Despite being bordered by only one other country (Spain), Portugal has an intercontinental feel. The culture, architecture, language and cuisine have all been influenced by centuries of global travel. Living standards are high due to the advanced economy, peaceful governance, and emphasis on moral freedom for its citizens. The weather is uniformly warm in the summer months, while temperatures in winter vary depending on location. For example, you’ll find snowfall in the mountains, mild microclimates by the coast and subtropical islands. But it’s the stunning variety of terrains that draws so many tourists and expats to the country. You can hike in the national parks, walk the cobbled streets of the historic villages, search the Atlantic horizon for glimpses of North America from dramatic cliffs or lounge on one of the many glittering beaches. The Portuguese have a hospitable nature and you can expect to eat freshly sourced ingredients cooked simply and served with a flourish. Fish, squid, smoked meats, olives, cheese, bread and local wines are plentiful and you’ll find produce markets and restaurants at every turn. Feasts are central features of many of the festivities but you’ll also find music, dancing and night-time revelries at the frequent celebrations throughout the year. The north of Portugal is rocky and rugged and famous for the port wine-growing region, the Douro Valley. Rising up from the rural interior are wild mountains dotted with hunks of granite and flowing from them, the wide, fertile Tagus, Guadiana and Douro rivers. Lisbon is the most densely populated city, closely followed by Porto, and the southern Algarve region is a tourist hotspot. The Madeira archipelago is made up of 8 volcanic peaks, only two of which are inhabited and there are 9 islands in the Azores offering pale beaches, thermal lakes, geysers and black lava fields. This land has been fought over by Celts, Goths, Greeks, Romans and Moors, each of whom have left their architectural marks. Modern property development tends towards spacious, open-plan homes with echoes of these historical styles. The people of Portugal revere a rural life and as a result, there are a lot of villas or plots of land for development available in the countryside. In contrast, the cities and coastal regions are filled with affordable apartments. The road networks are good, air travel is quick and easy from northern Europe and America and there are high-speed international trains from connecting cities in France and Spain. Children are legally required to be in education from six to eighteen years old and there is a range of schooling options for international students, from public state schools, private faith schools or international schools. There is a state healthcare system in Portugal too. EU citizens can access it for free once they’ve registered and received a healthcare number (cartão de utente).

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Are you looking for a change of scenery? &nbsp;If this is the case, France should be at the top of your list! This magnificent country is a treasure trove of stunning landscapes with a wide range of settings to suit everyone's tastes and a rich history that will captivate you. Starting with the southern part of the country, the warmth of the people will greet you at every turn. This region is well-known for its sunny weather, sun-kissed beaches, outdoor celebrations, vibrant markets, and music festivals. Over a glass of wine, people gather to celebrate life, exchange cultural traditions, and foster an environment that is warm and welcoming to visitors from all over the world. As a matter of fact, the <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/france/places-to-live/occitanie-0l58192">Occitanie</a> region in the southwestern part of France is truly a one-of-a-kind destination with its diverse offerings of landscapes and activities. With direct access to the Mediterranean coastline and the majestic mountains and ski resorts of the Pyrenees. &nbsp;Coastal cities such as Montpellier also offer a rich historical and cultural heritage, this region is an ideal choice for those looking to enjoy the nature, history and culture of France. A little further north, nature enthusiasts will find a peaceful haven in the renowned French Alps, known for their breathtaking alpine scenery and outdoor activities like downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides. With the largest skiing area in the world, the <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/france/places-to-live/auvergne-rhone-alpes-0l60750">French Alps</a> offer unforgettable experiences for all kinds of nature lovers, all year long. Finally, with their world-famous cuisine and vibrant arts scenes, French cities such as Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux offer an unforgettable experience that combines the best of urban living and cultural heritage. Regarding the cost of living, France is a great place to call home. Although prices have increased in recent years, it remains more affordable compared to other European nations like the UK. With a strong economy and an excellent quality of life, &nbsp;You can experience a comfortable lifestyle without overspending. Also, the French culture offers a more relaxed and laid-back way of life that will have you feeling right at home in no time. Why not seize the moment and fall deeply in love with a property in France? Start living your dream today by preparing for your move and reading our location guides on different regions and provinces in France. &nbsp;

