Base area to discover Andalucia
That is disappointing GeeGee, I thought for a minute that the government had changed attitude. The current hospital in Antequera has been going since 1999. They do keep it nice and the staff are efficient, sadly the good staff leave because the wages are so low
I used to be indecisive but now I´m not so sure.
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GeeGee,
Thanks so much for all your advice on areas to visit/stay it all sounds so nice so much so that were planning to pop over sooner than first thought work would let us probably sometime early feb all being well!!....Along with all the other folk that have kindly given tips on areas we may like were so keen to explore them.......Especially for us its important to buy a place with ground all be it no where near as much as we have as that would be too much work,Im sure whats ment for us wont pass us by its just finding it come the time.......Your advice on Hospitals and Airport locations have given us more food for thought especially for future years and no doubt its folk like yourself on the forum that we are keen to pick your brains from time to time...So glad we found this site!!
Can I ask the first of many stupid questions!!.....On some of our internet searches on property and areas to live they have mentioned the area as having a Micro Climate??...With little explanation given each time does this reference mean mild winters, or a all year bog standard temp??
Any advice appreciated.
daftlamb.....Thankyou for the advice on search areas. Thats great your making the leap from Scotland and fingers crossed the house gets sold asap so you can get on with things...Good Luck!!
Dave
Thanks so much for all your advice on areas to visit/stay it all sounds so nice so much so that were planning to pop over sooner than first thought work would let us probably sometime early feb all being well!!....Along with all the other folk that have kindly given tips on areas we may like were so keen to explore them.......Especially for us its important to buy a place with ground all be it no where near as much as we have as that would be too much work,Im sure whats ment for us wont pass us by its just finding it come the time.......Your advice on Hospitals and Airport locations have given us more food for thought especially for future years and no doubt its folk like yourself on the forum that we are keen to pick your brains from time to time...So glad we found this site!!
Can I ask the first of many stupid questions!!.....On some of our internet searches on property and areas to live they have mentioned the area as having a Micro Climate??...With little explanation given each time does this reference mean mild winters, or a all year bog standard temp??
Any advice appreciated.
daftlamb.....Thankyou for the advice on search areas. Thats great your making the leap from Scotland and fingers crossed the house gets sold asap so you can get on with things...Good Luck!!
Dave
Yes Dave, I'd like to know what a microclimate is too I moved from Torrox ("The Best Climate in Europe") to an area of S W France with a "micro climate" and "short mild winters". After 2 winters of freezing my wotsit off in temps down to minus 10, and hot and humid summers, with thunderstorms from hell, I'm back here in what probably [i]is [/i]the best climate in Europe!
OK, so lets focus on microclimate.
Example - Grazalema reports an annual rainfall over over 3 metres a year whereas most of Spain is strictly classified as desert.
Spain and especially Andalucia is below the latitude of the prevailing atlantic depressions so we do get the tail end of a few which hit into France or southern UK but we very rarely get a full depression and associated frontal weather this far south. Spain is a mountainous country and together with the solar intensity we get tropical storms forming rather than more predictable fronts which almost constantly sweep across the UK. In Sevilla city centre it has reached over 50 C in past years during August but a few km away we never reach 50. Thus most of Andalucia can be classified as a zone of microclimates which basically means the weather is highly dependent on very specific local conditions such as proximity to mountains, the med or atlantic. We still do get the prevailing westerly winds but certain regions also get the Levante or Mistrale and when that picks up it dominates the local weather for some days. The actual weather on the Malaga costa is quite different from that inland from the mountains and that for example in Cordoba.
A UK example of a microclimate is Poolewe gardens on the West coast of Scotland which enjoys atypical mild winters and lack of frost to the direct impact of the gulf stream on that section of Scottish coastline.
Example - Grazalema reports an annual rainfall over over 3 metres a year whereas most of Spain is strictly classified as desert.
