Living in Spain

Are you planning to live in Spain? In this article we will tell you more about what it is like to live in Spain. So if you are planning to emigrate to Spain After reading this article, you will no longer have any doubts!

Who doesn't know Spain? It is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe for us Dutch. Who doesn't have memories of the holidays in the Costa del Sol in the past? Or the holidays to the famous Costa Blanca? In the 70s of the last century, southern Spain converted all the popular coastal areas into concrete holiday villages, as we remember them from the holidays of our childhood. Of course, these seaside resorts had little to do with Spanish culture. Nowadays, we Dutch tend more towards the authenticity of Spain and don't often go on holiday to these kinds of places in Spain.

Dutch people who go to Spain for a permanent residence nowadays choose the real and authentic Spain. But what exactly is authentic Spain and why would you actually go and live there? We will discuss these topics and more in this article so that you can form a good picture of it. Read on quickly.

The Spanish culture

When we as Dutch people think of Spain, we quickly think of Sangria, Spanish tapas and flamenco. These are things that Spain is known for, right? This is certainly true, but Spain has much more to offer.

Outside influences

First of all, it is good to know that the culture of Spain has been greatly influenced by other cultures over the centuries. This has created a kind of hodgepodge of different cultures. The peoples who have passed through Spain over the centuries or even conquered Spain a number of times have had a great influence on the culture of Spain. Take the Moors for example. These Arabs ruled southern Spain for about 7 centuries and have therefore had a great influence on Spanish food, architecture and art. Look at cities such as Seville, Córdoba and Granada in the south of the country. These are world famous for their architecture, which has also been strongly influenced by the Moors. The most famous is perhaps the Alhambra.

Regional differences

However, most Spaniards and regions differ from each other and you cannot necessarily see the culture of Spain as a whole. When you visit the south of Spain and later go to the north you will see a world of difference. This of course has several reasons.

The Spanish languages

In order to explain the regional differences, we can better start by discussing the Spanish languages. The official language of Spain is Castilian, or Spanish. Furthermore, the country has 4 official regional languages. These are Catalan, Basque, Galician and Aranese.

The Castilian

Castilian is the official language of Spain. When you take Spanish lessons, it will always be in Castilian. Castilian is Español, Spanish as we call it in the Netherlands. It is spoken by more than 400 million people worldwide and it is also the official language of the Spanish state. Wherever you go in Spain, everyone will simply speak this language. A large city that you can mention as an example where only Castilian is spoken is the capital Madrid.

The Catalan

Catalan is spoken by approximately 18% of the population in Spain. These are mainly the inhabitants of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and in a small part of Valencia. A large city that you can take as an example where Catalan is spoken is Barcelona.

The Basque

Basque is spoken by approximately 2.5% of the population of Spain. These are mostly the inhabitants of the Basque Country and a small part of Navarra. Basque is a language that has no similarities with any other language in the world. This is also a reason why the Basques are so proud of their own language. This makes it a very unique language. A large city that you can take as an example where Basque is spoken is Bilbao.

The Galician

Galician is spoken by almost 6% of the population. It is spoken mainly in Galicia, but also in small parts of León and Asturias. This language is also much more similar to Portuguese than to Spanish. The capital of Galicia is Santiago de Compostela.

The Aranese

Aranese is still spoken by very few people. About 4000 people still speak it and these are the inhabitants of the Aran Valley in Catalonia. This language is actually a dialect of French Occitan.

Two unofficial regional languages

In Spain there are also two non-official regional languages. These are Asturian and Aragonese. Asturian is spoken by about 100,000 people in Asturias, León, Zamora, Salamanca, Extremadura and Cantabria. Legally it is a protected language.

Aragonese is spoken by fewer people. Only 10,000 people still speak it in the province of Huesca in Aragon. The language is also still spoken in Zaragoza. In the south of Navarra and in some areas of Valencia and Castile-La Mancha, it is often mixed with Spanish.

Dialects in Spanish

In many parts of the country, numerous Spanish dialects are also spoken. A good example of this is Andaluz, which is spoken in Andalusia. This language is spoken by approximately 7 million inhabitants of Spain and is often difficult for Spaniards from outside Andalusia to understand.