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Beautiful weather, excellent food and wine, world-famous art and culture and low living costs are just some of the reasons you should pack up and move to Spain. Spain is one of the largest countries in Europe and also one of the most geographically varied. With some of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in the world, breath-taking mountainous regions, fertile plains, and sun-drenched isles, there is something to suit every preference. Visit Spain and you’ll enjoy a Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers, mild winters, with snow in northern and mountainous regions. If you love art and culture you’ll have much to discover in Spain, which is home to some of the finest architecture in the world. There are ancient marketplaces, Moorish palaces, and the fantastical structures of Antoni Gaudi, not to mention the Dali museum, Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim, Fundacio Joan Miro, and the numerous festivals which regularly take place throughout the country. Spanish food is as varied as its landscape; the Spanish are absolutely passionate about their local cuisine. Tapas is popular worldwide, and you’ve probably sampled at least one of these delicious little dishes. The variety of tapas offered in Spain is huge, and varies from region to region and also according to season. Spanish markets are abundant with huge fruits and vegetables, thanks to the long months of sunshine. The great news as a prospective buyer, is that food, like the cost of living generally in Spain, is very affordable and of excellent quality. Moving onto more practical matters, the healthcare system in Spain is ranked among the best in the world, spending 10% of its GDP on healthcare. There are also excellent transport links throughout the country, with modern metros, high speed trains connecting most cities, long distance coach services between major cities, and bus services in all major cities and towns. It’s no wonder that Spanish public transport is known to be some of the best in Europe. For those wishing to venture further afield, it’s easy to travel from Spain to other parts of Europe by plane, train or bus. And of course, with 36 international airports, it will be easy for friends and family from back home to come and visit!

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If you’ve not made up your mind yet where you want to buy a property, explore our <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/places-to-live/regions">region guides</a> for a broad overview of an area. Or if you have your eye on a particular area of Spain, take a look at our <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/places-to-live/provinces">province guides</a>. Find out what it’s like to live there, where the top locations are to buy a property, and discover what services and amenities could be on your doorstep.&nbsp;&nbsp;Or perhaps you already know which city / town you want to move to, and want to find out more about what it’s like to live there, things to do for expats, healthcare options, schools, jobs, and transport services. If so, check out our <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/places-to-live/cities">town and city guides</a>, which offer a deep dive into all these topics and more.&nbsp;For further location inspiration, check out our blog posts on the top destinations to buy property in Spain for <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/where-to-buy-cheap-property-in-spain-in-2024">budget hunters</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/where-to-buy-property-in-spain-2024">investors</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/11-best-destinations-to-live-in-spain-for-families">families</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/11-best-destinations-to-retire-in-spain">retirees</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/11-best-destinations-to-live-in-spain-for-digital-nomads">digital nomads</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/best-golf-resorts-to-buy-a-property-in-spain">golf lovers</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/lights-camera-spain-spanish-movie-locations-where-you-can-buy-a-property">movie fans</a>, <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/best-food-and-wine-destinations-in-spain-to-buy-a-property">foodies</a>, and <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/advice/spain/best-properties-in-spain/best-heritage-destinations-in-1">history buffs</a>.

