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20 good reasons to move to the Costa Blanca

1.    The Weather
Enjoy days of beautiful sunshine all year round. The climate is fantastic and rain is often a welcome relief! Summer stretches well into autumn and you’re likely to be eating your Christmas lunch outside on the terrace.    Everyone seems happier when the sun is shining.

2.    Things to Do
No matter how old (or young!) you are there’s always plenty to do: water parks, fun fairs, beaches, countryside walks, cycling, horse riding, swimming, watersports, tennis, football, rugby, golf, shopping, wine tasting, fishing, bullfighting, cinemas and of course, Spain’s speciality: fiestas. We guarantee you’ll never be bored.

3.    A More Relaxed way of Life
If you want to escape the rat race and take life at a slower pace then the Costa Blanca is the place for you. You can take life as slowly or as fast as you wish here, although try to speed up the Spanish and you’ll get nowhere fast! Part of the reason people are so much more relaxed is there isn’t the hurry to get things done so urgently that there is in countries further north. Yes, we admit this can be really frustrating if you’re waiting for a plumber to fix your pipes or Telefónica to install your phone line, but rest assured it will eventually happen!

4.    The Outdoor Life
If you invite your friends round for a barbecue on the Costa Blanca it’s 99% certain that it won’t rain and you will be able to go ahead with your plans. How often have you been rained off in the UK or Germany? In summer most people spend more time outdoors than inside as the temperature is so pleasant. Many properties are set up for this outdoor living with a naya (outside porch) that is used as an extra room and often houses have an outside kitchen.

5.    Cheaper Property
Although the really cheap properties of a few years ago no longer exist you can still get a lot of property and land for your money in this area. The trick is to liaise with a reputable estate agent and be patient. Whether you want to rent or buy you’ll eventually find the right property that will certainly give you more for your money than you had in the UK/Germany.

6.    It’s Cheap to Eat Out
Many restaurants serve a 3 course meal including wine for 10-15 euros. The further inland you go the cheaper it will be and there are some real gems to be found off the beaten track. If you don’t want a full-on heavy dinner then just try some tapas which are surprisingly more filling than you think. It’s often cheaper to eat out than cook at home, and much less hassle.

7.    The Wine
There are some wonderful tasting wines sold for as little as 1.5 euros in the supermarkets and bodegas. Whether you prefer red, white or rosé you’re sure to find something to suit your palette. At such cheap prices you can afford to sample several and find your favourites. And for more special occasions you only need to spend about 5 euros to get a really decent bottle of wine.

8.    The People
The Spanish people in this region are generally very friendly and will welcome you to their country, particularly if you try to speak their language. Even if you only know a few words they’ll be impressed that you’re trying. Many families have settled in this region quite happily living alongside the locals. If you show an interest in the culture and way of life where you live you’re sure to find someone to talk to. The great thing is many of the towns here are small and it won’t be long before you’re recognised and greeted with a friendly ‘hola’ when going about your daily business.

9.    The Scenery
Unless you live in the depths of a large town or city it’s likely you’ll be able to look out of your windows and see the most fantastic views. From mountains to coastline, the views here are quite spectacular. As you drive from town to town you’ll often be rewarded with a fantastic backdrop of mountains that change colour as the light falls on them. And taking a walk through the olive or almond groves can be breathtaking.

10.    The Language
If you live in Spain you’ve got the opportunity to learn to speak Spanish, which is the second most commonly spoken language in the world, after Mandarin Chinese. Living in a country is one of the best ways to learn a language, and even if you’re not particularly linguistically talented you’ll be surprised how much you pick up when you’ve been here a while. As you go round the supermarkets and read the signs and products and hear Spanish spoken on a daily basis you’ll be absorbing it without realising. If your children grow up here and you’re from another country they’ll have the advantage of being bi-lingual which will give them a great start in life.

11.    Children are Welcome
No matter where you go in Spain people just love children. Family life is centred around them and they’re always included in family get- togethers and outings. Children are welcome in nearly all restaurants, no matter what time of day it is. Baby-sitters are virtually unheard of in the Spanish culture, unless it’s a member of the family looking after the children while the parents are at work. If parents go out in the evening the children usually go to.

