Category Archives: Moving to Spain

La inauguración del AVE de Barcelona a Francia impulsará las ventas en el sector inmobiliario


Después de muchos años de demoras, finalmente ya ha entrado en servicio el último tramo de la línea ferroviaria de alta velocidad entre Barcelona y Francia. A partir de hoy habrá nueve trenes diarios del AVE desde Barcelona a Girona y a Figueres, dos de los cuales servirán de enlace con el TGV francés que va a París, donde también hay los trenes Eurostar, que enlazan con Londres y Bruselas. No obstante, las conexiones directas entre Barcelona y Francia no estarán en funcionamiento hasta abril, ya que durante los próximos tres meses los pasajeros con destino a Perpiñán tendrán que cambiar de tren en Figueres. La duración del trayecto del AVE de Barcelona a Girona será de 39 minutos y de Barcelona a Figueres será de 55 minutos. Habrá tarjetas con descuentos para 10 trayectos, lo que significa que el trayecto costará solo 6,91 € (Barcelona-Girona) y 8,89 € (Barcelona-Figueres), aunque será más caro para los viajeros ocasionales.

Esta infraestructura llega casi 21 años después de la primera línea de alta velocidad entre Madrid y Sevilla, de casi 3.000 kilómetros. España cuenta con la red ferroviaria más extensa en el mundo después de China. Finalmente, la península ibérica quedará conectará por tren de alta velocidad con el resto de Europa, mientras que las cuatro capitales de Cataluña -Barcelona, Girona, Lleida y Tarragona- también estarán conectadas entre sí.

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Boost for property sales as last High Speed railway stretch between Barcelona and France finally unveiled


After years of delays, the last stretch of the High Speed railway linking Barcelona and France is finally in service. There are now nine daily AVE fast-trains from Barcelona to Girona and Figueres, two of which will connect with the french TGV fast-trains to Paris, where Eurostar trains link to London and Brussels.  Direct connections between Barcelona and France will still have to wait until April, as during the next three months passengers will have to switch trains at Figueres if they want to continue to Perpignan. AVE trains from Barcelona to Girona and Figueres will have journey times of 39 minutes and 55 minutes respectively and 10-journey tickets will be issued for daily passengers which mean that the rides will cost only €6.91 and €8.89, although they will be more expensive for occasional travellers.

This infrastructure arrives almost 21 years after the first High Speed Train line between Madrid and Seville was unveiled and after nearly 3000  kilometres of railroad has been constructed. Spain now has the world’s second largest rail network after China. Spain will finally be connected by High Speed Train to the rest of Europe whilst Catalunya’s four capitals – Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona – are also linked between themselves.

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Guía de Barcelona para los amantes de la moda

Antiques & Boutiques ofrece una “guía especializada” de Barcelona que os ayudará a encontrar algunas de las joyas ocultas de la ciudad, incluyendo sus restaurantes favoritos, boutiques de moda y tiendas de muebles de época. También os puede ayudar a decorar vuestro nuevo hogar con los diseños más innovadores de Barcelona. Antiques & Boutiques colabora con Lucas Fox, en particular, con los inversores inmobiliarios que llegan a la ciudad y necesitan un poco de orientación.

Hace poco entrevistamos a sus fundadoras, Lisa y Niki, para preguntarles todo sobre su negocio…

¿Qué es Antiques & Boutiques y cuándo y por qué fue fundada?

Antiques and Boutiques es un tour personalizado y un servicio de asesoramiento de estilo que creamos hace más de 3 años. Inicialmente empezamos a hacer tours para amigos nuestros que trabajan en la industria del diseño y buscaban inspiración. La idea surgió a partir de nuestra propia experiencia de viajar a otros países y ciudades donde siempre buscábamos algo que nos inspirara, algo único de los lugares que visitamos. Por ello creamos Antiques & Boutiques, con el objetivo de ofrecer una guía de estilo personal y especializada para personas de ideas afines que visitan la ciudad. Poner en contacto a los visitantes con lo mejor de la moda de Barcelona y el mundo del diseño, con diseñadores locales, talleres y productos exclusivos personalizados de Barcelona. También es una manera de disfrutar de un día realmente encantador y una gran manera de conocer gente local y sentirte como ellos.