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Buyer Stories

Why Daniel decided to purchase in Spain 

On Daniel’s property search process 

About Daniel’s experience with his property agent 

About Daniel’s budget 

How easy the buying process was for Daniel 

How Daniel and his family like to use the property 

How cultural factors impacted the buying process 

What Daniel found the most challenging about the process 

Daniel’s advice for family and friends thinking about buying in Spain 

A typical day for Daniel and family in Spain 

Episode 08: Daniel who purchased in Playa Flamenca, Alicante

&nbsp;<h2>Intro</h2>Welcome to the Kyero.com Spanish Property podcast where we interview real people who recently purchased a home in Spain.They tell us what worked, what didn’t and what they’d do differently next time.I’m Beth Davison and today I’m speaking with Daniel, originally from Minster on Sea, in Kent, he purchased a three bedroom Duplex in <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/playa-flamenca-property-for-sale-0l1296">Playa Flamenca, Alicante</a>.Just wait until you hear about how straight forward his whole process was and how he boldly bought the first property he viewedDaniel worked with estate agent <a href="https://www.kyero.com/en/spain-property-for-sale-0l55529?agent_id=8863">InterProperty Sales and Lettings</a> to find his dream home in Spain. &nbsp;Check out the show notes at kyero.com/podcast to find links and resources mentioned in this episode<h2>Body of Transcription</h2>Beth: Well, if we get started, you can just let me know what you do for a living and the kind of property you bought.Daniel: I’m a company director for a civil engineering company, and we bought a three bedroom penthouse duplex.Beth: Fantastic, and where about was that?Daniel: In Playa Flamenca.Beth: Awesome, so talk me through the choices, when it all first started, why did you first decide to buy in Spain?Daniel: We’ve got friends over there who’ve got a property out in the same complex as we purchased. Obviously, we visited them a couple of times and loved the place, so.Beth: Great, so how did it all start? Whose was the first idea? Who said let’s do this?Daniel: Mine.Beth: And who was that to, so was that your partner?Daniel: Yeah, the wife, yeah.Beth: Lovely, alright, and so how many properties did you view? How did you first start that process?Daniel: How many properties did we view? One…Beth: Really, wow, and you just knew it was the right one?Daniel: Yeah, online we were viewing loads; just viewing, viewing, viewing, and then came across that one and when we viewed it and said, “That’s the one for us – that’s it.”Beth: How similar is it to your friend’s place?Daniel: They’ve got a one bedroom penthouse apartment, obviously, we’ve got the duplex and that’s over two floors.Beth: OK.Daniel: So, ours is just bigger, I suppose.Beth: Yeah, I wondered if that made it easier to not go on too many viewings because it was similar.Daniel: Yeah, because we holidayed there about three times, so, we already knew the complex; we knew it was safe; we knew the area; we knew what was around… So, yeah, pretty much we knew we wanted to be on that complex. That was it.Beth: Great. And how did it work with the agent? What was your agent like?Daniel: Nigel was, he was superb from start to finish he, literally, did everything. He was great.Beth: Which probably also made it easier to not have to view things.Daniel: Well, yeah, I mean you don’t know who to trust, really, because you hear so many horror stories, but he was great. He was really good.Beth: Did you know what sort of budget you were thinking about using?Daniel: Roughly, yeah, we knew around about €100,000.Beth: And then Nigel was able to show you things around that mark? Did he show you anything more expensive or less expensive?Daniel: Yeah, he had a list of properties to show us, actually, that day, but we viewed that one and just said, “This is the one. So, don’t worry about the others. We’ll put an offer in now.”Beth: Fantastic, I love it. That’s brave! Did that feel brave at the time to just go with your gut, go with the first one?Daniel: Yeah, it felt alright, it was all good, it was good.Beth: Perfect. So, I think I know the answer, but how easy or difficult did you find that whole process?Daniel: Very easy.Beth: Was it different to what you expected going in?Daniel: I didn’t know what to expect, to be fair. It’s the first time I bought a property, obviously. I didn’t know what to expect or what we had to do. Nigel just did it. He was was me. He did some bits on his own that he could take away from us. It was just smooth. Within six weeks it was ours.Beth: Wow, then how long before you were moving in and doing it up and whatever?Daniel: We only use it as a holiday home, so it went through in six weeks; within six weeks, then we flew out for the kid’s holiday and stayed there six weeks.Beth: Great stuff. So does that tend to be what you do? Do you match up with the kid’s holidays in this country, and go for longer stints like six weeks, how does it normally work for you?Daniel: So, next summer the wife will be out there for six weeks with the kids then I’ll just go to and fro. So, basically it’s a summer home.Beth: That’s so nice, but it’s nice that you don’t just use it for one or two week holidays, you guys tend to go for longer amounts of time.Daniel: Yeah, that’s it, yeah, that’s