Spain loving Urbs. Where should I stay for a month in winter?

[Johnny Vodka]

There was a programme started on Ch5 last night about Andalucia. Think the first one is on Granada. I've yet to watch it.

Only issue is it's presented by Michael Portillo.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Dare I say the first one was pretty good? This is only the second programme I've seen with the emphasis on Granada, the other being an episode of Parts Unknown. I managed to tolerate Portillo... Will definitely be watching the rest - might give me a few ideas for places to visit.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Reading this thread I booked a flight to Jerez mid Feb to explore the area. Might do some remote working on the Algarve. Cheers Urbs.

Also caught the end of Portillo's CH5 series. He's done up an incredibly old house in Carmona and discovered a Roman mosaic.

 

[sparkybird]

Reading this thread I booked a flight to Jerez mid Feb to explore the area. Might do some remote working on the Algarve. Cheers Urbs.

Also caught the end of Portillo's CH5 series. He's done up an incredibly old house in Carmona and discovered a Roman mosaic.

You might arrive in time for Carnival!
Make sure you get to Cádiz as well, currently here and loving it. A very pleasant city to be in.

 

[dessiato]

You might arrive in time for Carnival!
Make sure you get to Cádiz as well, currently here and loving it. A very pleasant city to be in.

Cadiz carnival is good. But if you want a really good Rio style carnival try Ovar in Portugal. When I lived in Porto I used to go to Ovar. It's over four days with different parades for eg children, samba schools. There's live music too. But it's quite a trek from Cadiz.

 

[sparkybird]

Cadiz carnival is good. But if you want a really good Rio style carnival try Ovar in Portugal. When I lived in Porto I used to go to Ovar. It's over four days with different parades for eg children, samba schools. There's live music too. But it's quite a trek from Cadiz.

To be fair, anywhere is quite a trek from Cádiz

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Had a great time in Andalucia in February. I was there for the start of Lent and the Carnaval in Cadiz. Metup with a friend who works remotely in Cadiz but for a UK firm.
Afterwards went westwards to the Algarve but I think Andalucia wins really. Jerez was an easy going town just to hang out in with beautiful architecture and the famous atmospheric "Tabancos."
Here's Jerez's lady band, one hand guitar , one hand pint of sangria:


The classic Jerez view, Sherry & Cathedral:


Nearby Arcos has this stunning church tower. The sun was blinding coming from northern Europe:

 

[Favelado]

I lived in Andalucía for ten years, then, last year, moved to Galicia. It's incredibly beautiful, but it's not Andalucía.

Unfortunately, due to family issues, I'm moving to Scotland for a couple of years, then it'll be back to Andalucía. Luckily I can do the citizenship exams in Edinburgh, and I do have my residencia permante which will help.

Interested in this as after years of living in excellent but arid as fuck Madrid - dreaming of the sea and though Galicia might be nice. Less guiri too. Not so good? How did you find living there?

 

[Sue]

Interested in this as after years of living in excellent but arid as fuck Madrid - dreaming of the sea and though Galicia might be nice. Less guiri too. Not so good? How did you find living there?

Was on work trip to Madrid a couple of weeks ago -- was way more pleasant temp-wise than the last time I was there (September?) when it was way too hot for me. I'm actually heading to northern Spain end of this week (doing the first bit of the Camino frances). Looking forward to it (and also hopefully catching up with some friends who live in the mountains near Donostia while I'm there).

 

[Favelado]

Was on work trip to Madrid a couple of weeks ago -- was way more pleasant temp-wise than the last time I was there (September?) when it was way too hot for me. I'm actually heading to northern Spain end of this week (doing the first bit of the Camino frances). Looking forward to it (and also hopefully catching up with some friends who live in the mountains near Donostia while I'm there).

September is the best month for weather - that's after it's cooled down after the total madness of July and August.

I love Donosti by the way - if rent wasn't so totally insane there I'd be living there. Most expensive city in Spain.

Madrid is really good but I like a bit of novelty and i've been here AGES.

 

[Sue]

September is the best month for weather - that's after it's cooled down after the total madness of July and August.

Still too hot for me in September tbh. End of Feb was perfect.

I love Donosti by the way - if rent wasn't so totally insane there I'd be living there. Most expensive city in Spain.

Yeah, my friend's wife's from there but they moved to a wee village in the mountains when they had kids. They both still work in the city though and tell me that salaries are too low for the crazy rents there these days.

Madrid is really good but I like a bit of novelty and i've been here AGES.

I really like Madrid and could move there with my company relatively easily if I wanted to. But the heat would kill me so...

 

[Favelado]

Ask your company if they'll give me a job. Bet it will be better paid than mine.

 

[Riklet]

I think Barcelona is quite nice in winter too. Always worth considering. Not in Spain and very expensive nowadays but Lisbon would be on my list. Much more exciting than small cities in Andalucía in winter.

It has to be said, Madrid is great all year round, frankly. If you like it, you like it. But it's a huge varied tiring noisy and intense city, definitely not the right option for many people. Gets chilly in winter too! I'm going there in early August this year after Ibiza and can't wait! Parties and public swimming pools every day and all the rich pijo cunts are out of town.

Aaaaand I love Seville but I wouldn't choose it in winter for months either, everything is more dead. The city doesn't come alive until March. And don't listen to dessiato about how bad it is, it's an amazing city to live and visit and dead easy to get around. Metro, bus, bike, walking, tram...you only need a car to get to rural places. Also the best place for food in Spain by miles and less expensive than Málaga.

No one has suggested Valencia. I havent been before, but it has very good winter weather and beaches and lots of cool places nearby. Thoughts?

 

[dessiato]

Interested in this as after years of living in excellent but arid as fuck Madrid - dreaming of the sea and though Galicia might be nice. Less guiri too. Not so good? How did you find living there?

Galicia is stunningly beautiful. The beaches are phenomenal, the mountains and forests unbeatable, the downside is that it rains a lot and is far colder than where I lived in Andalucía. The climate is more like southern England. For example, the day we left it was 37°, when we arrived in Galicia the following midday it was 23° and foggy. But without this weather it would be less green and less beautiful. The one comes with the other.

When we move back to Spain it will be to Motril or Almuñecar because its nice to wake up every day to warm sunny weather. And the coast is cooler than inland, you get the best of both worlds.

Visit Galicia because it's stunning, the seafood is consistently the best I've eaten anywhere. But its much cooler than the south and Madrid.