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Nine reasons why Spain is the best place in the world

Spain isn't perfect but we at The Local think it is one of the best places to live in the world. Here's why:

Published: 3 November 2016 12:04 CET
Nine reasons why Spain is the best place in the world
Have you fallen head over heels in love with Spain? Photo: Farid Iqbal Ibrahim/Flickr

The weather


Photo: Peter Zuco/Flickr

The first thing many people think of about Spain is its sunshine, which attracts millions of holidaymakers to its coasts and cities every year. Everyone feels happier in the sunshine, so grab a cocktail and bask under the Spanish rays. 

Highest life expectancy

Photo: Tommy Hemmert Olesen/Flickr 

Whether down to the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, fish and fresh vegetables, the excellent healthcare, the sociable society, or even the red wine, Spaniards have the highest life expectancy in Europe. Live here for a while and hopefully you’ll pick up some of their healthy habits. 

Best place for mums


Photo: antonio echevers/Flickr 

A recent survey revealed that Spain is one of the best places in the world to be a mum; it is so good in fact that children never want to leave home – well, until at least the age of 30.

A UNESCO paradise


Photo: Timor Espallargas/Wikimedia Commons.

Spain has the third most UNESCO world heritage sites out of all the countries in the world (after China and Italy) with 45. The country’s rich and multicultural history is kept very much alive by the many impressive sites that dot the country: from the Roman Tower of Hercules in the north to the breathtaking Alhambra fortress in the south.

If you need a transplant – you’re in luck


Photo: AFP

The Spanish healthcare system is renowned for being among the very best in the world. It is free at the point of service and the country tops the world organ donation rankings. So living in Spain means if you are ever in the unfortunate position of needing a transplant, you're much more likely to get one. 

A foodie paradise 


Photo: AFP

Spain has four of its resaurants ranked in the top ten in Europe. Spaniards, whatever their budget, adore food and the ritual that surrounds it. You don’t have to fork out a fortune to eat like a king in Spain, where fresh produce is bountiful and the most amazing food invention (tapas!) means you can try multiple morsels in one evening. And if you like ham, there is no greater place on earth. 

Party, party, party!


Participants in Seville's Fería de Abril. Photo: Cristina Quicler/AFP

 

Spain has some of the biggest, wildest and wackiest festivals in the world from city-wide celebrations to the annual fiesta in each and every little town around the country.

READ MORE: Twelve of the best festivals in Spain

From gay pride to Seville's Fería de Abril and the huge Holy Week celebrations – whatever you are into, there will be a Spanish festival for you. 

Spaniards cherish their grannies and their children


Photo: Mikel Seijas Alonso/Flickr 

Spain is a sociable society, one in which grandparents are virtually never carted off to an old people's home, but become the cherished head of the family, often living and socialising with their younger relations. The same goes for family members at the other end of the family tree – Spaniards love children, who are welcome in every restaurant and bar and always made a fuss of – a new mother in Spain can't walk two minutes down the street without being stopped by interested strangers who want to coo over her new tot. 

Outdoor adventure


Photo: Francisco Manuel Esteban/Flickr 

Exercise is one of the keys to staying happy and Spain is a great place to get back to nature and enjoy the outdoors. The weather is great, so Spain is the perfect place for jogging, cycling or just taking a stroll. And with such a huge coastline, there is plenty in the way of watersports to enjoy. And for the risk-takers out there, it is also home to some incredible extreme sports.

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HOTELS

The 11 hippest new hotels in Spain this summer

The end of July marks the halfway point of the summer period - also known as the time to book a quick second round of beach holidays for August and September.

Published: 29 July 2019 18:02 CEST
The 11 hippest new hotels in Spain this summer
The Finca Serena has just opened in Mallorca. All photos: Hotels own publicity.

And with the rate of hotel openings in Spain showing no signs of slowing down, it’s hard not to justify a weekend away, just to check some of them out. Here are some of the hippest newest hotels in Spain’s beach destinations to stay at this summer.

Finca Serena – Mallorca 

Provenance, authenticity, nature and calm are what define this new hotel located at the centre of the island. Its whitewashed stone buildings are surrounded by lavender gardens, olive groves and a 24-acre vineyard. The original structures of the site date back to the 13th century, which local architect Sergi Bastidas was tasked with remodelling. The interiors, which include 25 rooms, are decorated with natural fabrics, stones and woods, under the Japanese wabi sabi ethos of beauty in imperfection. 

 

Can Bordoy – Mallorca

Once home to the aristocratic Bordoy Blanes family in the 1500s, and one of the most historic and emblematic sites of Mallorca, Ohlab Studio was tasked with restoring the building to its original splendour, in an arduous 18 month restoration. The interiors have a watery colour palate, echoing the Balearic sea that surrounds the island. Avant-garde furniture pieces and artworks sit alongside locally crafted fabrics and materials. The hotel houses the largest private garden in the city of Mallorca, occupying 750 sq m, with a pool, a solarium, a pergola and a terrace to wine and dine on. The greenery of the garden also infiltrates the lush, fertile aesthetic of the hotel's interior design. 

