Best Place to Live in Spain for Professional Americans

Granada in Andalucía

• Pros:
  • Old historical town surrounded by mountains.
  • Great sky station.
  • 1-hour drive to the beach.
  • Ideal weather for outdoor activities like walking and skiing.
  • Best city for tapas and beers.
• Cons:
  • Can get really hot in the summer.
• "Granada in Andalucía is a perfect spot. Old historical town, surrounded by mountains with a great sky station. 1 hour drive to the beach and great weather (nothing like walking or skying under the sun on winter). Also for going out for tapas or beers is probably the best city in Spain."

Girona

• Pros:
  • Beautiful city with a big village feel.
  • Tonnes of hiking and nature trails.
  • Museums and amazing restaurants.
  • Close to Barcelona.
• "Girona, beautiful city, feels like a big village. Tonnes of hiking, and nature trails around here. Museums, amazing restaurants (this is true for most of Spain), an hour from Barcelona. Lots of villages, towns nearby if you don't want to be in a city."

Sevilla

• Pros:
  • Beautiful city rich in food and culture.
  • Access to the Sierra Nevada for nature activities.
• "Granada/Sevilla beautiful cities, food and culture. Life is just nice here. And laid back. Not as familiar with the hike side of things but, with the Sierra Nevada on your doorstep, there has to be plenty of nature to do. Also, tapas culture is the best."

Murcia

• Pros:
  • Great location with mild temperatures.
  • Proximity to beaches and mountains.
  • Affordable cost of living.
• Cons:
  • Gets very hot in July/August.
• "Murcia is always overlooked. Great location. Still hitting 18-20°C most days. 40-50 mins from Alicante and Murcia airport. Same time to beaches in Alicante or beaches in the south of Murcia. Lots of hills around Murcia and mountains just a short drive away. It does get very hot in July/August though! But it’s very cheap compared to most of the bigger cities."

Alicante

• Pros:
  • Lots to offer with beaches and mountains.
  • Diverse hiking routes in the mountains.
• "Alicante has a lot to offer and obviously not far from the airport. But drive 40-60 minutes north and you’ll hit Villajoyosa, La Nucia, L’Abir, Altea, and Calpe! Beaches on one side and mountains on the other. These mountains are littered with walking/hiking routes. If living in Alicante city, there is a train/tram that runs up the coast, connecting all these towns."

Valencia

• Pros:
  • Good weather almost all year.
• Cons:
  • Potential for high influx of tourists in the summer.
• "Valencia, Alicante, Málaga, Canary Islands, Sevilla, Cadiz. Those are one of the BEST places for good weather almost all year."

These locations offer a mix of historical charm, outdoor activities, diverse dining options, and favorable climates for Americans seeking to live and work in Spain. Make sure to consider each area's unique characteristics and amenities before making a decision.