¿Quién hay detrás de la empresa?

Somos Lisa Richardson y Niki Robinson, dos diseñadoras de moda que nos mudamos aquí [Barcelona] hace más de 6 años después de vivir en Milán y Londres. Nos conocimos a través de amigos diseñadores mutuos y en seguida descubrimos que teníamos un montón de intereses compartidos, como el arte y el diseño, la pasión por el vintage y viajar.

En términos generales, ¿dónde situáis Barcelona en el mundo del diseño y la moda?

Barcelona se está convirtiendo rápidamente en una de las ciudades del diseño más interesantes de Europa que rivalizan con Londres y París. Tiene la mezcla perfecta del diseño de gama alta, boutiques independientes, salas de exposiciones, tiendas de concepto y talleres. Es una ciudad creativa con una fuerte herencia del arte que cada vez se potencia más. Las tiendas cada vez ofrecen más calidad en los productos bien diseñados y Barcelona se está convirtiendo en una importante plataforma para ofrecer estos productos. Cuando visitamos una ciudad queremos encontrar las cosas que son exclusivas de ese lugar y eso es lo que Barcelona ofrece.

¿En qué áreas creativas específicas creéis que la ciudad destaca?

Para nosotros Barcelona destaca en la artesanía, así como en los productos personalizados de gama alta; esto nos permite ofrecer a nuestros clientes una experiencia de compra única.

La moda vintage parece ser cada vez más popular en Barcelona, ¿a qué se debe y cuáles son las zonas, tiendas o mercados que recomendaríais a los amantes de la ropa vintage?

Barcelona cuenta con una gran cantidad de tiendas vintage por toda la ciudad, desde el Born y el Raval, hasta el Eixample y Gràcia. Se puede encontrar de todo, desde boutiques retro y sastres increíbles hasta showrooms privadas o boutiques hermosas. Una de nuestras boutiques preferidas es Magnolia Antic, una tienda muy hermosa y atmosférica que muestra la mejor colección de accesorios, objetos y artículos de gama alta para el hogar.

Para aquellos que buscan un look de diseño, ¿dónde están las zonas principales?

Las zonas principales donde se encuentran las tiendas de diseño de lujo son el Eixample y cerca de Turó Park. Se puede encontrar una gran selección de marcas internacionales de lujo en la parte superior del Paseo de Gracia y en las calles que desembocaban en ella hay varias boutiques de diseñadores locales de gama alta y boutiques especializadas.

¿Y para una moda más informal?

Podéis comprar ropa más informal en la calle del Portal del Àngel y Portaferrissa. Encontraréis todas las marcas españolas e internacionales y outlets de moda joven. También encontraréis ropa deportiva y moda urbana.

A parte de ofrecer tours de shopping personalizados por Barcelona, también asesoráis a los nuevos propietarios que acaban de llegar a la ciudad a diseñar y amueblar su nueva casa, ¿en qué consiste?

Ofrecemos un servicio de asesoramiento y diseño de interiores para ayudarles a encontrar su estilo y seleccionar fantásticas piezas para su hogar. Esto va dirigido a personas que tienen sus propias ideas de diseño y que deseen participar en el proceso de decoración.

Empezamos con una consulta inicial en el domicilio del cliente y después le programamos citas para darle a conocer las mejores tiendas de diseño de interiores según su gusto. Tenemos un amplio directorio de las mejores tiendas de diseño de interiores de la ciudad, así como de galerías privadas y salas de exposición.

También ofrecemos una presentación personalizada de la ciudad para las personas que se trasladan a Barcelona. Cuando acabas de llegar a la ciudad, orientarse y saber adónde tienes que ir puede ser una experiencia abrumadora, así que estamos aquí para proporcionarles un conocimiento local y hacer que la experiencia sea divertida y fácil.

Para aquellos que estén interesados en la compra de muebles antiguos, ¿qué zonas de la ciudad recomendáis?

Nuestras tiendas favoritas de antigüedades se encuentran dispersas por toda la ciudad, pero hay una buena selección en el Eixample y en el Gótico. Algunas de las tiendas tienen aparadores pequeños pero en el interior disponen de almacenes enormes, así que tienen mucho más que ofrecer a parte del escaparate. También hay fantásticas tiendas de antigüedades fuera de Barcelona y mercados mensuales de antigüedades en algunos pueblos.

