Hi everyone, My wife and I are looking to move to the Costa Blanca but are undecided on the area. We have a 2 year old son so schooling will be important. Public transport (my wife doesn’t drive) and a good community feel. I’ve mentioned the 3 towns above as our possible choices but I need some opinions of people in the know!! Jobs are also important so the more opportunities the better really ( I’ve read how hard that can be). Many thanks, Matt

Hi Matt, cant help you unfortunately be me & my family are going through the same as you, we’ve currently got our house up for sale and are hopeing to make the move very soon, Terri

Hi Terri, thatnks for replying. Do you have an idea of where you’re moving to?

hi, we’re going to try somewhere around torrevieja to rent for 6 months becuase my husband wants to try and get a job in construction and also we want out son to go to a spanish state school with plenty of british kids to help him to adjust and that will give us plenty of time to research and explore before we decide where to buy.

hi

i am planning on moving out (hopefully) by september, my children are 6/13/15 so school is important. I don’t drive either so local transport is important to me to.

These are the areas i have come up with so far that seem to be able to offer everything schools/jobs/transport/good accomodation. good mix of english and spanish so easier to settle.

San Miguel de Salinas
Quesada
Rojales
Montesinos
Benijofar
Almoradi
Guardamar de segura

hope this is helpful

from caroline

thanks Caroline, I’ll look into those places. Have you visited any of these yet?

Hi Matt

No not yet due to visit at end of the month, for 5 days.

Let you know what they are like when i get back

From Caroline

that’d be great thanks

Hi Matt
We have purchased a property in MORAIRA and are moving there end of May for permanent retirement.
I have visited the 3 towns you quote, and would definitely recommend Calpe above the other 2. It is a lovely and lively town with a great beach.
Do look at it before you commit to Torrevieja ( we found that so overbuilt and too full of British).

Good luck
Janet

thanks for your advice Janet. We will definitely take it into consideration

Hi Matt…I totally agree with Janet,Calpe is a beautiful place/area to live.Maybe you could check out some sites about the area.
Anne

Hi all,
Always a difficult process, I think you are giving the right thoughs, move out and try it for 6 months. I have bought in Algorfa and found it a mix of both brits and Spnd the mix is just about right with the village still retaining its Spanish feel, but if you want to ease into the way of life then you can do that.

There is the temptation to go to the Brit area’s, but is that not defeating the point of moving to another Country for a change in the way we live. In Spain, you will slow down as nothing goes very quickly, apart from the traffic between the large towns, in the country it moves at a nice pace.

Your children will soon settle into the way of life and will soon be speaking Spainsh if they are with Spanish children and there is always the chance that they will be in Spain long after you and how they settle will depend on speaking the lingo.

Dont we complain about the Indian and Pakistani people who come to England that they dont speak the language and what do we do, move to another country and set up out commune’s with our english breakfast, fish and chips and then we complain about them. When me move we are the same, come on try to integrate we will all be better in the long run.

Where to move to? If it is construction work you want or any type of work, then it will be difficult without the language unless you can get with an english builder who does work for english people. Inland from Torrevieja will give you a choice and a chance, you have a large english community so a slight chance of work and a Spanish community to help try and learn the lingo and meet some of the locals who, if you try and speak the lingo, they will be friendly and try and speak to you.

Try some of the smaller villages/towns within commuting distance of Torrevieja, there there is always summer work.

Dave

Whilst Spain is wonderful both in weather and in change of pace, my concern is that children in the education system cannot cope with the learning process without sufficient Spanish to help. The system is not geared up to help. Given the age of the children coming to Spain will have problems that you will have to deal with and may outweight the perceived benefits.

We have lived in several places and with the type of work you want, there is no need to stick to the coast.
Take a good look round areas but I’m betting you will prefer inland.
Remember the coast is always heaving in the summer months with noisy holiday makers.

Kizzy

Hi Matt,

We moved to Spain almost 12 months ago - we are in our fifties so are early retirees.

We will be moving inland but at present are renting just south of Torrevieja.

My comments are given in an effort to assist you in reaching the best decision for you and your family.

Calpe is prettier, greener and less highly populated than Torrevieja. I do not know El Campello so cannot comment.

Torrevieja should be a better source for work and the schools are quite used to English children. However I find it very built up and not what I would come to Spain for.

If you live outside any town, however, transport then becomes a problem and we find that unless you can drive there can be severe restrictions.

So as always in life decisions are built on compromises and if work is the most important aspect then I would think that Torrevieja is your best bet. Rent first and see how you get on.

All the very best.