Back to regional differences

If you look at other countries around Spain, for example Portugal or France, you will notice that they are above all Portuguese or French. In Spain it is very difficult to find a real Spaniard like in those countries. Yes, maybe in Madrid where people are still very proud of Spanish and Castilian. But further in the country you will not really encounter this. This is because of the history of the country. Spaniards in the rest of Spain do not identify with Madrid, but with their own region or city. This is because Spain used to consist mainly of small kingdoms and was later merged by a marriage within the royal family. After this, Spain became one state, but it did not become a whole.

Spain as a nation

In Spain, a lot of time and energy has been invested in sharing one culture and language throughout history. They have designed a national anthem, invented a flag and special holidays for this, but in vain. Dictator Franco also tried to create a Spanish identity with an iron fist during his regime. It was precisely because of his tough approach that regional cultures flourished. All these events in combination with regional cultures and languages ensure that Spaniards from all parts of Spain have their own identity that they hold on to. In some parts of the country, for example Catalonia or the Basque Country, this creates tension between the central government and the autonomous regions that still want to secede to this day.

Living in Spain and understanding the culture

After a little history lesson, it is now time to focus on living in Spain. The history of a country is very important when you want to move there, because you will understand the aspects of the culture and the country faster. You will also know where they all come from.

The Spaniards in general

There are a lot of prejudices about Spaniards in general. It is often said that they are lazy and that they all enjoy their typical Spanish parties. When you live in Spain you will see that some things are the same, but some things are not. Spaniards are generally very confusing. On the one hand they are very spontaneous, but on the other hand they also like routine. They can be conservative, but at the same time socially liberal. As a Dutch person you can sometimes think: yes, what do you want now?

Spanish conversations

Furthermore, Spaniards like to talk a lot and loudly. Swearing is also something they like very much. It is not at all unusual to hear swear words all day long. Whether you see two elderly people chatting on the street or on TV. You will also quickly notice that loud talking, because everyone on the street can hear what the other is saying. It is often said that a group of 4 Spaniards make as much noise as 10 Dutch people! By the way, the Spaniards do not care at all about this.

Spaniards are very social

Furthermore, Spaniards are real social animals. You will always find them with friends and family. The social part of their life is a beautiful thing and you will see that it will really stand out to you as a Dutch person. All those Spaniards who always do fun things with friends and family. Sunday is often planned for family and Spanish people will also get together every evening to eat together until nice and late. You will definitely have a great time in such a great country.

Chaotic Spaniards or not?

And even though Spaniards are as chaotic as they come, you will see that they also like routine. They will eat at the same times every day, meet the same people, always eat the same food and visit the same restaurants. Ultimately, when you look at it all like this, you might understand what we mean by the fact that Spaniards can be quite a confusing people? So the stereotypical Spaniard is really like that, but then again, not at all?

The food in Spain

In terms of food, you will quickly connect with Spaniards, which means you will quickly make friends. Each region and area not only has cultural differences, but also its own specialties. Most people who have visited Spain will have seen that it is not only a beautiful country, but that it also has a lot to offer in terms of gastronomy. Eating out is something that people like to do. The real local Spanish restaurants are all reasonably priced and you can therefore eat out a lot in Spain.

Spanish dishes

Spanish people love their paella and tapas which often contain a lot of olive oil and garlic. Just like in France, Spanish people also eat a lot of 'offal meat'. Examples of this are pig ears, bull testicles or organ meat. Spanish people also eat a lot of fish. Whole fish. Think of octopus and squid. You will also see a lot of younger animals on the menu such as suckling pigs and lambs. You could actually call Spanish people omnivores.

Spanish clock

An interesting fact is that Spain is in the same time zone as Portugal and England. This means that the country is actually 1 hour behind the rest of Europe and should actually keep to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). However, this is not the case. This is thanks to dictator Francisco Franco who, in 1942 during the Second World War, set the time equal to that of Germany out of solidarity. This has never been corrected. It is said that this is why life in Spain is also different in terms of rhythm. Because of the time in Spain, it is light later in the country and dark earlier. It has all worked through into the Spanish rhythm. Also in terms of meal times.

