Entertainment on the Costa del Sol
Most of us make the move to Spain to enjoy the weather and the lifestyle. But many people, once they arrive, find that they miss certain things from home.
No matter how much people want to integrate into a culture or society everyone, whatever their nationality, needs a little bit of “home from home”. Food for thought Many towns now have British Supermarkets selling everything from Marmite (love it!!) to Salad Cream and British Bangers. Even the smaller inland villages may boast a British Store of one kind or another.
Gone are the days when you used to have to ask people to pack their suitcases full of goodies to bring across for you, as almost everything you can think of or would need is on hand here in Spain.
Many of the Spanish supermarkets also stock a selection of British, German and Dutch products. From most places in the Costa del Sol, Gibraltar is only a short drive away. Many people make special trips to The Rock to stock up on cigarettes and alcohol and the all important trips to their favourite British stores.
The Duty Free allowances that you are legally allowed to bring out of Gibraltar are: - 200 Cigarettes
- 50 Cigars
- 250g Smoking Tobacco
- 1 Litre of Spirits
- 2 Litres of Wine. Port or Sherry (Over 17’s only)
- 171€ of ‘Speciality Goods’ (Perfume etc) Children get 1/2 this allowance.
Laws can change - please check with customs on arrival! TV times
Many people moving to Spain bring their satellite dishes and digi-boxes, allowing them to keep up to date with the goings on in Eastenders and Corrie. Save the space on your removal lorry and don’t bother to bring your dish, as you’ll need a bigger one to be able to receive UK satellite television.
Officially, you are not allowed to receive these channels in Spain as British broadcasting licences do not allow transmissions outside the UK. However, the strength of the satellite transmissions means that, with the larger dish, you can get an acceptable reception, although you may be required to use a UK address to receive your interactive card.
There are plenty of companies on the coast who are able to provide you with the dish only, or the full package, if you require it.
Many of these companies can supply you with “Freeview”. It means a one off payment and no monthly subscriptions although, of course, you will have less channels to watch. Cinema
In most of the major towns and cities the cinema complexes show all the new releases both in Spanish and English. If a film is shown in English the poster will display “VO” (Versión Original) after the title. If the poster says “VOS” the film will have Spanish subtitles, which can be a great tool to help improve your Spanish.
Some cinema complexes that show VO films include: - Yelmo Cineplex, Plaza Mayor, Malaga. Tel: 902 902 103
- Cinesur, Parque Miramar, Fuengirola. Tel: 952 198 600
- Gran Marbella, Puerto Banús. Tel: 952 810 077
British Legion
The ex-soldiers amongst you will be pleased to hear that there are around 17 British Legions along the Costa del Sol. Contact +34 902 881 070 to find out all about the British Legion in Spain and where your nearest branch is. Eating out
The Costa del Sol offers an abundance of restaurants to suit all budgets:
If you can’t bear to be without your “Full English” you won’t be disappointed, as even some Spanish cafes can provide you with this great start to the day.
Tapas bars are a must when in Spain and are an economical way to eat out and sample a variety of dishes.
Most towns and villages boast Italian and Chinese restaurants, and where there is a large expat community you will invariably find an Indian restaurant or a good old fashioned British chippy.
In major resorts you will find Moroccan, Greek, French and American diners, as well as popular international chains.
In the larger towns on the coast, prices can be a bit higher due to the amount of tourists passing through. Activities
 The Costa del Sol offers activities to suit everyone; from scuba diving to believe it or not, skiing!
The Costa del Sol boasts over 50 fantastic golf courses, with stunning views and facilities to suit all levels of golfers.
Granada is only a 2 hour drive from Malaga. You can spend the day skiing during the winter months and return to the Coast and enjoy après-ski in the winter sun by the sea.
There are PADI registered dive schools dotted along the coast where you can learn to dive in some of the most spectacular waters around.
Andalucia is steeped in history and for those of you that enjoy historical sites, you will find plenty to do:
- Malaga has cathedrals, museums and castles.
- Fuengirola’s stunning castle is right on the beach front.
- The Alhambra in Granada and the historical town of Seville are a short car journey away, whilst Ronda is a town that everyone should visit.
No matter what you choose to do, you should find living easy in Spain and exciting and rewarding experience. Useful words cine - cinema
boleto - ticket
cerveza - beer
vino - wine
vino tinto or vino rojo - red wine
vino blanco - white wine
puedo tener.... - can I have ....?
la cuenta por favor - the bill please
¿dónde están los servicios? - where are the toilets?
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