For Britons in search of that post-retirement lifestyle, Spain is a firm favourite and for good reason.
All year-round sunshine coupled with world class Blue Flag beaches and stunning views make Spain an attractive prospect for any would-be-expats. Aside from the visual charm, Spain offers some of the world’s best healthcare benefits and would-be-retirees are also attracted to generally low cost of living.
In no particular order, here are some of Spain’s best cities for you to enjoy all the luxuries that come with retiring abroad.
Madrid
A buzzing metropolitan city with a strong architectural history, Spain’s capital also recognises the need for having green open spaces and boasts some of Europe’s best parks and gardens.
Affordability and access to amenities are also some of the reasons that make Madrid a great place to retire. Madrid is cheaper than other major European cities with just as much to offer, if not more. The capital enables you to get a real taste of virtually all of Spain’s delicacies from its diverse regions from the Asturian highlands to the Cost del Sol in the south.
Furthermore, the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) ranks Madrid as having the best healthcare access in the whole country.
San Sebastian
When people think of Spain, they generally think of places such as the Costa del Sol, resort towns and fantastic beaches. With this in mind, San Sebastian may not seem like an obvious choice at first, but this stylish seaside city located deep within Basque country is one of Spain’s hidden gems.
With a population of just 186,095, San Sebastian offers a more tranquil option from the usual hustle and bustle of other major cities (although, its population can double in the summer months).
The city itself is sandwiched between lush-green broad rolling landscapes and mountain ranges to the south as well as the Bay of Biscay to the north. It also boasts one of the best urban beachfronts in Europe whilst its pintxo (tapas) dishes are said to be second to none.
The region where San Sebastian is found is unique. Although Castilian Spanish is widely spoken, the Basque country has its own language which differs entirely from Spanish and is one of the few European based languages that is not related to the Indo-European linguistic family.
Another reason why you should consider San Sebastian as your retirement destination is its record in safety. The OECD ranks the whole of the Basque country as one of the safest regions to live in all of Spain, often scoring it a 9/10 or even a perfect ten.
Barcelona
So far on this list, we’ve seen the historically Castilian city and capital of Madrid as well as a city within the Basque region. Therefore, it seems only right that the next city should be from the proud and historic region of Catalonia.
As with the Basque people, Catalonians are proud people with a deep-rooted sense of culture and individuality that sets them apart from the rest of Spain - including language.
Barcelona is perhaps considered by many to be the beating heart of Catalonia and
perfect for those retirees in search of a busy social life and this city offers plenty of history, culture and delicacies to fill your appetite with.
The city has plenty of architectural gems such as the yet unfinished but not less eye catching La Sagrada Familia - an unusually styled cathedral that dominates its surroundings.
Another top attraction in Barcelona is its long coastline which is home to numerous beaches with the European Blue Flag of excellence status. Long hours of sunshine also means an extended swimming season that lasts from May to mid-September with sea temperatures averaging from 20°C-to-24°C.
For more information about retiring in Spain, contact one of our experts at deVere Spain today!
News you might like
Spain’s unemployment at its lowest in 10 years
Spain’s unemployment rate has fallen in the fourth quarter, dropping to its lowest level in ten years as an increase in agriculture and construction jobs counteracted the tourist industry’s off-season, according to official statistics released Tuesday.
posted on 29.01.2019
Foreign investors switched on to Spanish property
Data from the Spanish Land Registrars Association shows that foreign investors are rushing back to the Spanish property market in considerable numbers. Similarly to other European economies, the Spanish property market has struggled since the 2008 financial crisis which sunk the worldwide economy into a recession and nearly prompted a depression.
posted on 27.06.2017