Two months in Spain this coming winter. Suggestions.

Just on my limited experience: It is essential to pick the right part of Spain and the right accommodation if you want to stay over the winter. I had the most miserably cold night in a budget hotel room in Seville in early January (the days were fine); I also had a pleasant stay in Tenerife in early December; And I again had really cold nights in Malta for late March.
 
It's actually an entertaining program, slightly trashy because those are the types of people that want to get on TV .
What came across time and time again though was how hard it was to work and earn an income in Spain.
As regards brexit don't think the numbers dropped that much in Spain according to the statistics after brexit and that could have been people deciding to get Spanish passports after living so long there and also due to brexit but I doubt they left to return to UK, I'd say the shutting down of hospitality during covid would have forced the younger ones to return , that would be much bigger than brexit
 
If anyone is going for any sort of an extended stay in Spain, I would advise them to consider taking their own car with them.

The return ferry fare is about €1,100 (with a dog) from Rosslare to Bilbao. The ferry is brand new and comfortable.

If you weigh up airfares, the cost of getting to the airport, the costs of hiring a car for 2 months over there etc, the sums do really start to add up.

If you're going for 2 months, youll probable want to bring more luggage with you. So, you can add a sizeable chunk onto the initial cheap fare quoted by Ryanair.

As its your car. You're not going to be the victim of some unscrupulous car hire firm, who will invarible find some small scratch or mark on the car when you're returning it. Obviously check in advance that your insurance covers you driving abroad for 60 or 90 days or whatever.

Absolutely no problems driving on Spanish roads with a RHD. In fact, the only time I noticed it, was when I was travelling alone, at the toll booths on the motorway or enterig or leaving a car park. Otherwise really simple and the roads are well designed, so that you don't drive on the wrong side by mistake.

On the drive to your location, you can also stop off for a night or two, in one of the many beautiful Spanish cities. As for Bilbao. An absolutely beautiful city. Well worth a visit. Someone else metioned Murcia. Murcia City, again stunning and not many Irish English tourists visit it, because they're not aware of how beautiful it is and it's a bit inland. Most of the Paddies and the "Ex-Pats!" tend to be concentrated in areas closer to the coast.
 
Good post @Murt10. We used to have a car in Spain up to a few years ago when Spanish regulations were less stringent. Nowadays, we occasionally rent a car locally at much less cost than an airport rental. The cars are older, but that’s not a problem. The insurance costs less too.

But when next we come for an extended stay we intend bringing our car. There are a few hoops that we need to jump through, but nothing demanding.
 
Murt10 said:
If anyone is going for any sort of an extended stay in Spain, I would advise them to consider taking their own car with them.
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Did you do this and clear it with your insurance? Most policies offer coverage in certain countries for limited trips, but only at the mimimul legal coverage required in that country (no comprehensive cover, no-claims protection, etc.)

Make sure you bring proof of minimum coverage with you and perhaps investigate the costs of a Territorial Extension to give you full cover.
 
Murt10 said:
If anyone is going for any sort of an extended stay in Spain, I would advise them to consider taking their own car with them.
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Would totally agree with this especially if you plan to spend more than a month, not only does it make the journey there and back more enjoyable compared to flying it also opens up a ton of other options to do and see while on the way there or while at your destination
There are two main routes to the south of Spain one is drive through England, France and then Spain to your destination
It's a good four day journey with Dublin to Folkstone day one, Calais to Nimes day two, Nimes to Barcelona day three and then onto where ever on day four. Total cost for all my boat, train, petrol, food and accommodation in and around €1200
The other way is boat from Rosslare to Bilbao which is a three day trip, day one catch the boat at 10pm from Rosslare, day two spent on the boat and day three is Bilbao to anywhere in Spain by the end of the day. Total cost for boat, food and three tanks of petrol around €600
And the beauty of having the car is you can if you like extend the journey there or back thus adding another holiday within a holiday
Leo said:
Did you do this and clear it with your insurance?...
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Most important that you clear this with your insurance first and get a "green card" or International motor insurance card
all insurance companies AFAIK allow for driving on the continent be it for 30, 60 or 90 days included in your policy
I'm with Aviva which allow 90 days but can add up to another 90 days for a small premium of about €35 pre month
The maximum European cover allowed is six months and at basic cover, third party only IIRC
Make sure that everything on the car is up to date and in order and that you carry all the requirements that each country requires while you're driving through it like warning triangles Hi-Viz jackets, spare lights and for France a breathalyser test kit

