Quesada (or Ciudad Quesada "Quesada City") is actually a cross between a suburb and a town that is part of the larger town of Rojales in Spain´s Valencian region. Rojales has an extremely high expat population (more than half of the residents were born outside of Spain) and is growing at a fast pace.

Getting There

The closest major airport is Alicante, which services almost all of the larger European cities. Trains run directly from Alicante to all of the larger Spanish metropolitan centres, which then connect to other cities within mainland Europe. Trains and coach-style buses run fairly regularly between Rojales and Alicante.

Expats

Because Rojales has such a high number of expats, it is often the ideal place for newcomers to feel comfortable and better able to adapt to living in a new country. Gated communities abound, particularly in new suburbs like Quesada, and are extremely popular with families.

There are no international schools in Quesada or Rojales: the closest option would be Alicante, which is 233 km away (international boarding schools are a better option in this case than commuting, obviously). The Rojales primary and secondary schools are very quick to fill, and if you - like most expat families in the area - would like to enrol your children there, it is advisable to be quick. Although classes are conducted in Spanish and Valencian, many of the children speak English as their first language, which helps new kids fit in.

Getting Around

The public transport system in Quesada is limited. Being a suburb, it does have bus services but these are infrequent on weekdays and essentially non-existent on weekends. The Spanish rely heavily on private cars and you will probably prefer to own one even if its just for the sake of fitting in!

Settling In

With so many other expat families, it is easy to settle in quickly to Quesada. The usual surprises await newcomers (like potentially waiting three months to have your phone line connected), but being able to commiserate with your neighbours, and benefit from their experience, tends to ease the pain. The Spanish are, in general, more comfortable with physical intimacy than those from the US and UK, so don´t be alarmed if a relative stranger stands very close to you and touches you frequently during your conversation. They are not trying to take your wallet, they´re just being Spanish.

Property

Post-economic crisis, there is a glut of homes to be had in Quesada and Rojales. Unfortunately some families have simply not been able to keep up their payments and a ´distressed´ home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a pool and within walking distance of the golf course) can be bought for around 130,000 Euro. Rental prices also reflect the economic downturn. Non-agent properties (those rented directly by the owner) are around 400 Euro per month for a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment with communal swimming pool, air conditioning and furniture if you are lucky.