If you're considering joining the hundreds of thousands of people that up-sticks each year for a life overseas, then Spain could be the ideal place. Here are 10 reasons for making it your destination of choice.
1) Sunshine
A plentiful supply of sunshine is always more appealing than endless days of rain (unless you happen to be an Australian farmer). That's especially true if you come from northern Europe, with its dark winter days and erratic summers. By contrast Spain is, by and large, well-endowed throughout the year with those golden rays. Plus there's no more need to fret about where to go on your summer holidays - simply stay home!
2) Outdoor Activities
With the sunshine and warmth come ample opportunities to get out of the house and enjoy the Great Outdoors - sailing, diving, hiking, climbing, cycling, golf, or simply paddling around at the beach. And in the winter there is decent skiing at both ends of the country, in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the south, or the Pyrenees in the north.
3) Natural Beauty
In many minds Spain has become synonymous with tawdry beach resorts that blight its once pristine coastline. But that is by no means the whole story. Yes, parts are overdeveloped nightmares. But there are still plenty of beautiful stretches of coast to be found.
And once away from the main tourist areas of the Mediterranean shore there are an array of natural wonders to explore, including the wild coastline of Galicia, the lush forests of the Basque country and the majestic Picos de Europa national park.
4) Cost of living
Since the introduction of the euro in 2002, Spain has become noticeably more expensive than it once was, as businesses over all descriptions took the opportunity to round up their prices. Nevertheless, the cost of items such as food, alcohol, petrol and property still compare favourably to those in many other industrialised nations, particularly the UK.
5) Food and Drink
Spain may not have the culinary reputation of France or Italy, but there is more to the local menu than just paella and tortilla (although both are delicious). And as you would expect from a country of such size, there is a great variety of styles between the different regions (with Basque cuisine of particularly high repute). Likewise, while a nice glass of cava or a Rioja red are not to be sneezed at, Spain's wine industry has far more going for it.
6) Pace of Life
Spain is renowned for its siestas and mañana approach to life. The pace may be picking up, especially in major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, but generally there remains a more relaxed approach to the clock, with people taking the time to chat with neighbours, or to linger over coffee at the end of a meal.
7) Health Care
The Spanish state health care system is among the best in the world. Indeed, the World Health Organization, in comparing countries' health systems for its annual report in 2000 (World Health Report 2000 - Health Systems: Improving Performance), ranked it seventh overall. And in my experience (of which I've had plenty) the facilities are modern, well-equipped and clean, the staff are well-trained, and treatment waiting lists are short.
8) Family Life
In general, Spanish families tend to be close knit, and children oriented. It is common to see families spanning three or four generations sitting down to lunch together each day. Children are common sights in restaurants in the evenings too, rather than being left at home with the babysitters while the adults go out. And wherever they go, the children are always the centre of attention, for doting members of the extended family and strangers alike.
9) Fiestas
Fiestas are an integral, and much-anticipated, part of Spanish life. There are famous extravaganzas, like the bull-running in Pamplona (San Fermín) or Seville's Semana Santa and Feria de Abril, that are well worth the effort to visit, if only once. But each town and village has its own catalogue of saints' days and feast days too, which can be just as energetic and intoxicating (in every sense).
10) Cultural Riches
Spain's glory days as a world-conquering empire may be long gone, but a wealth of history and culture remain. There are museums, the world-famous art galleries of Madrid and Barcelona, architectural jewels as distinct as the Moorish Alhambra in Granada, the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and Bilbao's Guggenheim museum. There is flamenco, Picasso and Cervantes. Or simply take a stroll around Salamanca, surely one of Europe's most beautiful cities.
Paul Allen is a freelance journalist and writer who has lived in northern Spain since 2003. He is the author of "Should I Stay Or Should I Go? The Truth About Moving Abroad And Whether It's Right For You," a comprehensive e-book guide for people seeking advice on whether or not to move abroad. For more details about the book, and to get lots of free information and advice on moving and living overseas, visit his website at http://www.expatliving101.com/
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