Retiring in Spain [Paperback]

Millions of people dream of retiring to a home in the sun where they can
enjoy a `summer' lifestyle all year round. A numbers of surveys
conducted in recent years concluded that as many as one in five Britons
aged over 50 are planning to retire abroad by 2015-2020, and there are
signs of similar trends in Germany and other northern Europeans countries.
Europe's most popular retirement destination is Spain, which is already
home to hundreds of thousands of foreign retirees whose favourite
retirement spots include the Costa Blanca, the Costa del Sol, and the islands
of Majorca and Tenerife.
Among Spain's many attractions are its year-round, sunny climate;
beautiful beaches and countryside and vibrant cities; high standard and low
cost of living; world-class healthcare; excellent food and wine; spectacular
natural surroundings; and excellent (low-cost) air connections, particularly
with northern European countries. Many retirees find that a move to Spain
results in a much-improved quality of life and most claim they feel fitter and
younger, boasting that retirement to Spain has not only taken years off their
life but also helped them to live longer!
However, retiring to Spain isn't always a bed of roses and obstacles such
as the bureaucracy, language difficulties (although this isn't generally a
problem in popular tourist destinations), poor social services for the elderly,
a lack of nursing homes and boredom are all potential barriers to a happy
and fulfilling retirement.
However, as with all life-changing decisions, the key to a successful
retirement in Spain is planning ahead and doing as much research as
possible before you go. This is where this book will prove invaluable. Written
specifically for retirees (and prospective retirees) in Spain, Retiring in Spain
is worth its weight in sunshine.
General information about Spain isn't difficult to find, but reliable and
up-to-date information in English especially intended for retirees planning
to live in Spain isn't easy to find, least of all in one volume. Our aim in
publishing this book is to help fill this void and provide the comprehensive,
practical information necessary for a relatively trouble-free retirement. You
may have visited Spain on holiday and may even own a holiday-home
there, but retiring there (whether seasonally or permanently) is a different
matter altogether. Adjusting to a different environment, culture and
language can be a traumatic and stressful experience, and Spain is no
exception.
However, with a copy of Retiring in Spain to hand you'll have a wealth
of information at your fingertips. Information is derived from a variety of
sources, both official and unofficial, not least the hard won personal
experiences of the author and her researchers, friends, colleagues and
many foreigners already enjoying their retirement in Spain. Retiring in
Spain is a comprehensive handbook on a wide range of everyday subjects
and represents the most up-to-date and comprehensive source of essential
information for anyone planning to retire in Spain.
Within these pages you will find vital information and advice on topics
such as the cost of living, retirement hot spots, getting to and from Spain,
public transport and driving, buying a home, healthcare and financial
matters. Suggestions are also provided to help smooth your `settling-in'
period and help you make the best use of your new-found leisure time. In
short, everything you need to help make your retirement in Spain as fulfilling
and successful as possible.
Most retirees to Spain would agree that, all things considered, they love
living there - and wild horses couldn't drag them away. Retiring in Spain,
even for just part of the year, is a wonderful way to enrich and revitalise
your life, and it may even help you live longer. I trust this book will help you
to avoid the pitfalls of retirement in Spain and smooth your way to a happy
and rewarding future in your golden years.