One thing I do when organising the green card is to specify all the countries that I will be traveling through and also the countries that I might have to travel through for some unforeseen reason, where I've gotten the boat down twice I've yet to get the boat back due to Covid in 2020 and the bad weather in 2022 which resulted the ferry been cancelled twice
 
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On thing to think about using your own car here in Spain is that the Spanish drivers drive 'differently' than us, and cars parked in the street often get bumped and scratched.
 
Listening to the various radio programmes here in Ireland about the state of our hospitals and lack of beds for sick people, I wonder what the situation is like in Spain and the warmer countries if you got sick while spending two months there over the winter.
 
Reactions: mtk
Looking at the horrendous prices that Ryanair are charging this year (up to 4 times what I paid last year), I will be dropping my short holiday breaks, this summer. Whatever about going away for a month or two, the flight cost associated with a 4 day break somewhere, should limit this type of break.

Any thoughts?
 
My thoughts are that Ryanair's results next year will be off the charts. I paid €20 return no bag early June 2022. Booked again for this June €100 return no bag.
 
I recall doing the maths on ryanair profits V people carried. It was really small profit per person. Look up their results and numbers of passengers. You’ll be surprised how small it is per person . In my opinion they do what they do very well.
 
Question for @Leper please - is it worth buying a pre-paid SIM for Spain? Any advantage for Uber / bookings / other stuff?
 
"other stuff" -> e.g. calling local numbers, booking restaurants, taxis, deliveries - the usual sort of thing for which a local number is often useful.
 
DannyBoyD said:
"other stuff" -> e.g. calling local numbers, booking restaurants, taxis, deliveries - the usual sort of thing for which a local number is often useful.
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My experience is that everyone, including restaurants, are on Whatapp
 
Just an update on our current 12 weeks stay in Andalusia - We didn’t drive to Spain as we had intended. Events in Ireland scuppered our original plans and Ryanair vouchers were about to expire to boot so all-in-all we used Ryanair again. We miss not having a car, but we can use the local car-hire service if we need a car (older cars than airport hire and less insurance cost + cheaper rental). Local bus service is good @ €1.20 per adult per journey.

It’s pretty hot (20 - 23 degrees, minimum) daily with some wind so cycling less than intended. We walked through Sierra Cabrera yesterday with the local Walking Group (free membership) and came across wild boar and wild foxes. Tired and sore feet today and I thought I was fit enough, but am not. But, we’ll walk again next Wednesday to Bèdar (old mining area) taking in the white hill village. The mantra of the group is to walk as fast as the slowest walker (embarrassingly, it’s me!).

However, anything is better than the rain and cold at home.
 
Just browsing through locations and flights to Spain for next middle January to middle February. Maybe 4 weeks in a nice rental apartment in Spain, south facing for some sun. I have visited most areas in Spain over the years but never the winter months.
Looking for some first hand recommendations for somewhere to visit. Need to have a bit of life with good supermarkets, locals, but not somewhere as big as Malaga or Madrid or Barcelona. Not the Canaries either.
 
You could consider Orihuela Costa, specifically Playa Flamenca or La Zenia. Plenty of life, excellent restaurants, cafes, bars with entertainment. Beautiful coastal walks, beach bars.... Pretty much ticks all your boxes bar not too many locals but certainly some.
 
Denia and/or Javea is a good shout too and there would be more there in terms of walking and cycling. The La Zenia area is great for a holiday but is lacking in some things compared to elsewhere like landscapes, mountain trails. Denia and Javea leave you onto the famous Calpe cycling routes where the pros will be whizzing past you.
 
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