Here are some typical listings:

• In the historic centre, right by the Museo Thyssen, a two-bedroom, one-bathroom attic apartment was recently for sale. In a five-year-old building in traditional style, the apartment has exterior views and a total of 90 square metres, including an enclosed balcony. The apartment gets lots of natural light and the floors are marble. Price: €165,000 ($227,700).

• In Huelín, an 85-square-metre, two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment was recently for sale. It’s conveniently near all shopping. Price: €80,000 ($110,400).

Rentals:

Long-term leases in Málaga’s historic centre start at about €500 ($780) a month for one-bedroom apartments (about 55 square metres), and at about €650 ($1,014) a month for a two-bedroom apartment. In still-central areas like Huelín, where you can walk or take buses everywhere, two-bedroom apartments start at about €400 ($620). Short-term holiday leases will be higher—plan on €900 to €1,000 ($1,400 to $1,500) a month. Also higher will be rentals in the high summer season (July and August) or around year-end holidays.

• For long-term rentals, a spectacular two-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex apartment was recently on offer in the La Victoria area, just outside the


historic centre. The duplex has 85 square metres of space, has a terrace, and comes with a fully equipped kitchen (but is otherwise unfurnished). Rent includes maintenance fees, and a garage space in the building is available for an additional €85 ($130) a month. Rent: €725 ($1,130) a month.

• A three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Huelín was recently on offer. With 75 square metres of space, the apartment comes totally furnished and is just a block or so from the paseo maritimo. Maintenance fees and water bills are included in the rent. Rent: €550 ($860) a month.

Note: If you’d like a short-term rental, either to holiday in Málaga or have a base while looking for longer-term accommodation, Airbnb (website: www.airbnb.com) has several listings for lovely, centrally located apartments, which can be rented for as long as a month for under $1,800. Daily and weekly rentals are also available.

Mijas, Ojén and Torrox by Nazareen Heazle

It’s a sun-drenched morning as I stand at a lookout point above the town of Mijas. Below me, the gleaming white buildings, with their roofs of rust-red tile, tumble down the mountainside. The pine-covered hills of the Sierra de Mijas mountain range reach up into the clear sky to my right. On my left, I can see the Costa del Sol—the Sun Coast—with the glittering Mediterranean Sea stretching to the horizon.

It’s a comfortable 19 C here in Mijas, which is located in southernmost Spain. With more than 2,800 hours of sunshine a year around these parts, it’s the perfect place to escape a harsh winter back home.

And it’s affordable. A couple can live well for about $3,300 a month, including $800 in rent. You can own your own little piece of romantic Spain for less than $150,000. If you’re looking for a full- or part-time escape, complete with all the romance of the Old World, then look no further than Mijas and its sister mountain towns in Andalusia.

This part of Spain is already a popular snowbird destination for Europeans. Just a short drive away from pretty towns like Mijas is the hustle and bustle of the Costa del Sol. But up here, life is slow, unhurried and more authentic.

Mijas is my personal favourite. Cornflower-blue pots, brimming with pink flowers, dot the town, and tropical-green palm trees surround the main square. Málaga’s international airport is just a 20-minute drive away. But

http://www.airbnb.com


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Mijas manages to maintain its Andalusian look and feel. You can visit the remains of a 14th- and 15th-century fortress opposite the town’s bullring. (Make sure you climb the rickety spiral staircase to the top to get a bird’s-eye view of the town’s lofty position.)

Over the years, Mijas has drawn the creative set to its hilltop. Bright store windows offer handcrafted silver jewellery, inlaid with gemstones, and intricately made glass bowls in various colours.

It’s no secret that Spain’s property market has been at rock-bottom the last few years, but it’s slowly starting to pick up here in Mijas. Buyers, mostly from Western Europe, are making their way back to southern Spain. They are buying with a view to retiring to the area. (Mijas already has a very international community…I met an Irish woman who runs a chocolate shop, and a relocation consultant who’s originally from England.) That’s good news if you like the idea of living here.

If you’d like a town that’s more Spanish and less international, then about a 30-minute drive west of Mijas is the unassuming little town of Ojén. Another of Andalusia’s white towns, Ojén has a small-town vibe and is quieter than Mijas.

It’s sandwiched between the Blanca and Alpujata mountain ranges, clinging to the verdant green Andalusian hills. With its tiered, narrow, cobblestone streets, the town’s signature white buildings almost look as though they’re piggybacking one another. The town’s name comes from an Arabic word meaning a rough or bitter place. But when you stand in the old town, it’s hard to believe that this place was ever that way.

Ojén has a “real” Spanish-town feel to it. It’s peaceful here in the mid-afternoon, as shops close for the traditional siesta. You’ll hear the clink of coffee cups coming from the tiny cafés, as the locals relax during the afternoon. An occasional car squeezes past on one of the slim, steep streets. In the distance, the excited chatter of schoolchildren can be heard, as they’re released from their day’s classes. The pace of life up here is slow and steady.

Both Mijas and Ojén are close to the coast, and the resort town of Marbella. If you need a dose of “big-town” activity or fancy a dip in the Mediterranean, it’s less than a 30-minute drive away. A bustling town of around 140,000, Marbella has everything you could want as an expat…big-name grocery stores, a glut of restaurants and cafés, clothing stores from upscale Gucci to mainstream Zara, and a hospital.

Real estate in Marbella is more expensive than up in the mountains. This is where the European élite decamp for their fix of fun in the sun. But it’s still


affordable. Properties for sale start at around €139,000 ($220,000) for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment about a 10-minute walk from the beach and promenade.

If you like the idea of living in one of these alluring mountain towns, but want to be even closer to the beach, then Torrox ticks all these boxes. This peaceful pueblo is located 40 minutes east of Málaga and about an hour from Marbella. It’s also less than a 10-minute drive from the beach of Ferrara Playa.

In the heart of town, Plaza de la Constitución is a fabulously elegant square, which is home to Torrox’s town hall and a handful of outdoor cafés. Rising up behind the town hall is a terracotta-coloured church with a striped yellow-and-green bell tower roof, standing in stark contrast to the gleaming white village it overlooks.

If you want to spend only part of the year living in Torrox, and you’d like your house to earn you a little extra cash when you’re not there, consider turning it into a holiday rental. While long-term rentals are plentiful here, holiday rentals are scarce. And this is a town that’s a pleasure to spend time in…even for a week or two. I found a three-bedroom townhouse, for instance, that rents for €350 ($550) a week in low season and €550 ($860) in high season.

Living in Torrox would give you the best of both worlds…the romance and intrigue of a Moorish town, but still just minutes from the coast and all the amenities you’d need for everyday living. I’d happily live here, and the good-value real estate prices make it all the more tempting.

Real estate in Mijas, Ojén and Torrox

Mijas:

There’s a good choice of rentals at affordable prices in Mijas. And, despite the return of the European snowbirds, there are still plenty of great-value properties for sale.

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment right in town. Living here puts you close to all the stores, and the apartment also has a private patio area, perfect for enjoying the year-round sun. Price: €85,000 ($132,600).

• In the centre of town, a penthouse apartment with two bedrooms and a balcony, with views of the village and the sea in the distance. Price: €99,000 ($154,440).

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• On the edge of Mijas, a one-bedroom, one-bathroom, furnished apartment, with a communal pool and gardens, is for rent. It has a terrace with views to the village and the coast beyond. Price: €450 ($700) a month.

• A two-bedroom, two-bathroom, fully furnished apartment in the centre of town for rent. Price: €500 ($780) a month.

Ojén:

Finding rentals in Ojén isn’t easy. This is a small town and doesn’t have much of an expat presence. But here are some recent listings we found:

• A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in the upper town, with a terrace that boasts views of the village below and the Marbella coast in the distance. (The glitzy resort town is just a 15-minute drive down the hill.) Price: €160,000 ($250,000) or rent for €500 ($780) a month.

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, which has a fully fitted kitchen, marble floors in the living area, and underground parking. Price: €88,000 ($137,280).

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If you like the idea of living in a mountain town close to the beach, then Torrox ticks all the boxes.


Torrox:

Torrox offers great-value real estate, with townhouses from €80,000 ($124,800) and long-term rentals from as low as €375 ($585) a month.

• A three-bedroom townhouse in the village was recently on the market. Located on the main square, the traditional, whitewashed house also has a bathroom, a large living room, and a spacious terrace with views of the surrounding hills. Price: €80,000 ($124,800).

• A recently renovated white house. This property has living space over three floors, with two bedrooms, a bathroom, an open-plan kitchen/dining room, and two roof terraces (one covered) with mountain and village views. Price: €118,000 ($184,000).

• In the village centre, a long-term rental was recently available. The apartment has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and beautiful views from all the rooms, as they all open onto one of two terraces—one of which faces the ocean and the other, the village itself. Price: €390 ($608) a month.

GranadaGive him alms, woman, for there is nothing sadder

in life than to be blind in Granada.—Francisco de Icaza

Reams of poetry and prose have been written about Granada, but don’t hold that against it. This city is genuinely beautiful. And despite the tourists and the hype, it still breathes romance.

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Its hilly location, with the towers of the Alhambra looming over all, is superb. Across from and around the Alhambra lie the winding streets of the medieval Moorish quarter, the Albaicín, with its stone houses and flower-bedecked balconies.

Continue downhill from the Albaicín, along the narrow, cobbled streets, and you’ll feel as though you’ve stumbled into an Arab bazaar. Harem pants, tunics, and embroidered cushion-covers spill from shop entryways. Every other restaurant features hummus and baba ghanouj. There are even several hammams—Arab-style bath houses.

A newer Old Town lies past this, on level ground where two- and three-story buildings feature storefront shops and terrace restaurants and bars. There is also a good traditional market, selling fruit, vegetables, meats, and local specialties like olives and pimentón (Spanish paprika), in this area. From here the city spreads out, with grand, 19th-century boulevards, modern stores, and upscale, residential neighborhoods with comfortable houses.

Granada’s bus station is about a 10-minute (and roughly $10) taxi ride from the center. Buses leave almost hourly for Málaga, with its international airport. (The fare is about $15 each way.) Málaga is about an hour’s drive away.

Granada—which has a population of about 239,000—has become a firm

Granada has lots of tourists during the summer, so you’ll need reservations if you want to see the Alhambra

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fixture on the backpacker circuit, a must-see for teens and 20-somethings. You’ll also see a surprising number of middle-class Arabs who have come to see Granada’s cultural monuments.

Tourists are here pretty much all year. The city is thick with them in the summer, when you’ll need reservations if you want to see the Alhambra (and you do). The rest of the year the city is not so packed. The upside to the tourism is that you’re likely to find more locals in the service sector—such as waiters and shop attendants—who speak some English. And thanks to the many young tourists, Granada has an attractively youthful ambience, a lively bar and tapas scene, and plenty of good eats and lodgings at affordable prices.

Granada sits in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. (In fact, this is one of those happy locations where you can ski in the morning, in the nearby mountains, and drive to the beach in the afternoon.)

For full-time living, Granada may feel small. But it’s easy to get away by car or bus—and there’s plenty to see and do in the area.

Real estate in GranadaReal estate in Granada is surprisingly affordable.

Up in the Albaicín, renovated apartments for sale start at about €90,000 ($141,000). Renovated houses or villas start as low as €150,000 ($234,000). Apartment rental rates start at about €400 ($620) a month.

While the Albaicín exudes the romance of times gone by, it’s steeply hilly, heavily trafficked by tourists and, at night, a bit lonely. Stores catering to day-to-day shopping needs are very thin on the ground up here, and many streets are pedestrian-only or simply not easily accessible by car. Keep these realities in mind when considering whether to rent or to buy here.

A more practical option for full-time living may be the newer old town, at the base of the Albaicín. Streets here are level, buildings are low-rise, and shops are around the corner.

• If you prefer the modern part of town, a typical example is a furnished one-bedroom, one-bathroom in the Realejo neighbourhood, just steps from the Gran Vía, Granada’s elegant (and centrally located) shopping street. The apartment, recently on offer, was listed for €120,000 ($187,200).

• In the Albaicín Alto, a two-story house, with 142 square metres of space, was recently for sale. The four-bedroom, one-bathroom house also has an interior patio, a large terrace and ample views. Price: €150,000

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($234,000).

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in a new building in downtown Granada. Light and airy, the apartment also has a glass-enclosed terrace and an ample living room/dining room in its 62 square metres. Conveniently near all shopping. Price: €130,000 ($202,800).

• Typical of rental properties is a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment, 57 square metres in all, in Albaicín Bajo. In a building with an interior patio, the apartment has wood-beamed ceilings and is accessible by car. Rent: €400 a month ($620).

The Sherry Triangle: Jerez, Sanlúcar, and Santa Maríaby Steenie Harvey

“Oh, city of gypsies! Who could see you and forget?”

The poet Federico García Lorca was right. Jerez de la Frontera, his city of “musk and cinnamon towers”, isn’t easily forgotten. So much imprints itself on memory: the plaintive lament of gypsy guitars...its orange and jacaranda trees...a Moorish fortress...the taste of fresh anchovies...the raisiny aroma of Oloroso Sherry ageing in dark cellars.

Renowned for sherry, horses, and Flamenco, the center of Jerez is full of historical and cultural interest

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Home to 212,000 inhabitants, Jerez is the seductive siren of Spain’s Sherry Triangle. In southwest Andalucía, in Cádiz province, the triangle’s two other points are the Atlantic seaside towns of El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

A fortified wine whose name derives from Jerez, Sherry can be sweet or bone-dry. Spaniards mostly quaff chilled, dry, Fino Sherry. With an alcoholic content similar to that of white wine, Fino pairs with most tapas and seafood.

To discover the differences among Fino, Amontillado and Oloroso Sherries, visit one of Jerez’s 19th-century bodegas. González Byass produces the Tío Pepe brand and owns the largest bodega, but Domecq, Harveys and others also have tours and tastings. Or call into an old-fashioned tabanco bar. With walls lined with vintage bullfighting posters—and a flamenco guitarist if you’re in luck—El Pasaje is a gem (Calle Santa María, 8). For €1 ($1.56) a glass, its Sherries are served from barrels.

A short distance from the coast, and with a hinterland of “white villages”, Jerez is tradition without mass tourism. Winter sunshine...$16 menú del día lunches...flamenco and fighting bulls...a covered market with sea creatures you never knew existed...fountained squares, medieval palaces, and labyrinthine, cobbled streets. The “de la Frontera” tag indicates it was a border town between Christian and Moorish Spain. So do the lookout towers of the Alcázar, the 12th-century fortress whose walls hide shady water gardens, a mosque and Arab baths.

What especially thrills me is Jerez’s passionate gitano (gypsy) soul. A hotbed of flamenco, its musical heritage reaches back through generations of gypsy families who arrived centuries ago to work as blacksmiths and vineyard labourers.

Avoid “tourist-show” venues. You can experience genuine flamenco for free in Jerez’s gitano barrios, Santiago and San Miguel. In social clubs called peñas, locals perform for pleasure and visitors are welcome. Get-togethers are often spontaneous, but the Centro Andaluz de Flamenco in barrio Santiago will know if a peña has anything planned.

During a December visit, I found that the San Miguel barrio had an after-dark zambomba. Seated in a circle around braziers, neighbours gathered to sing flamenco carols on a square. Lending its name to this Christmas celebration, a zambomba is a drum-like instrument made from a clay pot and animal skin. It’s not beaten—a stick gets poked through the skin to make the distinctive sound. The local peña set up trestle tables laden with Sherry bottles (the usual €1 per glass). The lumps of pestiña de navidad—a honey-soaked pastry—were complimentary.

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In May, flamenco combines with horses. During the Feria del Caballo, streets are taken over by horses, costumed riders and horse-drawn carriages. Then there’s the renowned Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, whose “dancing horses” perform equestrian ballet twice weekly.

Property prices vary immensely: from around $86 to $345 per square foot. In Jerez’s historic heart, the ballpark figure for modernised two-bedroom apartments (64 to 85 square metres) is $136,000 to $222,000. Most one- and two-bedroom rentals are $648 to $742 monthly.

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In typical tabancos, or sherry bars, sherry is served from large casks that are filled from the bodega.

Sherry country coast: The Costa de la LuzOnly 20 minutes from Jerez is the “Coast of Light”. Unlike the

neighbouring Costa del Sol, most summer holidaymakers here are Spanish. Flanked by beaches and with around 75,000 residents, El Puerto de Santa María stays lively during winter.

This Sherry town has another claim to fame besides bodegas. Christopher Columbus stayed in its castle before embarking from here on his second New World voyage. Along the Ribera del Marisco, Romerijo serves exceptional fish and shellfish. Divided into two premises (one kitchen boils, the other fries), it has been here since 1952. It’s not El Puerto’s cheapest restaurant, but its iconic status warrants treating yourself. A starter of three giant prawns, a main of two prawn omelets, plus a huge portion of fried baby squid, cost under $35—a half-bottle of Osborne’s Fino Sherry and coffee included.


Sanlúcar de Barrameda’s Sherry specialty is manzanilla. It’s as dry as Fino, but with a salty tang. If you’re not bodega-weary, local cellars have tours. It’s an attractive town, with an historic centre around the palm-lined Plaza Cabildo, a covered market, fine beaches extending to Chipiona, and a promenade for walking off indulgences at Bajo de Guia’s seafood restaurants. More Columbus links, too. He sailed from here on his third voyage to the Americas in 1498. Horseraces take place along the sands in August, and there’s ferry access to the Doñana National Park wetland reserve.

Real estate in the Sherry TrianglePrices in the Sherry Triangle are eminently affordable. In Jerez and

El Puerto de Santa María, long-term rentals of one- and two-bedroom apartments run from about €350 ($550), for 46 to 56 square metres, up to about €600 ($940) a month for the historic centres of either city. Rents in Sanlúcar can run slightly lower.

And you’ll generally find apartments for sale in all three towns in the $140,000 to $225,000 range

Here are a few examples.

• Located in the heart of Jerez is an apartment of 60 square metres, with one bedroom and one bath, which sold recently. It’s in an elegant, modern building, near all shopping. A parking place in the building was available for an additional €18,000. Price: €70,000 ($109,200).

A typical square in pretty Sanlúcar de Barrameda

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• Also located in the centre of Jerez is an 80-square-metre, three-bedroom, one-bath apartment. In a new building, it is totally modern and has exterior views. Price: €127,500 ($369,250).

