Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain

What happened to the Sagrada Família after the death of Antoni Gaudí in 1926? In this episode of Spanish Practices, we follow the emotional story of two generations of builders in Barcelona — a young technical assistant who witnesses the destruction of Gaudí's workshop during the Spanish Civil War, and his son who helps rebuild the dream decades later.

A moving, human story about patience, genius, and the ordinary people who spent a lifetime finishing one of the most extraordinary churches in the world.

Please like and follow/subscribe, it really helps this Podcast.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I unpack the reality behind the headlines: the Spain Digital Nomad Visa, the income requirements, the infamous 183-day tax rule, the Beckham Law 24% flat tax regime, social security, IVA, and what nobody tells you about Spanish bureaucracy.

We explore the best places to base yourself — from Málaga's Costa del Sol tech scene to Barcelona's creative buzz, Valencia's affordable beach lifestyle, Madrid's business energy, and even the year-round sunshine of the Canary Islands.

But this isn't just sunshine and sangria. I also talk honestly about:

• Spanish tax residency and worldwide income rules

• The pros and cons of becoming autónomo

• Housing pressures in popular cities

• Language barriers (yes… even for those of us who are still "improving")

• And how the Digital Nomad Visa can become a stepping stone to permanent residency in Spain after five years — and potentially citizenship after ten.

If you're considering moving to Spain as a remote worker in 2026, or you're already here wondering what you've signed up for, this episode is your practical — and slightly irreverent — roadmap.

Because Spain might offer the perfect remote lifestyle… but it will also absolutely ask you for one more document.

Always seek professional advice before making a move to Spain.

Can you really explain the history of Spain in just ten minutes… without starting a civil war at the dinner table?

In this fast-paced, witty episode of Spanish Practices, I skip the dusty timelines and heroic statues and follow the ordinary people who didn't choose history — but got trampled by it anyway.

From Iberian goat farmers in ancient Sagunto to Roman toga cleaners ankle-deep in ammonia… From the splendour of Al-Andalus and the fall of Granada to the quiet knock of the Spanish Inquisition… From empire, silver and inflation to Napoleon's invasion, civil war, Franco's dictatorship and Spain's remarkable transition to democracy in 1975…

This is Spanish history told differently — human, humorous, and occasionally irreverent.

Because Spain isn't just kings, conquistadors and crowns. It's survival. Adaptation. Endurance.

A 3,000-year story of ordinary people navigating conquest, collapse, faith, famine, dictatorship and democracy — and still somehow making it to the fiesta.

If you're curious about Spanish history but slightly impatient with dates, this one's for you.

Spain is currently selling around six homes a minute — and nearly a third are bought in cash. So what's really driving Spain's property boom?

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I take a wry, clear-eyed look at the Spanish real estate market in 2026: foreign buyers, remote workers, coastal hotspots like the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca, rising prices in Madrid and Barcelona, and the growing pressure on local communities.

Why is Spain so attractive to international investors? Where are the most popular regions to buy property?

And what should you watch out for before signing at the notary? From cash purchases and lifestyle migration to planning permissions and hidden buying costs, this episode explores the reality behind Spain's housing surge — with humour, perspective and a healthy respect for Spanish bureaucracy.

If you're thinking about buying property in Spain, investing in a holiday home, or simply curious about why the market is moving so fast, this one's for you.

Frigiliana is often called Spain's most beautiful village — a maze of whitewashed streets, Moorish architecture and sun-drenched terraces above the Costa del Sol. But beneath its postcard perfection lies one of the bloodiest chapters in Andalusian history.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I uncover the brutal 1569 Battle of El Peñón, when Christian forces crushed a Morisco rebellion in a siege so savage the village was described as a "river of blood."

I explore the forced conversions after the Reconquista, the repression of Spain's Moors, the expulsion of the Moriscos, and the extraordinary Moorish irrigation systems the victors depended upon to survive.

This is the untold history of Frigiliana — where beauty, faith, conquest and survival collide in one of Spain's most haunting stories.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I explore how decades of unchecked development, urban sprawl and coastal "litoralisation" have reshaped — and in some cases damaged — Spain's Mediterranean coastline.