12.    Fiestas
No matter where you live in this region you can’t ignore the fiestas. Even if you’re not a party-goer you can still enjoy the wonderful sights of the street parades, decorations and fireworks that take place in almost every Spanish town and village in the region. The annual fiestas take place during the same week or two weeks every year (usually in August – check your local tourist information office for up to date details) and are an excuse for the whole town to party. Church bells and the town band will wake you at the crack of dawn announcing yet another day of festivities. These will continue throughout the day, and include such things as children’s parties, giant paella cooking, picnicing and singing and dancing. Fiestas go on until the early hours of the morning so you’ll need plenty of energy if you want to join in!

13.    Markets
Every town or village has a weekly market, selling fruit, vegetables and often clothes and items for the home. It’s much cheaper to buy things here than in the shops. The markets expand during the summer months to cater for tourists, and many a bargain can be found. Some towns also have flea markets, known as Rastros, where you can pick up antiques, jewellery and crafts.

14.    Crafts
Spain produces some beautiful hand-crafted items, including leather goods, pottery, wickerwork and lace. These are sold in markets and shops throughout the region. There are also several factories in the region that are open to visitors and produce craft items on a larger scale.

15.    The Beaches
Clean, often manned by a lifeguard in the summer, toilets, disabled facilities and many that are safe for children; this region has some of the best beaches in Spain. From small rocky coves to long sandy beaches backed by assorted bars and restaurants there are plenty of beaches to choose from.

16.    New Friends
Until you’ve actually lived in Spain you won’t believe how many new friends you’ll make and how easy it is.

For those wanting to stick to their fellow countrymen there are hundreds of expatriate clubs and groups to join to meet likeminded people. If you hear your native language in a bar, restaurant or shop it’s easy to strike up a conversation.    Suggest a coffee and before you know it you’ve made new friends.

Making friends of other nationalities is slightly more difficult but once you’ve done it you’ll be able to practise your language skills and you’ll soon have a whole network of international friends. Again, just smile, talk and see where it gets you.

If you have children of school age then you’re lucky as you’ve got a guaranteed way to meet new people.

17.    Open Space
The sheer ruralness of some of the areas in this region is astounding. It’s easy to escape the towns and people and be in the open countryside within minutes. Even driving along some roads you’re hardly likely to see another car for miles.

Out of season the beaches are only dotted with a few families having picnics or playing ball games and are a pleasure to visit.

There are some fantastic walks in this region, which will give you a true feeling of the vastness of open space and beautiful countryside in the region, from the rugged mountains to the lush and colourful valleys.

18.    Better Quality of Food
The abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables at the markets is overwhelming. There are courgettes, tomatoes, aubergines and whatever else is in season piled high for you to choose from. Vegetables are still caked in mud and come in all shapes and sizes so you can squeeze and prod and choose to your heart’s content.

There’s not a sign of over-packaged carrots, all the same size, scrubbed clean and lined up in neat rows that quite frankly, just don’t look natural. The fruit and vegetables are almost certainly organic and you won’t be paying a premium for this.

When oranges and lemons are in season the little old men that sell them at the side of the road practically give them away. Freshly picked and still warm from the sun there’s nothing better than a mouth-watering local orange.

Meat and fish is also incredibly fresh and relatively cheap, even in the supermarkets. Fish can also be bought from the fish markets.

19.    The Siesta
If the locals do it why can’t we take a siesta too? It’s the perfect excuse for an afternoon nap when, during the heat of the summer it’s practically impossible to do anything anyway.

UK magazines tell us to take a power nap to help us survive the stress of modern living so taking a siesta in Spain is the equivalent. The only difference is you’re not likely to be suffering the same stressful life here as you were before. But that doesn’t mean a siesta won’t revive you and give you the energy to enjoy the outdoor evening life. Yes, the Spanish really have got the work life balance right!

20.    A Better Lifestyle
If you’re the type of person looking to escape the rat race and the monotonous routine of your UK life look no further than Spain. The whole experience of living abroad is a challenging but satisfying adventure. Many of us only dream of our ‘place in the sun’, but for most of the thousands of people that have moved to this area it’s the best thing they’ve ever done.

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