Latest news with #Murcia
The Sun
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
I swapped the UK for Spain – wine is just £3, the food is much healthier and it feels like a holiday every day
A WOMAN ditched the UK for Spain - where a glass of wine is Euro 3.50 and there are free concerts every night - and says it feels like a "permanent holiday". Jade Gartshore, 25, had a successful career but says it didn't give her "enough" fulfilment and she struggled with the "dark" days. 4 4 After travelling with her husband Edward Partis, 25, an electrical engineer, she fell in love with the Spanish city of Murcia. Jade ditched her job to move out last November and say they can't seem themselves "moving back to the UK". Jade said: "I used to sit in the office and used to look out and think, this can't be life, you know, every day going to work in the dark and coming back in the dark. "I was always doing very well in my job, but it just didn't give me enough. "It's like a permanent holiday, I wake up feeling a lot happier and often have those pinch me moments where I still can't believe I live here. "We have a free concert every night. It's different in each town. "So you'll have jazz, you'll have disco, techno, and they'll just be on the seafront, and it's all put on by the council. "That's where some of your money goes, which is a nice feeling. "You can get a glass of wine for Euro 3.50, which is crazy, but your day-to-day shopping can be pretty much the same as the UK." Jade and Edward, who are from Leicester, went travelling for six months in 2023 and spent five weeks of it in Murcia - where Jade's parents retired to. The couple carried on travelling in Asia - but couldn't stop thinking about Spain. I quit my job and did a complete 180 moving to Spain - beer is just $3 a pint and my life is so much better Jade said: "The whole six months we were just working out ways how to get back to Spain, and we just completely fell head over heels for it. "The conversation just kept coming back to Murcia that we kind of loved it and both felt exactly the same way, which was really lucky. "To be honest, growing up in the UK, I always felt like it wasn't my home. "When I was 16, I was going to California on holiday by myself to see friends, and when I was 19, we tried to live in Australia, but it just wasn't for us. Everything you need to know about visiting Spain Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country. Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in an 180-day period. Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit. Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border. Spain is one hour ahead of the UK. The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55. Flights to Spain from the UK take between 2-4 hours depending on the destination. "So I just feel like my whole life, I've just known that the UK is not for me. "It can be scary, but definitely making the jump in your twenties is a perfect time." Jade was on the path to being promoted as a manager in her estate agent job, but decided to "make the jump" and live a new life elsewhere. She said: "I was completely petrified, I had this great job, and my collegial manager wanted me to become a manager. I just left it all behind because it didn't feel right. "The people here, especially in Murcia, are just so kind. "I've always wanted to lived by the sea, but Murcia also has the mountains where you can go on hikes. "It's very outdoor living, which is right up my street." Despite incredible free events hosted by the council, Jade wanted to break the misconception that it is a lot cheaper to live abroad than it is in the UK. She said: "I think people have the perception that it is quite cheap here, especially when you come on holiday, but it's mainly the alcohol that's a big difference." Jade, who is currently looking for work, explained how rent and bills are also pretty similar as "it fluctuates as to where you live". "Some places near us are more expensive than what you'd rent in the UK, and you get less for your money, but then some areas you get more for your money depending on location," she said. Murcia is located in south-eastern part of the country and is the seventh largest city in Spain. It is known as "the fruit basket of Spain" due to its fruits, vegetables, and flower production. Jade said: "The fruit and vegetables are so much bigger and they just have so much more flavour. "Our diet hasn't changed drastically because I feel like it's difficult to just quickly change. So we'd still have our basic meals that we'd have in the UK, but you just feel better." She can also go and visit the local farmers and do tours to see the produce for as cheap as Euro 12. Jade's parents moved to the city two years ago for retirement, and the couple are currently staying with them until their big move to their new apartment - just 15 minutes from the beach. The couple have noticed one specific cultural difference in Spain compared to the UK. Jade said: "One thing I've noticed is that people don't just want to do stuff on the weekend, they'll happily make plans every day, even if it's just a walk". At the beginning of her move, she was "quite concerned" about how lonely living abroad could be but has found that she now has "more friends here than in the UK." Jade is "100%" more sociable now, she said: "I think I've had two events every day. The other day we went to the beach with friends and then drove to