From high-rise hotels built on dunes and illegal developments to disappearing beaches, fake sand, replenishment schemes, over-tourism in the Balearics and Costa del Sol, and the environmental impact of marinas and breakwaters, we unpack the real story behind Spain's coastal erosion crisis.

With wry humour and sharp insight, this episode examines corruption, sustainability, climate change and the future of Spain's beaches — essential listening for expats, travellers, property owners and anyone who loves the Spanish coast.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, we travel back to 13th-century Granada to explore the Alhambra Palaces through the eyes of Aisha, a young servant girl living and working under the Nasrid dynasty during the reign of Sultan Muhammad II.

VISIT The Alhambra Palaces and Generalife Gardens HERE

Moving beyond guidebooks and grand history, this immersive historical storytelling episode reveals daily life inside the Alhambra — from the palace's extraordinary water system and laundry stones to court kitchens, gardens, and the unseen labour that sustained one of Spain's greatest monuments.

Set in 1290, The Alhambra: The Eighth Wonder of the World blends social history, Islamic Spain, Moorish architecture, and human perspective, offering a richly atmospheric journey into medieval Andalusia, Granada's Nasrid court, and the quiet lives that made palace life possible.

Spain is facing a new reality of extreme weather — from sudden flooding to the growing threat of summer drought.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I look at the recent storms affecting Spain, including Storm Leonardo and the approaching Storm Marta, and asks what these events tell us about climate change, infrastructure, and life in modern Spain.

Reflecting on the legacy of the Valencia DANA floods, the episode explores how Spanish emergency services have improved their response to extreme weather, why many towns and cities struggle with storm drainage, and how Spain's historic relationship with water is being tested by today's climate.

Why can Spain experience flooding in winter yet still face drought in summer — even with dams full to overflowing? How do other countries, such as Singapore, manage stormwater differently? And what long-term solutions could help Spain address its growing water challenges?

Thoughtful, grounded, and ultimately hopeful, this episode looks at how Spain is learning to adapt — and how communities are learning to weather the storm.

What happens when you don't just move countries — but move brains?

In this episode of Spanish Practices, I explore how moving to Spain quietly rewires your brain, especially if you arrive tired, overstimulated, and worn down by modern life.

From walkable towns and Mediterranean food to better sleep, slower thinking, and everyday social connection, this episode shares five simple brain goals for anyone starting a new life in Spain — or dreaming of one.

This isn't about optimisation, biohacking, or becoming a "better version" of yourself. It's about becoming more human again.

You'll discover:

• Why daily walking in Spain beats gym culture for brain health

• How Spanish food rhythms calm your nervous system

• Why sleep is treated as infrastructure, not indulgence

• How language, history, and slowness build mental resilience

• Why frequent small social interactions matter more than deep friendships

Perfect for expats in Spain, those planning to move to Spain, or anyone craving a slower, healthier, more connected life.

Spain won't fix your brain — but it might give it the space to remember what it was built for.

🎧 Spanish Practices — understanding Spain, one lived experience at a time.

What did the Romans ever do for Almuñécar?

Apart from inventing takeaway food, apartment living, public baths, complaining about politicians… and making the entire town smell like fermented fish.

In this episode of Spanish Practices, we travel back to Roman Sexi (modern-day Almuñécar) to follow one entirely unremarkable man: Lucius. He is not a general, senator or emperor. He is a garum worker — which means his job is stirring rotting fish in the sun and smelling so bad even his own family stands upwind.

Through Lucius's aching back, noisy apartment block, chaotic streets and daily visits to Roman "takeaways", we discover that ordinary life in Roman Spain looks suspiciously like expat life in modern Spain. People live in cramped flats. Neighbours argue loudly. Bureaucracy is baffling. Everyone eats out. The bars are noisy. The water is questionable. And everyone is convinced society is in decline.

There are fish guts. There is urine-based laundry. There are public baths with better gossip than hygiene. There are gladiators, amphitheatres, dodgy wine, and a reminder that tourism is really just garum with better marketing.

From Roman food factories to modern beachfront apartments, this episode explores how little the rhythm of Spanish life has changed in 2,000 years — and why Almuñécar has always known how to turn sunshine into a living.

History, humour, and the unmistakable stink of fermented anchovies.