Moving to Burgos

Matthew’s article this week concentrates on moving to Burgos, old Castille’s capital

Moving to Burgos: the birthplace of today’s Spain

Ups
Burgos may well be located in Castille y León rather than Castilla La Mancha, but this is very much still Don Quixote country. Spain at its flattest, it’s dry and dusty in summer. Come winter, though, a whole lotta rain hits its plain(s).

Downs
The Gothic cathedral may be stunning, however the city’s architecture is all a bit uniform. El Cid, one of the idols of the Reconquista, hailed from Burgos. Franco made the city his wartime capital. You might find the rampant conservatism somewhat stifling.

Ins and outs
Burgos airport lies four kilometres away from the city centre. Its proximity is largely meaningless, though, as there are no regular passenger flights scheduled. The nearest international airport is actually situated in the Basque County; in Bilbao, 171km away.

Education
Chances are that if you’re planning on relocating to Burgos, you plan to immerse yourself and your family fully into olde-worlde Spain. International schools are as thin on the ground as liberals. There are a handful of English-language academies, however, should you want to prevent your children losing their mother tongue.

Shop until you drop…
Fashion-conscious females will love the personal service offered by image consultant Chari Camara at her and Calle Carnicerias’ La Tienda de Chari. Varon Moda in the Plaza de España, meanwhile, targets stylish males.  Over on the Avenida del Vena, you’ll find La Tienda De Loe which is dedicated to collectable toys from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.

Property types
As in many Spanish cities, you’ll discover high-rises that seem to have been constructed the wrong side of the Iron Curtain. These eyesores, usually to be found in the more central areas, give way to more tastefully-constructed villas the further away you move from the centre.

Market watch
One-bedroom stone cottages from around €20,000 in the city’s surrounding villages, three-bedroom flats from €150,000, and villas  for an average of €400,000.

In Praise Of
“Burgos has more the ambience of a small town than a big city. Still there are few better places to eat out in Spain and you can enjoy a bite-sized introduction to its cuisine at the various tapas bars. Despite their staid reputation, the locals love a party as much as the rest of the natives on mainland Spain.” Luis García-Machín Auyanet

• Are you an expat living in Burgos? What do you like/dislike about it? Let us know below.

Matthew Hirtes

Matthew Hirtes, our resident broadsheet journalist, moved to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria back in 2004. He’s travelled extensively through Spain, covering it for such publications as Telegraph Travel, Metro, and The Independent. The author of Going Local in Gran Canaria: How To Turn a Holiday Destination into a Home, Matthew truly is a resident expert.

Matthew writes for two sections of Spain Buddy: Moving to Spain and Spanish Football as well as providing Reviews