Costa Blanca Lifestyle
The Spanish are a very open-minded, fun loving people, who are very sociable and always intent on enjoying the outdoors and the sun. Meeting friends and neighbours in the streets and stopping for a chat to catch up on things, nothing out of the ordinary here. Family and friends make up an extremely important aspect of the Spaniards' everyday life and living without this constant interaction would seem unnatural to them.
Traditionally businesses closed for a few hours after lunch, to leave time for the all-important siesta, and while such customs still prevail in dreamy provincial towns, shops and businesses in the larger cities will remain open all day. It is quite common for life to begin when the sun goes down, especially in the summer. Restaurants serve dinner much later than they would in other European countries.
The Spanish lifestyle is as varied and rich as the landscapes. Views are just like pictures.
Learning the Spanish language makes the experience that much better.
Health in Spain
Health Advice
The medical care on the Costa Blanca is extremely good and has excellent facilities and medical professionals. For more comfort and safety, there is private clinics and there other alternative options, however, a rather more costly one. The best thing to do in this case is take out a temporary international health insurance until you settle in.
Shopping on the Costa Blanca
Shopping
An opportunity to go shopping in the Alicante-Murcia region simply cannot be passed by. If you have the time it's a great way to spend the day, making sure you include some well-earned coffee breaks in between.
Spain has mostly small-family run shops and stores, and plenty of outdoor markets. The more traditional-type stores are found in the older city neighbourhoods, while the larger department stores such as Al jub, Habaneras and Boulevad La Zenia appear in the suburbs further away from the cities.
Spanish Working Hours
Trading Hours
Opening hours will vary depending on the city or region one is in but in general, stores will open around 9:30 or 10 am (grocery shops and bakeries will usually open about an hour earlier) and remain open until 2 pm. They usually reopen at around 4:40 pm or 5 pm to 8 pm. Department stores and hypermarkets tend to stay open all day through. Markets, including open air markets selling fresh produce, such as fish, vegetables, flowers and antiques, among many other items, usually open on specific days of the week in the mornings, until around 2 pm. All outdorçor markets are on different days throughout the week.
On Sundays most shops are closed, except for the newspaper stands and kiosks and panaderias (bread bakeries) and pastelerias (bakeries selling only sweet pastries and cakes).
In tourist and holiday resort areas shops will generally remain open over lunchtime and will probably be open on weekends.
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