The House Removals Company

Moving to Spain?

If you're thinking of moving to spain and wallowing in sunshine while drinking a cold beer, we've put together a quick guide to your destination.

Flamenco, sangria, machismo: Spain is a place that can lend itself very easily to stereotypes. In fact it is one of the most culturally rich European countries, having xxx under a wide range of influences since modern humans first settled the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago. The best known prehistoric artefacts are the detailed cave paintings outside Altamira in Cantabria. The Romans were the first to unite Hispania in around 200 BC - they controlled the region until the Vandals invaded in 400. The arrival in the Moors in the eighth century would change Spain forever, as Muslims, Jews and Christians all practised their religion freely, leading to an intriguing cultural exchange.

The Reconqista began in the eleventh century but Andalusia was not recaptured until the fall of Granada in 1492. This was the same year as Cristobal Colon’s discovery of America; the two events heralded Spain’s emergence as the first world power. Deeply Catholic and strongly imperial, the Spanish extended their territories to include much of the Americas as well as the Philippines and parts of North Africa. As the British Empire grew and the Latin American states started to gain independence, Spain’s influence waned, until by the beginning of the twentieth century the population was disillusioned and cynical. The overthrow of the monarchy seemed to promise change, but the Socialist Government that replaced it was weak and fractured and quickly lost popular support. An attempted coup by the military in 1936 ignited the Spanish Civil War, which would last three years and cost half a million lives before General Franco eventually won. His ultra-right dictatorship would go on until his death in 1975.

Modern Spain is relaxed about its chequered past. With a very warm climate – some cities in Andalucia go up to 50_ at the height of summer – it offers a perfect holiday destination to those who want sun, sea and sand, from the theme parks of the Costa Blanco to the clubs of Ibiza. Andalucia has a plethora of resorts built around ancient fishing villages but it is also home to Seville, a gracious city with an intriguing old quarter and the wonderful palace of the Alcazar; Cordoba, once the capital of the Caliphate and now home to an extraordinary cathedral that was built over an eighth century mosque, which in turn was built over a sixth century cathedral; and Granada, with its legendary Alhambra. Gypsy influences are obvious throughout the region, whether in the mournful flamenco songs or the peasant food.

Further north, the capital Madrid is often ignored. Although much of it was destroyed during the civil war, it retains an earthy flavour that is unique to the city. The Plaza del Sol is the geographical centre of Spain, and the labyrinthine streets around it certainly feel like its heart. La marcha – nightlife – here is renowned as the best in Europe; Madrilenos are proud to boast that you never need to go to bed in their town! The Prado holds one of the world’s great art collections, while the Reina Sofia opposite houses Picasso’s Guernica and a wealth of other modern Spanish paintings. The city’s great rival is Barcelona, much of which was designed by Antonio Gaudi whose wild naturalism embellishes banks, parks and the famous Sagrada Familia cathedral.

No trip to Spain is complete without a feast. The most famous dish is paella, rice cooked with chicken and seafood, but many prefer tapas, small plates of food to pick at while drinking. The variety is astonishing – jamon Serrano, suid in its ink, chickpeas and spinach, spicy patatas bravas, grilled garlic prawns, tomato bread… the list goes on. A warning: you’re likely to leave Spain a lot happier and at least a couple of pounds heavier!