Every year, without fail, Spain stops. Not in a quiet, understated way — in the way that only a country with this particular relationship to religion, spectacle, and collective emotion can manage. Streets that are normally choked with traffic become slow rivers of candlelight. The smell of incense hangs over…
Category: Living In Spain
Living In Spain
Spain to Cut Fuel Discounts as Economy Continues to Grow
Spain to Cut Fuel Discounts If you’ve been enjoying the discount every time you fill up your car in Spain, there’s a bit of bad news on the horizon. The Spanish Government has confirmed that fuel subsidies introduced to soften the economic impact of the conflict in the Middle East…
Legal and Visa Information
Royal Decree 253 2025: The Important One For Residents
Royal Decree 253 2025: The Quiet Shift Every Spain‑Based Resident Should Have on Their Radar There’s a particular kind of law that doesn’t make headlines but still manages to rearrange the furniture of everyday life. Royal Decree 253 2025 is one of those. It slipped into the Boletín Oficial del…
Funnies
Tipping Attitudes
Tipping. So good old Facebook had a group with a debate about tipping and how much. This is something we do, almost evry time we go out. I’ve previously done an article here on this subject. If we’re having say just a drink, we’ll leave the change if it’s coins…
Living In Spain
Costa Blanca Markets: A Weekly Tradition Worth Getting Up Early For
The Costa Blanca markets are one of those things that people discover on their first week here and then quietly build the rest of their week around. I know people who’ve lived on the Costa Blanca for twenty years and still won’t miss their local market day. It’s not just…
Legal and Visa Information
Autónomo in Spain: The No-BS Guide
Autónomo in Spain: The Real Deal With Freelancing Down Here If you’ve spent any time in Spain trying to work for yourself, you’ll have heard the word autónomo thrown around like it’s a common noun. It’s not. It’s a whole life situation. Being an autónomo simply means you’re self-employed. You could be a web…
Legal and Visa Information
Handling A Licencia De Obra Mayor Without Losing Your Mind
If you’ve ever tried to renovate anything in Spain that involves more than a coat of paint, you’ve probably heard the phrase licencia de obra mayor. It tends to arrive early in the process, usually delivered with a sigh by an architect or a neighbor who’s been through it before….
Popular Destinations
Responsible Tourism Or Party Poopers?
The New Rules of the Game: A Tourist’s Guide to Being Responsible in Spain Let’s be honest. how many understand responsible tourism as a concept? For decades, “holiday mode” in Spain meant sunglasses and beer at 10 AM, a cocktail at noon, and the vague promise to “sleep when you…
Expat Tips and Resources
Our Best Three Purchases
So this was a little random when someone asked what we consider to be our best three purchases, we have made. They’d seen me comment about our ZERO electric bills, so they asked the question. Anyway, here goes, excluding the house and car, there are our best three purchases we…
Living In Spain
Daylight Savings Time In Spain 2026
One thing easily forgotten each year is the Daylight Savings Time In Spain, I.E. don’t forget to change your clocks. But could 2026 be the last time this happens? Tick Tock, ¡Qué Horror! Spain’s 2026 Clock Change & The Franco Legacy If there is one thing that unites every expat,…