right, yeah.Beth: What’s it like for a family, is it a good complex for that? Are there other kids there?Daniel: It’s superb, it’s superb.Beth: So the kids are going to make friends, right, and then be able to revisit them every holiday?Daniel: Yeah, they’re seven and five so they’re obviously young, but over time I’m sure. They’ll make some friends this year and be back next year, obviously, that’s relationships and people, you know.Beth: Yeah, totally. So, how did you find the whole process of buying with the language barriers and different legal systems and things like that?Daniel: The estate agent, he was brilliant, spoke perfect English. Everything was done through email, just clicked into place and it was done. It was perfect. It couldn’t have gone any better.Beth: Wow, fantastic. So, I was going to ask you which bit you found the most challenging, but were there no challenges?Daniel: No, there weren’t any challenges at all. Nigel picked up us from the airport and took us back and gave us the keys. That was good, no hiccups at all, nothing.Beth: Incredible. So, if you were going to give some advice to family or friends doing what you’ve just done what advice would you give them?Daniel: See Nigel. It’s that easy.Beth: Great, OK fine, that’s brilliant. Well, it’s good to hear that you had such a great experience.What’s your favourite part about owning a property in Spain?Daniel: The weather and golf.Beth: So, what kind of stuff do you do out there? What does a typical day look like for you?Daniel: Golf.Beth: All day?Daniel: Beach, swimming pool, golf, swimming pool, we’ve got loads to do, going down to the Boulevard restaurants. There are plenty of nice restaurants.Beth: Yeah, lovely, so drinking, eating - all the Spanish things that you would expect.Daniel: Yeah, it’s great. It’s all good.Beth: Do you feel like there’s a lot of Spanish culture where you are? Or is it more touristy and holiday? How does it feel when you’re there?Daniel: It’s quite nice, really, slightly leaning towards more English, but there’s still some Spanish… A lot of Spanish, actually, around in the houses and within the complex there’s some Spanish. It’s just quite nice, honestly, because that’s why you go to Spain – for the different culture.Beth: Yeah, totally.Daniel: Yeah, it’s a nice mix, there’s a nice mix. It’s just a lovely atmosphere out there.Beth: Fantastic, and do you have many people to visit from the UK? Do you bring family over there or anything?Daniel: Yeah, yeah, we’ve had friends over. We’ve had loads of friends come over throughout the six weeks.Beth: That’s nice. I bet they love it.Daniel: I do, yeah, it’s great.Beth: And your friends who live in the same complex? Are they still there?Daniel: Yes.Beth: Oh great, so there can be a whole crowd of you that go out.Daniel: Yeah, yeah, like last time there were a few of us. So, it’s all good, it’s all good.Beth: Fantastic, alright Daniel, well thank you very much for chatting with me.Daniel: Thank you very much.Beth: Cheers Daniel, bye.Daniel: Cheers, bye bye.<h2>Outtro</h2>Thank you for listening and thanks to Daniel for sharing their experiences and InterProperty Sales and Lettings for their help to make this episode possibleI particularly liked how Daniel was inspired by his friends and ended up buying a place on the very same complex, also, how confident he must have been to have bought the very first place he was shown.You can search this agent’s properties and more on Kyero.com.Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.This podcast is produced by <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>, and our mission is to connect you with estate agents and properties throughout Spain. Whether your dream home is a rustic farmhouse surrounded by olive groves or a lock-up-and-leave apartment on the sea front, you'll find everything that you need at <a href="https://www.kyero.com/">Kyero.com</a>. If you've enjoyed this episode we'd really appreciate your five star rating on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kyero-spanish-property-podcast/id1332034550">iTunes</a>. It helps us reach and connect more people with their dream home in Spain, and, whenever you're ready, here are four ways we can help you:<ul><li>Ask a question by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll try and answer them all in an upcoming Q&amp;A episode</li><li>Get a location guide by emailing <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a>. We'll reply with the latest data and information on the areas you're interested in</li><li>Calculate your budget, simply visit <a href="https://www.kyero.com/budget">Kyero.com</a>, enter two numbers, and you're done</li><li>Be our guest, if you've already purchased your home in Spain we would love for you to share your story on the podcast, just email <a href="mailto:podcasts@kyero.com">podcasts@kyero.com</a> and we'll take it from there</li></ul>Tune in next week when I speak with Denise from Tyne and Wear, about her purchase with husband EddieThey purchased a three bedroom quad in Entre Naranjos and wait until you hear about how much living in Spain has helped with Sally’s asthma, and also how actually lowering their budget helped them find what they wanted.I’m Beth Davison and you’ve been listening to the Kyero.com Spanish property podcast. I’ll see you next week!&nbsp;

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