Spanish Practices – Living in Spain: Real Life, Real Spain

Look Up! The Naughty Architecture of Spain Think Spanish architecture is all cathedrals, castles and grand Gothic buildings? Think again. Look closely — or, more accurately, look up — and Spain's historic buildings reveal a much cheekier side. In this episode of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain , I go hunting for the rude, ridiculous and downright outrageous details hidden in Spanish arch...

In this episode of  Spanish Practices , I look beyond the shocking images to ask what actually happened. Why did Maricarmen lose her tenancy? Was she offered alternative accommodation? Who is Urbagestión, the company behind the property? Were the police and social services right to proceed as they did? And what does being forced from the home you've known for more than seven decades do to an elder...

Is Spain falling out of love with the British tourist? From Magaluf and Ibiza to Benidorm , Spain is changing the way it deals with drunken party tourism. I'm going to take a look at the crackdown on excessive drinking, pub crawls and all-inclusive booze holidays — and ask whether Spain now wants fewer tourists spending more , rather than millions arriving for cheap beer and sunshine. With persona...

Casual Cruelty in Spain - Dogs, Birds and Bullfighting Eight puppies in a rubbish bin. A dog abandoned on a piece of string. Birds shot for sport and a little rescue dog called Skippy who survived unimaginable abuse. In this unsettling episode of Spanish Practices, I ask why casual cruelty to animals still exists in Spain — and whether attitudes are finally changing. PLEASE subscribe ot follow thi...

Spain's economy is booming in 2026 — and foreign workers are playing a surprisingly big role. Why are migrants filling jobs, paying taxes and helping drive economic growth — and what does it mean for Spain's future? From immigration and employment to Spanish schools, education and the future of our children, I will ask and try to answer a  really tough question...whether Spain can turn today's gro...

Am I really living in Spain — or have I simply created a little Britain in the sunshine? In this episode, I'll explore what integration really means, from language and Spanish culture to friendship, acceptance and belonging. I'll ask why so many expats stay inside familiar British bubbles — and whether that can quietly limit our happiness and wellbeing. I'll also look at the reality of being an ou...

Think the Spanish Inquisition was something that happened in a dark corner of old Europe? Think again. Spain's infamous religious police crossed the Atlantic — and its reach extended into territories that are now part of the United States. In Episode 204, I uncover the surprisingly American story of the Inquisition: the denunciations, secret accusations, torture, confiscated fortunes and spectacul...

Moving to Spain? Don't buy that dream home just yet! 🇪🇸 Could AI save you from making an expensive mistake when buying property in Spain? John Metson discovers how AI can investigate Spanish estate agents, solicitors, directors, reviews, town halls, local news, planning issues and even the Spanish bureaucracy. But there's a catch: AI can be spectacularly wrong. So how do you use AI for Spanish pro...

🔥 Could a donkey help save your Spanish home from a wildfire? Spain is facing a new generation of wildfires — hotter, faster and increasingly impossible to fight in the traditional way. So what happens when climate change, abandoned countryside and 40°C+ summers collide? And if you're dreaming of buying a home in Spain, should any of this change your plans? In this episode of Spanish Practices ,...

In this special report, we look at the escalating crisis in Ceuta, the conflicting reports over how many migrants remain, violence on the beaches, people-smuggling boats, Spain's €25 million response, the planned Ceuta Day protests, and the complicated relationship between Spain and Morocco. But what does any of this mean if you're thinking about buying property in Spain?

Thinking of leaving America for the perfect life in Spain? Cheap healthcare, endless sunshine, affordable living and a slower pace of life? Think again. After nearly ten years living in Spain, I will reveal the reality behind the romantic Spanish dream — from 230-volt disasters and language barriers to nudist beaches, Spanish bureaucracy, healthcare, shopping, customer service and a very different...

Why Does My Spanish Bathroom Smell? The Plumbing Mystery Explained There comes a moment when you realise you've properly moved to Spain. It's not your first fiesta. It's not ordering a café con leche in Spanish. It's standing in your beautifully clean bathroom, sniffing suspiciously and asking: "Why does that smell of drains?" Welcome to the peculiar world of Spanish plumbing. In this episode of S...

Live Rent-Free in Spain? The Motorhome Loophole That Isn't Buy a motorhome. Drive to Spain. Park beside the Mediterranean. Open the door, make a coffee and congratulate yourself on discovering the ultimate way to live in Spain without paying rent. Simple. Except Spain may have a few questions. Motorhome and campervan living is booming, fuelled by rising property prices, scarce rental accommodation...