¿Qué tipos de muebles antiguos se pueden encontrar en las tiendas y en los mercadillos?

Se puede encontrar cualquier cosa en los mercadillos y en las casas de subastas de Barcelona. Hay gran cantidad de anticuarios y estudios especializados en la restauración de todo tipo de muebles, desde muebles coloniales británicos, pasando por lámparas de arte nouveau o de diseño italiano de mediados de siglo.

¿Cuáles creéis que son los errores más comunes cuando la gente se embarca en un proyecto de decoración?

La poca planificación. Tener una buena idea sobre el espacio y la forma de ver el proyecto terminado es importante, así que la planificación es vital. Para nosotros, la sensación y el ambiente son muy importantes así que nos gusta crear el ambiente y el concepto como un buen punto de partida.

Ofrecemos este tipo de asesoramiento como parte de nuestro servicio.

¿Qué le aconsejarías a la gente antes de embarcarse en un proyecto de decoración?

Que investiguen, que recorten imágenes e ideas de revistas de interiores, de libros, de viajes y de exposiciones. Pinterest es también un gran recurso para inspirarse y recopilar imágenes de manera rápida y fácil. Esto os permitirá ver cómo encaja todo en conjunto y en qué dirección queréis ir. Y al mismo tiempo, que empiecen a crear una paleta de colores, siempre y cuando los prueben antes de comprometerse. Nos encanta la pintura y los papeles tapiz de Farrow and Ball, todos los colores y diseños vienen en un bote de muestra o una tira que se puede probar en casa.

La mayoría de los pisos en el casco antiguo carecen luz natural, ¿qué consejo le daríais a un propietario que quiera iluminar su casa?

Le proponemos que mantenga los suelos y las superficies de un color claro para reflejar más luz, así como decorar las paredes con espejos, por ejemplo, poner grandes espejos o una pared llena de espejos pequeños para reflejar la luz, y a la vez funcionará de elemento decorativo.

Una iluminación adecuada es esencial para los apartamentos oscuros; se puede agregar luces detrás de las plantas con tal de que la luz resalte en las paredes o bien se puede invertir en lámparas grandes. Nos encanta Biosca y Botey ya que tienen lo último en tendencias de iluminación

¿Dónde creéis que hay los inmuebles más interesantes de la ciudad? ¿Cuáles son las características que destacan?

El distrito de Sant Antoni se está convirtiendo en la nueva zona de moda de la ciudad, con sus bares cafeterías –como la Federal- que atraen a un público más joven. Nos encantan sus calles alineadas con árboles y los hermosos apartamentos modernistas de esta zona, es de fácil acceso a Montjuïc y al encantador mercado de Sant Antoni, que ahora está en proceso de renovación.

Para nosotros se trata de elegir entre los edificios modernistas del Eixample, con sus techos altos y suelos de baldosas de mosaico y los modernos apartamentos tipo loft que ahora ocupan las antiguas fábricas del Poble Nou.

En cuestiones de espacio y grandeza nos dirigiríamos hacia la parte alta de la montaña del Tibidabo donde hay las preciosas masías y palacios antiguos con majestuosas vistas a la ciudad.

Si la gente está interesada en vuestros servicios, ¿cómo pueden contactar con vosotros?

A través de nuestra web www.antiquesandboutiques.com o enviarnos un e-mail a Lisa o Niki: info@antiquesandboutiques.com ¡y nos pondremos en contacto con vosotros!

 

Fashionistas guide to Barcelona

Antiques & Boutiques offers an ‘insider’s guide’ to Barcelona, and will help you find some of the city`s hidden gems including their favourite eateries, exciting fashion boutiques and antique furniture stores. They can also help you deck out your new home with some of Barcelona`s latest designs. Antiques & Boutiques are collaborating with Lucas Fox, in particular with property investors new to the city who need a bit of orientation.

We caught up with founders Lisa & Niki recently to ask them what the business is all about….

What is Antiques & Boutiques and when & why was it set up?