• A light, airy apartment, right in the historic centre of El Puerto de Santa María, was recently available. Located on the third floor, it has 66 square metres of living space, with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, a living room and a small terrace. Price: €85,000 ($132,600).

• In one of the best neighbourhoods of Sanlúcar, a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment was recently for sale. It has 60 square metres of space, as well as a 10-square-metre terrace and a 15-square-metre back patio with a laundry area. A garage space is included in the sale price. Price: €98,000 ($152,880).

• Typical of rentals in the area is a three-bedroom, two-bath apartment for rent in central Jerez. With 85 square metres of space, it comes fully furnished. Rental includes maintenance fees and a garage space. Rent: €450 a month ($700).

Castilla-La ManchaSpain’s interior is both vast and very different from the coasts. Here, you

find many medium-sized cities, a number of small ones, and many villages with very few people. For decades now, there has been a trend of depopulation in the hinterland as young people head to the cities for job opportunities.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Castilla-La Mancha, the large Autonomous Community that wraps around to the east of Madrid, between it and the Autonomous Community of Valencia.

This is the heart of Spain: Don Quijote country. Much of Castilla-La Mancha is high meseta of vast, rolling fields where sheep once grazed. The southern stretches are flat, dusty and, in summer, incredibly hot. (There is a saying in Spain that the climate there is “nueve meses de invierno y tres de infierno”—nine months of winter and three months of hell.)

However, the province of Cuenca, which abuts Valencia, is hilly, with pine forests on the rocky hillsides and—these days—an astonishing number of windmills dotting the mountain ridges. But it is as sparsely populated as the rest of Castilla-La Mancha, home to ruined castles and villages, ancient fields separated by crumbling stone walls, and hillsides of fragrant lavender, rosemary and oregano.

This is España profunda—deep Spain. Relatively few people live here—only 2.1 million in the region’s 79,500 square kilometres—and life changes


slowly. You’ll find few English speakers. But if you wish to gain insight into the Castilian character, this is the place to come.

Five provinces make up the Autonomous Community: Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara and Toledo. The industrial city of Albacete, with about 172,500 people, is by far the largest.

CuencaLess than an hour east of Madrid, on the high-speed AVE train (and only

two hours by bus on the modern motorway), is the city of Cuenca. Founded by the Arabs in the 700s AD, this city of 56,000 boasts a dramatic setting. The old city lies on a spur of hill surrounded on three sides by gorges, which drop hundreds of feet to the valley floor. The cream and dun-coloured buildings—the same stone as the gorge walls—seem to grow right from the rock. So steep is Cuenca that some medieval houses, which are built right into the rock face, are up to 13 stories high. They have one entrance on one street and a second entrance on a lower street, perhaps 30 metres below.

Founded by the Arabs in the 700s AD, Cuenca boasts a dramatic setting

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In the 1950s and 1960s, key artists in Spain’s modernist art movement based themselves in Cuenca. They flocked here for the dramatic countryside, inspiring views, and undoubtedly cheap cost of living. Though the big names

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eventually left town, Cuenca continued to attract artsy types through the 1990s, as well as tourists who came to visit its modern art museum, housed in a medieval building whose rooms cling to a sheer rock face—one of Cuenca’s famous casas colgadas, or hanging houses.

About 15 years ago, though, Cuenca set its sights on the tourism industry. The city built a new performing arts centre and several new museums. It repaired the medieval streets of the old city, and offered incentives to home owners who renovated their crumbling homes. And it created walkways and hiking paths in and around the old city, and into the dramatic countryside outside town. The old centre earned World Heritage status in 1996.

Though the economic downturn hit it hard, today the city looks great: clean, well-renovated and appealing. Always popular with the sports-minded, it attracts more hikers, cyclists and rock climbers every day. For those interested in outdoor sports—with easy access to the capital, Madrid—Cuenca is perfect.

Before the recession, professionals from Madrid had begun snapping up properties here for weekend escapes, holidays—and, in some cases, even for full-time living. (Castilla-La Mancha has one of the lowest costs of living in Spain, and its real estate has one of the lowest costs-per-square-foot in the country—$140 for sales and about 56 cents for rentals in December 2014.)

Life here rolls along at an easy pace. There are bars and restaurants both in the historic centre and in the newer parts of town if you feel like eating out. Shops, supermarkets and a cinema are available, and there is still a traditional market. Most of the city is small enough to be walkable, so a car is optional. And if you live in or near the historic centre, the countryside can be mere steps away.

Cuenca is a very affordable place to live. Day-to-day expenses remain low. Spanish staples like olive oil and wine are cheap—a litre of decent olive oil costs you about $5.50 and a bottle of decent wine about the same amount. La Mancha produces a lot of Spain’s table wine, so the region has become adept at turning out reliable, if unshowy, wines (especially reds) at bargain prices. In summertime, fresh fruit and vegetables often go for €1 ($1.56) a kilo. And the menú del día in many restaurants around town runs €10 to €12 ($15 to $18)…and it includes a beverage, which can be wine or beer.

Very few people have air conditioning for summer here. But winters are cold and you’ll need heating. For the harshest winter months, you may spend €100 ($156) or more on heat per month, depending on how warm you like it and how large your apartment is.


Real estate in CuencaModern properties in the new part of Cuenca are available for US$100,000

or less. These new areas are what locals prefer, as they lie on level ground, are easily accessible by car, and are close to shops. But the new parts of town are not very attractive. Expats tend to look for renovated properties in the old, traditional parts of town: the barrios of San Antón, Tiradores and, of course, the old city—the casco viejo.

These areas have charm and history. But the hills are steep, and many properties are on pedestrian-only walkways—which means carrying groceries

Cuenca’s old town is built on a hilltop. Streets are steep and the buildings are painted in lively colors.

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But, in general, if you like this area, you can get a lot for your money.

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on foot and no access for delivery vans. There are also few shops for day-to-day needs, so be sure to check for these amenities if you’re considering a property in these areas. This is particularly true in the casco viejo, where many shop spaces cater to tourists, not day-to-day residents.

In traditional but up-and-coming neighbourhoods like San Antón, you can find properties for well under $138,000. Though there are older properties available, as well, a recent listing is typical of apartments in the newer buildings.

• A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with 48 square metres of living space. It comes completely furnished, with a small storage area, and has expansive mountain views and lots of light. Price: €70,000 ($109,200).

Not surprisingly, properties in the casco viejo cost the most per square foot (as much as $400 a square foot, though prices vary wildly depending on location and condition).

• A three-bedroom, one-bathroom, ground-floor apartment with 65 square metres of space. It’s accessible by car and has expansive views of hills. Price: €70,000 ($109,200).

Rentals:

Long-term rentals in Cuenca start as low as about €250 to €325 ($390 to $450).

• As an example, a rent of €300 ($470) a month gets you a renovated, furnished, 45-square-metre apartment, with one bedroom and one bathroom, in the casco viejo. It has car access, lots of light, and front-line views of the street where Cuenca’s impressive Easter Week processions pass.

Note: Many old properties in Cuenca have been handed down through families for generations. For this reason, many do not have clear title. Title issues are gradually being sorted out, but be sure to ask. If a title can’t be issued in your name for a property that’s for sale, then don’t buy it.

Likewise, if you’re looking at an apartment, be sure to ask if the building has a comunidad de vecinos. This is basically a property-management company, and it charges fees for building maintenance like cleaning of entranceways and stairwells. It may also keep a fund for more serious building repairs to roofs or facades. If there is no comunidad de vecinos, be sure you’re clear on who is responsible for major repairs that affect more than one apartment.


Real estate prices in Cuenca continue to drop, though the rate has slowed. (Prices dropped 8.7% during 2014, compared to a 12.1% drop over the course of 2013.) Rental rates dropped 1.8% in 2014, compared to a 7.9% drop during 2013. So bargaining is still a possibility.

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CHAPTER FOUR Buying (and Renting) Property

in Spain

Right now, Spain’s economic crisis—combined with rampant overbuilding in the decade or more before the crisis—has made Spanish property a buyer’s market in many areas of the country. There are definitely bargains to be had, so if you’ve ever dreamed of owning a home in Spain—whether it’s a spacious estate, a villa or a simple condo—this is arguably the best time in a generation to be looking.

But there is also a lot of dross out there. Too much was built too fast, with too little oversight. It has never been more important to do your due diligence, both in vetting a property and in hiring honest, reliable experts to aid you in the buying process. But with the right team, your property-buying experience in Spain can go smoothly.

Selecting a property in SpainIn this electronic age, there is a plethora of real estate websites and bank-

foreclosure sites listing properties for sale or rent in Spain. These can help give you an idea of general real estate prices and rental rates in a region you’re considering, as well as what you get for the money.

Another useful tool is the price analysis by province, produced by Idealista at www.idealista.com/en/informes-precio-vivienda. It’s updated every quarter and includes tables for property rentals as well as sales.

For seeking out fire-sale properties, there are a number of places to look. In 2012, Spain created its so-called “bad bank”, which took on foreclosed property and bad loans to real estate developers from some of Spain’s weakest banks. SAREB, or Sociedad de Gestión de Activos Procedentes de la Reestructuración Bancaria (Company for Managing Assets Derived from the Bank Restructuring) looks to sell off these assets in coming years. For more, see www.sareb.es.

101CHAPTER FOUR: Buying (and Renting) Property in Spain

A better bet, short-term, are the sites set up by major Spanish banks that have been forced to foreclose on properties. Two of the most useful among these are Banco Sabadell’s www.solvia.es and La Caixa’s www.servihabitat.com.

As with any other property, you need to do due diligence on every aspect of a fire-sale property.

But, in the end, there’s no substitute for viewing properties in person. Before you decide to buy a property, you need to see it with your own eyes, walk around it and “kick the tyres”, so to speak…even if you’re just looking for an investment property that you’ll never be emotionally attached to.

In this regard, keep in mind that real estate agents work for the seller. However nice or helpful they may be, they are not working on your behalf. So you need to do your own due diligence, or hire someone to do it on your behalf, before you sign any contracts. Fortunately, Spain collects vast amounts of property-related information that’s publicly available.

Renting a property in SpainSpain is the third-most-popular tourist destination in the world, and many

tourists, especially Europeans, choose to rent short-term holiday rentals for their stays. Many often then go on to buy or rent a property long-term, retiring in Spain, in many cases. As a result, beach and other tourist areas tend to have loads of short-term (less than 12 months) and holiday (less than three months) rentals available. Non-tourist destinations in Spain will tend to have long-term rentals but relatively few short-term or holiday rentals.

The two markets, short-term and long-term, tend to operate rather differently. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind.

Holiday rentals, which are three months or less, tend to cost significantly more than long-term (12 months or longer) rentals. In tourist areas, for instance, you may pay €1,000 a month for a holiday rental that would cost perhaps half that if you were renting it for a year. In many places, the holiday rate, even for a stay of several weeks or months, essentially is multiples of a daily rate—what you might pay per night in a mid-range hotel, for instance.

This is somewhat negative news for Australians and other non-EU citizens who want to live part-time in Spain and are limited to the Schengen Zone’s 90-day stay. (See Chapter Five: Visas and Residence, for an explanation of the Schengen Zone and its stay limits.)

On the plus side, however, holiday rentals are plentiful, they come fully

http://www.solvia.es

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furnished, the rate generally includes all utilities and other incidental costs, and many appear on English-language websites, making them easy to find. Even if you plan to live in Spain long-term, getting a holiday rental for a month or so when you first arrive can simplify your move. You may be asked to put down a deposit on a holiday rental, though you probably won’t have to sign a contract. You will definitely need to leave when your holiday-rental period is up, unless it’s available for longer and you arrange the stay with the manager or owner.

Short-term rentals longer than three months, and long-term rentals, are a different story. You’ll be asked to show that you can pay the rent and may also be asked for references. You’ll be expected to put down one or two months’ rent as a deposit. You should also have a rental contract. For long-term rentals, it’s usually a one-year contract renewable annually, and you have the right to renew for up to five years, unless the landlord states that he or she plans to personally move in on a given date.

Landlords are allowed to raise the rent if improvements are made, but there is a 20% cap overall. If you leave before your contract expires, you may be required to pay the rent through the end of the contract period. So if you think you will stay less than 12 months, or that you may leave suddenly, consider having an escape clause written into your contract. Alternatively, since June 2013, it’s been possible to write contracts for only six months, with rolling one-month renewals afterwards.

Longer-term rentals may come either furnished or unfurnished. Keep in mind that “furnished” can be a flexible term, and that “unfurnished” may mean the apartment is totally bare—even without appliances.

Properties listed on Spanish-language websites tend to offer a wider range of prices (read: great cheap deals) than do the German- and English-language websites. (These last tend to be geared toward Britons, not Australians, by the way.) So learning enough real estate Spanish to read the Spanish sites’ ads (combined with good use of websites’ translation functions) can pay off well.

Buying your Spanish propertySpaniards often buy and sell properties amongst themselves without ever

using a lawyer. However, I don’t recommend that you as a foreigner do this. Having a lawyer and/or a professional intermediary (a gestor) whom you’ve vetted and selected, and who is working on your behalf, can save you a world of pain. Here are just a few reasons why:


1. Spain’s property-buying process is different from what you’re used to in Australia. In fact, even within Spain the process differs depending on whether it’s the re-sale of an existing property or new/planned construction. An expert who is familiar with this system can help you navigate it.

2. If anything goes wrong and you do need legal recourse, a good local lawyer can help you with this, too. After all, Spain’s legal system is not based on British common law, which is what Australian citizens are familiar with. Plus, a local will know government officials, planning executives, and others personally…always a plus.

3. A local expert is particularly useful if you don’t speak Spanish, or if you don’t consider yourself fluent enough to deal with official documents. After all, do you really want the seller to be the one telling you what the contract says?

Pre-offer due diligence. Once you’ve found a property you’d like to bid on, you or your expert(s) should verify that the seller does indeed have the right to sell the property, and that there are no outstanding debts or liens on it.

For an existing property that you are buying as a re-sale, you should ask the seller to provide the following:

• A publicly registered title or deed to the property, which is called the escritura pública.

• A certificate from the local property registry (registro de la propiedad), which shows who owns the property as well as any mortgages or other charges against the property. Also ensure that there are no legal proceedings against the property for land-planning violations or the like. (You may also want to check a second registry, the registro catastral, which gives a description, as well as the exact location and boundaries, of the property.)

• A paid receipt for the latest year’s property tax (impuesto sobre bienes inmuebles, or IBI). Also, you can check with the town hall that there is no outstanding property tax due from previous years, either.

• The latest receipts for water, electricity, telephone, rubbish collection bills, etc. You’ll want these paid in full before you close on the property—as otherwise you’ll be stuck paying them once the property is in your name.

• If you’re buying a condo or apartment, a copy of the property-

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management company’s statutes and a paid receipt for the latest charges. (In Spain, these charges are commonly referred to as gastos de comunidad.) Also, make sure that there are no other outstanding property-management debts on the property. If you’re buying a home, make sure that the property has the appropriate planning permissions from the city council, the ayuntamiento.

• If you’re buying raw land, make sure it has the appropriate planning permissions for building.

• If you’re looking at a home, you can also request to see the property’s energy-efficiency certificate. Homes for sale or rent in Spain have been required to have one since June 2013.

A note about re-sales: when properties have been in families for generations, there are often title problems. If a property doesn’t have a clear title that can be transferred to you, be prepared to walk away from the deal. There are enough good, properly titled properties on the market that you don’t need to take this risk.

For a new development/planned property you are buying into, check the following:

• Make sure that the company doing the development actually exists, and that the individual signing on its behalf has the legal right to do so. The company should be listed with the Mercantile Registry (website: www.registradores.org), and you can check the registry for the company’s bona fides, its officers and board of directors, and other details.

• Check the property registry (registro de la propiedad) to make sure that:

{ The land to be built on is registered to the developer.

{ The building plans have all the appropriate licences, and that the plans have been approved by the city government. If the description of the planned building is listed, this indicates that plans have been seen and approved. If the building plans aren’t registered yet, you should check with the ayuntamiento to make sure the land can be built on.

• If you must sign a private agreement and put any money down pre-construction, keep in mind:

{ Any abusive clauses—for instance, clauses that allow the developer to change the building design, refuse you the right to choose a notary, or that oblige you to take out a mortgage or sign up for extra services—are null under the law. (However, you’d

http://www.registradores.org

http://www.registradores.org


prefer not to have to go to court about this…)

{ Any deposits you make should be deposited in a special account that can only be used for construction. There should also be an insurance policy in place to guarantee you the return of principal, plus 6% interest, if the building is never built or delivery is delayed. You can demand proof of both the special account and the insurance policy.

• Before you sign the final deed and make final payment, check with the property registry to make sure that construction has officially ended and a certificate of works conclusion has been filed. This will be proof that the finished building followed the plan that was filed, and that there is an insurance policy in place to protect you against faulty construction.

Your tax ID number. Once you’re satisfied with the due diligence and are ready to proceed with an offer, it’s time to get a Spanish tax ID number, if you haven’t done so already. You’ll need to have this number, which for foreigners is called a NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero), within 30 days of closing. Your lawyer or gestor can get you one through the local police.

The property buying processPrivate contract: While it’s not legally required, the buyer and the seller

usually first sign a private contract, or pre-agreement, in which they agree terms. At the signing of this pre-agreement, the buyer puts down an initial deposit of 5% to 10%, which is held by the seller.

These private contracts are one of two types:

• A non-binding contract in which either the buyer or the seller can change his mind. If the would-be buyer changes his mind, he loses his deposit. If the seller changes his mind, he must pay the would-be buyer twice the deposit amount. This type of contract is called a contrato de arras de desistimiento.

• A contract that is binding on both parties. This is called a contrato de arras confirmatorias.

Getting a mortgage? If you need to get a mortgage to pay for the property, the bank may require that you and the seller sign a pre-agreement. In that case, start the process early and have the bank pre-approve you for the mortgage amount before you sign the pre-agreement and put down your deposit.

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Once the pre-agreement is signed, the bank will assign an appraiser (tasador) to go over the property. You’ll pay the appraiser’s fee—usually €300 to €500 ($470 to $780)—at the closing. The appraiser is a trained architect, so even if you don’t need a mortgage, you may want an architect to appraise the property if you have any questions about its structural integrity.

