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…
Category: Living In Spain
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,…
Funnies
The Great ‘Expat vs. Immigrant’ Dust-Up
The Great ‘Expat vs. Immigrant’ Dust-Up: It’s Time to Face the Music (and the Dictionary) Right then. Put down your lukewarm cup of imported PG Tips and pull up a chair. We need to have a chat. If you’ve spent more than five minutes on any “Brits in Spain” Facebook…
Housing and Accommodation
Who’s Really Buying Property in Spain
Who’s Really Buying Property in Spain – And Why Prices Keep Going Up. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently criticized the housing market, specifically condemning seasonal lets as “speculation and greed“. Every time Spanish house prices come up, the same argument explodes online. “It’s the Airbnb landlords.”“It’s the banks.”“It’s the…
Expat Tips and Resources
The Emergency V16 Beacon What You Actually Need to Know
Starting January 2026, those trusty old warning triangles that have been cluttering up Spanish car boots for decades are officially getting the boot. Enter the new kid on the block: the connected V16 emergency beacon. And before you roll your eyes at yet another bit of Spanish bureaucracy, this one…
Living In Spain
Velolaser Speed Radar: Ultimate Guide to Spain’s Most Advanced Traffic Enforcement Technology
What is Velolaser Speed Radar Technology Right, let me tell you about the Velolaser speed radar – and trust me, I’ve got personal experience with this sneaky little device after getting nicked by one just last week on the CV-905 near Torrevieja. These portable speed radar units are revolutionising how…