Spain Explained

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. It’s one of the nightmare scenarios – you’re holiday’s booked but your passport needs renewing. It’s getting closer and closer to the date when you fly. Will it arrive back in time or should you make a last minute ditch attempt to retrieve it in person […]

Last updated on June 3rd, 2020 at 07:25 pm. It’s perhaps a symptom of government austerity that taxation is a particular target for change. It is one of the best means of increasing revenue but must also be handled carefully if your electorate are not to be upset as an election year approaches. As the […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. You’ll have seen the signs on the outside of walls – a circle with a line through it that seems to appear at every spot where you want to park. The ‘Vado’ sign is usually found outside garages, entrances to drive ways and other places where, […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:22 pm. There are countless urbanisations each hosting their own community of property owners (Comunidad de Proprietarios) throughout Spain.  On the whole they can be beneficial organisations. The intention is that through the annual general meeting decisions are made relating to the community and its upkeep. Common elements, […]

Last updated on February 25th, 2020 at 03:18 pm. Making a denuncia is an important part of the law and order system in Spain. In this article, David Ruiz tells us more about them. Having to report an event (or someone) to the police is something that nearly all of us have to do at […]

Last updated on June 3rd, 2020 at 07:26 pm. It might come as a surprise to know that in the UK, until now, capital gains tax (CGT) wasn’t payable by non-residents when selling property there. This is perhaps one reason why house prices in London have risen to such exorbitant levels. They have become a […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am.  Whether you are on holiday or living in Spain, chances are that at some time you will need to pay a visit to the Spanish chemist or ‘farmacia’. The chemist in Spain is usually extremely good and in most outlets at least one member of staff […]

Last updated on June 5th, 2020 at 06:45 pm. One of the main concerns for anyone coming to live in another country must be ‘how will I obtain the healthcare I need?’. This is particularly the case where you are perhaps a little older in years and know that more, rather than less, healthcare is […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. Apparently, Spanish is becoming an increasingly popular language to learn. Why? Alongside Spain’s popularity as a holiday destination comes its attraction to young people as a ‘cool’ place with ‘cool’ people.   Some of this undoubtedly comes down to the passion for party, late nights in […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. Have you come across this Spanish word before? A ‘Parador’ is a state-run tourist hotel usually found in rural beauty spots or places of historical interest. The Parador in Spain is often converted from interesting buildings such as castles or monasteries and offers much more than […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. Walk out into a bar or café area late at night in summer in Spain and you will be greeted by chatter. The Spanish talk, and often seem to talk loudly. Everyone seems to have a comment to make and usually at the same time. Depending […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. Once a week I go for a run. I don’t go far and I certainly don’t break the sound barrier. Over the summer in Spain it can be difficult to find the best time to go. Ideally it would be early in the morning before the […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:23 pm. One headline after another has provided a confusing picture over the last year of just how well the Spanish housing market is doing. With the release of the ‘Estadística Registral Inmobiliaria’ we can begin to see the true picture. What is clear is that overall, a […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:24 pm. At one time a glance at the Spanish skyline, at least in any coastal region, was likely to take in a handful of cranes. Then came the downturn and the cranes disappeared and went into storage. Until now. In some parts of the country, the giants […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:24 pm. Abogados, gestorias, asesores, inmobiliarias, notarias, economistas… the list of Spanish professionals you might come across when buying and selling your Spanish property, just goes on. Which would you use and what might the equivalent be in your home country? This glossary can help you get to […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am. What happened to the day when a little paddle in the sea was more than enough? No longer a simple slide into the water or an inflatable dinghy, the Spanish water park experience has to get more and more thrilling to keep them coming. Water parks […]

Last updated on May 18th, 2020 at 05:46 pm. As July and August descend in Spain, the Spanish people come into their own. The streets will be deserted at 2.00 as they retreat inside, only to emerge again as the sun starts to set and temperatures are returned to a sensible level. Contrast this with […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:25 pm. You’ve seen the house of your dreams in Spain, but it’s a little more than you expected to pay. Or perhaps, you are wanting a holiday home and you can’t quite stretch to paying the asking price all in cash. For many people, taking out a […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:10 am. If you turn on the television and tune into a political debate you expect the politicians to match a particular profile; usually male, over the age of 50, conventionally dressed and perhaps a little overweight. It is wrong to stereotype and there are exceptions, but such […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:10 am. It had been quiet for a while around the subject of airport security. This wasn’t to last. On the 2nd July 2014, new airport security restrictions were introduced from UK airports.  The US is concerned that events in Syria and Yemen could have an impact on […]

Last updated on October 29th, 2019 at 09:21 am. There are beaches on your doorstep and you can enjoy all the facilities available to the holidaymaker every weekend of the year, if you choose. If you live in Spain, chances are that no one you left behind in your native country would expect that you’d […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:25 pm. If you are wanting to buy a property in Spain but are finding it difficult to spend the necessary time out here, there are other options. Not everyone finds it convenient to spend time waiting for the lawyers to complete the necessary searches, checks and contracts. […]

Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:10 am. Amongst all the controversy over immigration in many European countries, most would acknowledge that there are times when immigrants can be a boost to rather than a drain on the economy. Spain recognises that for some of those wishing to obtain Spanish residency, there can be […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:06 pm. A draft Spanish tax reform law was approved on the 20th June. The new reforms were proposed by the finance minister Cristobal Montoro at a meeting of the Council of Ministers and are intended to be introduced by January 2015. In this article we will go […]

Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:26 pm. You’ve found the house in Spain you’ve always wanted and now it’s all systems go. But you’re not buying a property in your own country and all the usual routines that you’ve probably been through before are absent.  So what can you expect? The NIE If […]