On the Move, Again

After nearly seven years of calling Valencia home, we’ve packed up our lives (well, most of them) and headed south to sunny Málaga. It feels a little like turning the page in a book you adore—same story, new chapter, with just enough plot twist to keep things exciting.

Valencia will always have a soft space in our hearts: she was a soft landing when we first arrived. It’s where our youngest son still lives with his girlfriend. It’s where Maizey, our 10-year-old pup who’s been with us through it all, still lounges in the afternoon sun on the terrace at our son's piso. It's where we cut our teeth on living abroad, made friends that became family, failed loudly at Spanish bureaucracy, and stuttered through the challenges of learning a language later in life. But now, C and I are embracing a new rhythm, soaking up the sunshine and slower pace of life in Málaga unencumbered. Spoiler alert: so far, we’re loving it.

Both Valencia and Málaga have gorgeous coastlines and year-round sunshine, but their personalities? Totally different.

Valencia is all about that East Coast Spanish life. Think: historic buildings, futuristic museums, siestas that sneak up on you, and dinners that rarely start before 9 p.m. The vibe is artsy and angsty, but there’s also a certain rhythm that’s deeply rooted in tradition. We got used to midday siestas (eventually), random firecracker explosions (not just at Fallas), and the dual language street signs in Castellano and Valenciano.

Now Málaga? She’s a whole different mood.

This southern charmer is all sun, sea, and a little more “go with the flow.” People are out and about more during the day, thanks to Málaga’s dreamy weather (we’re talking over 300 days of sunshine a year—¡sí, por favor!). The beaches are full of young adults playing sand volleyball, elders walking the beach promenade with their scruffy dogs, kids running into the waves, and plenty of fair-skinned travelers turning themselves into bright red beacons from not reapplying 50 SPF every 2 hours. It's a smaller city that still manages to feel full of life, with ancient fortresses, beachside chiringuitos, and tapas bars tucked around every corner.

It’s like trading a cozy café for an outdoor terraza—and suddenly everything feels lighter.

Even though we’ve been in Spain a while, moving to a new city still comes with adjustments. We are in the midst of finding new, well, everything: pharmacies, doctors, dry cleaners, bakeries, grocery stores, restaurants. A lot of the regional chains that we used in Valencia do not exist down here such as my beloved Herbolario Navarro. We are still on the look out for a good Asian food market and a truly great cup of coffee. We are currently living in a corporate apartment and are looking for a long-term rental, but by going about our adventure in this way, we have found a neighborhood that surprised us. We are still in the city, but far less central than we were when we lived in Valencia. I am a bit shocked we are enjoying it as much as we are, but there are trade offs. I miss the street musicians and the little shop directly across from our old building where we would buy bread. We are not in a popular expat area, so we hear a lot more Spanish and feel more connected to the community. Our most-used grocery store is a 10-minute or so walk, right next to the nail salon and our farmacia; the Lidl is 15 minutes away. We still walk into the city, it's a flat and scenic 50 minute stroll or 40 minutes at a good clip, but we are relying on the busses more than we did in Valencia.

Leaving Valencia was emotional. It still is.

We didn’t just leave a city—we left a version of our life behind. Our son is still there (and Maizey too). That chapter was full of dear friends, warmth, growth, and countless café con leches de soja.

To be fair, we have some great friends that also relocated here so I have someone with whom to go on daily explorations. It has made the transition easier, more fun, and less isolating.

Málaga offers something different: wide-open skies, long beach walks, and a slower rhythm that fits this next phase of life. It’s quieter, but not lonely. It’s simpler, but still rich.

Sometimes, starting fresh isn’t about leaving something behind—it’s about making space for something new.

Most of our items are in boxes in our storage unit until we have a permanent place. The sea breeze feels welcoming. The sunsets still make us pause and say wow.

If you’re dreaming about moving within Spain—or abroad in general—know this: it’s okay to be scared. But don’t let that stop you. Change can be beautiful, even when it’s bittersweet.

And as for us? We’ll be here—figuring it out one beach walk, one pitufo, one Spanglish conversation at a time.