Purchase contract: The next step is the signing of the actual purchase contract (escritura de compraventa). At this signing, the buyer pays the remainder of the purchase price (the agreed price less the initial deposit) and formally gets the keys to the property.

A notary must certify the property transfer, so signings almost always take place in the notary’s office. If you are not able to be present in person at the contract signing, you can sign a power of attorney (known as a poder) to have someone, such as your lawyer or gestor, sign on your behalf.

The role of a notary in SpainIn Spain, notaries are respected public officials who witness documents

such as contracts. Notaries must be at least 23 years old, hold law degrees, and have passed a series of publicly-held exams.

In a property sale, the notary does not represent either the buyer or the seller. Rather, he/she represents the government. The notary’s function is to ensure that both parties correctly sign the contract, that they understand its contents, and that they understand their tax obligations related to buying/selling the property.

Note: it is not the notary’s responsibility to ensure that all statements in the contract are actually accurate. That’s what you pay your lawyer to check.

Registering your property purchase: After the closing, the notary will send your escritura de compraventa to the property registry office (registro de la propidad), where it will be registered and converted into the escritura pública. This is the official, public record of your property ownership.

If any irregularities in the property or the purchase crop up, the property registry may refuse to register your escritura until they’re resolved. For this reason, it’s a good idea to check back with the property registry a few months later.


Costs related to buying a property: What you’ll payGenerally speaking, closing costs, taxes, and other costs related to buying

a property in Spain, will run you between 10% and 14% of the purchase price. The main categories of costs related to the actual sale are:

• Provincial and local taxes

• Property registration and notary fees (comes to about 1% of purchase price)

See the discussion below on who—buyer or seller—traditionally covers these costs.

In addition, you may choose to contract specialists to help you in the buying process. The seller may do the same. These specialists could include lawyers, gestores, real estate agents, translation services, hiring surveyors, or consulting architects to appraise the property. You and the seller would each be responsible for paying the fees of the specialists you’ve hired. Generally speaking, expect your lawyer’s services to run 1% to 2% of the purchase price.

Now, let’s return to the categories of costs mentioned above:

Traditionally, the seller pays the following costs related to the purchase/sale:

• Expense of preparing the escritura pública, the publicly registered deed, at the outset of the process.

• Local property taxes (contribución urbana, or IBI)

• Local capital gains tax on the increase in the property’s value over the years the seller has owned it. This tax is based on the official increase in property value divided by the number of years that the seller has owned the property. It’s known as the impuesto sobre el incremento del valor de los terrenos, commonly called the plusvalía municipal.

• Any outstanding charges related to his/her ownership of the property, such as the cost of cancelling an existing mortgage.

Traditionally, the buyer pays for the following:

• The first copy of the escritura

• Sales tax on purchase of the property. It’s assessed on the property’s declared value as listed in the escritura, and it’s due at the local tax office within 30 days of closing. The sales tax is one of two types, depending on what kind of property sale is involved.

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{ If the property being sold is a re-sale, it’s a tax on the transfer of the property, called an impuesto de la transmisión de la propiedad (ITP). It’s usually 6% to 10%, depending on the province.

{ If it’s the sale of a new property, it’s a VAT tax (impuesto sobre el valor añadido, or IVA, in Spanish) of 10%.

• A government stamp tax. This tax is based on the property’s declared value in the escritura. Depending on the province, it’s usually 0.5% to 1.5%. This tax is known as the impuesto sobre actos jurídicos documentados.

• Cost of registering the property after the sale in the registro de la propiedad (local property registry).

So, barring any contractual agreements to divide the costs up differently, this is the traditional breakdown of who pays what.

However, two important points:

• If you do want to divide up the costs differently, you can agree to that in the contract—Spanish law allows it. Just note that if the contract says that the buyer covers todos los gastos—all the costs—it means just that. So read the fine print.

• Be sure you know who is paying the plusvalía municipal. Yes, it’s traditionally paid by the seller, since it’s the seller’s capital gains tax. But if the seller doesn’t pay it, then you as the buyer are on the hook for it. And the plusvalía can be a lot of money.

One way around this problem is to have the contract state that the plusvalía will be deducted from the purchase price at closing. You, as the buyer, would then pay the plusvalía yourself at the city council offices. (The city council can calculate the plusvalía for you early in the buying process, so that you can write it into the contract.)

What value do you declare for your property?Under-declaring the value of a property you buy is an ancient and revered

tradition in Spain. It’s extremely common for the purchase price put on the escritura to be significantly lower than the cash that actually changes hands. That’s because sales and other taxes—which are relatively high—are based on the escritura value.

Needless to say, this practice is illegal. And, slowly but surely, Spain’s tax authorities are looking closely at these transactions. As a result, declared property values are creeping closer to their real values.


So what should you as a buyer do? It’s your choice. But keep in mind: if you under-value a property on the escritura to save on sales tax when you buy it, you may lose those savings and more when you sell it, as you may be liable for a higher capital gains tax. And in the meantime, you may be liable for fines if the tax man thinks that you’ve low-balled the numbers.

On-going costs of owning a propertyDo note that owning a property in Spain makes you liable for ongoing taxes

related to it. You’ll owe annual property taxes, of course. If you rent out the property at all, you’ll owe taxes on the rental income. And if you’re a non-resident who uses a property only part-time, you may owe income tax even if you don’t rent your property out. That’s because Spain levies an annual imputed income tax based on the property’s value. See Chapter Nine for more information.

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CHAPTER FIVE Visas and Residence

It’s easy to go to Spain as a tourist for up to 90 days at a stretch. If you’re from Australia, you simply enter Spain as a tourist, no paperwork required. Your passport will simply be stamped when you enter the country.

Now for the fine print…

Like most of mainland Europe, Spain is part of the Schengen Area. The Schengen Agreement, signed in 1986, did away with the need to show a passport when travelling from one country to another within the area. It also means that all Schengen Zone countries share the same tourist-visa policy, including the time limits.

And that limit is as follows: you can stay in the Schengen Area (whether that’s in Spain, France, Italy or any combination of Schengen countries) for up to 90 days out of a 180-day period. (And note that, while 90 days is almost three months, it isn’t exactly.) So, you can easily live part-time in Spain for up to 90 days…but you must then leave the country for 90 days before you return for a second 90 days. And you can’t spend that interim in any other Schengen country.

Schengen Zone vs. EU: What’s the difference?The Schengen Zone and the European Union are not the same thing. Most

Schengen Zone countries are also EU members, but not all of them. Ireland and the U.K., for instance, belong to the EU but are not part of the Schengen Zone. Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Iceland, on the other hand, are part of the Schengen Zone but not the EU.

111CHAPTER FIVE: Visas and Residence

Residence visasIf you want to spend more than 90 days at a time in Spain—whether you’re

interested in staying a full 12 months or just a consecutive four- to five-month period—you’ll need to get a residence visa.

There are numerous options available to you. Here are a few of the current ones that may be of particular interest. (Please note that visa categories and requirements are always subject to change. Be sure to check with the nearest Spanish consulate for the latest guidelines.)

Residence visa without the right to work. If you are retired and/or have sufficient investments to support yourself, this visa may be the easiest to get. You’ll need to provide the following:

• A printed, signed copy of the long-term residence visa application (formulario de solicitud de visado de larga duración), with a passport-sized photo attached.

• A printed, signed copy of the application for temporary residence without the right to work (solicitud de autorización de residencia temporal no lucrativa), form EX-01.

• Evidence of enough funds to support yourself and any dependents (see below for specific amounts).

• Evidence of a health insurance policy valid throughout Spain.

• An address in Spain, or evidence that you have the funds to rent or buy a property.

• A police report from your home country, or from the country or countries where you’ve been living during the past five years.

• A doctor’s report indicating that you are free of diseases or conditions that hold a risk for the public health.

Still, most of mainland Europe is part of the Schengen Zone. The current Schengen Zone countries are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. In addition, note that Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Cyprus are all working to join the Schengen Zone…though for now they remain outside it.

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There is an official minimum annual income you must show to demonstrate that you can support yourself. The amount is updated annually. However, you can pretty much ignore it: Spanish immigration will decide the actual minimum income you must show, based on where in Spain you plan to live…and it almost certainly will be higher than the official amount. In fact, the more income you can show, the better. In Madrid, for instance—one of the costliest destinations in Spain—immigration generally likes to see income of at least €2,000 ($3,120) a month, and preferably €3,000 or €4,000 ($4,680 or $6,240).

Work visasIf, after being granted a residence visa, you decide you want to be self-

employed, you can apply for a work visa later. Residence and employment are not linked.

Work visa as an independent with right to residence: Entrepreneurs and consultants who want to work independently in Spain can apply for this visa. You must show credentials for the work you wish to perform and also show that you can support yourself financially, either through existing contracts, your own funds or both.

You must apply at your nearest Spanish consulate for either a residence visa without the right to work, or for a work visa as an independent.

Work visa as a salaried employee with right to residence: If you get a job with a company in Spain, you can have your employer get your work and residence visa. However, in general it’s very difficult for non-EU citizens to get a salaried position in an EU country unless you have specialised, highly valued skills. These days, with unemployment in Spain running 20% or higher, it’s difficult to get a job, period.

New “economic-resident” visa: Spain has recently created a new “economic resident” visa aimed at attracting high-net-worth individuals and families. To qualify, you must buy a residential property worth at least €500,000 ($780,000). Every member of the buyer’s immediate family is granted a one-year residence visa. You must apply for the visa at your nearest consulate and come to Spain at least once to activate it. If you meet the requirements, the visa can then be renewed after one year.

Residence visas with special exceptions to work: Like many countries, Spain allows professionals in certain disciplines to work in their field and get residence. These include foreign professors working for universities in Spain; scientists doing research projects authorised by the

113CHAPTER FIVE: Visas and Residence

Ministry of Education and Science or the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce; accredited journalists; artists coming to Spain for specific performances or projects; and missionaries and ministers. Individuals must be highly qualified to get this type of visa. And researchers, professors and others must get the visa through the company wishing to contract them.

General requirementsYou must apply for your visa at the nearest Spanish consulate in the

country you live in. You’ll submit all your documentation there along with a €60 ($94) application fee.

(The one exception is if you plan to work for a Spanish company. In that case, the company applies on your behalf in Spain.)

Visa applications are granted or denied within a month of submission of all paperwork. The only exception is residence visas without the right to work, which can take up to three months to be granted or denied. Once your visa has been granted, you have a month to go collect it in person, or to send an authorised representative to get it. You must then go to Spain and activate your residence.

If your residence application is denied, you’ll receive printed notification of its rejection and the reason why. If you want to contest the rejection, you have one to two months to present your case, depending on whether it’s presented at the nearest consulate or in Madrid.

Long-term visas for Spain are initially granted for one year. At renewal, the visa period is extended to two years, followed by a second two-year period. After five years’ residence in Spain, residence cards are granted for a five-year period.

A residence visa for Spain also allows you to travel throughout Europe—although the 90-day limit still holds for travel in other Schengen Area countries. Keep in mind that you must live in Spain at least six months of the year to keep your residence visa valid. If you don’t, your application may be denied when your visa comes up for renewal.

When you apply for your visa, it’s a good idea to work with a visa specialist who knows how the process works and can help usher your application through the system. This is especially true if you are applying for a work-and-residence visa as an independent, since you must show that you have sources of income and a valid business model.

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Visa specialists will also have access to other professionals you may need to consult, such as tax specialists. In Spain, as in many European countries, residence brings a range of obligations, including tax liability. Having access to the right advice can make your move—and your life—in Spain that much smoother.

Visa specialists• Bennet & Rey, Paseo de la Castellana, 141, 8ª planta, Edificio Cuzco IV,

28046 Madrid; tel. +34 (91) 572-6961; email: [email protected]; website: www.bennetrey.com.

• Expatriat, Paseo de la Habana, 9-11, 28036, Madrid; tel. +34 (91) 411-3219; email: Paloma Ortega, [email protected]; website: www.legalexpatriat.com.

• Strong Abogados, offices in Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, and Tenerife; tel. +34 (93) 215-5393; website: www.strongabogados.com.

Show me the moneyIf you plan to apply for a residence visa for Spain, be aware of the possible

tax implications.

Spain considers you a tax resident if you spend 183 days or more in the country out of any 365-day period. And Spain taxes on global income—not just income generated within Spain.

If you get a residence visa, therefore, you are likely to have tax obligations in Spain. (In fact, that’s one reason for Spain granting residence visas.) You can always stay in Spain just four or five months on a residence visa and keep under the 183-day limit. But if you do, don’t be surprised if Spain denies your application when your residence visa comes up for renewal.

For more information on taxes, see Chapter Nine.

mailto:contacto%40bennetrey.com?subject=

http://www.bennetrey.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.legalexpatriat.com

115CHAPTER SIX: The Cost of Living

CHAPTER SIX The Cost of Living

The cost of living in Spain is one of the lowest in Western Europe. (In fact, many day-to-day expenses rival those in Latin America’s more developed countries in their affordability.) Altogether, Spain is arguably the best bargain right now for First World, Western-European living.

That’s not to say that everything in Spain is cheap. And costs across the board in Spain have risen substantially since EU unification and conversion to the euro. Still, anywhere you choose to live in Spain is going to be less expensive—and in some cases substantially less expensive—than comparable places in many other Western European countries.

Cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, for instance, are about the most expensive places to live in Spain. Yet costs there, overall, are much less than what you’ll pay in cities like Paris, Rome or Berlin, which offer comparable cultural amenities (and all three Spanish cities have better public transportation than Rome).

But today, unless you work with a corporation, you don’t have to live in a mega-city. In Spain, medium-sized cities, including some tourist-oriented coastal cities like Alicante, Málaga and villages along the Costa del Sol, offer a great compromise: lower costs than the huge metropolises, but enough amenities to make life comfortable, often including symphony orchestras, concert-halls, good hospitals, gyms and more. Plus, coastal tourist towns tend to have some English-speaking locals in the service industries.

Typical costs for Spanish livingBefore getting into an actual budget, let’s look at what’s cheap and what’s

not for typical Spanish living.

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Relatively expensive:

• Real estate: Many Europeans—especially in cities—are used to living in smaller spaces. (In Spain, 50 square metres for an apartment is not unusual.) Fortunately, Spain’s generally mild climate and convivial lifestyle means that a lot of your spare time will be spent outdoors anyway…strolling the streets, window-shopping, bar-hopping, sitting at an outdoor café, or enjoying the beach or a sport.

• Durable goods: Historically, washing machines, refrigerators and other appliances have tended to be relatively expensive (as well as small). While this is still true, it’s less true than it used to be. Prices are coming down as big-box stores come to Spain. Ikea is already here, while home-grown warehouse stores and Bunnings-type warehouses are also available and spreading fast.

• Electronics: What is true for durable goods is also true for the electronics sector.

• Electricity: Rates were recently increased. As a result, you’ll learn to conserve use of this utility. If you’re sensitive to heat, keep electricity costs in mind if you’re thinking of settling in hot, southern Spain. (And also note that few Spanish homes have air conditioning, though newer properties in the hot south tend to get A/C installed.) Also note that most stoves and ovens are electric.

• Clothing: Spanish fashion is quirky and wonderful, and—especially in the cities—Spaniards are more fashion-conscious than the average Australian. But it’s not particularly cheap. There are two ways around this: end-of-season sales offer great bargains on fashionable threads. And—for those who really don’t want to spend a lot of money on clothes—cheap Chinese imports are everywhere.

• Meat and fish: Depending on what you buy, you may pay more for meat and fish in Spain than in Australia. (On the other hand, some items may actually be cheaper.) But the quality is superb. Spain has the highest fish consumption in Europe, and plenty is available. Hake, for instance, one of the most popular fish, tends to run about €3.50 ($5.50) a kilo. And if you’ve ever tried Spain’s locally-raised suckling pig or lamb, roasted to perfection, you’ll think they’re worth whatever they cost. (For reference, Spain’s tiny lamb chops—one of the priciest items—run €13 to €15 a kilo in central Spain. That’s about $22.88 to $26.40 a kilo in markets.)


Relatively inexpensive:

• Fresh fruit and vegetables: Historically, Spaniards eat more fresh fruits and vegetables per capita than anyone else in Europe. And while fast food is chipping away at this excellent habit, it’s still fairly true. Spain produces fruits and vegetables for much of the European Union, especially in regions like Valencia and Murcia. That means that, even in winter when prices may be higher, you’re close to the source. And in the prodigal, summer growing season, even in a metropolis like Madrid, many fruits and vegetables sell for €1 a kilo—that works out to about $1.54 a kilo—or less. Also, some fruits that are relatively gourmet in Australia, including figs, doughnut peaches and cherimoya, are locally grown in Spain, so in season you’ll get these cheaply, too.

• Wine: Wine has been a part of Spain’s culture for millennia, and a lot of it is produced here. You can pay a lot for top-end Riojas or Vega-Sicilias, but you don’t have to. These days, even the plonk is pretty high quality. Almost every region of Spain produces wine. Most famous are the reds, but Navarra is known for its crisp rosés, and Galicia and the Penedès region of Cataluña are known for their whites. In much of Spain, you can get decent bottled wine for day-to-day drinking in the €3.50 to €5.50 ($5.50 to $8.50) range, or even a decent five-litre box of wine for about €7 ($11). (And don’t turn up your nose: boxed wine in Spain is often quite quaffable.) You can find quite nice wines starting at about €10 ($15.60) a bottle.

• Bus and (sometimes) rail fares: Bus tickets are relatively cheap in Spain. Regular bus fare from Málaga to Granada, for instance, is just over €11 ($17) for the 60- to 90-minute trip. From Madrid to Cuenca, in Castilla-La Mancha, a trip of two to two-and-a-half hours is about €15 ($23). Rail fares can vary a lot depending on the route—popular, well-travelled routes can be cheaper—and how long in advance you buy the ticket. There are also numerous special rail-fare deals…for round trips, for instance, as well as frequent special promotional fares, and discount fares for seniors. (Renfe’s Tarjeta Dorada, or Golden Card, is a great bargain for seniors. Anyone 60 or older qualifies—you don’t have to be a Spanish resident. The card currently costs €6 ($9.40) and provides significant discounts off train fares.)