Antiques and Boutiques is a bespoke tour and style consultancy service which we set up over 3 years ago now . Initially we began doing the tours for friends in the design industry looking for inspiration, from there the idea grew from our own experiences of travelling to other countries and cities we were always looking to find something inspiring and unique to the places we visited.   We created Antiques and Boutiques with the aim to offer a stylish, personal and insider guide to like-minded people visiting the city. Connecting visitors to the best of Barcelona’s fashion and design scene, introducing clients to local designers , ateliers and bespoke products unique to Barcelona. It’s also a really lovely day out and a great way to meet with and feel like a local.

Who are the people behind it?

We are Lisa Richardson and Niki Robinson, two fashion designers that moved here from Milan and London over 6 years ago. We met through mutual designer friends and soon discovered that we had a lot of shared interests, in art and design, a love of vintage  and a shared passion for travel.

In broad terms, where would you place Barcelona in the world of design and fashion?

Barcelona is fast becoming  one of the most interesting design cities in Europe rivaling London and Paris, it has the right mixture of high end design, independent boutiques, showrooms, concept stores and ateliers. It is a creative city with a strong heritage of craft that is being nurtured. Shopping trends are focusing towards quality in well designed products and Barcelona is becoming an important platform in offering this. When we visit a city we want to find things that are unique to that place and that is what Barcelona can offer.

In what specific creative areas do you think the city excels in?

For us it is that craftmanship as well as bespoke high-end products that makes Barcelona excel, this helps us offer our customers a truly unique shopping experience

Vintage fashion seems to be becoming increasingly popular in Barcelona, why do you think that is and which areas, shops or markets would you suggest lovers of vintage clothes  should head to?

Barcelona has a lot of vintage stores all around the city, from Born, to Raval , Eixample and Gracia. You can find everything from fun retro boutiques and amazing costumiers to private showrooms or beautiful lifestyle boutiques. One of our favourites is Magnolia Antic,  a very beautiful and atmospheric store showcasing a hand picked collection of high end accessories, objects and homewares.

For those looking for a more upmarket/designer look, where are the main hotspots?

The main hotspots for upmarket designer shopping are the Eixample área and around Turó park.  You can find a great selection of international luxury brands around the upper end of Passeig de Gracia and the streets  leading off it are scattered with high end local designers and specialist boutiques.

And for high street fashion?

For high Street shopping head to Portal del Angel and Carrer Portaferrissa. You’ll find all of the Spanish and international high street brands and younger fashion outlets. It’s also a good area for Street style, sportswear and urban fashion.

As well as offering personalized shopping tours of Barcelona, you can also help those new to the city design and furnish their new home, how do you go about this?

We offer a consultancy and interior styling service which helps people to source, style and select fantastic  pieces for their home. This is aimed at people who have their own design ideas and like to be involved in the decorating process.

We start with an initial consultation in the client’s home then make appointments to introduce them to the best interior design stores for their taste. We have a great directory of all the city’s best interior design and decoration stores, private galleries and showrooms.

We also offer a bespoke introduction to Barcelona, for people who are moving here. When you’re new to a city finding your way around can be a daunting experience so we are here to give you the inside local knowledge and make the experience fun and easy.

For those interested in purchasing Antique furniture, in which areas of the city should people be looking?

Our favorite Antique shops are scattered all around the city , but there are a good selection in Eixample and in the Gotico. Some of the small shops are showcases for huge almacens, so there’s a lot more on offer behind the scenes. There is also great Antique shopping outside of Barcelona and you can find monthly Antique markets in some small towns and villages.

What types of antique furniture can be found in the shops and markets?

You can find just about anything at the markets and auction houses in Barcelona and beyond. There are great antique and restoration studios specializing in everything from British Colonial furniture, to art nouveau lighting or mid century Italian Design .

What do you think the most common mistakes are when people embark on a decorating project?

Not thinking it through. Having a good idea about the space and how you see the finished project is important, so planning is vital. For us the feeling and atmosphere is very important so we like to créate mood and concept boards as a good starting point.

We offer help with this as part of our service.

What would you advise people to before  embarking on a decorating project?

Research, start collecting images and inspiration from interior magazines, books, travels, textiles and exhibitions.  Pinterest  is also  great inspiration resource for creating quick and easy mood boards. This will let you see how everything works together and what direction you want to head in.  Alongside that start creating a colour palette that works for you, and always try them out before comitting. We love Farrow and Ball for paint and wallpaper, every colour and design comes in a sample pot or strip so you can try it out at home.