Spanish meal times

When it comes to food, the Spanish certainly like routine. Actually, just like the Dutch. Of course, we also eat our lunch between 12:00 and 13:00 and our dinner at 18:00. In Spain, they do it a little differently. Spaniards generally have breakfast between 10:00 and 11:00. In the meantime, people often go to a bar in the neighborhood for a coffee for fifteen minutes or longer. Lunch is eaten between 14:00 and 15:00 and this is preferably done as extensively as possible. This is also the most important meal of the day. Everything in Spain closes for that 'siesta' and everyone then has a nice lunch together. Dinner in Spain is eaten very late, which is quite something for us Dutch people to get used to. In Spain, people eat between 21:00 and 22:00. They often get together with family in a restaurant.

The siesta

You probably know Spain from your holiday and have probably experienced the siesta. Or when you have visited the country before to view houses, you suddenly can no longer reach the Spanish estate agents in the afternoon. The siesta is a break between 14:00 and 17:00. Many businesses and shops are closed then. For us Dutch people this takes some getting used to, but for the Spanish it is very normal. The siesta is not necessarily a Spanish tradition, but in Portugal and Italy they also have it, but to a much lesser extent. Because of the siesta, the daily schedule of the Spanish is also very different from what we are used to. For example, they work from 08:30 to 13:30 and then have a siesta. After this they go back to work from 16:30 to 20:00.

Nowadays, it is true that in the big cities, a siesta is much less important. People who work for big companies have to deal with rules of the European Union (EU) and this of course also affects the rest of the people in the country. Are you going to live in smaller villages? Then you will notice that life comes to a standstill in the afternoon and then resumes around 21:00.

Why do Spaniards love their siesta so much?

The main reason for the siesta is to avoid the heat and therefore save energy. They can also enjoy a delicious and long lunch in this way, after which they also have time to digest. And enjoying life of course means less stress, so it is also good for you. Spaniards love to enjoy life and are also known for this. Furthermore, as you have read before, it is the time zone that determines the rhythm of the Spaniards. Spanish people not only sleep less, but are also out and about much longer in the evening, because the sun sets a little later. You also notice this in life on the street.

Buying a house in Spain

The choice to live in Spain is of course not only because of the warm warm climate of Spain or the warm and hospitable Spaniards, but also because of the favorable prices of Spanish houses. Of course, it also depends on where in Spain you are going to live. If you are going to live a bit more inland, the prices are really very low compared to the Netherlands, but if you want to rent something in a popular southern seaside resort, for example, you will spend a bit more. Especially in the larger cities such as Barcelona and Madrid, the prices are of course a lot higher. If you are going to move to the center of these large cities, the prices come close to our own Netherlands.

When buying or renting a house in Spain, make sure you do this with a reliable real estate agent. This can save you a lot of trouble. Many Dutch people therefore choose to use a well-known Dutch real estate agent.

Cost of living

After the research last year of NUMBEO has shown that the costs of living in Spain are a lot lower than in the Netherlands. Of course, it also depends on where you are going to live in Spain, but we have tried to give the best possible picture of life in Spain in general. Below are some examples:

• Rental prices in Spain are approximately 28.1% lower than in the Netherlands
• Restaurant prices in Spain are approximately 29.7% lower than in the Netherlands
• For groceries in Spain you also pay 29.4% less than in the Netherlands

As you can see, in most cities in Spain you are cheaper off than if you were to live in the Netherlands. We say: hurry up with learning Spanish and go live in Spain!

Finally..

Many foreigners regularly go on holiday to Spain. The choice is quickly made to buy or rent a second apartment in the country. Are you not sure yet whether you are going to live in Spain and are you still in doubt? Then it might also be a good idea to live in Spain for three months to see what you think of it. In the European Union, you can stay in a member state for three months.

Do you have any questions?

Did you find this article interesting or do you have other questions regarding living in Spain? Then we have good news for you. We have many other articles on our website from which you can find the necessary information. So feel free to take a look around the website!