The food, the language, the people: the things Brit expats love about Spain

The happiest Brits in Spain love the people, the cuisine (and the wine!) and enjoy learning Spanish.

The stereotype of the culturally stunted ‘Brit Abroad’ – frequenting the same pubs, dining at greasy spoon cafes, failing completely to learn Spanish and only mingling with fellow expats – has held firm despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

But now a new survey of British expats currently living in Spain has revealed the trick to enjoying a long and happy life in the sun – integration, integration, integration…

A survey conducted online by the British Embassy in Madrid sought to find out exactly what it is about living in Spain that British expats love so much.

And despite the endless sunshine, the beaches and the easy availability of British food, TV and culture, the results showed that the happiest expats are those who have learnt to embrace the Spanish way of life.

According to the survey, which polled more than 1,600 Brits in Spain, an enjoyment of Spanish cuisine was top of the pile, followed quickly by the joys to be had in learning and mastering the lingo, while the importance of finding Spanish friends and partners was also highlighted.

The poll also asked Britons to pick an adjective that best describes how they view life in Spain. The most commonly chosen word was ‘happy’, followed by ‘relaxed’ and ‘content’. Also prevalent was ‘great’, ‘fantastic’ and – in a nod to those who have already picked up Spanish – ‘fantástico’.

The British Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, said that the results clearly showed that those Brits who made more of an effort to integrate into Spain were, invariably, much happier for it.

“It’s great to see so many Brits saying they are happy and content in Spain as a result of their efforts to integrate into local life,” the Ambassador said. “I would definitely urge others to follow their example. If you are settling here, the first and most important thing to do is to register on the padrón. That way you can access the health and social services you may need now or in the future.”

The British Embassy is keen to encourage more and more Brits moving to Spain to register at their local town hall. Doing so ensures the Spanish authorities have a better grasp of just how many Brits live in their municipality, which in turn means that funding and service provisions can be increased and adjusted accordingly.

The survey found that nine out of ten Brits in Spain had registered, but this data was obviously drawn from a pool of engaged Brits who were already well aware of the efforts the British Embassy makes to aid integration.

Further data revealed in the survey shows that two-thirds of Brits are registered for Spanish medical healthcare, with 13% covered under private medical insurance and an “alarming 16%” without any means of healthcare in Spain – a situation that puts them at “serious risk of difficulties in the event of an accident or illness”, said the Embassy.