Top 10 reasons to move to Spain

If you are thinking of joining the hundreds of thousands of people who strive each year for a life abroad, Spain could be the ideal place. Here are 10 reasons to make it your destination of choice.

1) sun

A plentiful supply of sunshine is always more appealing than endless days of rain (unless you’re an Australian farmer). That’s especially true if you come from northern Europe, with its dark winter days and erratic summers. On the contrary, Spain is, in general, well endowed throughout the year with those golden rays. Plus, there’s no need to worry about where to go on your summer vacation anymore, just stay home!

2) Outdoor activities

With the sun and warmth, there are ample opportunities to get out of the house and enjoy the great outdoors: sailing, snorkeling, hiking, climbing, biking, golfing, or simply paddling on the beach. And in winter there is good skiing at both ends of the country, in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the south, or in the Pyrenees in the north.

3) Natural beauty

In many minds, Spain has become synonymous with tacky beach resorts that ruin its once pristine coastline. But that is by no means the whole story. Yes, the parts are overdeveloped nightmares. But there are still many beautiful stretches of coast to find.

And once away from the main tourist areas of the Mediterranean coast, there are a wide variety of natural wonders to explore, including the wild coast of Galicia, the lush forests of the Basque Country and the majestic Picos de Europa National Park.

4) Cost of living

Since the introduction of the euro in 2002, Spain has become noticeably more expensive than it was before, as companies of all descriptions took the opportunity to round up their prices. However, the cost of items such as food, alcohol, gasoline, and property still compares favorably with many other industrialized nations, particularly the UK.

5) Food and drink

Spain may not have the culinary reputation of France or Italy, but there is more to the local menu than just paella and omelette (although both are delicious). And as you would expect from a country of this size, there is a great variety of styles between the different regions (with a particularly renowned Basque cuisine). In the same way, although a good glass of cava or a red Rioja should not be despised, the Spanish wine industry has much more going for it.

6) rhythm of life

Spain is known for its approach to life for naps and mornings. The pace may be picking up, especially in major cities like Madrid and Barcelona, ​​but overall there is still a more relaxed approach to the clock, with people taking the time to chat with neighbors or have a coffee. at the end of the day. a meal.

7) Health care

The Spanish state health system is among the best in the world. In fact, the World Health Organization, when comparing countries’ health systems for its 2000 annual report (World Health Report 2000 – Health Systems: Performance Improvement), ranked it seventh usually. And in my experience (of which I have had many) the facilities are modern, well equipped and clean, the staff is well trained and the waiting lists for treatment are short.

8) Family life

In general, Spanish families tend to be close-knit and child-oriented. It is common to see families of three or four generations sitting for lunch together every day. Children are also common places in restaurants in the evenings, rather than staying home with the babysitters while the adults go out. And wherever they go, children are always the center of attention, both to members of the extended family and to strangers.

9) Parties

The fiestas are an integral and highly anticipated part of Spanish life. There are famous extravagances, such as the running of the bulls in Pamplona (San Fermín) or Holy Week and the April Fair in Seville, which are well worth visiting, even if only once. But each city and town has its own catalog of holy days and holidays too, which can be just as energetic and intoxicating (in every way).

10) Cultural Riches

Spain’s glory days as the world’s conquering empire may be behind us, but a wealth of history and culture remains. There are museums, the world-famous art galleries in Madrid and Barcelona, ​​architectural jewels as different as the Moorish Alhambra in Granada, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. There is flamenco, Picasso and Cervantes. Or just take a walk through Salamanca, surely one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.