Good and bad things about living in Spain and Cordoba

Hello again everyone! In this new blog post about places, recipes, advice and more about Spain, I am going to talk about some good and bad things about living in Spain, as I did in the other entry with Poland and Krakow.

Each person has a different opinion about the place where they live or the place that they are visiting, so I am going to talk about my experience living in Spain, referring specific cities or towns in the country.

Good things about living in Spain

1. The weather

This is an aspect which always comes up when you talk about the good things about living in Spain or coming here on holiday, especially for tourists who come from cold countries. The climate is warm in general but it varies a lot depending on what region of Spain you are in; there will be very different temperatures depending on whether you are in the North or the South, in Cordoba or in Galicia.

In the North of Spain, there is a colder climate, with more rain and it is less warm in the summer. However, if you go towards the South, the temperatures increase, the summers are longer and there is less rain. Central Spain has a huge temperature variation, with really cold winters and really hot summers.

This is positive since it allows people to come to our country throughout the whole year without the temperature affecting their stay. Sun and beach tourism is predominant in our country, especially in the Mediterranean and during summer, from June to September.

2. Diversity of natural and cultural heritage

Spain is a very diverse country for its heritage all over, both natural and cultural. There is lots to see further than the beaches where all the tourism is concentrated.

The nature in the North is spectacular, with places such as the Valle de Ordesa and the Covadonga lakes. There are also places in the South which are worth visiting, such as the Caminito del Rey or the Chillar river, which I have spoken about in other entries.

This country is one of the richest for cultural heritage, reflected in cities like Cordoba, Barcelona or Salamanca, amongst others, for the different cultures and populations that have passed through there throughout the centuries. It is not the cities which are important but also the towns, which they have declared "The Most Beautiful Towns in Spain, such as Sajazarra in La Rioja.

Depending on where you are, Spain will have a different atmosphere, the tourist attractions will be different and your experience will be too.

3. The gastronomy

This is one of the things that people who come to Spain like the most and it is the fact that our country has a really varied gastronomy depending on the area, which people from other countries usually like, even more than the Spanish.

As I just mentioned, Spain is a very diverse country and it also is in terms of gastronomy. For example in the North, in Pais Vasco, you will find the famous pintxos and if you go to the south, in Andalucia, you will come across recipes such as salmorejo (purée of tomato and bread), gazpacho, flamenquines (beef rolls stuffed with egg, ham and other ingredients)... Also, each town or city has its typical products and they usually have shops with traditional products and food, where you can explain what are quality products and why they are, their history, etc...

4. Open mind

This point is not to say that everyone who lives in Spain has an open mind, but in general it is less conservative than countries like Poland, since there is a huge mix of cultures with people from different countries and this has created a more tolerant mindset, not just with things like racism but also homophobia, etc.

In Spanish cities you will see more people dressed very differently, with really diverse people and normally nobody will judge them.

5. It isn't a completely crowded country

There are areas and places in Spain which are crowded with tourists, especially in the Mediterranean. However, in most places you can have a nice visit without having hundreds of people waiting to see the same monument (this depends on the time of year too).

There are many places to visit in this country so there is always the option to go to the ones which aren't as crowded, such as towns or cities in the North and centre of Spain.

6. Hospitality, closeness

Spanish people are famous for being welcoming, happy and hospitable. It all depends on who you are talking too, but in general when you need help finding a place or recommendations, they will be happy to help.

This doesn't mean that we spend all day partying or being really happy, but thanks to the climate or the customs, Spain people are usually closer.

7. The language

Most people from other countries who have come to live in Spain who I have spoken to, say that Spanish is an easy language to learn. It has a lot of similarities with languages such as Italian or Portuguese, so it is easy to understand for people from these countries. Also, Latin America is Spanish-speaking and this helps their life or stay here by not having to learn a new language.

8. It is a cheap country

This depends on the city or town you are in, and also the area specifically. In general, it is a cheap country in comparison with other countries such as Germany or Norway, but more expensive than Poland or the Czech Republic.

You can eat in bars or restaurants for quite low prices and with big portions. In supermarkets, most products have affordable prices and they have a big range of quality and brands.

