Nerja or Copsta Brava

My husband and I have lived in Cyprus for a little under 10 years and are now considering a move to Spain after giving much consideration over the last year or so.

We have got our short list down to two very different areas the first being Nerja and the second being on the Costa Brava .

There are two areas of information we need some help on from people already living there with first hand knowledge.

Firstly the crime rate. in either area we are aware there is some crime but are we looking at petty crime or more serious issues.  Secondly here in Cyprus we as pet owners have to deal with the constant  daily threat of sickening animal poisoning of our cats and dogs . In most cases this is a deliberate  mindless act by locals who have little or no regard for animals.Lanate is often found in public areas such as picnic areas and has even been found on main walkways in town.

Not only does this illigal substance cause a slow painful death for the animal is is also a huge threat should a child ever come into contact with this substance that is often placed on food and left as bait.

On recent visits to Spain we have seen no signs of this issue Does it  not exist in Spain or is it just better hidden than here in Cyprus.

Many thanks in advance for any information and advise.

Hi kat09, i would really recomend Nerja, its an area i know well.  No more crime than anywhere else and a beautiful and peacefull place to bring up children.  As for animal poisoning there is nothing to worry about.

Joan

 hi,

nerja is lovely, but a little built up, why dont you wander along the coast a little and enjoy almunecar or salobrena.

petty crime is very low, I live in salobrena and have never felt vunerable or threatened. 

as to the pet problem, there isnt a problem that i have ever heard of, most people here are caring and kind to animals and there is a

local organisation which helps with neutering and vet bills called paws for thought. 

come and have look , you might like what you see, especially since we have a great climate known as costa tropical.

jan

Hello Pussycat,

We have been living in the Costs Brava for 7-8 years now, all around L'Estartit area and Tamariu and we used to have two terriers, a Scottish Terrier and a West Highland White one and a Ginger Tom cat. They used to go with us where ever we went and we have never had any problems whatsoever. The only thing is that restaurants are a little reluctant to let them in. However, if you are a regular, even that is not a problem.

We, at one time, were weighing up and deciding like you are now, where to go ?  south or north, and we chose North for the following reasons: We love to travel by camper, so we thought North was more central, close to France, Italy the rest of Spain etc. Girona is a fabulous flying hub and excellent to get to and from, even with public transport. Even Barcelona is not far away for long haul flights. The temperature suited us better because it is not quite so hot in the summer and warm enough in the winter.(We were sitting out all day on jan 1 last)  Also we like the green nature around here, it is not quite so yellow and dusty as down south.

The Costa Brava area is very cosmopolitan many nationalities live here all year round and activities take place on a regular basis. In fact if you were so enclined, you can be occupied with one thing or another very day. (Not that we are). Organisation like Conservatives abroad, English expats and U3A are all very active and many more. Golf, tennis librabry etc. you name it you can find it here.

We also feel that the Costa Brava has  lost less of it's original Spanish traditional character. Many places do not have high rise (except playa d'aro).  And there are still lots of lovely little coves and hidden beaches to explore, especially out of season (July August) The people are exceedingly friendly and can not do enough to try and help.  So to sum it up. We would chose Costa Brava all over again.

If you want more info just ask. Hope this helps for now

Thank you so much for the very positive comments on both areas of information I asked for.

We are planning to return again in April and hopefully will make a final  decision  on areas then.

So once again thank you for your valuable help.

Kat09

Kat

If you are coming to Spain in April, why not come and have a coffee with us, you are most welcome and we can have a chat.

That is of course if the area of Tamariu is anywhere near to where you are thinking of re-locating.

Send me a private e-mail. I have sent you my e-mail address in a private message to you. You will find it at the top right of this page.

Gerry

Tamariu beach

Tamariu is situated in a small secluded bay between the towns of Begur and Palafrugel. Tamariu has a beautiful sandy bay facing south with shelter form the wind. Tamariu beach and village is situated 3km south of the popular Aiguablava beach and under 5km from the bustling resort of Llafranc. Tamariu has a small number of restaurants and cafes as well as a small supermarket open in the summer months. This is a quiet family resort however there are a number of local music festivals on the beach on a  couple of weekends in the summer

Tamariu Village

Originally a small fishing village, Tamariu has not been over developed and has retained its identity and charm. There are some new villas and apartments on the edge of the village and like everywhere the village centre and beach gets busy in August, but you will find no high rise hotels or English pubs. There is parking close to the beach and you are only a very a short drive from the towns of Begur, Llafranc and Palafrugell

Just to back up what dogstitch has posted : I spent a week in Tamariu last year and it was fantastic. Really beautiful with lots of pine trees and coves and crystal blue waters. Very similar to the Cote D'Azur in France. It also had decent Spanish restaurants and a cosmopolitan crowd.

I spent a week in Nerja about 5 years ago, and I found it much more British (lots of replica English pubs, and lots of Brits in general). This might be a good thing if you are looking to live there, since I imagine you could find a good social life very quickly without having to struggle with the language. However I found Tamariu much more attractive in general and felt I was in a really special place rather than just being somewhere where it happens to be sunny. Having said that, in Nerja you will get winter sun, while Girona will be colder in winter.

I've never been to the Nerja area, but I've spent many holidays on the Costa Brava-  I can only reiterate what others have said - it is a beautiful area with many unspoilt coves and beaches - and Barcelona, one of my favourite cities, within easy reach!

Kathy