• Telecommunications: Stiff competition in the communications sector has dropped prices dramatically. Numerous companies offer plans—Orange, Movistar and Jazztel are just a few. These days, you can get plans that include combinations of landline/mobile phone/internet

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service starting at about €35 ($54) a month. If you’re staying in Spain short-term and/or only want a mobile phone without a fixed plan, you can get SIM cards for an unlocked mobile phone and pay as you go. A new SIM generally starts at about €10 ($15) and comes with a few euros of credit pre-loaded.

• Eating out (menú del día): Spain’s set-price lunches are one of the best deals around. Generally served between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. or 4 p.m., they’re the big meal of the day, consisting of two courses, a beverage (which usually can be wine or beer), and often coffee and/or dessert. Depending on where you are, prices for a menú range from about €9 to €16 ($14 to $25), with the standard price these days being €10 to €12 ($15 to $19).

• Healthcare is also relatively cheap by Australian standards. (However, do remember that if you’re living in Spain, you’ll either need a private health insurance policy or you’ll need to contribute to the nationalised system, Seguridad social, depending on what type of visa you have.) You’ll find more information about healthcare in Spain in Chapter Seven.

A sample monthly budgetThe following monthly budget is based on the cost of living in Alicante or

Valencia for a couple.

Expense € $

Housing (rent of furnished, two-bedroom apartment) €500 $780

Utilities (gas, electricity, water, phone, internet) €120 $187

Groceries €400 $624

Entertainment (dining out and other) €300 $468

Healthcare* €256 $399

Household help—maid once a week (3 hours) €120 $187

Incidentals €150 $234

Total €1,846 $2,879

*Healthcare cost is based on Sanitas (Spain’s largest private health-insurance company) rate of €123.26 ($192.28) per month per person for a healthy 65-year-old. For reference, the monthly rate for a healthy 55-year-old is €90.35 ($140.95). The plan includes complete healthcare, plus prescriptions and dental.


Depending on how you choose to spend your money, your individual budget could be more or less than the one here. Small apartments in Alicante start as low as €300 ($468) a month…or can be €1,000 ($1,560) or more if you want a large house with a pool, ocean views and other luxuries. Likewise, you may choose not to have a maid, or to spend more on entertainment. But a couple should be able to live comfortably on $2,760 a month in Alicante, Valencia or a number of other beach destinations in southern Spain, as well as some destinations in Northwest Spain such as Santander.

Rent in large cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, and in some northern coastal areas like San Sebastián and the Catalan Coast, will be somewhat higher.

While the price of grocery items can vary by region, season and which grocer you use, the “shopping bag” below can give you a rough idea of how much you’ll pay for groceries in Spain.

A Spanish shopping basket Euro AU Dollar

Coca Cola (1.5 litre) €1 $1.56

Potatoes from €0.40 per kilo $0.62

Milk (1 litre) from €1 $1.56

Large eggs (6 pack) €1 $1.56

Pork chops from €3.80 per kilo $5.92

Whole fresh chicken from €2.10 per kilo $3.27

Best steak from €21.95 per kilo $34.24

Lamb chops from €15.95 per kilo $24.88

Fresh swordfish from €10.90 per kilo $17

Fresh tuna from €12.95 per kilo $20.20

Mussels from €2.99 per kilo $4.66

Baguette (250g) from €0.45 $0.70

Sliced white bread from €0.69 $1.07

Bananas from €1.39 per kilo $2.17

Oranges from €1.15 per kilo $1.79

Wine (red Rioja) from €1.64 per bottle $2.55

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Beer (San Miguel 6 x 33 cl) €2.59 $4.04

Budweiser (33cl) €0.67 $1.04

Mineral water from €0.16 per litre $0.25

Nescafe (100g) €3.45 $5.38

121CHAPTER SEVEN: Healthcare in Spain

CHAPTER SEVEN Healthcare in Spain

In general, Spanish healthcare has a good reputation. Spain has excellent medical schools and many excellent doctors. (However, as in any country, the competence of individual doctors can vary and it always helps to have a personal recommendation.)

The World Health Organisation ranks it at #7 in the world, and Bloomberg’s recent “efficiency listing” for healthcare put Spain’s single-payer public health system at #5. The Euro Health Consumer Index Report for 2014 (EHCI) ranked Spain’s healthcare overall at #18 within Europe, putting it in the middle range. In Spain’s major cities and popular tourist destinations, you are likely to find healthcare every bit as good, if not better, than what you have back home, with excellent doctors and modern amenities.

Do note that, outside major tourist areas, not all doctors may be fluent in English. At a minimum, though, most can read and understand technical English in their specialty.

Like many other European countries, Spain has a public healthcare system as well as a private system.

Public healthcare in SpainSpain’s public healthcare system, known as the seguridad social, covers

a range of healthcare services, including general medicine, family practice, pediatrics and a range of other specialties, nursing and physical therapy. The seguridad social is paid for out of taxes, and all tax-paying residents in Spain belong to it.

The system has its own doctors (many of whom also have private practices), clinics and hospitals. Healthcare centres (centros de salud) are all over the country. In cities and towns, a clinic should be within 15 minutes of your residence; even small villages have at least one clinic, though it may not be open every day.

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Spain’s current economic downturn has put severe strain on the seguridad social. In an effort to reduce costs, it has had to cut back on free healthcare, which it offered certain non-tax-payers living in Spain (affecting mostly immigrants and others who work “off the books”). At least one Autonomous Community has sought to privatise some of its public health clinics. Consequently, please keep in mind that the breadth of benefits mentioned here—and the access to them—are subject to change.

However, the 2014 EHCI report points out that the current crisis has caused no decrease in the quality of care available.

Expats from European Union countries have the right to medical treatment in Spain under European-wide reciprocity agreements.

The situation is different for expats from non-EU countries like Australia. If you are legally working in Spain (either as a self-employed individual or as the employee of a company in Spain) you will automatically have access to public healthcare. That’s because you’ll have a Spanish social security number and will be contributing to the seguridad social. (While the term seguridad social is popularly used to mean the healthcare system, in fact the system also includes pensions and unemployment benefits.)

If you are a non-EU retiree or are otherwise getting only a residence permit for Spain, you don’t automatically get access to the seguridad social. However, under an agreement signed in mid-2013, you can request access to the system in the Autonomous Community you live in. Each community will set its own particular requirements. For instance, the annual rate you’ll pay (which will vary by age), and how and when you’ll pay (for instance, perhaps a lump-sum annual fee upfront, rather than a monthly fee). As an example, in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, which is already implementing this system, expats must have had a legal residence permit for at least a year to qualify for the seguridad social.

If you’re on the public healthcare system, you receive a health card, which you present for treatment at your local clinic or doctor’s office. You’ll usually be attended by a general practitioner as your primary-care doctor (médico de cabecera). You can choose your own doctor. However, if you use a clinic that has several doctors, you won’t necessarily get the same one every time. Your médico de cabecera will refer you to a specialist as needed. (As with any public healthcare system, you may have to wait for an appointment with a specialist or for non-urgent procedures.)

Seguridad social normally pays most or all of the cost of medical treatment and hospitalisations, and up to 40% of the cost of prescribed medications. The

123CHAPTER SEVEN: Healthcare in Spain

patient pays the remainder—or buys supplemental insurance to cover the difference. (Note that dental care is not covered under seguridad social.)

Keep in mind that expats from non-EU countries are required to show proof of health insurance to get a residence visa. So whether you eventually qualify for seguridad social or not, you’ll need to consider private health insurance to get your residence visa for Spain.

Private health insuranceThere are dozens of insurance companies offering private health insurance

for Spain. You can choose national plans that cover only Spain, choose Europe-wide plans, or even opt for full international health coverage. It all depends on your personal needs and situation.

As with private insurance anywhere, plans may exclude pre-existing conditions, have a wait time (normally 12 or 24 months) for certain wellness-care visits, or have an age limit for accepting new policy-holders, among other things.

Spanish insurers include:

• Asisa; website: www.asisa.es.

• Mapfre; website: www.mapfre.com. The largest insurer in Spain.

• Sanitas; website: www.sanitas.es. Note that Sanitas is a Spanish subsidiary of Bupa International.

• Seguros Bilbao; website: www.segurosbilbao.com, with global coverage optional.

• Seguros Catalana Occidente; website: www.seguroscatalanaoccidente.com

Many international insurance companies actually have Spanish affiliates. Three of these are:

• Allianz Insurance; website: www.allianz.es.

• DKV Seguros; website: www.dkvseguros.com.

• Generali Seguros; website: www.generali.es.

Keep in mind that most private Spanish hospitals, as well as physicians in private practice, expect payment at the end of your visit. You’ll need to pay upfront for treatment and then submit the claims for reimbursement to your insurance company. Be sure to ask about the reimbursement process when evaluating insurance plans.

http://www.asisa.es

http://www.mapfre.com

http://www.sanitas.es

http://www.segurosbilbao.com

http://www.seguroscatalanaoccidente.com

http://www.allianz.es

http://www.dkvseguros.com

http://www.generali.es

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Cost of medical care in SpainPrivate healthcare in Spain will cost you less than it does in the U.S.,

depending on the procedure and where you have it done. The cost is also somewhat cheaper than it is in some other European countries like the U.K. (In fact, for those from the U.K., Spain has become a medical tourism destination for some elective procedures.)

Here are a few sample prices:

• Doctor’s visit: from about $114

• Dental crown: $499 to $640

• Laser eye surgery: $2,850 to $3,570 for both eyes

• Total knee or hip replacement: about $18,550

PharmaciesPharmacies in Spain are often signposted with a large green cross

above the door—they’re easy to spot. Pharmacists are well-trained and knowledgeable—you can often consult them for minor ailments and avoid a doctor’s visit. Many medicines that would be by prescription only in Australia or elsewhere in Europe are available over-the-counter in Spain.

Pharmacies are normally open Mondays to Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then again from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. They normally close in the afternoon for siesta, which is still a custom in Spain, and they close for the weekend on Saturdays at about 2 p.m.

For after-hours pharmacy service, each town maintains at least one pharmacy on 24-hour call, known as the farmacia de guardia. The address and phone number of the nearest farmacia de guardia is listed in local newspapers and often posted outside pharmacies.

.

125CHAPTER EIGHT: Moving Household Goods and Pets

CHAPTER EIGHT Moving Household Goods and Pets

So you’ve made the decision to move to Spain and have applied for residence visas for yourself and your family members. The next step is to start planning what to take with you—and how to get it all there. This will depend a lot on your own preferences, and how you plan to live.

At International Living we generally advise that you rent before you buy when you first move abroad. Renting is a low-risk way to see how well you actually like living in a particular neighbourhood, city or even a country. If you decide that you prefer a different neighbourhood, or a different city 48 kilometres down the road, it’s easy to move when you’re renting.

And certainly in Spain there are many areas, such as the coasts, where furnished rentals are plentiful. Just pack a few suitcases and get on the plane.

But many times, for a variety of reasons, you may have decided to buy a home in Spain or take personal belongings with you. In addition, you may have pets and other items that will be moving with you.

Moving your household goods to SpainThink carefully before you move your household goods to Spain.

International moves are expensive, and they can be a hassle. You can buy pretty much anything you’d need in Spain—it’s a First-World country, after all. And, in addition, many of your Australian goods may be impractical or even useless in Spain. Here are a few examples:

• Bed linens: Beds are different sizes in Spain, so unless you bring your Australian-size beds with you, there’s no point in bringing the linens—they won’t fit. Just buy beds and linens in Spain and save yourself the trouble.

• Electrical appliances: Spain uses 220-volt current (so Australian

126 Escape to Spain

appliances will work) and round electric plugs. Many ordinary appliances like mixers, blenders, vacuum cleaners, washers and dryers will need a plug adaptor to work in Spain. Again, you can buy all these appliances in Spain.

{ Computers and laptops generally work on voltages from 110 to 220, so they work fine with a plug adaptor. The same is true of many digital cameras, iPads and travel hair dryers.

{ Even if they accept European electric currents, large appliances often aren’t worth bringing over, as they’re too bulky for generally small Spanish apartments. It’s not worth basing your property-buying or rental decision on the size of your washing machine.

• Most televisions and DVD players are region-specific. Australian televisions, DVD-players and even DVDs won’t work in Europe. If you have loads of DVDs you just can’t live without, you can get a multi-region television or DVD player in Spain. You can also download those films and CDs to a computer, iPad or the like, and access them that way.

• Furniture: Much of your Australian furniture may be too large and bulky for a Spanish apartment or house. And why pay to have them shipped when you can buy furniture in Spain…or rent furnished digs?

However, you may want to consider bringing specialty items that you just can’t live without or think you won’t find easily, such as equipment related to a specialist hobby, family antiques or other beloved items. Or, if you aren’t sure how long you may be living in Spain, consider storing some items in a storage facility back home.

Do note the following:

• You are prohibited from bringing into Spain items made from protected species. These would include items like ivory, tortoise shell, protected wood from the Amazon and reptile skins.

• Guns and ammunition are either prohibited or require special permits from the Spanish police, depending on the type.

Shipping your household itemsIf you do decide that you want to ship goods over, here’s how it’s done:

You are allowed to bring used personal goods into Spain duty-free, once you have a residence visa. The goods must arrive within 12 months of the visa’s being issued and within three months of your own arrival.


Goods must be packed well, and the boxes’ contents labelled. You’ll also need a list of goods being shipped (in Spanish), by box. Make sure that all goods are used and have been in your possession at least six months; new goods are liable for customs duty, and including them may affect how the entire shipment is treated by customs.

When your shipment arrives, a customs agent will need to inspect it, and you’ll need a customs broker to help process your shipment.

It’s a good idea to hire an international moving/shipping company that can offer a door-to-door service. In the end, it saves you time to have specialists do the job for you…and increases your chances of a problem-free move.

Contact several international moving companies and request quotes on the shipping price. Here are some points to keep in mind when requesting a quote:

• Keep in mind that international shipments are generally priced by volume, not by weight. Goods are shipped in containers, and you can generally pay for as little as a quarter-container’s load.

• Ask whether the moving company will obtain the customs application form for bringing the goods into Spain on your behalf.

• Have companies quote for professionally packing and labelling your boxes of goods; preparing the contents’ list for Australian and Spanish customs; for the services of a customs broker in Spain; and for transporting and unloading your goods from the port to the final destination. (Also ask whether they unpack goods, reassemble furniture and take away all the boxes.)

• Make sure that the quote includes insurance against damage. It’s also a good idea to have separate damage insurance through another provider, as a precaution.

You’ll need to provide the following documents to ship your goods duty free:

• An original passport, or a copy that has been notarised by the Spanish consulate nearest your home.

• Valid residence visa or work-and-residence visa for Spain.

• Certificate of registration with the local town hall (ayuntamiento) in the town where you live in Spain. This registration is known as empadronamiento and is required of all citizens and residents in Spain.

• NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero), your ID and tax number in Spain as a foreign resident.

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• Two copies (in Spanish) of an itemised, priced inventory list of the goods you’re shipping. You must sign and date the inventory list, and have it notarised by the Spanish consulate nearest your point of origin.

• A customs application for the duty-free importation of your personal goods.

• Bill of lading for your shipment.

Here are just a few international shipping companies that transport between Australia and Spain:

• Mediterranean Shipping Company, 15 McCabe Street, North Freemantle, Western Australia, 6159; tel. +61 9336 0500; email: [email protected]; website: www.msc.com.

• ANL, Level 11, 30 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Victoria 30006, Melbourne; tel. +61 3884 2555; email: [email protected]; website: www.anl.com.au.

• Cargo Master, 1/637 Military Road, Mosman, New South Wales, 2008; tel. 1300 767 136; website: www.cargomaster.com.au.

Bringing your pets to SpainYou can bring domestic pets like dogs and cats to Spain relatively easily.

However, there is some upfront paperwork that is time-consuming, especially for the first trip. So be sure to check with your local veterinarian for any changes in the process, and to clarify how much time you should allot.

The first time you bring your dog or cat to Spain you’ll need to get a bilingual health certificate valid for the European Union. (See link for the form here www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/sp_no_com_pe.pdf and for the instructions here: www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/ee_an_%20non_com_pet.pdf)

This form will need to be filled out and signed/stamped by an accredited veterinarian. The form must be completed within 10 days of your travel to Spain.

The certificate must show that your pet has been examined and is free of disease; that the pet has been vaccinated against rabies; and it must provide a description and the origin of your pet.

In addition, your pet must be micro-chipped with a Euro-compatible microchip that can be read by EU scanners—that is, a microchip compatible

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with ISO standard 11784 or 11785.

Two very important points:

• The microchip must be implanted before your pet’s rabies vaccination. Any rabies vaccination before the microchip is implanted doesn’t count, even if it’s still valid.

• The rabies vaccination must have been administered at least 21 days before travel.

You’ll need to accompany your pet yourself when you travel, or send an authorised representative.

European pet passportOnce you are actually in Spain with your pet, you can go to a Spanish

veterinarian and get a pet passport that is valid throughout the European Union. The only European-wide requirement on the pet passport is a valid rabies vaccination. You may choose to have your vet in Spain include additional information on the passport about your pet’s medical history. This information can make vet check-ups easier, but it’s not required by EU law. The passport is designed to be used for the entire lifetime of your pet.

Air-travel restrictions for animalsMany airlines will transport pets, either in-cabin or as cargo. They charge a

fee—often hefty—for this service. Tell the airline that you plan to travel with a pet when you make your plane reservation; you must often reserve space for your pet.

Small pets (usually 10 pounds and under) can often travel in-cabin. You’ll need a soft-sided carrier (see the airlines’ websites for allowable dimensions). Your pet will count as an item of hand luggage and will have to fit, within a carrier, under the seat in front of you. Airlines limit the number of in-cabin pets allowed on a flight, so you must make a reservation for your pet if you plan to bring him in-cabin. In addition, the amount of actual space under the seat can vary depending on the airplane make and model; it’s a good idea to verify the dimensions with the airline to ensure your pet’s carrier will fit. (The Boeing 757, for instance, has a particularly shallow under-seat space that accommodates few carriers.)

Larger pets must go in the pressurised cargo hold. Your pet should go in a hard-sided carrier large enough to let him change sleeping positions

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easily. Include food and ice chips (which will melt) for your pet. Vets don’t recommend that you tranquilise pets that are travelling in-cargo.