Spain Wants Digital Nomads – But Is It Really That Simple? Imagine swapping the commute for a laptop overlooking the Mediterranean. Spain has become one of the world's most attractive destinations for remote workers — and its Digital Nomad Visa offers non-EU professionals a legal route to actually live here while working abroad. But before you pack the laptop and sunglasses, there's rather more to...

Three thousand years of Spanish history. Ten minutes. What could possibly go wrong? In this episode of Spanish Practices , I'm attempting the almost certainly foolish task of explaining the history of Spain without drowning you in kings, dates or men with impressive facial hair pointing at maps. Instead, we're following the ordinary people who didn't make history — they simply had to survive it. M...

OR - The Bikini That Changed Spain: How the Package Holiday Conquered the Costas! OR - Bikinis, Benidorm & Brits Abroad: How Tourism Changed Spain How did Spain go from a buttoned-up dictatorship suspicious of bikinis to one of the world's great holiday destinations — and have we now loved it a little too much? In this summer repeat of Spanish Practices , I travel back to the birth of the great Br...

Ever wondered why  Mercadona  is often called one of the most profitable supermarkets in the world? In this light-hearted episode of  Spanish Practices , we explore its fascinating history—from a humble family butcher's shop in Valencia to a retail powerhouse across Spain. We dive into how Mercadona has reinvented the supermarket experience with energy-efficient stores, hot takeaway food, and even...

What was it like watching television in Franco's Spain? In this episode of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain , John looks back at the early days of Spanish TV and the surprising influence of British favourites including Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, The Avengers, The Prisoner and Doctor Who . Plus, a personal encounter with Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson — and the day Lady Penelope a...

A glamorous London television presenter. A deadly accident. Or the perfect murder? Your holiday audiobook from Spanish Practices. When a visit to the exclusive Lady Dorothy Boutique Hair Salon ends with a daytime television star being electrocuted, private detectives  Horace Finch  and  Violet Hart  are drawn behind the bright lights of Metrovision, London's weekday television station. Ruled by th...

A glamorous London television presenter. A deadly accident. Or the perfect murder? Your holiday audiobook from Spanish Practices. When a visit to the exclusive Lady Dorothy Boutique Hair Salon ends with a daytime television star being electrocuted, private detectives  Horace Finch  and  Violet Hart  are drawn behind the bright lights of Metrovision, London's weekday television station. Ruled by th...

A glamorous London television presenter. A deadly accident. Or the perfect murder? Your holiday audiobook from Spanish Practices. When a visit to the exclusive Lady Dorothy Boutique Hair Salon ends with a daytime television star being electrocuted, private detectives  Horace Finch  and  Violet Hart  are drawn behind the bright lights of Metrovision, London's weekday television station. Ruled by th...

A glamorous London television presenter. A deadly accident. Or the perfect murder? Your holiday audiobook from Spanish Practices. When a visit to the exclusive Lady Dorothy Boutique Hair Salon ends with a daytime television star being electrocuted, private detectives  Horace Finch  and  Violet Hart  are drawn behind the bright lights of Metrovision, London's weekday television station. Ruled by th...

A glamorous London television presenter. A deadly accident. Or the perfect murder? Your holiday audiobook from Spanish Practices. When a visit to the exclusive Lady Dorothy Boutique Hair Salon ends with a daytime television star being electrocuted, private detectives Horace Finch and Violet Hart are drawn behind the bright lights of Metrovision, London's weekday television station. Ruled by the ch...

What was life really like inside Franco's Spanish prisons? As Busman's Holiday reached its dramatic conclusion, we step away from the beaches of the Costa del Sol and behind the walls of one of the darkest chapters in modern Spanish history. In this special episode of Spanish Practices , we explore the harsh reality of Spanish prisons under General Franco's dictatorship . Discover how political pr...

Spanish Practices  is taking a short summer break, so enjoy another  FREE audiobook  from  The Marlborough Court Mysteries . In  Busman's Holiday , Horace Finch, Violet Hart and Leslie Brown swap London's fog for the sunshine of Spain when a seemingly ordinary package holiday to Torremolinos takes an unexpected turn. Beneath the glamour of the Costa del Sol, espionage, murder and Anglo-Spanish sec...