INNSiDE Calviá Beach – Mallorca

The Meliá hotel group is looking to give Magaluf a makeover, investing almost €250 million over recent years in repositioning the area on the holiday map, and hoping to enhance the profitability and sustainability of Magaluf’s tourism industry. With 270 guest rooms, the new INNSiDE Calviá Beach hotel – located 10 mins drive from Palma – offers a spectacular rooftop area with restaurants, bars, and the largest transparent floating pools in Europe, with views overlooking the beachfront. The resort also includes 5000 sq m of retail space. 

Amàre – Ibiza

The adults-only resort is the latest arrival on the luxury party capital of the Mediterranean, housing 366 rooms, the majority of which look directly out over the sea. Following a recent trend for art hotels in the Balearics, Amare is aiming to expose the Ibiza’s clubbing and yachting clientele to contemporary art, displaying works by artists like Miguel Vallinas, Flóra Borsi, Leo Caillard, Kiko Miyares, Andoni Beristain and Maria Svarbova. The hotel will also run a rotating programme of temporary exhibitions, the first of which is being hosted in collaboration with Ibiza’s P|art Gallery. 

BLESS – Ibiza

BLESS opened its first establishment in Madrid this January – and now, make way for BLESS Ibiza, the second in this new brand of contemporary luxury hotels. The property is located in a picturesque cove to the north of the island, around the Santa Eulalia area. The designers cite Coco Chanel among the inspirations behind the hotel’s aesthetics. Dine in the restaurant catered by 10 Michelin starred Basque chef Martin Berasategui and take a dip in the infinity pool. Otherwise, if you find yourself in the capital this summer instead, and need some relief from the oven-like heat, pop up to BLESS Madrid’s rooftop pool, which has opened just in time for the summer. 

Five Flowers – Formentera 

This is Formentera’s first five star hotel, holding 79 rooms and suite, a spa and fitness club and a pool, located just a 250m walk away from the beach. Inspired by the boho chic vibe of this Balearic island, the decor is light, airy, warm and bright. Despite being a five star hotel, the space feels friendly, accessible and natural. The restaurant Kokoy is catered by Hideki Matsuhisa, Spain’s only Japanese chef with a Michelin star. There’s also a sky bar, complete with a piscina-jacuzzi and a 360º view of the island. Formentera is usually a day trip from Ibiza – but new hotels like this mean there’s more and more reason to settle into this island for a couple of nights of escape. 

 

Punta Cumplida, Canary Islands 

This 152-year-old lighthouse in La Palma was converted into an intimate guesthouse earlier this year. Its 34m-high watch-out terrace offers spectacular views across the Canary Islands, with the waves of the Atlantic crashing against the rocks that lie beneath. This intimate guest-house has just three suites, so this feels like is an exclusive, personalised and secluded experience. Each bed has a view of the ocean and there’s also an infinity pool. The project, now 3 years in the making, is led by Floatel, who have built hotels in a number of other lighthouses around the world – but this is their highest, oldest and largest site yet. 

 

Palladium Hotel Costa del Sol, Malaga 

This new four-star property in Benalmadena just opened in July. A 30 minute drive from Malaga airport, the hotel features 336 rooms, all with views over the Mediterranean. You can choose from three restaurants – one serving south-east Asian cuisine, another highlighting the best of Andalusian gastronomy, and the third opening out its seating onto the beach. There are also several bar areas, including the Nix Sky Lounge up on the rooftop. Try the hydromassage baths while you’re up there – or go and have a dip in the hotel’s outdoor pool that looks out to sea.

 

Room Mate Gorka, San Sebastian 

If you’re heading north this summer, it may well be to the Basque culinary capital. Those in search for a hotel with a fun, friendly, yet luxurious atmosphere could check out Room Mate’s first Basque outpost, which opened last year. The Spanish chain, now with 24 properties around the world, has made a reputation for hotels that burst with personality. Located in the emblematic Plaza de Gipuzkoa, the original historic facade of the building has been maintained. Inside, the design studio Cuarto Interior took care of the look and feel, which is homely yet sophisticated, combining contemporary decoration with neoclassic touches. Room Mate also has plans to open a new hotel in Mallorca in April 2020.  

Edition, Barcelona

This is perhaps one of Barcelona’s sexiest openings of recent years. Located in the creative historical district of El Born, Edition’s aesthetics were masterminded by designers Ian Schrager and Lázaro Rosa-Violán. Check out the building’s geometric glass facade, the sweeping marble and wood spiral staircases and the views over the Santa Caterina Market. Complete with a saltwater infinity pool on its 10th floor rooftop bar, this is the place to be for Instagrammers and the glitterati of Barcelona’s party scene. 

Nobu, Barcelona

This one isn’t open quite yet – but it’s definitely one to look out for. Expected to start welcoming guests from September, this will be Nobu’s third Spanish property, housing 259 rooms in the elegant neighbourhood of Eixample. Its restaurant on the 23rd floor offers panoramic views over the city. The design and architecture practice Rockwell Group is in charge of designing the spaces. The Japanese art form of kintsugi is said to lie at the heart of the aesthetic vision – natural, organic materials are used throughout, with traditional Japanese broken pottery applied as decoration to the walls and ceiling.


 

For more of Agnish Ray's writing, visit his website or follow him on Twitter
 

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