Please note that if a plane does not have a pressurised cargo hold (sometimes the case with small regional carriers), your pet won’t be able to fly in cargo on that flight. Airlines usually flag this, but double-check just in case.

Finally, many airlines have an embargo on pet travel in the cargo hold during hot summer months. This is a reasonable precaution for your pet…far too many die of heat stroke on hot tarmacs. So keep in mind that summer air travel with a large pet is not advisable—and may not even be possible.

Restricted breeds: Spain monitors and restricts the importation of certain dog breeds deemed potentially dangerous, as well as of any dog that has a history of aggressive/violent behavior. The monitored breeds are the following:

• Pit bull terrier

• Staffordshire bull terrier

• English bull terrier

• American Staffordshire terrier

• Rottweiler

• Argentine dogo

• Brazilian fila

• Tosa inu

• Akita inu

If your dog is one of these breeds, you’ll need to have him registered at the Municipal Registry. In addition, you, as the owner, will have to get a special five-year license. To get your license you’ll need to show that you:

• Are 18 or older.

• Are free of any criminal record for homicide, torture, sexual assault, drug trafficking or the like, or that you’ve been banned from owning potentially dangerous animals. To prove this, you’ll need to present a certificate from the police in the jurisdiction you’ve lived in for the previous two years.

• Are physically and psychologically capable of handling dangerous animals. For this you must present a certificate from Spanish authorities.


• Have insurance coverage of no less than €120,000 ($187,200) to cover damage to third parties.

• Are physically and psychologically capable of handling dangerous animals. For this you must present a certificate from Spanish authorities.

• Have insurance coverage of no less than €120,000 to cover damage to third parties.

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CHAPTER NINE Taxes in Spain

Depending on your situation in Spain, you’ll be liable for various types of tax. You’ll pay sales tax on day-to-day items and durable goods that you buy. If you own a property, you’ll owe annual property tax (and some income tax, even if you are a non-resident). And if you live full-time in Spain (or at least 183 days a year as a resident), you’ll owe income tax.

Sales or Valued-Added Tax (VAT) is called IVA (Impuestos sobre Valor Añadido) in Spain. The current standard rate is 21%. However, many goods are actually taxed at a lower rate. A reduced IVA rate of 10% is charged for transport of passengers (such as rail and bus fares), some real estate taxes, and for admission to cultural, sporting and entertainment events. (The 10% rate applied to many medical supplies and pharmaceuticals is raised, effective January 1, 2015.) An even lower rate of 4% is charged for newspapers and foodstuffs.

Annual property tax. Property taxes, officially known as Impuestos sobre Bienes Inmuebles and unofficially as predial, in Spain are generally fairly low. They’re set by the local provincial government, and the rates vary—depending on the province—from 0.00405% to 0.01166% of the cadastral value of the property. (That is, from under half of 1% up to just over 1% of a property’s cadastral value.)

Cadastral value (valor catastral) is the official property value listed in the municipal property records—and it’s often much lower than a property’s actual market value.

Under the rates given above, a house with a valor catastral of €100,000 would mean annual property taxes between €405 and €1,166 ($632 and $1,820) a year, depending on what province the property is in.

Income taxes as a resident of SpainSpain’s tax rates were temporarily increased during the 2012 to 2014

period. Rates for both personal and investment income were lowered in 2015,

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with further decreases to come in 2016. Even before these decreases, Spain’s tax rates were in the mid-range for European countries.

Personal income taxes in Spain are known as Impuestos sobre la Renta de Personas Físicas, or IRPF. If you reside in Spain for 183 or more days in a given year, you are considered a tax resident of the country and will owe tax on your worldwide income. Many countries, including Australia, do have tax treaties with Spain to prevent your being taxed twice—that is, in both Spain and in your home country. (Under the tax treaties, you get credit in each jurisdiction for taxes paid in the other.)

Spain has a sliding system of graduated income tax rates, with rate bands. For 2015 and 2016, the following general rates apply:

For earned income, after allowances and deductions:

2015 2016

€0 to €12,449 20% 19%

From €12,450 25% 24%

From €20,200 31% 30%

From €34,000 (for 2015) 39% 37%

From €35,200 39% 37%

From €60,000 47% 45%

These are the general rates. Slightly different rates at the upper end may apply depending on the Autonomous Community you live in. (Catalonia and Andalucia traditionally have tended to add local surcharges that raise the top income tax rate for those resident there.)

For capital gains and investment income: 2015 2016

€0 to €5,999 20% 19%

From €6,000 22% 21%

From €50,000 24% 23%

Keep in mind that if you are a retiree living on investments and pensions, only the rates applied to investments and capital gains will apply to you.

Spanish tax returns must be filed between January 1 and June 30 for taxes from the previous calendar year. (2015 taxes therefore will be filed during the first six months of 2016.)

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Other taxes and financial disclosuresSpain has some other taxes and other financial responsibilities that you

should know about if you plan to become a resident.

Financial disclosure. Under new disclosure rules, for instance, you must disclose your assets held outside Spain if their value is more than €50,000. Assets that fall into this category include bank accounts, property and life insurance policies.

Wealth tax. Spain imposes a “wealth tax” on total assets. While there has been talk of abolishing the tax, the latest word is that it will remain on the books through 2015.

For this year, therefore, here’s what you need to consider… The tax applies to assets per person above €700,000. A couple therefore has a tax-free allowance of €1.4 million, plus an additional €300,000 tax-free allowance apiece on a primary residence. (The total tax-free allowance on property owners is therefore €1 million for an individual and $2 million for a couple.) The tax on assets above these limits is extremely low—the top rate, for assets above €10.7 million, is 2.5%—and some Autonomous Communities give a full or partial exemption.

Exit tax. Spain has just approved an exit tax on income. The tax is applied if Spain has been your legal residence for 10 of the last 15 years. This tax obviously will not affect you if you are moving to Spain right now. But it is worth knowing about if you plan to live there long-term… assuming that this law stays on the books.

In fact, if you’re considering a move to Spain (or anyplace abroad, for that matter), it’s a good idea to consult a tax expert. The proper expert can help you minimise your tax exposure…while ensuring that you comply with all the requirements.

Income taxes as a non-resident property-owner in Spain

Even if you don’t live in Spain full-time, owning a second home there brings certain income tax obligations.

Spain’s tax authorities assume that you could rent out your second home there and earn income on it, if you wanted to. If you do rent it out, you’ll naturally owe tax on that rental income (we’ll get to that in a moment). If you don’t rent it out, you’ll still owe an imputed income tax every year that’s based on your home’s cadastral value.


Non-resident income tax is called Impuesto sobre la Renta de No-Residentes, or IRNR. You are officially required to file an IRNR tax return if you own a property in Spain, even if you never earn a cent on it.

So here are the taxes you’ll owe, depending on how you use your property:

If you don’t rent out your home, you’ll owe an imputed property tax every year as follows:

• 24% of either 2% or 1.1% of your property’s cadastral value (which, as we’ve mentioned, may be much less than its actual market value);

{ If your property’s cadastral value has been updated since 1994, the tax is based on 1.1% of the cadastral value.

{ If your property’s cadastral value predates 1994, the tax is based on 2% of the cadastral value.

So, let’s see what you’d owe on a property with a cadastral value of €100,000:

• If the property was bought in, say, 1985, you’d owe €100,000 x 2% x 24% = €480.

• If the property was bought in, say, 2006, you’d owe €100,000 x 1.1% x 24% = €264.

If you do rent out your second home in Spain, you’ll owe a flat tax of 24.75% on your gross rental receipts, generally with no deductions. The tax is due when income is received—either monthly or, if receipts are grouped, quarterly.

If you plan to buy a property that you want to rent out either full- or part-time to earn some income—for instance, a holiday condo—it’s a good idea to have it managed by a rental-management company. The company can handle the property’s maintenance as well as make tax payments on your behalf, for a fee.

Handling management and tax filings for a property as a non-resident, without good on-the-ground back-up, can be more headache than it’s worth.

Finally, we do know of cases of non-resident foreigners who own property in Spain and who have never paid IRNR. They own small properties that they use part-time every year and don’t rent out, and on which they simply pay the annual property tax. They’re under the radar—and in many cases are probably unaware that they owe IRNR.

But that may change as Spain increasingly looks for revenue to cover

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its yawning deficit…and as today’s electronic, digitised systems make it increasingly easy for countries to find tax sources. Keep in mind that you may be levied fines for late or non-payment of this tax. In addition, the tax must be paid and up-to-date before you can change the name on a property title deed, and before a property can be sold or bequeathed.

Rule of thumb: Just factor this tax into your budget.

Capital gains taxWhen you sell a property in Spain, you are liable for capital gains tax on

the profit you have made. But there are some exceptions:

If you are a full-time resident of Spain (that is, a tax resident), the property is your primary residence, and you’ve lived in it continuously for at least three years, you can get a capital gains tax exemption if:

• You reinvest the funds in a new main residence within two years. To get the exemption, you must declare the capital gains on your Spanish tax return and state your intention to reinvest the funds in a new home. Note: The new home does not have to be in Spain.

Neither, for that matter, does the main home you’ve sold. Remember, Spain taxes on global income. So if you sell a primary residence in Australia after becoming a Spanish resident, you don’t have to pay capital gains in Spain on that sale…provided you buy a primary residence someplace in the following two years, and declare the intention to do so on your Spanish tax return.

• You are over 65 years old. In this case, you do not need to reinvest the capital gains in a new main residence. However, you do need to show that you are a Spanish tax resident and have lived in the home for at least three years.

If you are a non-resident of Spain—or a resident whose property does not fall into the categories listed above—you’ll pay capital gains at the standard savings-income tax rates. These are as follows:

Income Tax rate

2015 2016

€0 to €5,999 20% 19%

From €6,000 22% 21%

From €50,000 24% 23%

Improvements and enhancements to the property are allowed as deductions


when calculating capital gains.

Getting a Spanish tax ID numberYou’ll need a national Spanish tax ID number (Número de Identidad

Fiscal, or NIF) to file a tax return. For Spaniards themselves, their NIF is the same as the number that appears on their national ID card, or Documento Nacional de Identidad (DNI).

Full-time expats are assigned a national ID number—the equivalent of a DNI—when they get their long-term resident visa. This number is called a Número de Identidad de Extranjero, or NIE, and it will also be used as their NIF on tax returns.

If you are a non-resident of Spain and buy a property, you’ll need to get a NIE in order to file your return. You can request one at the main police station in the town where you own your property.

Your obligation to your home country Regardless of your tax liability in Spain, you’ll most likely have some sort

of tax obligation to your home country. Australian citizens, for example, must file a tax return every year declaring their worldwide income, no matter where they live or work. (Though, as noted earlier, they get credit in Australia for taxes they’ve paid in Spain.)

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CHAPTER TEN Traveller’s Spain

Spain has so much to offer… Steeped in history and culture, it also has year-round sunshine in many regions and enjoys one of the lowest costs of living in Europe. Whether you’re looking for beautiful beaches, golf, historic architecture, sightseeing, adventure sports, great food and wine or simply walking, you’ll find it in Spain.

Public transportation is excellent, and many expats find they don’t need a car for day-to-day life. (Of course, renting a car to wander off the beaten track is another matter…Spain is full of hidden gems—out-of-the-way villages, ancient ruins, soaring scenery and more—that epitomise this country’s romance.)

Go a few miles into Andalucía’s hinterland to find white-washed villages on mountain slopes. Drive the winding coast of northern Spain’s Bay of Biscay, where green mountains tumble almost to the sea. Here, beyond bustling beach resorts like San Sebastián and Santander, you’ll find less-visited fishing villages along the Cantabrian and Asturian coasts. Wander the vast, lonely stretches of Castilla-La Mancha, stopping to savour towns like Chinchón and Almagro, whose stately buildings speak of former wealthy days. Explore the many provincial capitals—Avila, Oviedo, Zaragoza, just to name a few—that are rich in history and charm. For every cliché—sangria, bull-fighting and flamenco—there are a hundred secrets just waiting to be discovered.

Sooner or later, you’ll have to go and experience Spain for yourself. Books and the internet, after all, are no substitute for being there.

Getting here and around SpainTo get to Spain from Australia you can fly with only one stop-over in Dubai.

If you are looking for the best airfares, being flexible in your travel dates (where possible) can help you get a lower fare. If you are willing to fly with

139CHAPTER TEN: Traveller’s Spain

any airline, on any day, at any time, you are much more likely to get a bargain fare.

In-county flightsWithin Spain, you can take regularly scheduled flights to the country’s

larger cities. Flights are reliable, with a range of fares depending on destination and promotions. Booking well in advance, and for midweek travel, can get you the lowest fares. Flights from Bilbao to Málaga, for instance, on discount carrier Vueling (website: www.vueling.com) can cost as little as €50 ($78) one way. Barcelona to Sevilla can run you just €40 ($62).

And remember that you can get cheap flights from Spain to anywhere in Europe. In addition to the regular carriers, including Spain’s national carrier, Iberia (www.iberia.com), a host of discount carriers service Spain: Vueling, Ryanair (www.ryanair.com), Jet2 (www.jet2.com) and EasyJet (www.easyjet.com), among others.

When searching for flights, as well as using the airlines’ own website, also check Skyscanner (www.skyscanner.com), where flights are often offered at cheaper rates.

Renting a carTo rent a car, you must be age 21 or over and you’ll need an international

driver’s license if you are from Australia. Many companies also require you to have held your driver’s license for a minimum of one or two years. Check the company policy before booking.

All the major car hire companies like Hertz and Avis operate in Spain, but it’s also a good idea to check European and local outfits, as they often offer much cheaper rates. A good website that will search all the car rental companies for you is www.autoeurope.com.

When booking your car, don’t forget to specify if you would like automatic transmission. Most car rentals in Europe are manual, so unless you ask, you may end up taking a crash course in driving a stick-shift.

Using public transportYou can go practically anyplace in Spain using public transportation.

Spain’s national train network, RENFE (www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/), is comprehensive, covering most of the country. Spain’s high-speed train service, AVE, is the longest in Europe. On the AVE you can get from Madrid, in the centre of the country, to almost any other destination in Spain in three hours or less. Fares can vary, depending on how long in advance you buy the ticket,

http://www.vueling.com

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the train you take, and whether there are special promotions available.

As a rough guide, standard round-trip AVE fares from Madrid to Sevilla start at about $136 and Madrid to Málaga $142. Non-AVE trains (that is, slightly slower trains with more stops) have lower fares.

You can also get around the country by bus. Buses running between the country’s cities are privately owned and there may be different companies servicing the same route, at different prices. Bus fares within a city centre or a village generally have a standard fee, though fares can vary from city to city. In Madrid, for instance, a single ticket for central Madrid is €1.50 ($2.34) and a 10-ticket card is €12.20 ($19). Like the metro, the greater Madrid bus system is zoned, with fares rising the farther you travel.

Big cities in Spain have very good metro networks, with Madrid having one of the best metro systems in Europe. Metro is one of the quickest ways to get around large cities. Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, among other cities, all have suburban train systems, as well.

Taxis work under a cooperative network and all Spanish taxis use metres.

Another way to get around Spain’s cities is by bicycle. Hiring bicycles by the hour is a new trend hitting Spain. It’s one of the best ways to see a town or city. Several Spanish cities have or are setting up a public rental system. These cities include Barcelona, Córdoba, Girona, Palma de Mallorca, Pamplona, Santander, Sevilla and Valencia.

Under the public rental system, you pick up a bicycle at one of the many bike stations around the city and drop it off at another one. In each parking station there is a system access terminal and bike posts. The posts are designed to lock or unlock the bicycle. At the terminal you can buy a short- or long-term subscription and pick your bicycle. You then have one minute to unlock your bicycle from the post. When returning your bicycle to a post, wait to hear a beep, as this means that you have correctly returned it. If you do not hear the beep, the system will not recognise your bicycle as having been returned.

Sevilla, for instance, has an extensive bicycle rental service with 2,500 bicycles available from 250 parking stations throughout the city. A short-term subscription of seven days costs €12.30 ($19.20), plus a per-hour usage fee. You must also put down a €150 ($234) deposit. This option allows you to enjoy an unlimited number of journeys during seven consecutive days. A long-term subscription of one year allows you to take an unlimited number of bicycle trips for 12 consecutive months at a cost of €30.76 ($48), plus a per-hour cost for usage.


Your exploratory trip to SpainIn Chapter Three, we introduced you to the towns and cities around

Spain that we like for expat living. But even if you’re just visiting Spain for a short time, you’ll want to get a flavor of the country.

Below we give you a brief introduction to some colorful destinations you may visit or pass through during an introductory trip. Some of these we’ve covered in greater depth elsewhere in this book. All are worth inclusion for offering some of our favorite things to see and do in Spain. In addition to sights worth seeing, we also mention the best markets, the most interesting museums, and much more.

So whether you want to go it on your own, hire a driver, or join a tour, you’re sure to find all that Spain has to offer as fascinating and fun as we do.

Madrid: Cosmopolitan city of cultureMadrid, Spain’s capital, is a cosmopolitan city overflowing with museums,

elegant restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. Yet it remains a fully functioning metropolis, focused more on business and banking than tourism. Because of this, it has a thoroughly lived-in vibe and Madrileños are generally friendly and open to visitors.

Madrid is a cosmopolitan city overflowing with museums, elegant restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife

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The oldest part of Madrid is a maze of centuries-old lanes that crisscross between the Puerta del Sol and the Royal Palace. Each street has a sign depicting an activity that distinguished it in the past. The best way to explore this part of town is on foot.

If you want to join in with the locals, swap the stereotypical jug of sangria for a copa de vermut (vermouth served over ice with a slice of lemon and an olive). Enjoy tapas in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor area, near the Royal Palace. The Plaza itself, though one of Spain’s loveliest, is pricey for tapas; instead, descend the stairway at the southwest corner of the plaza to an area filled with lively bars. Also check out the bars in the Plaza de Santa Ana; the Cervecería Alemana (German Beer Bar) is a classic. (The waiters add up your tab by counting how many beer coasters are stacked at your table.)

