Hi,
My wife and I have booked a trip to Alicante in July for a few days to try and get a good idea of the area we’d like to move to. We’re looking for an area with good transport links, schools, not too far inland, property to rent long term, a good expat community but still with that Spanish feel. As we’re only there for 3 days we need to be specific on the towns that we look at. We were thinking El Campello, Villajoyosa and Calpe. Does anyone agree with these choices? We’d really like your opinions.
Many thanks.

Hi
We did the same, but soon ruled out S Costa Blanca.
As soon as you go past Benidorm on the N Costa Blanca the scenery changes and the feel of the towns changes, we love it there so much that we have bought a villa in Moraira and are just waiting to go now when all our legal stuff completes.

Villajoyosa is something really special, but out of the 3 towns you mention I would definitely go for Calpe. The beach is great and it is quite Spanish, while having lots of ex-pats.

3 days is really not long enough, we have made 5 visits all together now, to narrow down the exact area we want to live in.
Ask agents and everyone all the questions you can think of - it helps to write them down.
Take lots of photos of properties because they all run into one another if you’re not careful!

Many thanks for replying. It seems that not many like to reply to posts, so I appreciate it.

I think we’re going to visit towns around Torrevieja in July. Los Montesinos has been mentioned a few times. we’re coming back in September for a week so I think we will visit Calpe and Villajoyosa then. We’ll have more time to explore then.

Hi,

Have a look at Algorfa and Almoradi area, not to far from the beachs, motorway and airport, plus it is a nice place to live.

If you want a long term rental from September, then I could consider my place in Algorfa.

Dave

Hello
We are in the same boat as yourselves, we are seriously looking at different areas to live, I like the thought of the country with some land but we have two children 10 & 8 so need to look closer to towns for schools, friends, kids clubs etc.  Have you any children to consider in your move ?
I have been consumed with the task of schools at the moment and really don’t know what to do for the best, spanish or english.  Everyone seems to think that english is the best way forward but Im not so sure as then the kids will not mix because of the language.  What do you think?
We are considering Xativa or Sax towns as they are in the country and big enough to cater for family life.

Would love to hear any comments ??

CHEERS
M

melly - 13 May 2007 02:01 PM

Hello
We are in the same boat as yourselves, we are seriously looking at different areas to live, I like the thought of the country with some land but we have two children 10 & 8 so need to look closer to towns for schools, friends, kids clubs etc.  Have you any children to consider in your move ?
I have been consumed with the task of schools at the moment and really don’t know what to do for the best, spanish or english.  Everyone seems to think that english is the best way forward but Im not so sure as then the kids will not mix because of the language.  What do you think?
We are considering Xativa or Sax towns as they are in the country and big enough to cater for family life.

Would love to hear any comments ??

CHEERS
M

I would put children as young as yours into Spanish schools without a doubt. Until the age of 12 the language receptor part of the brain is open to learning far more, hence they learn at a much quicker rate than us poor old ‘uns! We are putting our nearly 8 year old into Spanish school, for that very reason, they are attaching him to his own teacher until he is comfortable enough to get along on his own, the best way to learn a language is total immersion, and although it seems cruel at first it will seem so alien, in the not very long run it will enable them to become part of their new icommunity much faster.After only 2 weeks on holiday at Easter Isaac was picking up the language far faster than me, actually he got quite annoyed as I was having a job remembering words when he’d got them off pat already!!
There was a girl aged about 11 in a school we visited, we asked her if she could speak Spanish when she joined said no, but its soooo easy! That said it all for me, and allayed my fears in sending our son to the Spanish school in the village.

thomo79 - 27 April 2007 12:01 PM

Hi,
My wife and I have booked a trip to Alicante in July for a few days to try and get a good idea of the area we’d like to move to. We’re looking for an area with good transport links, schools, not too far inland, property to rent long term, a good expat community but still with that Spanish feel. As we’re only there for 3 days we need to be specific on the towns that we look at. We were thinking El Campello, Villajoyosa and Calpe. Does anyone agree with these choices? We’d really like your opinions.
Many thanks.

We’ve gone to Valencia and have found a place 12 miles inland called Llacuna, near Villalonga, which is lovely Very Spanish, with just enough ex-pats to feel comfortable, about 15 minds to the nearest beach, (see my previous post for more details) It took about an hour 15 to get to Alicante, so not too far for a look around, we just loved it and kept going back to the area.