The HSBC survey aims to give people an opportunity to see how others rate the country they’ve moved to. In this article we look at the overall results and summarise opinions on Spain. If you live in Spain but are of a different nationality, what made you choose this country and not another one? For […]

How is it best to travel around Spain’s 500,000 sq km of land?  With 17 autonomous communities and countryside varying between the rugged and the rolling it really is worth exploring if you have the transport to do so. And if you don’t? You can take a plane between some of Spain’s major cities. However, […]

With a hot, dry climate you might have low expectations of what’s possible when it comes to creating colour in your garden. However, you might be surprised. Nico Clinton provides some gardening tips to help your garden in Spain flourish.    In the height of the summer, looking out across the landscape of southern Spain […]

Some people have a travelling vein in their body. They simply can’t stay in one place for too long. Some people take advantage of their early twenties to tour foreign countries whilst others prefer to wait until they retire. Some, make it a life choice earlier. The campervan is a popular way of combining a […]

There are different rules in Spain to other European countries when it comes to dangerous dogs. Dogs are not banned in the way they are in the UK but the owners and those walking a dangerous dog in Spain must be licensed. The law that governs this is the law Real Decreto 287/2002. It includes […]

Most people know that there is an airport in Malaga but not much else about this city in the south of Spain. For those with a base in Marbella or Fuengirola, Malaga is the airport they will probably use, although Gibraltar is also another option. It is a real pity when this is all that […]

How to drive legally in Spain is one of the most talked about and written about subjects amongst the expat population. We frequently receive questions from clients directly and on the forum about licences, vehicle registrations and driving laws in Spain. Here, Graham Shelton of www.spanish-number-plates.com answers some of the questions that we are most often asked. What must […]

The body of the Spanish writer Federico García Lorca remains buried somewhere in southern Spain. Murdered by Franco’s Spanish nationalists, he remains one of the many individual tragedies of the Spanish Civil War. Lorca is one of the most important Spanish poets and dramatists of the twentieth century. As news is breaking that a third […]

Most people who are wanting to explore Spain will visit its major cities of Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Granada. Each one is special and different and provides examples of Spain’s rich past. But if you want to travel to somewhere a little different that has a wealth of history behind it then you wouldn’t go […]

Of course, what you consider to be the best and the worst will depend on your own personal preferences and experiences. For example, if you have had a particularly bad experience at one airport – perhaps you lost your luggage or had something stolen – then for you that airport could surpass any on this […]

Smoking banned indoors in Spain? Never! Many people initially felt that Spain was a country that would never introduce or enforce such a ban. They were mistaken. Certainly the introduction in 2011 of a number of strict measures went relatively smoothly. Smokers have perhaps been helped by Spain’s moderate climate meaning that most of the […]

If you are anywhere near Elche in the middle of August then you cannot let the Mystery Play pass you by. There are three important dates to put in your diary. On the 13th August it’s La Nit de l’Albà when fireworks and firecrackers are let off in a spectacular display from around the town […]

The Tour de France this year proved to be a spectacular victory for the British cyclist Chris Froome as he cycled away with the yellow jersey. However, he wasn’t on his own in deserving a mention. The Spanish riders Alejandro Valverde and Quintana made the final podium as team winners. If you have become a […]

For many people, it’s their dream. After years of the daily grind, to make the most of their retirement by coming out to live in Spain. What better place to enjoy the extra time you have than in a beautiful climate with fresh, healthy food and where there are so many sites to see and […]

It may seem very far removed from beaches and bars, but what happens in Spain’s local and general elections is of great importance to everyone with a property in Spain and not only those who live here. The political climate impacts on day-to-day lives probably more than we realise. Until there’s a change. Following the […]

People who have property in Spain fall into one of two groups – resident or non-resident. You are a non-resident here if you live less than 183 days in Spain – and these don’t need to be consecutive days. However, there is perhaps another group within the non-resident category; those people that are semi-resident and […]

Most people with property in Spain have enjoyed cheap flights for a few years. Without doubt it’s one of the reasons why people choose property here. With good, predictable warm weather in the summer and milder winters on the coast, you’re not far away from family and friends either. If it’s a holiday home you’ve […]

Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Taking a cruise around the Mediterranean is on plenty of people’s bucket lists. In this blog Spain Explained provides some advice on what’s available and how to make the most of it. The presence of cruise ships around the Spanish coast is set to increase. It has […]

Hotels, guest houses, apartments and staying with relatives. Lots of different ways in which you can take advantage of Spain’s beautiful climate and hospitality. But what about camping? There are ample opportunities to enjoy this too. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Using communal showers, hikes through muddy fields and straining to erect a tent […]

If you come out to live in Spain it’s not only healthcare that you need to organize. You need to look after your teeth too. Spain Explained spoke to Dr. Ian Smith from Carredent Dental Practice about his experience of being a dentist in Spain. There can be few people who enjoy going to the […]

You’ve made the bold decision to move your family to Spain. With children to consider, your priority must be, how will they fit in too? It’s no easy matter moving your whole family abroad. The paper work itself can take an age to do and then you have the schools to consider. Unlike in some […]

Trying to get the best deal when it comes to renting a car is no easy matter. We talked to Mike at Coys Rent A Car to find out the behind-the-scenes information. In this part of the Costa Blanca, businesses have a tendency of coming and going. But not Coys. They have been trading as […]

If you have a property in Spain, there is chance that at some point you have hired a car here. Most people like to be able to travel around to get the real benefit of a holiday home. If you live in Spain, you have probably been involved in hiring one for relatives or friends. […]

In many respects we hope you never have to use either a consulate or an embassy.  A visit to either of these outposts in someone else’s native country is usually a sign that something has gone wrong. The holiday maker who has lost their passport or the resident who has got into trouble with the […]

One of the main foundations of the Spanish economy is tourism. Tourism and Spain have been linked in the minds of many Europeans for decades. However, this close relationship hasn’t always been cosy or predictable and the tourism statistics for Spain are evidence of this. During the last 13 years there have been some peaks […]