Madrid’s most famous flea market is El Rastro. It starts at the Plaza de Cascorro and spills down Madrid’s streets on Sundays. Vendors sell fine cotton shirts from India, belts of brass and leather from Morocco, leather bags, alabaster pots, bootleg CDs and DVDs, semi-precious stones, fossils and antiques that spill out from the stores that dot the neighbourhood. Madrid’s flea market is a mix of modernity and traditionalism, attracting hordes of tourists, yet an integral part of Madrid history. The best way to experience the atmosphere of this traditional market is to wander the streets, get lost in the crowd and to practice haggling. On Sundays and public holidays over a thousand street vendors sell their wares, much to the delight of bargain hunters. The aim of the market has not changed since the 19th century; it is still a place where anything can be bought and sold from clothes to antiques to souvenirs. Get out at metro stop La Latina, one of Madrid’s oldest neighbourhoods—and a great place to linger for tapas after your shopping.

While bullfights (known as corridas de toro) seem barbaric to animal lovers, many Spaniards believe that the odds are even. Bullfighting has lost its luster in some parts of Spain—it’s been banned in Cataluña since 2012—but it has an ancient history and has had many aficionados over the years, including Ernest Hemingway.

The basics of bullfightingMost afternoons at a bullring (a plaza de toros) consist of confrontations with

six bulls. Normally a torero (usually called a matador in English) fights two bulls in an afternoon, so a corrida generally features three toreros. Each bullfight generally lasts about 15 minutes, and these days every step in the ritual is heavily regulated.


The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas (website: www.lasventastour.com/es/) is the largest bullring in Spain. Located in the Salamanca district of Madrid, it was opened in 1931. It has a seating capacity of 25,000 and is regarded as the home of bullfighting in Spain. The bullfighting season starts in March and ends in October and the price of seats depends on how close to the arena you are and whether you are in the sun or shade. (Traditionally favoured by the budget-minded are the classic sol y sombra—“sun and shade”—seats, which are in the sun at the start of the afternoon and in shade as the day progresses.) Tours of this traditional and much-loved bullring cost €12 ($18.70) per person, including an audio guide available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Chinese and Russian.

Madrid has more discos than anywhere else in Europe. They don’t get going until midnight but if you enjoy Spanish pop, salsa, merengue or ear-bleeding techno you will have no problem finding your niche in one of the many nightclubs. There is something for everyone, from chill-out bars to enticing clubs, from the wildest after-hour’s clubs to nostalgic dancehalls. Flamenco dancing has evolved into an art form in Madrid. If you can’t get to Andalusia, this is the place to see flamenco. Dinner nightclubs do a good-quality daily show. Flamenco nightclubs can be expensive, however. Alternatively, keep your eyes peeled on the side streets around the Plaza Mayor and you may catch an impromptu performance by a traveling troupe of Andaluz gypsies.

There are two basic types of Spanish bullfighting. The more familiar type usually involves four principals: two picadors on horseback, a banderillero (a person on foot who lodges streamer-clad darts, called banderillas, into the bull’s shoulders), and the torero, who fights and kills the bull. The less common form of bullfighting is rejoneo, which is bullfighting on horseback. In these cases, the bullfighter, called a rejoneador, works largely on his own. He rides highly trained dressage horses that are experienced in the ring. He may use a different horse for each stage of the rejoneo.

While the torero dresses in the tight, glittery traje de luces (suit of lights), the Spanish rejoneador dresses in typical Andaluz garb: short buff trousers, bolero jacket, boots and a flat-brimmed hat. (Portuguese rejoneadores perform in 18th-century court dress: stockings, satin knee breeches and matching coat, and a tricorn hat.)

In Spanish-style bullfighting, the bull is killed at the end of the corrida. (In contrast, in Portugal, the bull is not killed in the ring—but is executed afterwards.)

http://www.lasventastour.com/es/

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San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a 16th-century monastery-palace in a small town northwest of Madrid. Historically the residence of Spain’s kings, it was built at the orders of Philip II—the king whose mighty Armada spectacularly failed to conquer England in 1588. A giant, gloomy building with hundreds of rooms and thousands of windows, El Escorial is full of history, art and rare manuscripts. Almost all of Spain’s royalty is entombed here, as well as a number of saints, in a cavernous black-marble room. Get there by train or bus from Madrid’s Atocha station. Consisting of a square floor plan, dome roof, 43 altars and chancels, 26 black marble graves and the Vault of the Princes, El Escorial is a monastery not to be missed.

Madrid: Europe’s best-kept city secretby Eoin Bassett

Madrid is where Spain comes to you. Cider from the Asturian Highlands, seafood from Galicia, flamenco music from the south… The Spanish capital is like a cocktail shaker full of traditions, culture and delicious dishes. It’s the place to get a taste (literally) of everything this diverse country has to offer. And it’s excellent value, too.

You’ll see tourists here, but nothing like the packs that throng the main drag of Las Ramblas in Barcelona or the Champs-Élysées in Paris. It doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see, though. In fact, given the Spanish capital’s attractions, it’s a mystery why more visitors don’t make it here.

Madrid is home to three of the world’s best art museums, almost on the same street as each other. The Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza house works from Bosch, Goya, Velázquez, Picasso, Monet, Matisse, Dali…the list is almost as exhausting as trying to see all three galleries in one day.

If you ever wondered what the Spanish spent their South American plunder on, take a walk in the city centre or tour the Palacio Real (royal palace). The 16th-century Habsburg architecture, with its elegant red-brick facades, white-framed windows and wrought-iron balconies, will take your breath away.

Then there are the glorious parks and gardens. If you step out of the Prado a little overwhelmed, go around the back of the building to the Botanical Gardens for a lush and shady haven. Or, three stops away on the metro, you’ll find the Retiro Park—one of the city’s lungs, where you can easily spend a day lolling around one of the ponds, people-watching.


Madrid is cheaper than other European cities. Prices in Barcelona reflect that city’s popularity. In Paris you can pay $20 for a beer alone in some places. But in Madrid you’ll have no trouble finding an entire three-course menú del día for under $20 just a block or two from the Paseo del Prado where the galleries are.

It can take a little time to orient yourself here, but with a map in hand you’ll have it mastered. The metro is the cheapest option and it’s easy to use.

Each of the city’s neighbourhoods has its own character, but if you’re tight for time, you should spend most of yours in the central districts around the Plaza Mayor.

This Habsburg square is a wonderful place to have a coffee. Just don’t eat here. Instead, walk a few minutes north of the square to one of Madrid’s oldest covered markets, the Mercado de San Miguel.

Packed with stalls selling innovative tapas, oysters, cheeses, sushi, meat dishes and good wine, it’s been converted into a gastronomic wonderland. Hopping around the stalls is a fun way to fill up and it doesn’t break the bank.

If you ever wondered what the Spanish spent their South American plunder on, take a tour around Madrid’s Royal Palace

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In fact, tapas are good all over Madrid. The city is one of the best places in Spain to head out on the “tapas trail.” This tradition of hopping from bar to bar, sampling tidbits with a drink is a wonderfully social way to kick-start an evening out.

In some bars you’ll be offered tapas free when you order a drink, while others charge a modest $1.40 to $5.50 for the more substantial and creative options they specialise in. Olives or chorizo sausage are the most basic, but you’ll find meatballs with sauce, salted cod served with bread and tomatoes, white anchovies served in vinegar, deep-fried squid, morcilla (a type of blood pudding), fried quail egg, shrimp, octopus, pork in whiskey, scallops…

My favorite tapa is pimientos de padrón, a plate of small green peppers fried in olive oil and then salted. Most are mild, but a few in each batch are quite hot. You can take guided tapas tours but these are expensive (about $83) and you still pay for most of the food. Besides, the joy of the tapa hunt is wandering the streets arguing with your friends about which intriguing bar to pop into next.

After tapas comes dinner, and you can eat until well after midnight. Madrid is justly famous for its nightlife, and if it’s music you want, you’ll find everything from flamenco to rock in the city’s bars. My personal favorite is La Fidula on the popular Calle Huertas where, for an entry fee of around €10 ($15), you’ll catch live jazz jams until 6 a.m. on weekends.

The city’s love affair with film offers a quirky alternative to eating and art. You’ll find a good number of classy old cinemas showing English-language movies. Check out Cine Doré on Calle San Isabel, where you can sit in on old silent movies accompanied by live piano—just as they were back before “talkies” came along.

A Sunday morning stroll through the El Rastro flea market, not far from the Plaza Mayor, is another worthwhile side trip. You’ll find everything from genuine antiques to piles of complete junk. Just looking through the items (and at the people selling them) makes it worth the trip.

The most famous visitor to fall for this city was writer Ernest Hemingway. In a number of bars, you can raise a glass to his ghost. Among them is Cervecería Alemana on Plaza Santa Ana, where he had his daily beer.

Phillip II made Madrid his capital in 1561—precisely because of its central location, which makes it easy to access the rest of Spain. Trains and 24-hour, long-distance buses give you the pick of the country.


Barcelona: Creative home to artists past and presentFor a lifestyle change, sun-kissed Barcelona is thrillingly enticing. Few

other major cities can deliver on beauty, style, history, beaches, good weather and arty bohemianism—and also be within a couple of hours of ski slopes.

Only a short distance from the French border, it’s Spain’s second-largest city, and also capital of the autonomous region of Catalunya. Home to people of diverse nationalities and backgrounds, it has an entirely different feel to cities such as Madrid and Sevilla.

Oozing colour, culture and creativity, Barcelona offers up an intoxicating medley of old and new. Cheap eats, fine dining, high fashion, street chic, beaches, blues, and ballet, electric nightlife and lashings of Mediterranean sunshine…Barcelona delivers almost any pleasure you can think of. And you don’t have to decide between urban buzz or Mediterranean beaches. Barcelona provides both.

Gaudí’s Cathedral, still unfinished, is probably one of the best known buildings in Barcelona. Inspiring awe by its sheer size, La Sagrada Família is still under construction more than 100 years after the first stone was laid. About 2.8 million people visit this monument a year, the most famous being Pope Benedict XVI when he consecrated the building in November 2010. The cathedral was Antoni Gaudí’s obsession; he saw it as his holy mission to create a temple as an atonement for the city’s sins of modernity, going so far as to fund the project himself for a time. At the time of his death only the crypt, apse walls, one portal and one tower had been completed and sporadic building has continued ever since.

Although essentially a building site, the completed sections and museum are open to the public. Guided tours are offered for €19.50 ($22) and take about 50 minutes.

When the cathedral reaches its capacity of visitors you may find that you will not be allowed to enter. To avoid the queues and guarantee entrance, especially during the peak seasons of April to September, it’s best to book your tickets online here: www.partner.viator.com/en/12592/tours/Barcelona/Skip-the-Line-Barcelona-Sagrada-Familia-Tour/d562-2140SAGRADA.

The Gothic Quarter, at Barcelona’s heart, is a network of narrow streets and stone houses spilling out into quaint little plaças. Roman, Gothic and medieval walls still stand, housing a myriad of old-fashioned shops, sweet little bars and restaurants. The City Hall and the seats of the Catalan government are found here. Wander around and see what you discover; by far the best way to explore it is on foot.

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No trip to Barcelona is complete without a stroll along Las Ramblas, the city’s famous pedestrian boulevard, although it’s worth timing it to miss the crowds—11 a.m., when the colourful standing statues have set up for the day, is good. The adjoining segments of Las Ramblas all have their own names—Rambla Dels Estudis, Rambla de Sant Josep—and are each known for different themes: birds and animals, flowers, and arts and crafts. Built in 1766 along the path of the medieval city wall that encircled this city, it became a place of leisure and cultural attractions.

Absent, or absinthe, is a potent, bright green coloured liquor that is illegal in most countries but perfectly legal in Spain. It is credited with being the muse of a number of writers and artists, including Toulouse-Lautrec. The bars Marsella and Pastís in the Barrio Chino area of Barcelona are some of the most atmospheric in town and offer the chance, should you so wish, to partake of the infamous “green fairy.” Traditionally it is poured over a lump of sugar set on the tines of a fork. You then set the sugar alight so that it melts into your glass and top up with water. Limit yourself to one or two shots; after three, you won’t know where you are or what you’re doing.

Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece is a must-visit when in Barcelona

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Bilbao: The new art center of EuropeIn the last 20 years or so, Bilbao has grown from a heavily industrial

wasteland into a flowering, shimmering, major European art centre. It attracts hordes of arty groupies from around the world, but its down-to-earth, hardworking soul is the real attraction of this exuberant, cultured city. Trendy restaurants, bars and chic shops line the streets of the medieval centre. Broad boulevards, sleek high-rises and spacious parks make up the modern city.

The best-known attraction is the Museo Guggenheim, a deliriously exuberant hulk of gleaming titanium that sits in a large park right along the estuary that runs through central Bilbao. Since it opened in 1997, the museum has proved wildly popular, and its whimsical outdoor sculptures definitely play a part. The museum’s “mascot” is Jeff Koons’s Puppy, a 43-foot-tall sculpture in flowers of a West Highland terrier, which sits near the entrance. Originally intended as a temporary exhibit, “El Poopy,” as Spaniards affectionately call him, proved so popular that he stuck around.

In central Bilbao, the estuaries are lined with parks, with bridges connecting one side to the other.

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Designed by Frank Gehry, the Bilbao Guggenheim reflects the city’s maritime history: The museum vaguely resembles the prow of a ship. The gleaming titanium tiles that cover most of the building like giant herring scales are rumored to have been inspired by the architect’s love of fish.

As well as the permanent collection, many temporary exhibitions take place throughout the year. Free guided tours of the museum take place daily in

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Eat like a local at three of Spain’s best food marketsby Glynna Prentice

I’m a sucker for traditional food markets—and I’ve explored many markets in Spain. It was here, in fact, that I first came to appreciate the joys of wandering a local market. Spain has many wonderful markets, but these (for now) are my three favorites.

Bilbao:The Mercado de La Ribera, right by the estuary in Bilbao’s old city, is billed

as the largest food market in Europe. It’s definitely large, with several floors of greengrocers stalls, fishmongers, butchers and stalls selling goods like olives, pickled eggplant and onions, nuts of every kind and local cheeses with tongue-twisting names like idiazábal (I’ve tried this one—it’s great).

Sausages, both cured and fresh, dangle from the ceiling, alongside fat cured hams. Basque food is justly famous in Spain, and it’s all on show here. The market is conveniently near tramway and metro stops, and just across the street from cafés where you can get breakfast.

Here you can buy a little a kilo of tomatoes for just $1.80...a kilo of oranges for less than $2.80...and a whole chorizo sausage for about $1.90.

Valencia:The province of Valencia is one of the gardens of Spain, so it’s fitting that the

capital city has a superb market. Housed in a soaring wrought-iron-and-glass building in Valencia’s large historic centre, it’s home to a wealth of stalls offering just about anything you might want.

I personally like the stalls selling frutos secos—which literally means “dried fruits,” including prunes, apricots and figs, but encompasses a whole range of nuts, as well, such as chestnuts and hazelnuts. Fat Marcona almonds are a local specialty here, toasted and salted to perfection. They cost about $18.20 a kilo. I always stock up.

Elsewhere in this massive market, you can also buy cooked and raw meats, like salami and sausage, cheeses, baked goods, seafood, herbs and spices and more.

English at 12:30 p.m. and Tuesday to Saturday at 5 p.m. in Spanish. Excellent self-guided audio tours in various languages are free with admission. Tickets cost €10 for adults ($15) and €6 ($9.40) for seniors.


Alicante:This beach-resort city on the Mediterranean may be known as a tourist

mecca, but it’s also home to over 300,000 ordinary Spaniards. And many of them shop in the market, a solid two-story building right in downtown Alicante, on a busy commercial street just a few blocks inland.

Buy your meat and fish on the upper level, then head downstairs for the riot of colour in the fruit and vegetable stalls. Prices can be surprisingly low. I bought Marcona almonds here, too, on a visit last year. But my favourite purchase was deliciously ripe black figs—a kilo for about $6. Sadly, I left them in my hotel refrigerator by mistake when I left Alicante, and I mourned their loss for days.

Of course, I have plenty of runners-up to this three-market list. Granada’s market is excellent, for instance, and rich in local products like pimentón, Spain’s smoky paprika, and locally cured olives. There may be several markets in Barcelona; I know only the lovely one in the bohemian Barceloneta neighbourhood, which is where I’d shop if I lived there.

Madrid, in an effort to entice locals back to traditional markets, has gone upscale with several of its markets, notably the Mercado de San Miguel, in the old city. I doubt I’d do my daily shopping here—it’s a bit high end for my humble veggies—but I’d definitely come to buy gourmet items and then have a tapa or two with a glass of fine wine at one of its many chic bars. For visual appeal and “ooooh” factor, I give a big thumbs-up to San Miguel and other upscale markets like San Antón, also in the old city.

And there are still plenty of wonderful cities whose markets I’ve never visited...including what friends tell me is the absolute best of all: the majestic market in Santiago de Compostela, in Spain’s northwest region of Galicia. Like many regions of the north, Galicia is known for its great food. The green, wet climate—remarkably like Ireland—produces lovely white wines, delicate fruits and vegetables, superb seafood and other goodies. In my personal experience, it’s virtually impossible to have a bad meal in Galicia. And Santiago—a pilgrimage destination for more than a thousand years—is always worth another visit. So I’ve added its market to my “to-do” list.

San Sebastián: Chic, stylish, and by the seaSan Sebastián, just an hour’s drive from Bilbao and 19 kilometres from

the French border, has been a chic beach resort for more than 100 years. Today it is also the high temple of Basque cooking, one of the richest culinary traditions in Spain.

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San Sebastián’s old town, the parte vieja, is a warren of narrow streets perfect for wandering—the more so as the area is filled with tapas bars offering scrumptious creations that you can wash down with the local, slightly-fizzy white wine, txakolí.

Much of the rest of central San Sebastián is street after street of Belle-Époque buildings, in creamy stone. Here you find apartments, high-end boutiques, the cathedral, the theatre and more.

Finally, at the seaside, are San Sebastián’s beaches, including its most famous, Playa de la Concha. Its perfect half moon opens up to embrace the blue Atlantic. The bay stretches from City Hall to the Pico del Loro (Parrot’s Beak). Walk along the beach’s golden sand or, if you prefer, along the Concha promenade. In the centre of the bay is Isla Santa Clara, with a small beach, an unusual lighthouse, picnic tables and a bar. The island is so close you can swim there from the bay all year round.

