Living in Spain and Going Native in Alicante

Going Native in Alicante explores the lesser known aspects of this region of Spain for would be expats who want to know everything about Alicante

In the latest edition of the excellent ‘Going Native’ series from BookShaker, author Susan Bearder explores the Spanish region of Alicante.  She goes way beyond the ‘highlights’ such as the airport and Benidorm (!) to discover that this is one of the most exciting, fascinating and ironically undiscovered regions of Spain.

The name Alicante certainly brings up ideas of package holidays and some of the worst aspects that one associates with the ‘Britification’ of certain parts of the Spanish coastal region – which is truly a shame when you begin to dig a little deeper into this region to discover that actually, the community of Valencia, of which Alicante province is a part, is historically fascinating, culturally rich and geographically stunning.

If you’re thinking of living in Spain, ‘Going Native in Alicante’ is a must-read.  It explores the region in depth and for perpetual travellers and expatriates rather than for the summer holidaymaker.  I.e., it goes in depth and gets up close and very personal with the wider Alicante region.

The ‘Going Native’ series of titles are guides for would-be expatriates, as well as for those who have already moved to the region being discussed and who want to get to know it better, what’s more, the series is for long-term or perpetual travellers.  I.e., the guides are in depth and go well off the well-beaten track to discover the hidden delights and local secrets of a particular part of a specific country.  ‘Going Native in Alicante’ is certainly no exception to this rule.  Beginning with an historical overview of the region, author Susan Bearder quickly moves on to explore and explain the language and cultural specifics of the Alicante province to give would-be expats a deeper understanding of what makes this part of Spain unique.

There follows an excellent section dedicated entirely to activities and events in the region that covers every single conceivable activity for each age group and for everyone - no matter what they are interested in.  This section is far more in depth than one might find in a quick tourist guide to the region, as it too goes off the beaten track in terms of finding fascinating and fun activities and day trips for all the family. 

Having explored some of the lighter aspects of the subject matter in hand, the book then quickly gets down to the essentials for expatriates thinking seriously about living in Spain.  The author discusses reasons for choosing the Alicante province, the pros and cons of a relocation, how to make a relocation successful depending on what stage of life the would-be expat is at, and then there is a very clever and clearly detailed explanation of the property buying process for would-be home owners too.

For those who really are largely unfamiliar with the greater Alicante province and Valencia community, a main part of the book then goes on to explore the leading towns and cities across the entire region.  This information is invaluable – on the one hand it gives one ideas about where to day trip and what there is to do and see across the region, and on the other hand it’s a handy way to get to know the district in depth before having visited.  This will allow would-be expats to plan where they may want to live.

The book is topped off with fascinating facts and excellent details covering every single conceivable aspect of moving to Alicante, getting to know the region, settling in and making a new life there.  From discussing the local food and wines to providing emergency phone numbers, recommended reading lists and even details about exchange rates, Susan Bearder really does cover it all in this excellent title from BookShaker.

To read an extract from the book and explore inside it, to learn more about the author or to purchase a copy of Going Native in Alicante from Amazon, click here.