Costa Lifestyle

Living with nature: from ants to Mediterranean mice

Living in Spain sounds idyllic. The sun, the view, the lavender in your garden. And the idea of living with nature? Very romantic. But no one tells you that sometimes, the garden moves inside. On tiny feet. My first Spanish spring was glorious—until one morning I lifted the sugar bowl and discovered it had been relocated. Not physically, but in terms of occupancy. An ant colony had organised itself so […]

05/21/2025 4

Viva Cultura

Feria de San Isidro: where Andalusian tradition meets Madrid

This week it’s that time again in Madrid: the Feria de San Isidro! When I first found myself in the middle of it last year, I thought: wait a minute… isn’t this just an Andalusian party in disguise? And yes, this month we’re diving into Spain’s inland. After my story about Cruces de Mayo in Córdoba, this one is about a celebration in the Spanish capital. There were horses, flamenco […]

05/16/2025 1

Zo overleven je platen de zomer in Spanje

Casa Y Vida

Away for a while? Here’s how your plants survive the summer in Spain

There we go again. You’re heading off. To the Netherlands, a few weeks with family, or just escaping the tourist chaos for a bit. Your house stays behind. Silent. Warm. And in the corner: that one monstera, your beloved kentia, maybe even a few defiant little cuttings. They look at you the way a dog might—only with leaves. And you think, “They’ll be fine.” Spoiler: they often aren’t. Which is […]

05/15/2025 8

Viva Cultura

Crosses in bloom: what Cruces de Mayo tells you about Spain (without words)

Cruces de Mayo? Honestly? I first thought it was a wedding. Or a local procession. Or maybe a school project with a slightly overenthusiastic flower budget. A friend had invited me for a few days in Córdoba. “Just a little spring getaway,” she said. I had no idea that, last week, just before Mother’s Day, I’d end up right in the middle of a floral cross. Decorated with ribbons, candles, […]

05/09/2025 16

Casa Y Vida

Sleep like a Spaniard: in a cooling bedroom without air conditioning

That first summer in my Spanish home, I slept the way an Englishman thinks one should sleep: windows shut, duvet on, fan in the corner, air conditioning set to polite chill. The result? Three broken nights, a creaky back, and the distinct feeling of living in a pensioner’s fridge. A cooling bedroom without air conditioning? Come again? It took me a while to get it. In Spain, you don’t fight […]

05/07/2025 7