¡Feliz Navidad! These are the strangest Christmas traditions celebrated in Spain
CHRISTMAS traditions in Spain are in essence no different from any other nation – people hold on to strange customs, eat and drink a lot
EXPLAINED: Could Alicante on Spain’s Costa Blanca really be the original home of Santa Claus?
ALICANTE is an unlikely candidate for the original home of Santa Claus – for starters, it hasn’t snowed in the city since 1926. There are
Nine breathtaking UNESCO sites in Spain to start with
Spain has been a centre of Roman, Islamic, Christian and colonial empires which have turned the nation into open-air museum of wonders that move, inspire
Sunny delight: As temperatures soar in Spain so does demand for solar power
THE solar energy revolution has firmly taken hold across Spain, with demand for solar panel installations soaring as homeowners and businesses alike realise the huge
Insider tips: How to save more money as an autonomo in Spain during 2022
SELF-EMPLOYED workers will be grumbling in January about their tax returns. Spain has around 3.2 million registered self-employed workers (autonomos) and they pay the highest
Common scams: Whistle blower reveals dirty tricks used to fleece customers at low-cost rental car firm in Spain
FEW transactions are as stressful as renting a car while on holiday. You’re braindead, running on aeroplane peanuts, with either the kids screaming or your
Swimming pools, slides, cemeteries… Are these the weirdest roundabouts in Spain?
IT’S no surprise the rule-loving Brits were the first to invent the roundabout but Spain’s has transformed them into some examples of the truly bizarre.
Spain’s weird and wonderful tourist attractions – from food fights to smurf towns
TOURIST recommendations for Spain are so predictable. A dip in the Med, stunning food, even better wine, and all on a backdrop of some era-defining
‘Procurador’ – what they do in Spain and why the EU thought them unnecessary
THE rule of law is the foundation of Spain, the UK, the US, France and countries the world over. But law in every county runs
EXPLAINED: The laws you need to know about squatters in Spain and how to evict ‘okupas’
CONTRARY to popular belief there are no laws in Spain that grant squatters the right to illegally occupy a house. But that doesn’t mean Spain
Royal ties: Five surprising facts about the strong links between the British and Spanish royal families as Queen Elizabeth celebrates her Platinum Jubilee
As the Queen becomes the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years on the throne, the Olive Press explores the rich
36 English words you probably didn’t know were stolen from Spanish
NOBODY likes a false friend. They’re a thorn in our relationships, and a downright disaster when it comes to language learning. Of course, in linguistic
Blanca International: How can I get a 100% mortgage in Spain?
“How can I get a 100% Spanish mortgage” – it’s a question we’re used to. As a leading real estate agency in Javea and surrounding
Blanca Cars: The top 10 tips for driving in Spain
Read on for the top 10 tips for driving in Spain as told to us by thousands of expat customers. As a leading expat-focused car
15 genius Spanish words you just can’t translate into English
LEARNING a language is a lot like spraining an ankle: it’s painful and takes ages to get better. But every language learner will hit a
TRAVEL SPAIN: Five really good reasons why Valencia deserves to be World Design Capital 2022
SPANISH architecture usually makes one think of a Gaudi building melting into itself. Either that or an intricate archway at the Alhambra, a honey-coloured farmhouse,
Explore Spain: Walking the Mirador Challenge around Javea on Costa Blanca
The Mirador challenge may be gruelling at 30kms long, but the views more than make up for it, writes Joshua Parfitt.
FOCUS: Javea on Spain’s Costa Blanca is the gem of the Mediterranean
Home to the most expensive streets in eastern Spain, Javea’s rugged beauty holds enough hidden jewels to share all round, writes Joshua Parfitt
New driving rules you need to know about that come into force in Spain on March 21
SPAIN’S revised Traffic and Road Safety Law (BOE) comes into effect on March 21 but has already made headlines for its harsher penalties. Not that
ANALYSIS: What’s so special about the microclimate in Javea on Spain’s Costa Blanca?
IF you’ve ever browsed Javea’s official tourism website you might have come across an interesting fact. “The climate in Javea is considered the second-best microclimate
Expats open their homes to at least 40 Ukrainian families in Spain’s Costa Blanca
SOME 45 homes have been offered to receive Ukrainian families thanks to humanitarian efforts from a British-run charity and nine town halls in Spain’s Costa
Environmentalists fume over slow burning fire on Ramblars waste dump in Javea on Spain’s Costa Blanca
THE slow-burning fire at Javea’s green waste dump Ramblars is finally getting judicial attention after a regional environmental group presented a denuncia before Denia court
FOCUS: What makes Javea on Spain’s Costa Blanca so popular with international residents?
Marbella, Mallorca or Ibiza might inspire day-dreaming – but they’re not where most expats end up moving to in Spain. Instead a population the size
Javea U14 rugby squad eyes up Valencian championship title in last match of season
THREE matches separate Javea’s star rugby team from becoming champions of Spain’s Valencia region for the first time. The under-14s of Aguiles Xabia Rugby are
Expat coworking space offers free desk space for refugees in Javea on Spain’s Costa Blanca
LOOKING for a coworking space but just landed from a country at war or in a crisis? Nexopia Workspaces in Javea (Xabia) in Alicante has
How Londoners fell in love with Javea on Spain’s Costa Blanca through Joaquin Sorolla’s paintbrush
The year of 1908 marked the first time Londoners set eyes on Javea. In an age where aeroplanes were still learning how to fly, and