Best Spanish Region to Live In (life, place, people, driving)
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Really depends on aspects like climate, economy, cultural differences, personal opinion...
For instance, Andalusia on the one hand is an interesting, exciting and warm&sunny state which feels a bit like the European and more historic version of Southern California or Arizona. The most interesting region of Spain in my opinion. However, on the other hand the economy there seems to struggle really bad resulting in poverty and huge unemployment rates and therefore it's definitely not the best place to live in Spain.
I guess Madrid or Catalonia have a higher quality of life in regard to the economic situation...
The Canary Islands are probably the best for retirees, most specifically from the UK, Germany or the Netherlands.
The best quality of life...
Depends on your viewpoint.
Andalusia and Canary Islands are the best options for foreign snowbirds, also Valencia.
The economic situation of Spain does not affect tourists in the least, and Andalusia is heavely subsidised with very good infrastructure, hospitals, better weather, friendlier people and culture.
As to poverty, there's no poverty in Andalusia at all since there's a lot of subsidies and submerged economy.
I wasn't aware that the Daily Mirror reported on Andalusian poverty, but if Andalusia is really the only place in the world besides Monaco with 0% poverty, then congratulations, it's outperforming even Norway.
I remember driving through Andalusia and seeing olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves, olive groves ... as far as the eye could see.
In the past 15 years or so, certain Spanish agricultural products, especially from Andalusia, have been a mainstay in US supermarkets, at least on the US east coast, which was not the case 30-40 years previously, as well as in South America, at least the countries there that I've been too, competing with Argentina for shelf space.
The roots of cities like Cordoba and Granada are decidely Mediterranean, Roman and Arab.
To be sure, if you are a young person without strong local connections and/or family business, it is tough to find a job, and lately nearly impossible it seems, but I am sure there are those who do very well and, as mentioned, the rest who stay pretty much have access to the basics of the European-style welfare state, similar to southern Italy where crying poverty is also a regional sport and the object of the game is to, guess what, wrest even more subsidies.
Easy to find Job: Madrid, I would sa also Catalonia but only if you speak Catalan.
Affordable: Extremadura or AndalucÃa, also Canary Islands. (but you spend money in flights)
Good quality of liffe: Both Castiles, Navarra, Aragon...
Good gastronomy: from Centre to North!!!
etc.
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