Many properties in parts of the Old Town lack natural daylight, what advice would you give to a homeowner looking to brighten up their home?

We would suggest keeping floors and surfaces light to reflect any light you may have as well as accessorising the walls with mirrors, you could consider using large mirrors or a wall of picture sized mirrors to reflect light whilst making it into a feature for the wall.

The right lighting is essential for dark apartments, try  adding  back lights behind plants that will bounce off the walls and invest in some great lamps, we love Biosca and Botey  for all the latest in lighting trends.

Where do you think the most exciting up-and-coming properties are located in the city? What are the stand-out features?

The San Antoni area is becoming the new trendy area of the city, with  cool bars and cafes such as Federal  opening up it is attracting a new younger crowd. We love the tree-lined avenues and you can find beautiful Modernista apartments in this area, it is within easy access to Montjuic and charming San Antoni market which is now under renovation.

For us it is a choice between the Modernista buildings in the eixample, with their high ceilings and patterned tiled floors to re-working an old industrial space in the Poble Nou area to create an ultimate urban open-plan home.

For space and grandeur we’d head uptown towards the Tibidabo to one of the beautiful old Masias or Palaces with majestic views over the city.

If people are interested in your services how should they contact you?

You can get in touch with us via our website www.antiquesandboutiques.com or send an email to Lisa or Niki at info@antiquesandboutiques.com and we will get back to you!

 

The Lucas Fox guide to Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona

The attractive town of Sant Just Desvern is located to the west of Barcelona and stands out for its extensive gardened areas and its architecture and layout, still conserving emblematic modernista buildings and masias. Ancient history is represented by the archaeological sites of Penya del Moro (Moor’s Crag) and the flour mill. Can Ginestar, a Modernista style masia is also one of the town’s attractions, and one of the reference points for the architecture of the Walden-7 development by Ricardo Bofill.
The town is located in the region of  the Baix Llobregat – with more than 15 km of wide beaches, it also has the mountains of Garraf, Ordal and the majestic Montserrat mountain, ideal for trekking and nature activities; and the river which, in its last section, gives way to the Llobregat delta, an exceptional site in terms of ecology.

With just over 16 thousand inhabitants (idescat), the town of Sant Just Desvern offers both tranquil and green surroundings, with the magnificent Collserola mountains as a backdrop. The municipality consists of seven districts – North, South, Centre, Walden, Les Basses de Sant Pere and La Miranda. It has its borders with San Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Joan de Despi and Espluges de Llobregat.
The area (around 7km) offers a wide range services including numerous shops, restaurants, cinemas, fitness centres and medum-sized businesses which have helped contribute to the wealth of the town. Due to its proximity to the German and American international schools, Sant Just has proved a popular area with Germans and Americans as well as with some high profile FC Barcelona players, celebrities and politicians. The town is just five minutes from Avenida Diagonal and Pedralbes, 15 minutes to the centre of Barcelona and the airport.

Sant Just Desvern has deeply rooted festivals such as the Festa Major in August,  the Festes de Tardor (Autumn Festival, in October), the “karts de coixinets” race (go-karts made of wood) and the celebration of FiraDesvern

Juan Torregosa from the Lucas Fox Barcelona office recommends Sant Just Desvern as an excellent place to invest in property for both its attractiveness and location…

“It’s ideal in that it not just a beautiful place to live, surrounded by green areas and the mountains of the Collserola Park  but it is so well connected to the centre of Barcelona by road, rail, bus and tram. It’s also situated  a short distance from Barcelona’s business districts and a fifteen minute drive from the airport”

Lucas Fox has a range of fantastic properties for sale in Sant Just Desvern including a spectacular luxury apartment with garden, pool and garage in a splendid renovated palace!  Find out more

Other properties for sale include:

Unique property with stunning gardens currently used as a restaurant and wedding venue but could be converted into an outstanding family home

6-bedroom designer house, finished to a very high standard and comes with a pool, garden, terraces, 5 parking spaces and a lift http://www.lucasfox.com/Buy-property/Spain/barcelona/barcelona-city/sant-just/House-Villa/LFS4061.html

Country house (Masia)  needing a complete renovation. Set on a large plot of land of 9000m2

For more information on the above properties or any other property for sale in Sant Just or Barcelona please contact Juan at the Lucas Fox Barcelona office by email:  juan.t@lucasfox.com or by phone +34 672 156 894

 

Parents eye Costa Brava properties

UK newspaper The Telegraph recently highlighted the superb Caldes de Malavella country house, one of the Lucas Fox Costa Brava properties recently – but this was more of an aside for an article that focused on another business: mumabroad, run by Carrie Frais, the wife of Lucas Fox Costa Brava Director Tom Maidment.

