Skip to content

Collaborate

Contact MeView Media Kit
Spain with SylviaCosta Blanca & Costa Brava

Series · 8 articles

Our Move to Spain

The honest, in-order story of how a family of four left Manchester for Orihuela Costa — the reasons, the paperwork, the schools, the money and everything that surprised us.

  1. Early morning sun over an empty Orihuela Costa beach with parasols lined up on the sand

    Part 1

    Why We Left Manchester for Spain

    The conversation that started it, the reasons that mattered and the ones that turned out not to.

    6 min read

  2. Our family of four sitting on a doorstep in a Spanish village in the summer sun

    Part 2

    Our First 6 Months Living in Spain – The Honest Reality of Moving from Manchester to Orihuela Costa

    Six months after moving from Manchester to Orihuela Costa: the paperwork, the costs, the school run, the homesickness and the mornings that make it all worth it.

    11 min read

  3. Sunrise over the salt lagoon and scrubland at Torrevieja

    Part 3

    What We Wish We'd Known Before Moving to Spain

    Twelve things that would have saved us time, money and at least two arguments.

    7 min read

  4. A Spanish school playground on a sunny morning

    Part 4

    International School vs Spanish Public School

    How we chose, what each option actually costs, and how our children have settled in.

    8 min read

  5. Boats moored on the pontoons of a Costa Blanca marina at sunset

    Part 5

    The Real Cost of Living in Costa Blanca

    What we actually spend as a family of four, six months in — with the surprises.

    8 min read

  6. View from a clifftop mirador over a turquoise bay and pine-covered coast near Orihuela Costa

    Part 6

    Is Orihuela Costa a Good Place to Live?

    An honest look at our own town — who it suits, who it does not, and why we stayed.

    7 min read

  7. Early morning sun over an empty Orihuela Costa beach with parasols lined up on the sand

    Part 7

    Our Favourite Family Days Out After Six Months

    The eight days out we have already repeated, all within an hour of home.

    6 min read

  8. Our daughter running along the wave-patterned mosaic of the Explanada de España in Alicante

    Part 8

    Six Things That Surprised Us About Life in Spain

    Even arriving half-Spanish, some things caught us completely off guard.

    5 min read

Thinking about the same move?

We send new parts of the series, plus real costs and paperwork notes, by email.