another area to watch the sunset. "And with my other friend we went to see a concert, so it's just utilising the free things and not being weather dependent." The couple have done this through indulging in the culture and are even trying to learn Spanish too, which her new friends are helping with. Jade said: "I go to an hour lesson in the village once a week and then just picking up comments from my social media and putting it into practice." Jade shares her life in Murcia on social media and has created a community of people who also hope to one day move abroad. Her audience is around 60% Spanish, which helped her "learn the area and the culture a lot quicker". "I try to use my account to show people that if I can do it, they can do it. "Even if it's just going to travel, take the risk, do what you want to do." Data found by CompareMyMove has found that there has been a 32.6% increase in people leaving the UK in the first half of 2025 than there were in the first half of 2024. It also found that Spain is the most popular place for Brits to move this year. Jade plans to live in Murcia permanently now and said she "can't see herself moving back to the UK again". 4 4
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I ditched the UK to live in Spain - the drinks are cheap, there are free concerts every night and I don't think I will ever come back
A woman has ditched the UK to live in Spain and says it feels like a 'permanent holiday' with glasses of wine costing 3.50 Euros and free concerts every night. Jade Gartshore, 25, had a successful career but says it didn't give her 'enough' fulfilment and she struggled with the 'dark' days. After travelling with her husband Edward Partis, 25, an electrical engineer, she fell in love with the Spanish city of Murcia. She ditched her job to move out last November and say they can't seem themselves 'moving back to the UK'. Jade said: 'I used to sit in the office and used to look out and think, this can't be life, you know, every day going to work in the dark and coming back in the dark. 'I was always doing very well in my job, but it just didn't give me enough. 'It's like a permanent holiday, I wake up feeling a lot happier and often have those pinch me moments where I still can't believe I live here. 'We have a free concert every night. It's different in each town. Jade had a successful career but says it didn't give her 'enough' fulfilment and she struggled with the 'dark' days 'So you'll have jazz, you'll have disco, techno, and they'll just be on the seafront, and it's all put on by the council. 'That's where some of your money goes, which is a nice feeling. 'You can get a glass of wine for 3.50 Euros, which is crazy, but your day-to-day shopping can be pretty much the same as the UK.' Jade and Edward, who are from Leicester, went travelling for six months in 2023 and spent five weeks of it in Murcia - where Jade's parents retired to. The couple carried on travelling in Asia - but couldn't stop thinking about Spain. Jade said: 'The whole six months we were just working out ways how to get back to Spain, and we just completely fell head over heels for it. 'The conversation just kept coming back to Murcia that we kind of loved it and both felt exactly the same way, which was really lucky. 'To be honest, growing up in the UK, I always felt like it wasn't my home. 'When I was 16, I was going to California on holiday by myself to see friends, and when I was 19, we tried to live in Australia, but it just wasn't for us. 'So I just feel like my whole life, I've just known that the UK is not for me. 'It can be scary, but definitely making the jump in your twenties is a perfect time.' Jade was on the path to being promoted as a manager in her estate agent job but decided to 'make the jump' and live a new life elsewhere. She said: 'I was completely petrified, I had this great job, and my collegial manager wanted me to become a manager. I just left it all behind because it didn't feel right. 'The people here, especially in Murcia, are just so kind. 'I've always wanted to lived by the sea, but Murcia also has the mountains where you can go on hikes. 'It's very outdoor living, which is right up my street.' After moving out in November the couple say they can't seem themselves moving back to the UK Despite incredible free events hosted by the council, Jade wanted to break the misconception that it is a lot cheaper to live abroad than it is in the UK. She said: 'I think people have the perception that it is quite cheap here, especially when you come on holiday, but it's mainly the alcohol that's a big difference.' Jade, who is currently looking for work, explained how rent and bills are also pretty similar as 'it fluctuates as to where you live'. 'Some places near us are more expensive than what you'd rent in the UK, and you get less for your money, but then some areas you get more for your money depending on location,' she said. Murcia is located in south-eastern part of the country and is the seventh largest city in Spain. It is known as 'the fruit basket of Spain' due to its fruits, vegetables, and flower production. Jade said: 'The fruit and vegetables are so much bigger and they just have so much more flavour. 