The gyms and extracurricular activities are usually cheap too and there are different prices depending on the place.

9. Variety of quality fruit and veg

Thanks to the Spanish climate, there is a big variety of quality fruits, vegetables and leafy vegetables. There are many fruit shops in the streets, from people who have land, which makes them more ecological and sustainable being right next door.

10. Main Erasmus destination

Spain is one of the places that sends most people to other countries with the Erasmus program and also, it is one of the main destinations for people from other countries.

This increases the cultural diversity and young people in different cities, so it is possible to hang out with people from other nationalities and learn from them.

11. Events and parties during the day and night

Again thanks to the climate and the hours of sunlight, they celebrate lots of parties during the day and also the night, especially outside during the spring and summer.

As well as parties, they celebrate many events and activities in the streets and squares so that the people from the towns and cities can have fun.

12. The bars and restaurants close later

This is something that the Spanish people miss when they travel to other countries such as Poland, where most restaurants close or stop serving food after 10pm, since in Spain they usually eat and have dinner later on. In our country, most of them serve dinner until 12pm and they have flexible timings, closing when people go.

13. Vegan options in bars, restaurants, supermarkets

Veganism has grown a lot in recent years and this means that we are able to find options in basically all of the supermarkets. In the main cities you can almost always find some kind of vegan option in bars and restaurants and also, several vegan or vegetarian establishments.

In the towns there are usually fewer options, but thanks to the growth in popularity of this lifestyle, there are more and more places with vegan dishes.

14. More sunlight hours

In Spain, there is a warmer climate and there are more hours of sunlight, which allows you to do more things outside during the day and organise your days differently.

15. Working hours, breaks

Lots of people from other countries think that in Spain we are lazier, due to the siesta or because we relax at lunchtime. In my opinion, eating breaks improve the way that the worker interacts with clients, being more relaxed. There are places in countries like Poland where the employees keep serving whilst eating, and I don't think that this is a good thing.

Bad things about living in Spain

1. Really high temperatures in Summer

Except for the North of the country, in Spain the temperatures get really high, especially in the centre and in the South. This can be negative for people who aren't used to it and also, in the areas that I mentioned as being warm, there is not usually snow or much rain.

2. Tourist overcrowding in certain areas

It is true that some places are more crowded with tourists, such as the Mediterranean coastal zone, such as Benidorm and Malaga. For this reason, I always recommend going to the North of Spain in seasons like summer, which is when all the tourists go. It can be claustrophobic going to full beaches, bars full of people etc in sun and beach tourist areas, which is predominant in Spain. However, lots of people enjoy these kind of areas in summer, it all depends on your likes and preferences.

3. There are some areas which are more expensive

Even though Spain is generally a cheap country, the North of Spain is more expensive than the rest of the country, as well as cities such as Madrid or Barcelona which are the main tourist destinations, so prices are quite inflated. This you will see reflected in menu prices, drinks in bars, rent, transport...

However, the prices in these places can end up being lower in comparison with other more expensive countries. Also, if you know how to look and you let yourself be led by locals, avoiding the tourist sites, you can find good quality places with affordable prices.

4. Transport can be expensive

This will depend on what route you take since there are some that are quite cheap; but most of the trips on train or bus are more expensive than those in Poland. However, they are still cheaper than in places like Germany.

The good thing is that there are lots of potential discounts available on a lot of prices, which you can access with a Young People, Erasmus or Big Family card...

5. The bars and restaurants open later

The bars and restaurants close later but they also open later or start serving lunch and dinner later; although the opening hours can be a lot longer in tourist areas in the city.

In many restaurants they don't start serving lunch until 1pm and don't start serving dinner until 9pm.

6. In the small towns there are not usually vegan options

This is a problem which has been decreasing over the years and the growth of demand for vegan products and menus in restaurants. If you are in cities such as Madrid, Cordoba or Granada, you will be able to find several vegan places or ones with vegan options.

As for small towns, they will probably have vegan and vegetarian options in the bars without knowing it, but it will not usually be a straight-up option. As I mentioned beforehand, this is changing and there are now lots of places where they are including dishes such as vegetable burgers on their menus.

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