Looking at areas

welcome to the forum

Not more than an hour from an airport will be a drawback for you,as most places that close are very built up

mountain views and inland apx 30 mins can be a drawback due to your age,as you get older you will sadly need to be closer to doctors/hospitals etc,also in the mountains it can get very cold in the winter

an idea of budget and importantly passport held will help people on here more

Also inland needs a driving licence ok for hire car holidays when you can use UK one but for future retirement if you are able to satisfy the criteria then you need a Spanish licence and they have still not agreed an exchange policy so a test and some Spanish language knowledge is necessary.  Also flights into Almeria airport in the winter months are not as frequent as the Alicante, Malaga and possibly Murcia so travel from those airports to areas outside this forum area and they need knowledge of those areas.

When we first came here our thought were much the same as yours, but the more we looked, the more we drifted away from those ideas.

 ‘Expat communities’, we found wasn’t the place to integrate; we found a deserted village in the campo, but close enough to a Spanish town.

 ‘An hour from the airport’, we realised that we didn’t require an airport that often, so we’re now 2.25 hours from our usual airport.

‘Near the coast, but not far’, we ended up just over an hour from the coast, and rarely go to there now, we find the mountains better, more varied and interesting being amongst nature (ok the sea is nature, but you know what I mean).

Good luck with your search, we're all different.

Puff

The only place that ticks all those boxes is Gran Alicante - huge expat community, not built up, Mountain Views, coast in easy reach and around 30 mins from Alicante airport which is very active all year round.

That is in Valencia though so not covered on this forum.

If you REALLY want Mountain Views, I’d suggest moving to Ronda; high up in the mountains, 45 minutes from Malaga (so that’d be Malaga airport as well, also active throughout the year) … however, it is a major major tourist destination right throughout the year, so not much in the way of an expat “community” - plus property prices are … a little steep … there (just like the roads leading up to it.  It is an old moorish town, with a fabulous fortified bridge built across a canyon.

Round here, the only places I can think of that tick most of those boxes is Albox or Arboleas.  Both have a thriving expat community, have Mountain Views, but a little further from the coast than you want, and around 1 hour 20 from Almeria airport and about 2 hours or so from Alicante Airport.

Try San Juan De Los Terreros and Los Lobos.  Mountain views in both areas. San Juan has beautiful beaches but maybe more importantly for you it has all  amenities and also a good mix of Spanish and English speaking people along with activities such as quiz nights, golf, ladies group etc.  Both areas have enough English speakers but still very spanish.  Also prices are much cheaper than some areas.  Buses run from both areas from Almeria in one direction onto Cartegena in the other direction.  

Hi, we recently bought property just outside Albox (15min) drive, mountains all around lots of expats. 45 mins beaches and 45 mins to Almeria airport 

Thank you everyone 

Maybe I should explain more, not necessarily expats just not a total Spanish community, we are not really brits abroad types at all but like to keep ourselves to a small friendship circle 😂

we will look at all the areas thank you so much for the advice 

we have been looking at Los Gallardos, arboleas and Albox and bedar all look so beautiful x

Why not try the Sorbas, or the Nijar area?  Sorbas covers a large area as it's not just the town.  I'm in the Southern part of Sorbas, only 5 kms from the Almeria - Murcia motorway and under an hour from the airport.   Plenty of mountains around and yet only 30.minutes from  beautiful beaches.   Cortijos Almeria has a good selection of both older and newer properties for sale in this area. 

In another direction going north from Almeria city, there are lovely areas with mountains also.  You could look at places like Abrucena, Gergal or Instincion.  Colder in the winter than further south in Sorbas but somewhat greener, with the beautiful Sierra Nevada as a backdrop. 

Hi. We're near Arboleas. It's one hour to the airport and 35 minutes to Vera Playa or 40 minutes to Mojacar. There's a very large proportion of British immigrants and wonderful mountain views. Many of the restaurants and bars feel very British, too much so for us, but you can still find some very Spanish places.to dine and enjoy a copa. House prices are low by British standards.