Spain and especially Andalucia is below the latitude of the prevailing atlantic depressions so we do get the tail end of a few which hit into France or southern UK but we very rarely get a full depression and associated frontal weather this far south. Spain is a mountainous country and together with the solar intensity we get tropical storms forming rather than more predictable fronts which almost constantly sweep across the UK. In Sevilla city centre it has reached over 50 C in past years during August but a few km away we never reach 50. Thus most of Andalucia can be classified as a zone of microclimates which basically means the weather is highly dependent on very specific local conditions such as proximity to mountains, the med or atlantic. We still do get the prevailing westerly winds but certain regions also get the Levante or Mistrale and when that picks up it dominates the local weather for some days. The actual weather on the Malaga costa is quite different from that inland from the mountains and that for example in Cordoba.
A UK example of a microclimate is Poolewe gardens on the West coast of Scotland which enjoys atypical mild winters and lack of frost to the direct impact of the gulf stream on that section of Scottish coastline.
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Wicksey, sorry your post made me smirk,its the sort of thing that would happen to me if I dont do a bit of homework ...at least your back where you started and a very nice area too!!
Thanks Don for the explanation its now clear as a whistle Ive seen several programs on those west coast gardens you mentioned and was shocked at just what they grew across there. If I had my head screwed on yesterday and thought about it i would have done a google search before posting as i just found this www.absoluteaxarquia.com/articles/garden.html hope thats copied ok a nice little site and for folk like us here some good info....Actually without turning this thread into a weather report the site relates to what Zofia said and that each area has its own individual climate down to the garden next door, its worth a look and the maps of areas on that site are very good.
Thanks again for your replys,
Dave
Thanks Don for the explanation its now clear as a whistle Ive seen several programs on those west coast gardens you mentioned and was shocked at just what they grew across there. If I had my head screwed on yesterday and thought about it i would have done a google search before posting as i just found this www.absoluteaxarquia.com/articles/garden.html hope thats copied ok a nice little site and for folk like us here some good info....Actually without turning this thread into a weather report the site relates to what Zofia said and that each area has its own individual climate down to the garden next door, its worth a look and the maps of areas on that site are very good.
Thanks again for your replys,
Dave
Well Dave, I did do lots of homework, which is the anoying bit Trouble is, most Brits living in France have moved there from the UK and and so they got really excited if they had a warm sunny day in winter. I moved there after 4 years living here and so contantly moaned about the weather. Unfortunately, I need more than a few days of sunshine a month to keep my batteries going
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Hi all,
Just us again with yet few more questions. Weve been doing heeps of research based on a lot of your advice via this forum with regards to areas to stay in Andalucia, we didnt realize just how vast and varied the area was .Our searches have been via internet only along with heeps of bloody maps
Anyhow today, well actually about an hour an a half ago we were looking at rural areas of Ronda a place we had never looked at untill now.....It looks lovely very green and fertile, and even more so when we did a very quick property search some ideal smallholding propertys.
Does anyone have any advice on the rural areas of Ronda all be it negative/positive......Preferable areas....Seasonal climate??
Cheers
Dave
Just us again with yet few more questions. Weve been doing heeps of research based on a lot of your advice via this forum with regards to areas to stay in Andalucia, we didnt realize just how vast and varied the area was .Our searches have been via internet only along with heeps of bloody maps
Anyhow today, well actually about an hour an a half ago we were looking at rural areas of Ronda a place we had never looked at untill now.....It looks lovely very green and fertile, and even more so when we did a very quick property search some ideal smallholding propertys.
Does anyone have any advice on the rural areas of Ronda all be it negative/positive......Preferable areas....Seasonal climate??
Cheers
Dave
Hi Dave,
I was doing exactly the same thing a few years ago, trawling the internet looking for a base in Andalucia........quite daunting as it is such a huge area.
I chose the Ronda mountains as a base for a couple of weeks and, armed with my map and hire car, explored, venturing as far as Alora (going east) and the Tarifa area on the Atlantic coast (west).
I soon realised each time I returned to 'base' that it felt like I was coming home, fell in love with the spectacular scenery, the friendly people (both Spanish & Brits) and finally re-located here just over a year ago.
There's a very good supply of holiday homes for rent around here together with charming small hotels/B&B's (I should know, I've stayed in rather a lot of them!). You can PM me if you'd like some personal recommendations.
Just for the record, I am not an estate agent or lettings agent in this area.
