It is so difficult to answer the question “Where would you live in Spain?” because there are so many beautiful regions and cities. Here are just a few of them:
Madrid – Madrid is the capital of Spain and is located in the middle of the country between Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla-Leon. It is the biggest city in Spain with a population of over 4 million people and is a lively, modern city which was much improved and extended in the time of General Franco. The city is well worth a visit and has many facilities and attractions – the Prado art gallery, the Royal Academy, great shopping, vibrant nightlife and many historical monuments and buildings.
Barcelona – Barcelona is second in size only to Madrid and is renowned for Antoni Gaudi's architecture, including the famous Sagrada Familia Church, and other important World Heritage Sites. The city is located in Catalonia on the North Eastern coast of Spain and has a superb Mediterranean climate – short mild winters and sunny, hot summers. Its beaches cover over 4km of coastline and, for those who like culture and history, it has many attractions – Gothic buildings, Roman remains, museums and art galleries. It is a beautiful city.
The Costa Blanca – The Costa Blanca is a popular destination with both tourists and immigrants alike. Known for its wonderful climate and beautiful sandy beaches, it is a great place to live or holiday in. The World Health Organization says that it has one of the healthiest climates in the world. The Costa Blanca is located in the Valencia region on the East coast of Spain. It stretches from Denia and Javea to Guardamar and Torrevieja and encompasses the beautiful city of Alicante with its international airport, wonderful beaches and fascinating Old Town. The region has a large expat community.
Seville – Known by the Spanish as Sevilla, Seville is the capital of Andalucia, the region stretching across the south of Spain. Seville is famous for its Holy Week celebrations, Semana Santa, its April Fair, Feria de Abril, and its bullfighting and flamenco. It has an average annual temperature of 18 degrees celsius but can be rather hot in Summer – around 40 degrees!
Seville has some wonderful tourist attractions – the amazing Gothic cathedral, the Torre del Oro watchtower, the Renaissance Alcazar and the Moorish Mudejar and the interesting archaeological museum and Museo de Bellas Artes.
Granada – Famous for the beautiful and striking hilltop Alhambra, the fort and palaces built by the Moors, Granada is an incredible city located near the Sierra Nevada mountains. Enjoy browsing around the narrow winding streets of the Albaicin, the Arab quarter, and spend a day seeing the wonderful Moorish architecture and art in the Nasrid Palaces at the Alhambra.
The Costa del Sol – The Costa del Sol is on the Andalucian coastline between Gibraltar and Nerja. It is a mix of highly developed tourist resorts such as Torremolinos, unspoilt whitewashed pueblos and pretty resorts like Estepona and La Cala. The main city is Malaga which is famous for being the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, and for having the main airport of the area. The beaches of the Costa del Sol are some of the finest in Spain.
Other areas to consider when thinking about where would you live in Spain, are Almeria, a province in Andalucia known for its arid desert, the Costa Calida in the region of Murcia which is known for its sea water lagoon, the “Mar Menor”, and the Costa Tropical area of Granada province.
