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es-housing.qxd 09/02/2005 12:28 Page 12 HOUSING 12 Where To Live: Madrid continued from page 11 bus services both into the capital and up into the mountains are excellent and for car owners access via the main Carretera de Coruña highway - best avoiding rush hours of 7.30am to 9am and 7pm to 9pm - is first rate. Rail routes in and out of the city are unexpectedly attractive as they pass through the southerly fringe of the pinewooded El Pardo national park. LA MORALEJA Top of the scale comes the rarefied-air development of La Moraleja in the north east of the city just below the "satellite" town of Alcobendas. Rental and purchase prices in La Moraleja are extremely high The Palacio de Com in the Plaza Cildes in Madrid is indicative of the granduer of much of the architecture. and its residents include the internationally rich and famous, including David and Victoria Beckham. Like Mirasierra to the west and Piovera to the south, this Madrileño version of Beverly Hills is a tranquil and spacious oasis of luxury villas with private gardens. Most of Madrid's best private schools and sports clubs can be found her, and the few eating spots are select and costly. Buses and trains run regularly from nearby Alcobendas to Madrid centre half an hour away but a private car is essential both for shopping in nearby commercial centres and for going into the city independently via the busy Carretera de Burgos N1 highway. To keep up-to-date with the latest news from Spain - in English - visit www.expatica.com/spain SPAIN EXPAT SURVIVAL GUIDE WWW.EXPATICA.COM
es-housing.qxd 09/02/2005 12:28 Page 13 Where To Live: Barcelona Barcelona has the rare privilege of being a vibrant city by the sea, which is why so many foreigners move there. Here’s the city, suburb-by-suburb. CIUTAT VELLA The oldest, liveliest and most touristy neighbourhood which runs south of Placa Catalunya down to the sea oozes history, character and tourists. It may not be the most practical place for long-term living or for families as buildings tend to be tall, narrow and without lifts and the streets old, dark and impossible to get a car through (let alone park). But the area is full of atmosphere and great for young couples and single professionals. El Born is a particularly sought-after place to live at present, with its narrow streets of bars, restaurants and boutiques converging on the beautiful Santa Maria del Mar basilica. On the other side of the Ramblas is the Raval, a former no-go neighbourhood known for crime and prostitution, now being lapped up by artists, designers and musicians. Chic bars and restaurants are springing up on every corner and property is still relatively cheap. Be prepared for some extensive DIY though to bring these buildings up to scratch. L'EIXAMPLE In stark contrast to the maze of backstreets in the old town, Eixample boasts an immaculate grid of avenues, designed in 1859 to extend the city beyond the overcrowded centre. The area is conspicuously upmarket, with designer boutiques, tree-lined boulevards and wonderful Modernist buildings by famous Catalan architects Antoni Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch and Lluís Doménech i Montaner. The Eixample is divided into the left side, L'Eixample Esquerra and the right side, L'Eixample Dreta. Both have a mixture of high-end and more modest housing, with shops and restaurants galore, schools and other services filling the first and second floors of early 20th-century buildings dedicated to housing or office space. GRÀCIA Long the haunt of artists and free-thinkers, Gracia was once an independent village of narrow streets and small plazas until Barcelona swallowed it up in 1897. It retains that villagey feel in its shady squares and pretty streets of cafes, tapas restaurants, low-key nightspots, alternative theatres and quirky shops. Housing ranges from large, sunny flats to cramped spaces that have been carved out of one-time private homes, but in general renting or buying here is more affordable continued on page 14 For information and contacts for all the expat groups and clubs in your area, visit www.expatica.com/spain WWW.EXPATICA.COM SPAIN EXPAT SURVIVAL GUIDE 13 HOUSING
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