Spain still a good place for disenchanted Brit expats

For those still considering an escape from Brexit Britain, Spain is the obvious choice.

Easily accessible and with a long-established expat community spread across the country, Spain is the obvious refuge for British would-be expats looking for an affordable quality of life. With its warm, sunny climate, Mediterranean beaches and glorious countryside, its culture is fascinating, its peoples are friendly and its food and wine are exceptional.

Wherever expats find themselves, it’s important to learn about the culture of your chosen country. The Spanish pace of life is slower than in more northern climes, especially in the rural areas outside major cities and particularly when something needs to be done urgently. Family values are more important than in the UK, and tradition plays an important part in every celebration. Sundays are days off for everyone, even recently-arrived expats, and the siesta is alive and well in most of the country.

Learning at least enough Spanish to get by is important, especially if you’re living outside a major conurbation where English speakers are rare. The history of Spain is fascinating, often troubled and still plays a part in everyday life, so reading up on the past thousand years or so is a must if you want to truly understand the culture. The country’s history is also present in the plethora of delicious dishes, often due to the Moorish invasion in the eighth century. Spanish wines are rightly famous, with Rioja an all-time favourite.

If you’re in Spain to work, business hours may come as a shock, as they start later and finish at around 8 p.m, with a one hour or more break from midday for lunch and a short sleep. Practicalities such as banking take far longer as a result, with shopping and banking in a single day a real challenge for newly-arrived expats. Investing in property is still a good idea, as house price growth has slowed over the past several years, but new arrivals should take care not fall for scams and other tricks relatively common in the real estate sector.