'Our diet hasn't changed drastically because I feel like it's difficult to just quickly change. So we'd still have our basic meals that we'd have in the UK, but you just feel better.' She can also go and visit the local farmers and take tours to see the produce for as little as 12 Euros. Jade's parents moved to the city two years ago for retirement, and the couple are currently staying with them until their big move to their new apartment - just 15 minutes from the beach. The couple have noticed one specific cultural difference in Spain compared to the UK. Jade said: 'One thing I've noticed is that people don't just want to do stuff on the weekend, they'll happily make plans every day, even if it's just a walk'. At the beginning of her move, she was 'quite concerned' about how lonely living abroad could be but has found that she now has 'more friends here than in the UK.' Jade is '100 per cent' more sociable now, she said: 'I think I've had two events every day. The other day we went to the beach with friends and then drove to another area to watch the sunset. 'And with my other friend we went to see a concert, so it's just utilising the free things and not being weather-dependent.' The couple have done this through indulging in the culture and trying to learn Spanish, which her new friends are helping with. Jade said: 'I go to an hour lesson in the village once a week and then just picking up comments from my social media and putting it into practice.' Jade said she and her partner went travelling but but couldn't stop thinking about Spain Pictured: The picturesque city hall in Murcia Jade shares her life in Murcia on social media and has created a community of people who also hope to one day move abroad. Her audience is around 60 per cent Spanish, which helped her 'learn the area and the culture a lot quicker'. 'I try to use my account to show people that if I can do it, they can do it. 'Even if it's just going to travel, take the risk, do what you want to do.' Data found by CompareMyMove have found that there has been a 32.6 per cent increase in people leaving the UK in the first half of 2025 than there were in the first half of 2024. It also found that Spain is the most popular place for Brits to move this year. Jade plans to live in Murcia permanently now and said she 'can't see herself moving back to the UK again'.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Residents evacuated from homes in Spain after heavy flooding and hailstorms
A heavy hailstorm has swept through areas of the southeast of Spain, forcing the evacuation of residents and blocking roads. In one of the worst hit towns, Caravaca de la Cruz, emergency services dealt with 82 incidents connected to hailstones, landslides and road blockages on Thursday, local authorities said. Thick layers of hail piled up on pavements and roads in the town in the Murcia region, and reached depths of 20cm in some places. Footage shared online showed residents wading through icy streets and clearing mounds of hail from their doorsteps just to get inside their homes. In the town's centre, two houses were evacuated due to the risk of collapse, with residents temporarily relocated to municipal facilities, the council said in a statement. Local reports also said up to 20 people spent the night in a municipal sports hall after flooding made it unsafe to return home. Meanwhile, local police closed traffic lanes near rivers and ramblas, which are dry stream beds that can quickly flood, to prevent accidents. Local authorities and private contractors worked to clear debris and check buildings for damage, while engineers were sent to assess properties affected by flooding and structural concerns, the council said. 'The situation is evolving favourably, but we continue to ask for maximum precaution,' the city council said, thanking residents who joined to clean up the aftermath. 📍Moratalla (Murcia) @MeteoChatSE — elmoya._ (@elmoya_07) July 24, 2025 The volume of rainfall overwhelmed the town's drainage system, leading to flooding in commercial properties and basements. Fast-flowing muddy water surged through the streets, turning roads into torrents and leaving some homes and businesses waterlogged. Cafes and restaurants quickly emptied as people took shelter. ¡Tremendo! Tal y como estaba previsto, #tormentas muy fuertes en zonas de interior (áreas montañosas) del sureste #PenínsulaIbérica. Esta tarde (24/07/2025), granizada histórica en #CaravacaDeLaCruz (#Murcia), donde se han registrado entre 40-50 l/m². Vídeo: @LaReferenciaNET. — MeteOrihuela (@MeteOrihuela) July 24, 2025 In nearby Calasparra, authorities raised the weather warning to orange for Thursday, warning of further storms between 6am and midnight. The city council suspended all planned activities for the day, including events at the municipal pool, summer schools and an outdoor cinema night, and activated its emergency plan. Meanwhile, Spain's national weather agency AEMET has issued multiple weather warnings across the northeast and south. An alert for the Barcelona coast warns of intense rainfall of up to 40mm in an hour, while other areas, including Girona and the Pyrenees, could see up to 20mm. Storm warnings also include the possibility of hailstones less than 2cm in diameter. In Cadiz, forecasters expect Levante winds to reach gusts of up to 50mph in the Strait and 44mph along the coast, with rough seas and waves up to 2 metres affecting coastal areas of Mallorca and Menorca. Residents across the region were urged to stay away from streams, avoid unnecessary travel and secure anything outside their homes that could be swept away by floodwaters.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Floods smash Spain resorts turning roads to rivers as huge lightning storms strike Benidorm & hail sends Brits running
