Hi, My husband and I are seriously considering moving to Spain to retire and to that end are becoming increasingly fluent in the language. We have both lived in different countries - UK, Italy, Canada, US - and don't see moving to a foreign country as a huge step. However, we don't know Spain very well and would like to move to a city/large town where we can consult or teach business English, while at the same time living in a villa rather than an apartment. We also don't want to be in a place that is over-run by tourists but has a somewhat quiet, authentic feel to it. We were wondering whether Sevilla would be a good place to head to but would value the opinions of some of the people on this site who have lived in Spain and know the country well. We don't think that we are Madrid or Barcelona people, so are interested in the places that still have a fairly thriving cultural downtown but aren't too crazy. Any suggestions would be most welcome! Thank you, Janie
Valencia and Seville sound like the perfect destinations to suit your needs. While Seville may be a more 'authentic' Spanish experience, it is smaller than Valencia and will probably have fewer employment opportunities. Even though Valencia is a slightly bigger city, it has an extensive public transport network and you will not struggle to find a house or villa in the surrounding suburbs.
Expat arrivals has detailed guides on moving to Valencia and moving to Seville which you may find helpful for comparing the two destinations.
- Daniela