Where to live in Spain?
After having left Spain two years ago, I want to go back to this country this fall. From 1998-2006, I did live in Catalonia. I did like many things there, but my general experience with the population, the (IMHO) very overrated Catalan language and the general nationalistic mentality does not suet me, so, despite the fact the I have friends there, we do not want to return to this part of Spain. Our places of choice would be the Mediterranean cost, from Valencia down to the border of Portugal, or the Canaries Islands.
In September we will make a five weeks trip to prospect this parts of Spain.
Since about 2 month, I do surf the Internet to explore these parts of the country and I am surprised about the quantity of flats, which are available, for a relatively reasonable rent. We want a cosmopolitan surrounding; my wife is Asian and speaks only English. I am Swiss and my Spanish is good enough to get around. We want to be close to the sea. Also there should be some cultural life and decent schools ?we have a 5-year-old boy. Jobs are no problem, I am partly retired and for what I am doing now, I only need a piece of paper, a computer and a fast Internet connection. For Spanish conditions we dispose of a very comfortable and secure income.
But the more I do prospect, the more I am confused. There are so many nice places in this area! My first choice was the Costa del Sol, but after looking closely, I found that in most parts there was so much new construction, that the landscape does look kind of destroyed. The Costa Blanca would maybe also be a good choice? The cosmopolitan lifestyle of Benidorm does attract me and I am used to high concrete buildings. There seam also to be good places in the Canaries, especially around La Palmas and the cost of rentals and living seams to be cheaper as in the mainland.
If you have the time to give me some opinions, this would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
