Climate: The Spanish Mediterranean has the best climate in Europe. In coastal provinces like Alicante, Castellón, Valencia, Baleares, Almería, Murcia... people enjoy the sun, the sea and quiet beaches all year round. Many foreign residents actually prefer their Spanish homes in the low season months, when tourists disappear, and the climate is still warm enough to enjoy fully all the advantages of living in the country or on the coast. And Spanish paradors usually have foreign guests throughout the low season months.

Healthy diet. Experts have been talking about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet for years. The traditional Spanish diet - grains, cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, olive oil, and even red wine (yes! According to some experts, a glass of red wine a day is good for you!). Learn a few Spanish recipies, take advantage of the excellent quality fruit, fish, vegetables in Spain, and live longer!

Spanish language. Spanish is one of the World's leading languages and is spoken by 450 million people in Spain, Latin America and the USA. Take advantage of living in Spain to learn the language. Sign up to do a Spanish language course if somewhere near you offers one, or do one of the free online Spanish courses available on the Internet. If you are thinking of buying a house in Spain, check out Searching for a property in Spain or check this website : Spanish properties, Property for sale in Spain | Villas | Apartments | Houses

Check out this Web Discussion Forum, all kinds of topics!

Spain - several countries in one. Spain is such a diverse country, that its difficult to know where to start. Whether you enjoy the beach, mountains, dry plains, tropical climates, skiing, trekking, long sandy beaches, hidden rocky coves, crisp cold mornings, long warm evenings, sitting by a warm fire watching it snow outside or sitting on a deckchair in the sun, sleepy rural villages, some of Europe's most modern cities, art, Spanish music....... there is simply something for everyone and for every moment.

Outdoor life. The climate in many areas of Spain means that if you have the time, energy and motivation, it is not difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle. If you enjoy walking, swimming, playing golf, tennis, water sports, winter sports.... this is the country for you. Spaniards tend to live outside much more than in most other European countries. Start participating in that very civilized Spanish habit: el paseo. And hang up a hammack in your garden to enjoy another one: la siesta.

Spanish culture. The sheer variety and wealth of Spanish culture is the result of the fact that Spain has been home to different races and cultures throughout its long history. Romans, Iberians, Moors, French... and, more recently, Latin American immigrants, foreign residents from northern Europe and beyond. Discover Spanish culture. Visit museums, art galleries, castles.

Living in Spain can be an incredible experience, and if you decide to move to this vibrant and exciting destination you can look forward to everything from wonderful sunshine and weather, incredible surroundings, and amazing Spanish hospitality, to colorful culture, rich history, and an array of attractions and entertainment.

Why not buy your own property in Spain? Although you can look at renting if you decide to live in Spain, there are some incredible deals available on properties for sale over here, and it is well worth looking into the possibility of purchasing a property. You will find a wide choice of properties for sale at amazing prices and in a wide range of areas, from the tourist rich areas to the lesser known and quiet areas of Spain.

The Cost of Living in Spain People often ask about the cost of living in Spain and the answer is, well, it depends on your lifestyle and where you want to move to really. However, for your reference, we have compiled a list of the costs of some everyday items which should help with your budgeting.

General Expenses

Housing Costs. If you rent a house in a tourist area in Spain, then rents will be high and you should be able to find out exactly how high they are by searching on the internet. In non-tourist areas, rent is usually 2.5-3.5% of the value of the property. For people who want to buy a home in Spain, Spanish mortgages are very cheap - currently starting at around 3% interest. See some of the websites listed in our Spanish property listings for an idea of Spanish property prices.

Electricity. Around 10E a month plus 9.6c per kWh including tax (UK prices vary from 5.7-10p per kWh including tax). NB many Spanish homes are very poorly insulated which means heating costs can be higher than they would be in the UK.

Gas. Roughly 5c per kWh including tax (UK prices vary from 1.6-2p per kWh including tax). Gas is not yet available in all areas and again, heating costs may be higher than you expect.

Water. Water is metered in Spain, but you would not usually pay more than 15E per month if you do not have a pool or garden. With a pool and garden the price can be 4 or 5 times that.

Local Taxes. Local taxes are generally quite low, because most things that are paid for by the Council tax in the UK are covered by a regional component to income tax. Home-owners will usually pay less than 250E per year, and landlords will usually pay the charge for their properties.

Grocery Costs As you'd expect, grocery prices in Spain vary quite a lot depending on where you live and where you shop. The cheapest supermarkets are usually Mercadona and Dani, followed by Al Campo, Carrefour and many local supermarkets. The most expensive is Hipercor (the supermarket associated with El Corte Ingles), although the quality is very good there. The following are sample prices of brand name goods (where applicable) from a medium priced supermarket:

Cars Second hand cars in Spain are very expensive compared to the UK, although maintenance and petrol are cheaper. Unleaded petrol was 90c per litre on 25/6/2005 and maintenance at a dealership garage is usually 25-40E per hour. If you have a car that is not widely available in Spain, then parts will obviously be very expensive though. Road tax is cheap, and Spanish car insurance is similar to UK car insurance. Insuring a UK registered car in Spain is very expensive.

Eating Out In non tourist areas, expect to pay around 15-20 Euros a head for a very decent evening meal, or around 6E per head for a "menu of the day" set menu at lunch time. In tourist areas you may also be able to eat out for those prices, but you'll have to search around. The low cost of eating out is offset somewhat by the fact that takeaways are not widely available in Spain, and those that are available are about as expensive as eating out anyway.

Spanish Residency Without a Residencia you are not legally entitled to stay in Spain more than 90 days without returning to the UK or home country or applying for a Temporary Residence Permit. (This seems to be largely ignored but it is the law and applies even if you have bought a property and moved in.) Here for over six months and the law says you must apply for a full Residential permit. It is initially for two years then in 5 year periods.

Benefit or not? Only you can decide if it is good for you. Personally I think so. Applying for Residencia does not lose you any of your rights as a British Passport holder. It does mean that if you have your Residencia you don't pay Capital Gains Tax if you sell your property. Likewise if you sell your property it is easier to take your money out of the country if returning to the UK or other home country. If you are stopped for a traffic offence without a residencia, the car can be impounded until you pay. Pensioners holding a confirmed Residencia who join the Pensionista Club are also entitled to the same benefits as Spanish Nationals, reduced rail and bus fares, reduced cost holidays in good hotels etc.

Residencia Application

Go to the Comisaria de Policia in any main town Police Station and say you wish to apply for Residencia and would like:-

• A current list of the documents needed for making an application (they are available in several languages.)
• An application form called Solicitud de Tarjeta en Regimen Comunitario (it is in triplicate.)
• Form No.790

Take the Form 790 to your Spanish bank for completion. This form confirms your Spanish Bank account number and money held there (for this service you pay a small fee.) If you are a Pensioner you must also ask the bank for a Certificado Bancario which confirms the amount of your pension and frequency of payment. You then return to the Police Station with:-

• Completed Form 790 together with a photocopy
• Certificado Bancario together with a photocopy. (Letter from your bank re income.)
• Medical Form 121 or your Spanish medical registration card, plus a photocopy of each side
• Certifica de Empadronamiento. This is a card sent to you by the local Town Hall which proves that you are on the Electoral Register
• Passport and one photocopy
• Four passport size photographs.

Each individual must apply personally with all the relevant documents. Once applied for, it can take several months to process. In our case it has taken nine months. We received a letter with a further form to fill in and take back to the main Police station with a fee of €6.75 we were then advised our Residencia would be available to collect within 4 weeks and we collected it on the given date. Once it is issued it is good practice to carry it with you.