From Manchester to Orihuela Costa

Hello — we're a family of four living on the Costa Blanca. Sylvia was born in Spain and grew up in the UK, so Spain has always been half of home. In October 2025 we packed up our life in Manchester and moved to Orihuela Costa.

Being British-Spanish means we see both sides of the journey: the paperwork and the homesickness, but also the Sunday markets, the school runs in sandals and the five-minute drive to the sea.

We write about two coasts. The Costa Blanca is our home patch — fourteen towns we know well, from the salt lakes of Torrevieja up to Dénia. The Costa Brava is where we head on road trips north for coves, medieval villages and the Camí de Ronda.

Everything here is first-hand: beaches we've actually taken the children to, restaurants we've paid for ourselves, and honest costs from our own move. We also share what family life is like as parents of a child with additional needs.