Having finally settled on the area south of Alicante for our first holiday home, there is just so much to choose from.  We would like to settle for something that could become a more permanent residence starting with extended school holidays.  We would love to hear of any developments/areas which are family orientated and offer a good mix of facilities while still retaining that Spanish feel.  We are learning Spanish as a second language and would like to be part of the local culture instead of the Brit pack.  Thanks for any comments you may have. David

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Hi WDC,

I haven't seen you on EOS before, so welcome!

If you are looking South of Alicante and want a "Spanish feel", you will do best to look inland.

Most people will tell you that the coastal areas, particularly in/around the Torreveija area, are classed as "Little Britain".

Most of the Spanish bars, restaurants and shops have English speaking staff. People you pass on the streets are mostly British too.

However, along the coast, in most of the urbanisations, they are family orientated with good facilites. But choose an established urbanisation, because if you buy off plan with all the promises of the facilities that will be built to complement the urbanisation, you may have to wait a few years before they actually are built!

Inland is a different ball game. You can find some wonderful Spanish communities with good facilities and they are welcoming to the English, which is a must! Schools locally though will be Spanish, but I think it is good for English children to go to Spanish schools. The young pick up the language far easier than us olduns and they quickly make friends locallly this way.

If you wanted an English school, you may have a journey daily more towards the coast I think.

I hope you find what you are looking for.

Kind regards,

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Hola David,

I reiterate all our Fibby says, daren't not, ha ha (we're mates !!) Fibby ...  his name's DAVID & you've not seen him around cos it was his 1st post ! (God, David, what is she like ?)

Joking apart, inland will be better though not necessarily far inland AND you'll find properties cheaper too, a real bonus. Almoradi, Daya Neuva, Los Montesinos, Algorfa areas could be ideal. British here & there but primarily local. Learning Spanish will open up such a great life for you as the locals love us to try.  If your kids ARE (say) under 11 - 12 send them to a Spanish school definitely. Think "kids" older than this age find it hard though from what I've heard especially as they have exams to think of. My friends two kids were only around 7 & 9 when they went to live in Spain & they were fluent in Spanish & gabbling away 20 to the dozen in no time. Such great accents too !

Good luck in your search, come back soon & tell us what you've been doing. We're all ears, eh Fibby ?

Janice

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Hi again Fibby and Jeansis

Have been away for a while in Spain and very busy at work but have now managed to catch up.

Agree totally with you about schools. My daughters went to guardaria (nursery school) and school aged 2 and 3.  Was hard at first ,lots of tears (MINE, not theirs) having to leave them. But was the best thing ever for them, they learnt fast (Spanish became their first language) and made loads of friends also we all joined in the customs and traditions.   Came back to England (had to be dragged,but was for family reasons) when they were 12 and 13 - not an ideal age but they luckily settled back. Both are still fluent in Spanish and have the accent.  If you put kids into school in Spain later ie. 13 or so I feel it is a different ball-game, you must choose what you think is the right thing for your child.

Love to all 

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