I was doing exactly the same thing a few years ago, trawling the internet looking for a base in Andalucia........quite daunting as it is such a huge area.
I chose the Ronda mountains as a base for a couple of weeks and, armed with my map and hire car, explored, venturing as far as Alora (going east) and the Tarifa area on the Atlantic coast (west).
I soon realised each time I returned to 'base' that it felt like I was coming home, fell in love with the spectacular scenery, the friendly people (both Spanish & Brits) and finally re-located here just over a year ago.
There's a very good supply of holiday homes for rent around here together with charming small hotels/B&B's (I should know, I've stayed in rather a lot of them!). You can PM me if you'd like some personal recommendations.
Just for the record, I am not an estate agent or lettings agent in this area.
jules 2
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Jules: I'm with you - each visit seems more and more like returning home. Looking forward to returning 'home' on Tues 13th Nov - just for a week unfortunately.
Dave: The internet is great for checking out the areas but we found the reality so different - not in a bad way - just the fact that pictures and text cannot give the feel of the area that driving around can do.
Dave: The internet is great for checking out the areas but we found the reality so different - not in a bad way - just the fact that pictures and text cannot give the feel of the area that driving around can do.
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- Andalucia.com Amigo
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Everyone seems to be plugging their own areas here so I think I should say look at the Axarquía (the area that your garden thread is about).
Not far from Málaga airport if you use the motorway (non-toll), lots of villages, the usual spectacular mountain views, bits of parts of the coastline are still undeveloped (for how long? ), enough main towns around - Vélez Málaga, Torre del Mar, Nerja, and near enough to Málaga if you want city.
If you want chooks or any other animals, you need to make sure the place you buy has finca papers. ESSENTIAL. We have an old house in the village, no ground, but a huge corral and finca papers so we keep chickens and a really noisy cockerel. (The woman before us had a horse, and before that it was pigs and chickens). But one of our neighbours decided to keep a goat and a few chickens and someone reported her because they knew she didn't have the papers.
Incidentally we originally looked at inland west of Málaga but just couldn't find anything we liked so ended up - happily - on the eastern side. But I would also have considered around Estepona (but now getting soooo built-up) and further south from there, or the Costa de la Luz, say around Conil de la Frontera. I think the (micro-climate!) of La Axarquía is better - particularly if you are near the coast. You can watch the huge rain clouds over Málaga and you can watch them in the hills, and you can watch them further east. And they often sail right over the village without a drop of rain. Or if you get rain the sun comes right out again.
I also think Mary B's suggestion of staying in different places is essential. We'd seen parts of most of Andalucía before we bought (apart from Jaen province), so we'd got a reasonable feel for what we thought we wanted.
Good luck.
Not far from Málaga airport if you use the motorway (non-toll), lots of villages, the usual spectacular mountain views, bits of parts of the coastline are still undeveloped (for how long? ), enough main towns around - Vélez Málaga, Torre del Mar, Nerja, and near enough to Málaga if you want city.
If you want chooks or any other animals, you need to make sure the place you buy has finca papers. ESSENTIAL. We have an old house in the village, no ground, but a huge corral and finca papers so we keep chickens and a really noisy cockerel. (The woman before us had a horse, and before that it was pigs and chickens). But one of our neighbours decided to keep a goat and a few chickens and someone reported her because they knew she didn't have the papers.
Incidentally we originally looked at inland west of Málaga but just couldn't find anything we liked so ended up - happily - on the eastern side. But I would also have considered around Estepona (but now getting soooo built-up) and further south from there, or the Costa de la Luz, say around Conil de la Frontera. I think the (micro-climate!) of La Axarquía is better - particularly if you are near the coast. You can watch the huge rain clouds over Málaga and you can watch them in the hills, and you can watch them further east. And they often sail right over the village without a drop of rain. Or if you get rain the sun comes right out again.
I also think Mary B's suggestion of staying in different places is essential. We'd seen parts of most of Andalucía before we bought (apart from Jaen province), so we'd got a reasonable feel for what we thought we wanted.
Good luck.
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- Andalucia.com Amigo
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What about Jaen?
Jaen is good, but hardly given a mention.
Really rural plenty of olive trees, cheaper than further south.
