Eugene Costello
THREE Spanish cities have been ranked among the top 10 destinations for Americans seeking to move to Europe for a new life.
The survey, reported in Forbes magazine for wealthy Americans, placed Malaga in 10th, San Sebastian fourth and Madrid in second.
The report comes from the respected Best European Destinations, and they write glowingly about Malaga.
“If you love Europe for its culture, openness, solidarity, architecture, events, tradition or gastronomy,” the authors wrote, “you will love Malaga.”
They added: “Malaga is sometimes only associated with sun and beaches but it is much more than that.
“[The] city with the highest concentration of museums per km2 in Europe, Malaga offers a high quality of life, security, a rich cultural life, health care equipment and sun almost throughout the year.”
medieval sites such as Gibralfaro Castillo
They present Malaga as a ‘one size fits all’ destination, being family-friendly as well as suitable for singles or couples, especially digital nomads, and retirees wishing ‘to live an active and culturally rich and lively retirement.’
They pay tribute to Malaga’s open-mindedness and tolerance, which, they say, makes it ideal for gay expats looking to blend in with a like-minded community.
For families, they praise the British School of Malaga as being of very high quality. Annual fees range from €581 for nursery and reception up to €836 for Years 12 and 13. These can be paid monthly, though they list school lunches as a ‘compulsory service’ with a hefty monthly price tag of €161, suggesting that food for the stomach is twice as valuable as food for the brain.
Those on a budget will be relieved to hear that they state that there are also many public schools (not in the English sense, but state schools), while there are job opportunities, including telecommunications and tourism, noting that Malaga is one of the Spanish destinations with the greatest tourist growth.
Those that love the urban buzz might be more drawn to Madrid, number two on the list. They are less poetic about the capital, despite its high ranking, and note: “If you long for the US, there are obviously many US chains in Spain and you can get your favourite coffee at Starbucks and your fries at McDonald’s.”
For those not turned on by chains, you might be better served by turning to number four on the list, San Sebastian, which they describe as the ‘gastronomic capital of Europe… [with] one of the greatest concentrations of starred restaurants in Europe.’
They said: “With its feet in the water, San Sebastian is a paradise for surfers or those who want to soak up the sun, lying on one of San Sebastian’s beautiful beaches.
“A word of warning: the vibrant green vegetation indicates that it can rain a little more in San Sebastian than in Barcelona, Madrid or Sevilla.”
Given how much more lyrical the report’s authors are in their descriptions of Malaga, readers might well ask why it was placed further down the list.