In short, the city’s layout, with its sprawling pedestrian areas and its seaside promenades, makes it the perfect place to explore on foot. San Sebastián offers a range of activities for everyone.

Laguardia: Authentic Old-World SpainIf you fancy an authentic Spanish

lifestyle, want to experience Old-World charm, but can’t live without First-World luxuries and amenities, then check out the gem of La Rioja’s wine towns.

Laguardia, “the Guardian” on the border with the Basque Country, is one of the most perfectly preserved medieval villages in Spain. Surrounded by battlements, the town sits on a low hill against the backdrop of the Navarrese Mountains. Its 13th-century walls remain, including its four entrance gates.

During the Middle Ages, locals burrowed into the rock below their homes to create places to store food and claim refuge during siege. The

A perfectly preserved medieval village, Laguardia has a real sense of history about it

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underground passages have been found to be perfect for fermenting wine. So much of the village has these underground tunnels that no cars are allowed within the village walls. There are only a few narrow streets within the old city, anyway, and once you’ve passed the gate (which you can drive up to), there are no steep inclines.

Wherever you are, you’ll only be a few minutes’ walk from the hairdresser, close to the local physiotherapist, the two small grocery stores, the pharmacy…all inside the town walls. There’s a sense that living here, you could close up the city gates and go back in time. You can almost hear the ghostly hoof beats of the past in this little village.

Food is also an important part of life here. Small restaurants and tapas bars line the streets, and Laguardia is the perfect base if you want to tour the region’s bodegas, getting up close and personal with the local produce.

The La Rioja region is a land of light red soils and warmth. Vineyards roll away to the horizon, blanketing the landscape like a patchwork quilt. The wine, food, pace of life, and people of Laguardia are hard to beat. If you like the idea of being in a place where food and wine are a serious venture and where everything from town planning to your lunchtime coffee is designed to be savored, then enchanting Laguardia should be on your radar.

5 insider tips for an Andalusian road tripby Nazareen Heazle

Andalucia is arguably Spain’s most famous province. Home of bullfighting, passionate flamenco and the Costa del Sol, with its endless beaches and hordes of sun worshippers, it draws visitors from all over the world. But there is much more to Andalucia than this, and the best way to see it is on a road trip.

Getting around Andalucia by car is easy; the roads are excellent, with towns well signposted. Car rental in Spain is affordable. A good website to use is www.autoeurope.com. It will search all the major rental companies to find you the best price. The cost of a mid-size car for five days is about $300.

Start your trip in stunning Sevilla and finish in the resort town of Málaga, on the coast.

Eat tapas in Sevilla: Andalusians love their tapas, so go local—order several dishes and dig in. Sevilla has a whole host of excellent tapas restaurants. Wash them all down with a glass of cava (a Spanish sparkling wine) while watching the goings-on in the bustling streets.

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If you’re looking for a rough-and-ready tapas experience, try Bodega Santa Cruz, in the Barrio de Santa Cruz just down the street from Casa Tomate. Packed with locals and tourists, this is a standing-room-only place where dining is al fresco and the waiters throw drinks and tapas dishes out at a ferocious rate. It’s not fancy but it is authentic and great fun.

Visit Isabella and Ferdinand’s gardens: Just an hour east of Sevilla, the beautiful town of Cordóba is famous for its remarkable Catholic-church-within-a-mosque, the Mezquita. But Cordóba also boasts the pretty Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (website: www.alcazardelosreyescristianos.cordoba.es).

Built in the 14th century, it was a palace favoured by Spain’s “explorer” royal couple, Isabella and Ferdinand. It was also the place where they first met Christopher Columbus in 1486. The terraced gardens here are a pleasure to stroll around. The scent of orange trees fills the air, the tinkle of fountains falling into the three long fish ponds soothes the mind, and the many flowers and plants, in shades of burnt orange, bubble-gum pink and emerald green, are a feast for the eyes. Be sure to climb the tower for a panoramic view of the gardens and of Córdoba itself.

The gardens in Cordoba’s Alcazar de los Reyes make for a relaxing afternoon stroll

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Have a cocktail in Tarifa: Located at the tip of southwest Spain, the little town of Tarifa is the last stop before Morocco (ferries for North Africa leave from the port here). A kind of Spanish-Moroccan fusion, with its narrow, winding streets, and white-washed buildings of the old town, it makes you feel that you could easily be across the Straits of Gibraltar. Expansive white-sand beaches and a stiff Atlantic breeze have made this town popular with windsurfers for years, and they have kept this place all to themselves.

Laidback and casual, the busy streets have bars, restaurants and cafés in every nook and cranny. After a busy day on the beach, the best place to soak up the lively atmosphere here is at cocktail bar Taco Way. For €5 ($7.80) each, the curly-haired bar staff (all of them!) will meticulously create the best cocktail you’ve ever tasted. I recommend the Piña Colada; rich and creamy, with desiccated coconut sprinkled on top, it tastes of summer.

Visit the quirkiest museum in Andalucía: Dramatic Ronda perches along the edges of the El Tajo gorge and deserves its title as the country’s most spectacular town. It is also home to a fantastically eclectic museum. Museo Lara is owned by Juan Antonio Lara and the museum is his own collection of…well, everything he’s been collecting since age 10. Housed in Juan’s home (now in his 70s, he lives upstairs) the museum includes swords and guns from the 18th and 19th centuries, movie memorabilia that includes cameras and Spanish versions of famous Hollywood movie posters, a photo collage of bullfighters and a collection of fans in the “Romantic Room.”

The most interesting room, though, is the Holy Inquisition room, which showcases instruments of torture like a guillotine and a torture chair (instead of cushions, you sit on wooden spikes), a brain crusher and a stretching table…all of which had nasty consequences if you were unlucky enough to find yourself on one of them. If you’re lucky you may even get to meet Juan himself, who often wanders around showing visitors how the music boxes work or offering to take your photo in the inner courtyard.

Experience Picasso in the town of his birth: Pablo Picasso was born in the port city (and now tourist resort) of Málaga. Although he left here in 1901, never to return, it hasn’t stopped the city from honouring its most famous son. The Museo Picasso (website: http://museopicassomalaga.org) is housed in a Renaissance house in the old town and contains a collection of the artist’s work, including paintings, sculptures and drawings. The series of tranquil rooms is perfect for taking in the colours and abstract shapes that Picasso is famous for. Admission is €8 ($12.50) but there is a 50% discount if you are over 65 and the museum is free on Sundays during the last two hours that it’s open (opening hours vary by season, so check the schedule).

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Sevilla: The essence of AndalucíaSevilla is a city of simple pleasures: warm sunshine, brightly coloured

flowers, fragrant orange groves, rustling palm trees, ancient buildings and shining white houses with patios, flat roofs and shuttered windows.

The essence of Andalucía, Sevilla has ornate and colourful architecture and warm and friendly people. Located on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, the city is walkable. Ditch the map and just stroll around, you never know what you’ll come across in this sunny city.

The old areas of Sevilla, with narrow winding streets and tiny squares, were built in medieval times and aimed to provide the best shelter from the heat of the Andalusian summers. The twists and turns of the narrow streets lead to surprises and unexpected views. The houses in the old part of the city have white, lime-washed fronts and lots of flowering plants on the balconies. It’s here, in the older part of the city, that you’ll find the city’s ceramics quarter, in Triana. A dozen or so shops here still make and sell charming and colourful ceramics. Cerámica Santa Ana is one of the better ones and is worth a visit.

Sevilla’s most impressive monument is its immense cathedral

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Sevilla’s most impressive monument is its immense cathedral. Standing on the site of a 12th century mosque, it’s the largest cathedral in the world, with the current structure dating from the 1400s. Highlights include the main chapel and altar piece, with its 1,000 carved biblical figures, Christopher Columbus’s tomb (although there’s debate on whether it’s actually his body in there) and the Giralda, or belfry. Climb to the top via winding ramps (no steps, as soldiers used to use horses to get to the top) for a panoramic view of the city. In high season it’s a good idea to book your tickets in advance at http://reservas.cubiertasdelacatedral.com. And be sure to check out the cathedral at night when it’s illuminated, giving it a magical, yet still imposing quality.

Sevilla is one of Spain’s most famous cities for bullfighting. The Sevillan School of bullfighting teaches a graceful style, and Andalusian bulls are bred for the bullring. Sevilla’s Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza (website: www.realmaestranza.com) is the oldest in Spain (building started in 1758 and it’s still in use today). A visit to it is a must. Guided tours are given in English and in Spanish and will take you through the history of bullfighting in Seville. The engaging tour starts in the bullring itself and then moves down to the museum, where you’ll find bullfighters’ bright suits of light (which can cost up to €5,000 [$7,800]), old posters advertising the fights and even the odd bull’s head on the wall. There’s no need to book in advance, just show up on the day and buy your ticket.

Granada: A mix of exotic and Old-World charmIf ever there was a city that encapsulates Spain’s Moorish past and

Catholic heritage, it’s Granada. This mix of exotic Africa and Old-World Europe is still very much in evidence today. Obviously, the world-famous Alhambra, overlooking the city from its high vantage point, harks back to the days of Moorish rule, which lasted for centuries. But the city was also a favourite of the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, and they, along with their daughter Joanna, are buried in the Royal Chapel, adjacent to the city’s cathedral.

Start your day here with a café con leche and toasted bread sprinkled with olive oil and salt, a classic Andalusian breakfast, in one of the many cafés that line Granada’s squares. Then put on your walking shoes and head for the Albaicín, the city’s old Moorish quarter. Wandering this maze of cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways with their white-washed houses is an adventure in itself, but it’s also the place from which you’ll get the best view of the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background. Follow the

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crowds to Mirador San Nicolás and witness the citadel in all its glory. There are a number of cafés and restaurants up there, which, though overpriced, are worth stopping at for a cheeky cool cerveza (beer) while enjoying the view.

When in Granada put on your walking shoes and head for the Albaicín, the city’s old Moorish quarter

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Further down the Albaicín, you’ll find the warren of North African-influenced tea shops, Moroccan restaurants and shops selling everything from brightly coloured dresses to spices, jewellery and leather goods. Be sure to stop for a mint tea in one of the tea shops; it’ll be the nicest you’ve tasted.

With the Sierra Nevada mountain range as a backdrop, it’s difficult to envisage a more dramatic setting for a sultan’s palace. The Alhambra’s fortress-palace complex was built mostly in the 13th century. A €14 ($21.80) admission fee gives you admission to a lost world of passion, intrigue and tragedy. Take a few hours to soak up the ethereal beauty of its patios and courtyards and its gardens of seduction. Take it on trust that you simply must visit. And to fully capture the romance, take Washington Irving’s Tales of the Alhambra with you.

Insider tip: Book your tickets in advance from www.ticketmaster.es. Be sure to arrive well before your allocated time. The lines to enter can be long, and if you miss your slot, you won’t be allowed into the next one. And give yourself a good three hours to explore—there’s lots to see.

http://www.ticketmaster.es


Ronda: Spain’s most dramatic townAn hour inland from

Spain’s Costa del Sol is the picturesque town of Ronda. Surrounded by the mountainous Serranía de Ronda mountains, this is one of Spain’s oldest towns. Ronda is probably most famous for its dramatic gorge, El Tajo. This 91-metre fissure runs through the middle of town. Stand on the New Bridge (it was actually built in 1793) and gaze down into the abyss. Or pay a visit to the gardens of the Casa del Rey Moro (House of the Moor King), which gives you access to 300 steps down to the gorge floor for a different view of the town. Be warned: The trek back up will have your leg muscles complaining.

There are two parts to Ronda, the old town (la Ciudad) and the new town. The new town has lots of pedestrianised streets that lead to picturesque squares full of cafés and restaurants; it’s the perfect place for strolling. The main square here is Plaza de España. It’s perched right on the edge of the gorge. Ernest Hemingway “borrowed” this dramatic setting in his novel For Whom the Bells Tolls, in which villagers are thrown off cliffs during the Spanish Civil War. The new town is also home to Ronda’s bullring (website: www.rmcr.org), which still hosts bullfights and is wildly popular in this part of the country.

The old town is surrounded by massive fortress walls. This part of town

The El Tajo gorge runs through the middle of Ronda and across it runs the “New Bridge”

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is filled with narrow streets, home to centuries-old buildings that lend it a genteel atmosphere. A walk around here after dark is particularly magical when the orange tree-filled squares are lit up.

A great place to stay in Ronda is the Hotel Catalonia Reina Victoria (website: www.hoteles-catalonia.com). Located in the new town, a pleasant five-minute walk from the town centre, it has a distinctive Victorian style but with a modern twist. The rooms are bright and spacious and there’s also a spa and a swimming pool with views of the gorge. Although it’s a 4-star hotel, prices here are reasonable, with rates starting at €81 ($126) for a double room.

A journey into the past at Cueva de la Piletaby Nazareen Heazle

My footsteps echo around the large damp cave and I hear the flutter of a colony of bats above my head. I get closer to my guide who points his flashlight to a spot on the wall. Out of the darkness appears a drawing of what looks like an ochre-colored horse. But this is no ordinary horse; this is over 20,000 years old…Palaeolithic graffiti, if you will. I’m in the Cueva de la Pileta, a complex network of caves, 19 kilometres southwest of the town of Ronda in Andalucía’s mountains. These caves are an art gallery of prehistoric paintings.

As we walk further into the belly of this cave, there are even more drawings…a meter-long fish (El Pez) drawn in black charcoal, the eyes and fins on the body clearly visible. There are also images of bulls and matchstick men who seem to be out hunting, goats, and even a lynx. Amazing to think that these pictures, still so clear, were drawn by people between 20,000 and 32,000 years ago. Animal remains and pieces of pottery were also discovered here when excavations began in 1912.

Prehistoric art aside, the caves themselves are a wonder. A river once flowed through the caves and enormous stalagmites and stalactites have formed. Due to the presence of this water thousands of years ago, mineral deposits have left the smooth walls of the cave with hues of cobalt blue and caramel. Some of the chambers have ceilings that rise majestically for almost 30 metres.

The caves were discovered in 1905 by Jose Bullón Labato while he was out looking for bat droppings (a valued fertiliser). Still owned by the Bullón family, whose members lead tours around the complex, they have resisted pressure to hand control of the caves over to the state. They are determined to keep this exclusive part of their heritage resolutely uncommercial. The cave has no

http://www.hoteles-catalonia.com


handrails or illumination, and the only light comes from the small battery-powered lanterns given to each visitor and from the large flashlight operated by the guide. Photography is strictly prohibited…and be warned, you’ll be given a stern telling-off if you’re caught snapping pictures. Conservation is a top priority, and the family believes that too much light will eventually cause permanent damage to the paintings.

Tours are operated daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., on the hour. Be sure to show up early; tour groups are limited to about 20 people per tour to help preserve the caves. If you’re looking for a truly astonishing journey into the past, these caves are a must-see.

Murcia: Spain’s market gardenLocated in Spain’s sunny south, between Andalucía and Valencia, Murcia

is one of the country’s autonomous regions that gets overlooked. Few outsiders know its ancient inland towns, sunny beaches or delicious cuisine. Offering an agreeable lifestyle, along with Europe’s best weather and beaches, other attractions include a hilly hinterland, patch-worked with groves of citrus fruit, almonds, olive and fig trees. It is known as Spain’s “market garden.”

Its name comes from the Latin for mulberry (murtae), and for centuries mulberry leaves fed silkworms for the flourishing silk industry that lasted here until after World War II. The regional capital, also called Murcia, has narrow streets, sunny squares and 3,000 years of history. It’s a lovely baroque city to stroll around. The busy capital city is a university town and its rich heritage is only now being discovered.

Southeast of the capital lies “Europe’s biggest swimming pool,” the Mar Menor. It is a salt-water lagoon whose non-tidal, mineral-rich waters cover 155 square kilometres. The sea temperature here is normally five degrees higher than the Mediterranean’s. Water sports—sailing, kayaking, windsurfing and more—are all popular here, and the water’s relatively high salinity makes floating easy.

On the mainland side of the Mar Menor, attractive Los Alcázares and neighbouring Los Narejos are perfect for strolls or bike rides beside golden beaches. Linked by a six-kilometres promenade with numerous café-bars and restaurants, Los Alcázares is the larger location.

The Moors built several palaces in Los Alcázares and re-opened the old Roman baths. Many hotels in this area have spa facilities, and there are free mud baths farther up the lagoon at Lo Pagán. Near the mud baths, Calbanque

162 Escape to Spain

Nature Reserve is a protected area with walkways, long beaches and a host of birdlife, including flamingoes. Thirteen golf courses are within a 35-minute drive.

Head south along the coast and you’ll come to the Bay of Mazarrón, with its 30 beaches. The Puerto de Mazarrón, population 15,000, is the most important town on the bay. It has a range of shops, several markets and supermarkets…and stunning beaches with kilometres of promenades and a new marina. If you’re into water sports, you’ll find plenty available here year-round.

A scenic road south takes you to the old Roman fishing port of Águilas. Crowned with a 16th-century fortress, it is home to 30,000 inhabitants. Within its old town, Plaza de España is a handsome garden square lined with cafés. From here, it’s a short step to the port, with its black-and-white striped lighthouse and seafood restaurants. The town’s beach, Playa del Levante, gets busy in summer, but many quieter coves are in the area.

An undiscovered wine townby Steenie Harvey

There’s something intoxicatingly exciting about a wine-gushing fountain.

But Jumilla’s annual Fiesta de la Vendimia to celebrate the grape harvest won’t happen until at least mid-August. So today, I can only imagine what it’s like when the water from the fountain in the Jardin de la Glorieta turns into a cascade of ruby-red wine—free wine. Talk about bad timing…

Jumilla is a historic town in the upper reaches of Murcia, a relatively unknown region of southern Spain. As Murcia’s hinterland is even less explored than its coastal fringe, few foreign visitors ever find their way through the hills to its wine towns.

During the grape harvest, the water from the fountain in the Jardin de la Glorieta turns into

a cascade of ruby-red wine—free wine

©St

eeni

e H

arve

y


So they don’t get to enjoy an $11 three-course lunch—wine included—in the San Agustín, one of Jumilla’s best restaurants. They won’t see its castle, Tuesday market, the colorful picture tiles in the Jardín del Rey, or the robes worn by Easter penitents in the town’s Museo de Semana Santa (Holy Week Museum).