Really rural plenty of olive trees, cheaper than further south.
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Thanks Spaniola and palmtrees replys much appreciated. That is a good point palmtrees re the paper work to keep livestock,we never gave it a thought and sounds a bit like a holding number that we have here in uk.Have made a note of that,thanks!!
I agree about Axarquia, its a place along with one or two others that we keep looking at, it looks stunning with good climate too
What we have decided to do on our trips over next year is to find a location that we would be happy to rent in for the first year or so,then once we move over spend time discovering the areas and getting the feel,something we wont be able to do on random trips.To be honest it cant come quick enough,apart from the cold and lashing rain here daylight has been poor for days a good reminder as to one of the reasons were moving over to spain!!
Cheers
Dave
I agree about Axarquia, its a place along with one or two others that we keep looking at, it looks stunning with good climate too
What we have decided to do on our trips over next year is to find a location that we would be happy to rent in for the first year or so,then once we move over spend time discovering the areas and getting the feel,something we wont be able to do on random trips.To be honest it cant come quick enough,apart from the cold and lashing rain here daylight has been poor for days a good reminder as to one of the reasons were moving over to spain!!
Cheers
Dave
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- Andalucia.com Amigo
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Do watch out for spending too much time renting. There is a fine balance between renting for a while and finding the right/wrong place, and renting and never finding the right one. Suddenly your money has gone.
Do think about your money. Do not rent for ever. Do not buy on impulse.
Think about setting yourself some sort of goals or deadlines or parameters or whatever you want to call them.
We would never say that buying in Spain is easy. But if it is the life you want, it can be great.
Do think about your money. Do not rent for ever. Do not buy on impulse.
Think about setting yourself some sort of goals or deadlines or parameters or whatever you want to call them.
We would never say that buying in Spain is easy. But if it is the life you want, it can be great.
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Thanks palmtrees I agree with all you have said in fact it goes against the grain to rent at all!!. One of the reasons we are unable to move sooner as part of our plan is to have 2 years money behind us and not touch our invested house cash untill such a time when we find the property and location thats for us. After lots of saving its going to be a shame spending it on renting however for us were play safe and do that,hopefully not for too long!!
Cheers
Dave
Cheers
Dave
All I can add to the above Dave is that property prices here are falling - more in some areas than others - and if you are looking for a short term base in the Sevilla area, many people have now recommended http://www.sevilla5.com/ as a good reliable way to go. Site run by a German guy apparently.
Saludos
Saludos
Dave, I have never rented before and have always had my own home(s) for 30 years up to now, so it was strange at first to be a renter. I don't feel that I am losing money by renting as prices are not rising like they have in the past. Having been here on and off for 11 years it does seem like prices are leveling off. There are some wildly overpriced properties but people who really have to sell are accepting lower offers. I know of houses that have been recently sold which are not dissimilar to ours we sold over 3 years ago and the price is barely more than we got.
As you say there is no substitute for living in an area to really discover its good and bad points. Personally, we felt that the Torrox area was 'home' for us - just a gut feeling really. It's been a bit of a love/hate realtionship at times but it just keeps on drawing us back again, although I plan to travel and ry out other countries before I'm too old. Andalucia is a very varied and interesting region and we have enjoyed exploring all of it, which I'm sure you will too.
What Gogs said about looking on the internet is so right. Just about every property we had earmarked to see (for sale here and in France, and to rent) was such a disappointment when we went to see it. At first, the agents will show you all the old dross they can't get rid of too
As you say there is no substitute for living in an area to really discover its good and bad points. Personally, we felt that the Torrox area was 'home' for us - just a gut feeling really. It's been a bit of a love/hate realtionship at times but it just keeps on drawing us back again, although I plan to travel and ry out other countries before I'm too old. Andalucia is a very varied and interesting region and we have enjoyed exploring all of it, which I'm sure you will too.
What Gogs said about looking on the internet is so right. Just about every property we had earmarked to see (for sale here and in France, and to rent) was such a disappointment when we went to see it. At first, the agents will show you all the old dross they can't get rid of too
Last edited by Wicksey on Thu Apr 04, 2013 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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