THIS is the horror moment flash flooding smashes southern Spain turning roads to rivers and sending Brits running. Murcia, the region around Benidorm, has been lashed by wild weather just two weeks after thunderstorms hit the country and swept two away. 7 7 7 Lightning cracked along the beloved beach at Benidorm with Brits forced to take shelter and the holiday hotspot turning to a ghost town as folks hid. Towns southwest of the city were the hardest hit as several homes were evacuated and some 90litres of rain fell per square metre in the worst hit areas. Footage shows flooding in the streets of the idyllic towns with a torrent of water running down streets. Murky brown water rushed along the streets of Moratalla while thick sheets of golf-sized hail balls blanketed Caravaca de la Cruz and smashed the windscreens of parked cars. Basements and drains were flooded as the water moved through streets, promising locals a large cleanup operation. Cops had to move parked vehicles which were in the path of rushing water as they risked being moved into the street or swept away and damaging what they hit. The massive amount of hail froze in the streets making large piles of ice that needed to be smashed up by locals. Wind gusted along the coast with La Manga del Mar Menor reaching speeds of 34mph. Further rain is forecast for the the Altiplano, Northwest, and Vega del Segura regions, and could see 30litres per square metre in an hour. Hail measuring more than two centimetres across could fall, which combined with the rain, has lead officials to plan for more flooding. Wildfires rip across Spain turning Madrid skies ORANGE as army deployed with fears wild winds will wreak havoc today Forest fires also appear to have been lit by the lightning strikes with emergency services rushing to put them out. Temperatures plunged 10C below normal just days after the same areas had seen hot temperatures. Weather warnings were in place from 6am until midnight on Thursday but were wound down in Murcia on Friday morning. Yellow weather warnings remain in place for the southern tip of the country around Gibraltar and some in the northeast for Catalonia and Menorca. 7 7 7 The area is expecting pleasant weather over the weekend - which will be perfect for those needing to clean up and dry out. It comes just two weeks after wild weather smashed the same area with footage showing a car disappearing off a ledge. Shocking footage showed cars being swept away, including down a river and over a ledge. It comes as Cyprus has been hit by the worst wildfires in 50 years amid a 44C heatwave. The country has plunged into chaos after two people were burnt alive and more than 70 houses were destroyed. Dry hills could be seen burning as flames reached up into the sky and quickly spread through the shrub. Homes were left torched despite the best efforts of firefighters. 7
Times
22-07-2025
- General
- Times
Captured: moment seagull hits 600mph Typhoon at air show
A photographer has captured the moment a seagull collided with a Spanish fighter jet, shattering its canopy as it was performing aerobatic manoeuvres at an air show. A lesser black-backed gull flew into the path of the Eurofighter Typhoon as the plane was flying at about 600mph at the Aire 25 air show in San Javier in Murcia in June. Javier Alonso de Medina Salguero, an aviation photographer, captured the incident in a four-shot sequence before and after the moment the bird hit the right side of the windscreen. The final shot shows the shattered perspex and the pilot, who ended the flight and returned to land. The bird just before the strike and, below, the moment of impact JAVIER ALONSO DE MEDINA SALGUERO/SWNS JAVIER ALONSO DE MEDINA SALGUERO/SWNS Tens of thousands of birds hit aircraft in flight every year, almost always at low height near airports. The majority cause little damage. Most cases that make the news involve jets that suffer engine failure after their turbines ingest birds. A bird strike began the sequence that brought down a Jeju Air Boeing 737 in Muan, South Korea, in December, killing 179 people. Windshield strikes, which account for almost half of bird collisions with helicopters and about 20 per cent with fixed-wing planes, can be dangerous. Pilots have been killed and badly injured when larger birds have smashed through the windscreen, hitting them in the head and chest at speeds of more than 100mph. The impact energy of a seagull with a jet fighter near the speed of sound is huge, potentially destabilising it in low-altitude manoeuvres. The cost of replacing the canopy can run well into six figures. • Planes are striking more birds, but Detective Dove is on the case The photographer said he was using a Nikon D7500 with a 200-500mm lens when he saw the Eurofighter pull out of the display. 'They reported over the radio that it had hit a seagull and broken the cockpit. Just then, I looked at the photos I had and saw the whole sequence,' he said. 'I was amazed to see the front of the cockpit broken.' The pilot was able to land safely despite the shattered windscreen JAVIER ALONSO DE MEDINA SALGUERO/SWNS King Felipe was attending the show, in which there were displays by Spain's Eagle Patrol, the RAF's Red Arrows and Italy's Frecce Tricolori teams. The jet that hit the bird was from the Spanish air force's 11th wing, based in Moron.
