A new draft law states that civil servants can lose their positions if they fail an evaluation of their ability to work. A radical change from the existing system of jobs for life. One you've passed the competitive oposiciones exam and secured your first position, you have a job for life, regardless of your level of incompetence, some

  The regional government in Andalusia has recently unveiled a €133m plan for eco-housing. Dubbed the “Ecovivienda Plan”, it will generate €133.5m for refurbishing homes and buildings, emphasising energy efficiency across the region.    More than 25,000 Andalusian families are expected to benefit, claiming aid of up to 80% for the to

  Corrala de Santiago, a stunning example of a renovated Moorish style building in Granada, Spain.   It's well worth stepping inside to have a look at this view from the interior courtyard. It's free to enter and there is generally an exhibition on show too. In fact, this last weekend I went to watch an evening of short films in Corr

  ¡Buen provecho! or ¡Que aproveche!, it is something Spanish people in their mid thirties and up (and almost certainly the more elderly Spaniards) may call out to you if you are ever found humbly sitting alone in an outside space having a bite to eat.   It is one of the things that I adore about living in Andalucia, Spain. I’m not sure t

  The Andalusian government has launched the so-called Ecovivienda Plan, which will mobilise €133.5 millions for the refurbishment of homes and buildings, with the emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability. The programme, which includes funds from the European Next Generation programme aims to benefit more than 25,000 families in Andalu

  As part of the new Law for Start-Ups, published on 10th December 2021, the Spanish government is developing a new visa for digital nomads. This will allow people to live in Spain while working remotely for non-Spanish companies without the need for a normal work visa. It is expected that the Law for Start-Ups will be finalised before th

  From the 29th of September to the 23rd of October 2022, Jardín Cervezas Alhambra will be holding a range of cultural events at a unique temporary venue that Cervezas Alhambra, Granada’s local beer company, will be setting up to their taste. Having already visited five other major Spanish cities this year, Jardín Cervezas Alhambra finally arr

  No trip to the province of Granada in Spain is complete without visiting the gorgeous mountain villages known collectively as The Alpujarras. In villages like Pampaneira and Capileira, you can buy handmade rugs and all sorts of woven goods, baskets, jewellery and typical food.  One of my favourite things to do here is just wander around

  Just twenty minutes drive from the Albayzin is the lake at Beznar formed when a dam was built across the rivers Torrente and Ízbor as well as several streams running down from the western end of the Sierra Nevada.   A great place to picnic with large expanses of grass and very few people. There is also a chiringuito (bar) that serves dr

  In Spain secondary school runs from 12 - 16 years old, four years split into two cycles of two years. After this students can either leave school or opt for one of two paths: academic (choosing between four bachilleratos: Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities or Art) or practical (formación profesional) for a further two years. At the e

  The travel magazine Viajar has just published an article entitled The 15 Most Beautiful Districts of Spain.   At Number 1 is the Albayzin in Granada.   Of course, we already knew that, having lived here for over 20 years!   Here's what they said. Barrio del Albayzín Del barrio granadino de Albaicín, Patrimonio de la Humanidad,

One of the benefits of owning a property in Andalucía is enjoying the astoundingly vast and beautiful natural surroundings. From the seaside to the mountains, one can choose from such a vast collection of different routes and paths that getting lost in nature every so often becomes part of normal life. Often we come across new wonders by accident,

Granada is one of the most beautiful cities in Andalusia. It combines a vibrant city full of life with astounding natural scenery of Sierra Nevada. It is one of the favourite places for expats looking for a property in the South of Spain to retire or to work remotely. However, even though the cultural heritage in the city is extremely well preserve

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) 'Montevilla Chorreao' from the Granada municipality of Montefrío is the healthiest in the world for its composition in fatty acids, bisphenols and oleocanthal (a natural anti-inflammatory present in it that causes the sensation of itching in the throat when tasting it).   Or so the jury of the international co

  We are often asked this question by clients intending to buy property in Andalucia. Very often it is because they have been asked to pay for "furniture" separately from the purchase of property and to do so in cash. Firstly let's deal with how much cash you can bring into the country. Law 10/2010, of 28th April, on the prevention of money la

  The Spanish long distance railroad network is known for its reliability and safety. Spaniards have embraced the train as one of the fastest and more convenient ways to move around the country. For Andalucía, the train is a vital infrastructure to ensure not only good connections with Madrid and Barcelona, the key business nodes in Spain, but

  Think about how many times you have found yourself daydreaming about leaving everything behind and starting a new life elsewhere. Somewhere far away from the hectic city life, where you could swap big supermarket chains for local farmers markets where fresh produce went directly from the land to your table. Where, even during the peak of the

  The 34th edition of the annual International Tango Festival in Granada returns to Isabel la Católica Theatre next week. Fun fact: the festival has managed to run every year since the beginning of the pandemic. Not even Covid-19 has managed to silence tango it seems! This year the festival kicks off with the opening event on Tuesday the 15th

Everybody has heard of tapas bars, most of us have eaten in them, they’re ubiquitous in many European countries. But what exactly is tapas? And where does it come from?  According to the Real Academia Española, voice of authority on the Spanish language, a tapa, in this context, is a small portion of food served as an accompaniment to a drink,

Overlooking the Iznájar reservoir is the whitewashed town of Rute, dwarfed by the Sierra de Rute that looms above it. It is one of the gorgeous towns that forms part of the Subbética Region of Córdoba. Rute, which comes from the word “Ruta" in Spanish or "Route" in English, came into existence as a result of Spanish soldiers passing through that ar