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Vinalopo Castles

by Brenda in Information, Living in Spain

I’ve always loved castles and we are lucky here in the Costa Blanca to be close to the area of Vinalopó, in the province of Alicante. Here you will find these fascinating, historic buildings to explore. The Vinalopó is a small river flowing through the Alicante province, of Spain. The river, despite being tiny during […]

Monkeying around in Monóvar

by Chris Thompson in food and wine, Living in Spain, Nearby towns

Anís is an aniseed flavoured alcoholic drink – it’s the Spanish equivalent of French pastis, Greek ouzo, Italian sambuca or Turkish raki. Before beer became the Spanish man’s drink of choice the typical libation for working men was either wine or anís. Anís is usually taken with water, which means that it’s a good summer […]

Visiting a bodega

by Chris Thompson in food and wine, Information, Living in Spain, Uncategorized

Some friends asked us if we could organise a visit to a bodega. They didn’t really mean me, they meant my partner, Maggie. She likes wine, she likes to visit bodegas. Wine is one of her hobbies, she knows a good deal about the local wineries and their products. I count beer and brandy among […]

A walk through Spanish time

by Chris Thompson in Information, Living in Spain

We’re going to take a stroll through a typical Spanish Archaeological Museum. First though some figures to show just how much of our history is really prehistory. Take my figures with a pinch of salt. The information is generally European and, because there was some variation in the detail, I rounded and massaged the figures. […]

But the sea isn’t level

by Chris Thompson in Information, Living in Spain

Our house is a shade over 600 metres above sea level. If you say that in feet it’s just shy of 2,000 feet which, in the UK, would be hilly. The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge with Pen-y-Ghent at 694 metres, Whernside at 736 metres and Ingleborough at 723 metres are all a bit lower than […]

9 Tips when moving to the country in Spain 

by Brenda in Living in Spain, Uncategorized

9 Tips When Moving to the Country in Spain Moving to the Spanish countryside is a dream come true for many people, but only a few get the chance to realize it. If you’re among the few lucky ones, then make sure to check out these nine tips for a smooth moving process. Moving to […]

Selling a property in Spain – tax implications

by Karen in Information

Selling a property in Spain does have some tax implications. One of them is personal income tax (IRPF) but here are some cases where you could be exempt from paying this to the Tax Agency (Hacienda): Exemption from paying personal income tax for people over 65 years of ageThose sellers over 65 years of age […]

Visiting Spain from the UK

by Brenda in Information, Living in Spain

Visas The rules for travelling or working in European countries changed on 1 January 2021: · you can travel to countries in the Schengen area which includes Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel as a tourist, to stay in your holiday home, to […]

Moving to Spain after Brexit

by Brenda in Information, Living in Spain

Do you intend to move to Spain after 1st January 2021? You will need a visa to spend more than 90 days in any 180 days period in Spain to live or on business. Getting a job in Spain or study also requires a visa. You need to apply for these from the UK before […]

What is the Habitation Certificate or Occupation License?

by Brenda in Information, Living in Spain, Uncategorized

There are several terms for this document: The Occupancy License, Licencia de Ocupación, Certificate of Habitation or Certificate of Conformity. This certificate certifies that the construction has been carried out according to the applicable regulations and that the construction can be used as residential living place. Water and electricity supplying companies often require this document […]

7 Cost effective ways to add value to your Spanish home

by Brenda in Information, Living in Spain, Selling your home in Spain, Uncategorized

A swimming pool. If you afford it and can fit one in, a swimming pool usually adds much more value than the cost and makes your house much more desirable when you sell. Lets face it having a swimming pool is part of the Spanish dream. An 8 x 4 pool costs around 12,000 euro, […]

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