Last updated on April 8th, 2020 at 11:41 am. Spain has a reputation for having one of the best national health services in Europe. How can you make sure you can access it if you come to live here? Caroline Clinton explains what the options are. For those people considering coming to live in Spain […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on May 8th, 2020 at 08:02 pm. 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, […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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. […]

Last updated on February 25th, 2020 at 03:12 pm. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:08 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. 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 […]