Hi, I'm new here and would like some suggestions.

 I intend moving/retiring  to Spain in approx 6 years time. I lived there in 92 for a spell, as well as many other countries, and Spain has always stood out from the rest. 

I am Irish and currently live in New Zealand and have done so for the past 15 years. 

My ideal living location would be in a quiet village with a major city within two hours drive.

My ideal home would have 3 beds with a small parcel of land and some out buildings suitable for a horse.

Due to distance between NZ and Spain, I was hoping some people could drop in a few names of villages for me to 'google' or maybe even point out homes which you may consider suitable to purchase.

Yes, I know 6 years is a long way away! but knowledge is power and the more I learn the more comfortable I will be with making a final decision on where to buy and live. And if anyone would like to be my personal mentor:) please feel free to apply.

Thanking you.

Eugene.

Eugene.

 Hello John.

I have used google on many properties over the past few years to try get a feel for  places but now I need to step up and get 'word of mouth' from people who are on the front line, you know, the people who are within the villages and are there 24/7. Google is awesome but word of mouth is more personal. Thanks.

Eugene,

Hi Eugene, John is quite correct in his advice.  That said, I am sure there are many people on here who will tell you of wonderful villages and countryside to live in Spain.  I do not live in Spain myself, but over the last 40 years have spent much time in Spain, but again I wouldn't want to  waste your time extolling the virtues of the places I luv and you have already discounted.  I wish you the best of luck in your search.  This is an excellent site to seek advice.  In many ways parts of Spain are similar to Eire, I am Irish and have often remarked to my husband on the similarities of the landscape, especially parts ot Connemara.

 Hi.

Does anyone want to just name a few quiet  villages, off the top of their heads please? Along the Sotthern Coast, South of Barcelona, 2 hours of a major city. 

Thanks.

An hour from Malaga to the east - Archez, Competa, Canillas de Albaida, Sayalonga are all nice!

 Hi There

More information on these villages found on this website.Just click on Each Highlighted Name in Blue for more Detail.

http://www.inland-property.com/pages/EN/villages.asp

Regards

 Thanks Nigel and Competa. 

 Hi again , thanks for the PMs from some of you, mucho appreciatedo:)

After some googling and searching I have narrowed my vision down to Cadiz, not so much the main town but possibly within 30 minutes to an hour of the center. 

Has anyone any personal knowledege of the district? 

Thanks.

 Hi There

This might help you decide. I have heard Chiclana is a good place to live and it is only the railway line to Cadiz.

http://srv.tourspain.es/ServidorDocumentosSharepoint/ServicioDocumentos.aspx?param1=%2b1O2i9W8p9nen/8jbu8DKXxYizjjlUnM¶m2=zjq%2bvOHoJuzubrA30Ad064RtqIvVLDSvhttp://srv.tourspain.es/ServidorDocumentosSharepoint/ServicioDocumentos.aspx?param1=%2b1O2i9W8p9nen/8jbu8DKXxYizjjlUnM¶m2=zjq%2bvOHoJuzubrA30Ad064RtqIvVLDSv

Regards

 Thanks Nigel.

Very helpful!

Evening Kid, I too am looking, & travel to Spain later this month for further studies.I have found this site to be invaluable for me, tells you everything about axarquia which is a very large but beautiful area & is both coast & inland.

http://www.absoluteaxarquia.com/areas/axarquia.html

Gerald

 Thanks Gerald, 

Enjoy your time in Spain.

floella is absolutely right about Chiclana.  If you're buying a place rather than renting (which most of us would advise before buying, anyway) be very careful.  When we were searching for a place to buy a few years ago, we spent time in the Cadiz province and loved the area.  Chiclana wasn't our favourite choice but it's a large town that has everything you could need so we looked at three rather nice properties on the outskirts of town....only to find, after our research, that they had ALL been built illegaly!  We could have looked at more properties there, of course, but it rather put us off and we started to look a little further inland.  There are some lovely towns and villages just a little inland.  We particularly liked Arcos de la Fontera and Lebrija, but, if you are looking for a typical 'Spanish' town, Medina Sidonia is tops.  It is set on top of a hill, as is Arcos, with a beautiful square in the center for that wonderful, street cafe culture that we all love.  And the views from these hilltop towns/villages are stunning.

 Thanks Flo and Maddie. I know a guy over here who decided to build a brand new house on his land and he was half way thru building when the local council got involved and made him demolish it. When he done that he was hit with a fine for not taking out the proper consents for starting a new build and then hit with another fine for not taking out the proper consents to demolish his half built  illeagl building.

And then another guy whos commercial building failed a building inspection and was told he had

"24 hours to vacate the building as it was a danger hazard and likely to fall over at any given moment."

He got all his gear and and moved to a new building to continue work. Meanwhile his old property was cordoned off with danger tape and safety barriers while he went about getting the proper paperwork done to get the his  unsafe building demolished.

EIGHTEEN MONTHS later he got the paper work approved to demo his building which was on the verge of falling over eighteen months prior.

 Funny Flo:) If you are ever conversing with a Kiwi or Aussie, listen to how they say 'specifically' it sounds more like  'pasifically"