Relocating to Spain into a newly purchased Costa Brava property, for example, requires a good deal of planning and organization. This is double the case if you are relocating as part of a young family. We recently looked at some of the worries parents have for their children when relocating, with language being the chief cause of anxiety.

It is a perfect time to begin planning your relocation while you are still finalizing your property purchase. Several tasks do require some lead time, so planning relocation alongside your property acquisition can save time and even identify additional questions you can discuss with your Lucas Fox representative.

Here are a few more tips to keep in mind when you are relocating with young children:

  • Start investigating schools as soon as you have decided on a property purchase, especially if you are planning to send your children to an international school. For starters, review the website of your Consulate in Spain for their education advice pages and make contact with the council or agency that overseas their education services. For example, for UK residents, the British Embassy website recommends contacting the British Council to identify schools that provide an English-equivalent education.
  • Collect any administrative and education paperwork together for possible use in future school applications. You may be required to submit school reports or other documentation when applying.
  • As part of your property purchase, you will want to use this paperwork to register as a local resident with your town hall office. This is a necessary step before being able to enroll your children in school as well.
  • While young children will become bilingual easily, older children may need help with language learning at first. Consider whether you should hire a private tutor for your older children to assist them with their settling in.
  • Register for a Spanish-language class yourself! It will be a great support for your children if you are also able to communicate in Spanish.
    Join internet discussion groups like www.mumabroad.com to get in touch with other parents who have relocated to Spain. You can build friendships, learn from others, and have a sense of instant community by participating in the online forums even before you leave your home country.

More young families are showing interest in Costa Brava properties lately thanks to the lifestyle the area can offer. Safety, great weather, beautiful surroundings and an accessibility to major civic centres all rate highly for families when looking at property in Costa Brava.

We also want to give a quick congratulations to Carrie Frais and her business partner Rebecca Laidlaw for creating the supportive and informative mumabroad website.

Moving to Spain real estate with young children

If you have a young family, there will be moments of occasional panic when you are first preparing a move from your home country to your new Spain real estate. It is perfectly normal to have a fit of the jitters after making plans to relocate with your partner and young children.

 

For young families with children, imagining the school environment can be a particular cause of angst. “The most common worry that parents moving to Spain have is regarding language,” confirms Alex Vaughan, Director at Lucas Fox. “Many international parents choose to send their children to international private schools where the children are taught in Spanish and English. Cities like Barcelona have some fantastic international schools, with specialized English, American, French, German, and Swiss schools amongst others.”

 

Parents locating to a Barcelona property do need to consider the language issue more than other parents, as there are three languages in the mix in the Catalan province. “In Cataluñya, the state schools teach in Catalan, with Castellano and English taught as electives,” explains Alex. International schools have a range of options available that depend on your expected length of stay in Barcelona, the age of entry of your children, and your education goals for them.

 

International schools are established in all regions, no matter the location of your new Spain real estate. Schools are easily accessible to parents wanting their children to have a global education, while ensuring that grade results align with your home country’s qualification system.

 

There are also international nurseries and day-care centres, with a healthy choice available in the major centres. While it is natural to worry about your children’s settlement into a new education system in a different country, seeing the benefits of raising children in Spain will soon lighten your load.

 

“For me, there are two main benefits of living in Spain with young children. The first is that Spanish culture really values children. This means that you can take your kids to decent restaurants without the other diners frowning at them, and that your neighbours will keep an eye on your children when they are playing outside. The other main benefit is the climate – it means that your children can play outside for most of the year and will be swimming like fishes by the time they are 4,” Alex adds. Moving to your Spain real estate and seeing the reactions of your children as they settle in – compared to any worries of their education transfer – will be one of the joy’s remembered and one of the fear’s forgotten.