They don’t get to visit its wine bodegas, either. Sue and John Walker, an English couple living in Jumilla, took me to Silvano García’s bodega on Avenida de Murcia.

As I was driving to the spa town of Archena later, I had to forgo the full tasting extravaganza of 11 different bottles. If I’d known, I’d have stayed in Jumilla overnight. I’m a wine enthusiast, so limiting myself to one tiny sip was self-inflicted torture.

Wine has been produced in Jumilla and neighboring Yecla since the proverbial mists of time. Archaeologists recently unearthed a pair of golden earrings decorated with grape clusters—they’re around 2,500 years old.

Although I hadn’t heard of Jumilla’s red nectar before, U.S. wine connoisseur Robert Parker certainly has. He rates it as one of Spain’s best, tipping it to out-perform the famous Rioja brand by this year.

In Silvano García’s bodega, bottled Jumilla D.O. (Denomination of Origin) of various vintages start at €3.95 ($4.40). You can also purchase young wine in five-litre plastic bottles. It’s table wine—perfectly acceptable. And five litres is the equivalent of seven normal-size bottles. If you’re a frequent wine-drinker, you’d make some serious savings living here. At less than $1 a bottle, it’s very nearly as good as free…

Home to around 25,000 people, Jumilla is steeped in old traditions as well as wine. Sue told me about last year’s Holy Week procession. Some penitents walk through the old quarter barefoot, clanking chains behind them. All the street lights go out during the procession, so everywhere is plunged into darkness. It must feel like going back to medieval times.

164 Escape to Spain

APPENDIX A The Spain Rolodex

165APPENDIX A: The Spain Rolodex

APPENDIX A The Spain Rolodex

International Living resourcesOur website, www.ilaustralia.com, continuously posts articles about Spain,

including new expat and location profiles. Find a wealth of information and news from our correspondents around the world.

Also, check out International Living Australia magazine. Our monthly magazine provides a scope and depth of information about global travel, living, retiring, investing and real estate that is not available anywhere else at any price. It is your passport to a brighter, more exciting, more adventurous future. It can bring you the excitement and glamour of living and travelling in foreign countries even if you never leave your armchair. For more information on this top-notch publication, see http://pro1.ilaustralia.com/476503.

Want to meet our IL editors and in-country experts in person? Check our Events schedule and see where they’ll be next. Every year we hold a number of events around the world. At these events, we gather together all our experts so they can share with you, face-to-face, their invaluable insight and experience in living, investing, retiring and moving overseas. Check out the schedule, http://internationalliving.com/events/ for our next great event.

You can also find us on Facebook. We currently have over 1,200 followers…and counting. This is a great way to get in touch with other IL readers and all our editors. Plus it’s full of fun and interesting photos, videos, and much more. Find us at www.facebook.com/International-Living-Australia.

AccommodationSpain offers accommodation at a range of price points, from small, family

hotels with nightly rates starting at €30 or €40 ($47 to $62) up to 5-star-plus palaces costing hundreds of euro a night.

http://www.ilaustalia.com

http://pro1.ilaustralia.com/476503

http://internationalliving.com/events

https://www.facebook.com/International-Living-Australia-853125994741375/

166 Escape to Spain

Spain’s paradors: website: www.parador.es

To immerse yourself in the romance of Spain, consider staying a night or two in one of Spain’s many paradors. Most paradors are historic buildings that have been beautifully restored and converted into 4- and 5-star hotels. Rates vary, and special offers are available. See the website for listings.

Some personal favourites include the paradors in Sigüenza, Cuenca, and Almagro, located north, east and south of Madrid, respectively; the parador in Cáceres, in Extremadura (western Spain); and that in Zamora, in Castilla y León.

The parador in Granada, in Andalucía, is located inside the Alhambra, so you have the palace to yourself once the tourists leave. The one in Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, sits beside the cathedral. A stay in either of these paradors is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Airbnb: website: www.airbnb.com

This direct-rental service has quickly become popular in Spain. Renting locals’ private apartments or houses by the night, week or even month can snag you scenic and authentic accommodation. It can be a creative alternative to a chain hotel. It’s also an option worth checking in smaller beach towns (such as Sitges, in Catalunya) or in less-touristy cities that may offer few cosy B&Bs or boutique hotels.

Booking.com; website: www.booking.com

Owned by Priceline, Booking.com guarantees the best available prices on hotels. It’s excellent for hotels around Europe and often has rates that are lower than the ones you’ll find on the hotels’ own website. If you find a hotel in Spain that you like, look it up on Booking.com before you make your reservation.

Northwest Spain

Bilbao:

• Iturrienea Ostatua, C/ Santa María (Andra Mari Kalea) 14, 1o, 48005 Bilbao; tel. +34 (94) 416-1500; email: [email protected]; website: http://iturrieneaostatua.com. A clean, well-located guest house in Bilbao’s casco viejo, steps from all restaurants. Rates €60 to €80 ($94 to $125) a night.

• Silken Indautxu Bilbao, Plaza Bombero Etxaniz, s/n, 48010 Bilbao; tel. +34 (94) 444-0004; email: [email protected];

http://www.parador.es


http://Booking.com

http://www.booking.com

http://Booking.com

http://Booking.com


http://iturrieneaostatua.com

http://reservas.indautxu

http://hoteles-silken.com


website: http://www.hoteles-silken.com/hoteles/indautxu-bilbao/. Located in the modern city with easy access to both it and the casco viejo. Double rooms can start at about €69 (about $107) a night.

San Sebastián:

• Pensión Bellas Artes, C/Urbieta 64 - 1º 20.003 Donostia, San Sebastián; tel. +34 (943) 474-905; website: www.pension-nuevasartes.com. Right in central San Sebastián, this place gets high marks from guests for its amenities—which include WiFi and wheelchair-accessibility—and hospitality.

• Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra, Zubieta 2, 20007 San Sebastián; tel. +34 (943) 440-770; email: [email protected]; website: www.hlondres.com. Want to stay right on the beach? You’ll pay a pretty penny for beach-view accommodation, but then, in San Sebastián the location is pure magic.

Pamplona:

• Gran Hotel La Perla, Plaza del Castillo, 1, 31001 Pamplona, Navarra; tel. +34 (94) 822-3000; email: informació[email protected]; website: www.granhotellaperla.com. Elegance, history, and the best address in Pamplona. Doubles from about €159 ($248) a night.

Wine Country

Laguardia:

• Cosme Palacio, Ctra Elciego s/n 01300 Laguardia; tel. +34 (945) 621-195; website: www.cosmepalacio.com. This pretty hotel is just below the Laguardia town walls.

• There are lots of lovely bodegas in this area that offer accommodation. For more, see www.rutadelvinoderiojaalavesa.com.

Andalucía

Sevilla:

• Hotel Murillo, Lope de Rueda, 7 - 9, Santa Cruz, 41004 Sevilla; tel. +34 (954) 216-095; email: [email protected]; website: www.hotelmurillo.com. Located in the heart of Sevilla’s old town, this hotel is in the perfect location, close to all the major sights. The roof top garden, with a dramatic view of the illuminated cathedral, is a must for evening cocktails. They also have apartments for rent in the Santa Cruz neighborhood.

http://www.hoteles-silken.com/hoteles/indautxu

http://www.pension-nuevasartes.com

http://www.pension-nuevasartes.com


http://www.hlondres.com

mailto:informació[email protected]

http://www.granhotellaperla.com

http://www.cosmepalacio.com

http://www.rutadelvinoderiojaalavesa.com


http://www.hotelmurillo.com

168 Escape to Spain

Ronda:

• Hotel Catalonia Reina Victoria, Jerez 25, 29400 Ronda; tel. +34 (952) 871-240; email: [email protected]; website: www.hoteles-catalonia.com. Located in the new town, a pleasant five-minute walk from the town center, it has a distinctive Victorian style but with a modern twist. The rooms are bright and spacious and there’s also a spa and a swimming pool with views of the gorge.

Málaga:

• Itaca Málaga, Fajardo, 1-3, Málaga Centro, 29008 Málaga; website: www.itacamalaga.com. On a quiet, pedestrian street at the edge of Málaga’s historic center, this hotel has large, comfortable rooms at great prices. There’s also a roof top pool and free Wifi. It’s a short walk to Málaga’s great shops and restaurants.

• Hotel Molina Lario, Molina Lario, 20-22, 29015 Málaga; tel. +34 (95) 206-2002; email: [email protected]; website: www.hotelmolinalario.com. Centrally-located in Málaga’s pedestrian center, right near museums, shops, and the sea. Doubles start at around $150.

Attorneys• Strong Abogados, offices in Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, and Tenerife;

tel. +34 (93) 215-5393; website: www.strongabogados.com.

Embassies • U.S. Embassy in Spain, Madrid, Spain, tel. +34 (91) 587-2200;

website: http://madrid.usembassy.gov/.

• Spanish Embassy in the U.S., 2375 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 20037 Washington D.C.; tel. (202) 452-0100; email: [email protected]; website: www.spainemb.org.

• Canadian Embassy in Spain, Torre Espacio, Paseo de la Castellana 259 D, 28046 Madrid; tel. +34 (91) 382-8400; email: [email protected]; website: www.canadainternational.gc.ca/spain-espagne/index.aspx.

• Spanish Embassy in Canada, 74 Stanley Avenue, Ottawa (Ontario), K1M 1P4; tel. (613) 747-2252; email: [email protected]; website: www.exteriores.gob.es/embajadas/ottawa/.

http://reinavictoria.reservas

http://hoteles-catalonia.es

http://www.itacamalaga.com


http://www.hotelmolinalario.com

http://madrid.usembassy.gov


http://www.spainemb.org


http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/spain-espagne/index.aspx


http://www.exteriores.gob.es/embajadas/ottawa


Expat groups/contacts• International Living Spain country page, website:

http://internationalliving.com/countries/spain/.

• Spain Expat; website: www.spainexpat.com. An independent resource for expats living in Spain.

Health insurance companiesSpanish insurers:

• Asisa; website: www.asisa.es

• Mapfre; website: www.mapfre.com. The largest insurer in Spain.

• Sanitas; website: www.sanitas.es. Note that Sanitas is a Spanish subsidiary of Bupa International.

• Seguros Bilbao; website: www.segurosbilbao.com, with global coverage optional.

• Seguros Catalana Occidente; website: www.seguroscatalanaoccidente.com

International insurers:• Allianz Insurance; website: www.allianz.es

• DKV Seguros; website: www.dkvseguros.com

• Generali Seguros; website: www.generali.es

International tax attorney• Nick Hodges, NCH Tax & Wealth Advisors, 1661 E. Chapman Ave.,

#2A, Fullerton, CA 92831; tel. (800) 748-4159; email: [email protected]; websites: www.nchwealth.com and www.expatcfo.com.

Spanish tax attorneys• Estudio Jurídico Alliantia (Pablo Boyer), calle Velázquez 21,

5odcha, 28001 Madrid, Spain; tel. +34 (91) 593-4679; email: [email protected]; website: www.alliantia.es.

http://internationalliving.com/countries/spain

http://www.spainexpat.com

http://www.asisa.es

http://www.mapfre.com

http://www.sanitas.es

http://www.segurosbilbao.com

http://www.seguroscatalanaoccidente.com

http://www.allianz.es

http://www.dkvseguros.com

http://www.generali.es



http://www.nchwealth.com

http://www.expatcfo.com


http://www.alliantia.es

170 Escape to Spain

Real estate contactsBilbao

• Artea Inmobiliaria, Calle Viuda de Epalza, 13, Bilbao 48003, Vizcaya, Spain; tel. +34 (94) 479-4800 and +34 (94) 479-2929; email: [email protected]; website: www.artea-inmo.com.

• Bilbocasa, Calle Banco España, 5, Casco Viejo, Bilbao 48005, Vizcaya, Spain; tel. +34 (94) 415-2323 and +34 (94) 679-1272; email: [email protected]; website: www.bilbocasa.com.

Pamplona

• Arrieta Inmobiliaria, Emilio Arrieta, 3, bajo, Pamplona 31002, Navarra; tel. +34 (948) 211-985; email: Marga Ruiz at [email protected]; website: www.arrietainmobiliaria.com.

• Inmobiliaria Navarra, Plaza del Castillo, 26, bajo, Pamplona 31001, Navarra; tel. +34 (948) 206-696; email: [email protected]; website: www.navarrainmobiliaria.es.

Barcelona

• Casamona International Real Estate, Passeig Joan de Borbó, 28, Principal, 08003 Barcelona, Catalunya; tel. +34 (93) 304-1532; email: [email protected]; website: www.casamona.com. Handles both sales and rentals.

• Engel & Voelkers Barcelona, Passeig de Gràcia, 120, 08008 Barcelona, Catalunya; tel. +34 (93) 515-4444; website: www.engelvoelkers.com/es/barcelona/.

Alicante

• Inmobiliaria Garcia, Calle Reyes Católicos, 16 bajo, 03003 Alicante; tel. +34 (96) 512-0704; email: [email protected]; website: www.inmobiliariagarcia.net.

• Inmo Swiss Service, Calle Álvarez Sereix, 7, 03001 Alicante; tel. (96) 520-5392; email: [email protected]; website: www.inmoswiss-service.com.

Puerto Mazarrón

• Fincas Mazarrón Inmobiliaria, Calle Carlos Ferrándiz, 2, edificio Avenida 1o A, 30870 Mazarrón, Murcia; tel. +34 (96) 859-0927 and +34 (636) 268-434; email: [email protected]; website: www.inmobiliariamazarron.com.

http://artea-inmo.com

http://www.artea-inmo.com


http://www.bilbocasa.com


http://www.arrietainmobiliaria.com


http://www.navarrainmobiliaria.es


http://www.casamona.com

http://www.engelvoelkers.com/es/barcelona


http://www.inmobiliariagarcia.net


http://www.inmoswiss-service.com


http://www.inmobiliariamazarron.com


• Playas de Mazarrón Inmobiliaria, Avda. Tierno Galván, 22, Playas de Mazarrón, 30860 Murcia; tel. +35 (96) 815-5708; email: [email protected]; website: www.playasdemazarron.es.

Málaga

• Inmobiliaria Krauel, Calle Sancha de Lara, 13, 29015 Málaga; tel. +34 (95) 221-0457 and +34 (95) 221-0947; website: www.inmokrauel.com.

• Malaga Estates, Calle Hinestrosa, 25, Málaga 29012; tel. +34 (95) 222-3288; email: [email protected]; website: www.malagaestates.com.

Mijas, Ojén and Torrox

• Mijas Real Estate, Casa Antigua Santa Rita, Los Espartales 6, Carretera de Mijas; tel. +34 (95) 2591-006; website: www.Mijasrealestate.com.

• Competa Properties S.l., Torrox, Plaza de la Constitucion 4, Bajo, Torrox, Malaga; tel. +34 (95) 2538-337; email: [email protected]; website: www.competaproperties.com.

• Nevado Realty, Camillo Jose Cela 18, 29602 Marbella; tel. +34 (95) 282-5517; email: [email protected]; website: www.nevadomarbella.com. Based in Marbella, it deals mainly in properties in towns along the coast.

Granada

• Oasis Real Estate, Navas, 20, 1o, 18009, Granada; tel. +34 (95) 822-8930; email: [email protected]; website: www.aloasis.com.

The Sherry Triangle

• JerezSur Inmobiliaria, Plaza Madre de Dios, 14, 11411 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz; tel.: +34 (95) 633-1106; email: [email protected]; website: www.jerezsur.com.

• Aurovas Grupo Inmobiliario, Centro Comercial Vistahermosa, Local num. 10, 11500 El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz; tel. +34 (95) 687-6047; email: [email protected]; website: www.aurovas.com.

• Urban Oasis Property Consultants, Calle Porvera, 3—Oficina 3, 11403 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz; tel. +34 (95) 616-8400; email: [email protected]; www.urbanoasis.es.

For long-term rentals, www.enalquiler.com is a portal for local agencies.


http://www.playasdemazarron.es

http://www.inmokrauel.com


http://www.malagaestates.com

http://www.Mijasrealestate.com


http://www.competaproperties.com


http://www.nevadomarbella.com


http://www.aloasis.com


http://www.jerezsur.com


http://www.aurovas.com


http://www.urbanoasis.es

http://www.enalquiler.com

172 Escape to Spain

Cuenca

• Inmobiliaria Romero, Calle Cervantes, 7, bajo, 16004 Cuenca; tel. +34 (96) 922-8454; email: [email protected]; website: www.inmobiliariaromero.com.

• Inmobiliaria Vieco, Calle Fermín Caballero, 13-15, bajo, 16004 Cuenca; tel. +34 (96) 923-2242; website: www.inmobiliariavieco.com.

Relocation contacts• Cargo Experts, 10091 NW 1st Court, Plantation, Florida 33322;

tel. (954) 423-1920 or (866) 994-7822 (toll-free); website: www.cargo-experts.net.

• Intercargo; email: [email protected]; website: www.intercargo.com.

• Schumacher Cargo Logistics, 550 West 135th Street, Gardena, California 90248; tel. (562) 408-6677 and (800) 599-0190; website: www.schumachercargo.com.

• Tara Shipping, 2401 Waterman Blvd., Suite A4, Fairfield, CA 94534; tel.: (407) 892-0060 or (707) 266-7309 or (800) 694-1024 (toll-free); email: [email protected]; website: www.tarashipping.com.

Visa specialists• Bennet & Rey, Paseo de la Catellana,141,8a planta, Edificio Cuzco IV,

28046 Madrid; tel. +34 (91) 572-6961; email: [email protected]; website: www.bennetrey.com.

• Expatriat, Paseo de la Habana, 9-11, 28036, Madrid; tel. +34 (91) 411-3219; email: Paloma Ortega, [email protected]; website: www.legalexpatriat.com.

• Strong Abogados, offices in Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, and Tenerife; tel.: +34 (93) 215-5393; website: www.strongabogados.com.


http://www.inmobiliariaromero.com

http://www.inmobiliariavieco.com

http://www.cargo-experts.net


http://www.intercargo.com

http://www.schumachercargo.com


http://www.tarashipping.com


http://www.bennetrey.com


http://www.legalexpatriat.com

http://www.strongabogados.com


APPENDIX B Map of Spain

174 Escape to Spain

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