Popular Areas for British Expats in Spain

1. Barcelona: Your first choice if you’re after a cosmopolitan feel. Barcelona, in Catalonia, offers a blend of culture, art, and modernity.

 
The city has a substantial British expat population, making it an excellent choice for those seeking the familiarity of pubs and social clubs where you can meet fellow Brits and enjoy a taste of home.
 
For many, the city’s primary draw is its architecture. Barcelona’s extraordinary whimsical, modernist facades pull in millions of visitors from across the globe.
 
Barcelona’s top attraction: the breathtaking Basílica de la Sagrada Familia, designed by architect Antoni Gaudi, is a masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage site that showcases incredible architectural creativity.

2. Madrid: The heart of Spain’s culture and politics. Madrid, the capital city, is a bustling, vibrant metropolis. It has a growing British expat community, and English is widely spoken. Madrid’s cultural similarities to the UK include a love for football (soccer), a pub culture, and an appreciation for a good cup of tea. You’ll feel right at home amidst the rich history and contemporary buzz of the city.

 
Many expats are enchanted by the capital because of its infinite cultural riches, authentic charm, extravagant carnivals, vibrant nightlife, and an abundance of dining spots.
 
If you’re moving with kids, don’t worry – Madrid isn’t only about partying and nightlife. It’s a wonderful city for families and ideal for those considering a lively retirement too.
 
Madrid’s top attraction: the Royal Palace, a living testament to Spain’s regal history, and the artistic treasures of the Prado Museum.


3. Valencia offers a more traditional Spanish experience, but it’s also becoming increasingly popular among British expats because of its low cost of living. The city has a thriving English-speaking community, and you’ll find expat-run businesses catering to your almost every need. The city’s cultural events and festivals make it an ideal blend of Spanish and British influences.

 
Valencia’s top attraction: the futuristic wonderland of the City of Arts and Sciences, where cutting-edge design and innovation come together in a stunning display.

4. Alicante is said to have the largest percentage of foreign residents compared to other Spanish provinces and a significant British expat population, primarily concentrated along the Costa Blanca. Many Brits are drawn to the laid-back lifestyle, the seemingly limitless sunshine, and the many sandy beaches along the coast. You’ll also find English-speaking services, shops, and social groups to help you integrate into the local community.

 
Alicante’s top attraction: the Castle of Santa Bárbara, a historic fortress perched on Mount Benacantil, offering panoramic views of the city and coastline. Its rich history, dating back to the 9th century, and the strategic location provides a stunning backdrop for understanding Alicante’s cultural heritage.


5. Malaga and the surrounding towns have a large British expat community, particularly in areas like Fuengirola and Benalmádena. English is commonly spoken, and you can participate in various British cultural events and clubs.

 
The Costa del Sol’s fantastic weather and beautiful beaches make it a preferred destination for Brits looking to escape the cold back home. There are also several international schools, which make Malaga and the Costa del Sol a great place for families to settle. It also doesn’t hurt that the cost of living in Malaga is cheaper than in other parts of the country.
 
Malaga’s top attraction: ascend to the Alcazaba, an ancient fortress with panoramic views that tell stories spanning centuries.

6. Seville offers a more authentic Spanish experience, with a growing British expat community. The city is known for its traditional culture, bullfighting, and flamenco. While English may not be as prevalent as in other cities, you’ll find a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

 
Seville’s top attraction: the rhythms of flamenco that seduce your senses as you witness mesmerizing dance performances and admire the opulent beauty of the Seville Cathedral, a true Gothic masterpiece.


7. Granada has a smaller British expat population, which may appeal to those seeking a less touristy experience. English-speaking services are available, but you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in authentic Spanish culture and enjoy the city’s historic charm.

 
Granada’s top attraction: the Alhambra, a breathtaking palace and fortress complex with intricate Islamic architecture set against the stunning backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Adopting the Spanish Lifestyle as a Brithish expat

Embracing the Spanish way of life means adjusting to a rhythm that’s both relaxed and vibrant. Picture yourself strolling through bustling markets in the morning, exploring historic sites in the afternoon, and enjoying tapas at a local eatery in the evening. This balance between work and leisure is a defining feature of Spanish living, inviting you to truly enjoy each day.

Count on AGS for a Hassle-Free Relocation to Spain

With offices in the UK and Spain, AGS is your go-to partner for a seamless move to the Iberian Peninsula, handling door-to-door transportation and navigating customs formalities on your behalf.

Contact us for a free quote!

Hanoi strives to preserve traditional Vietnamese culture, thereby providing newcomers with a more authentic experience than Ho Chi Minh. Historic buildings like the superb Ngoc Son Temple, located on an island in the heart of the city, cannot be overlooked. It is equally difficult to imagine the thousand-year-old capital without the thousands of mopeds that ply its streets day and night or to resist the temptation of sitting on the pavement while savouring a bowl of phô, the traditional Vietnamese soup.

Tradition in Hanoi is omnipresent

The centre of the city retains much of its historical layout and architecture. Each district has its own speciality: Hang Bac for goldsmiths and silverware, Hang Lan Ong for herbal products, and Hand Ca, the fishmongers’ corner. Hanoi is also home to the Thang Long water puppet theatre, one of the few traditional playhouses still in operation in the country. This art form, which originated in the 11th century, is inspired by rice farming and local daily life.

The “city beyond the river” is bathed in water. Built on the banks of the Red River, its districts are populated by lakes, including the famous Hoàn Kiếm Lake at the epicentre of old Hanoi. Tai Chi lovers meet on the riverbanks in the early morning to practise their art, a charming custom that enchants many expatriates, an increasing number of which are French.

A strong French heritage

Vietnam is a former French colony and was the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1953. For years the dynamism of Ho Chi Minh attracted many large multinationals, but now the historic capital of Hanoi is luring more and more French companies and their employees.

 

“Hanoi is an exotic destination that people dream about,” says Clément Fagon, Regional Director for AGS in Asia. “French expatriates can take advantage of the city’s cultural wealth without losing touch with their roots.” Indeed, Hanoi is the only city in Asia where you can find real French baguettes and traditional French gastronomy, which is very popular here. It is not uncommon to hear people speak French in the streets of the city.

Some 10,000 French people live in Vietnam, most of whom have been seduced by the tranquillity and charm of Hanoi. AGS has helped 259 French families move to and from the city since the group began operating in Vietnam in 2013.

Do you need help or advice to prepare your move to Hanoi or elsewhere in Vietnam?
Contact Clément Fagon, Regional Director for AGS in Asia: clement.fagon@mobilitas.org.

With 42 million inhabitants, Japan’s capital city beats out Delhi in India and Shanghai in China. Tokyo broke the world record for the most populous city way back in 2006 with 35.53 million inhabitants, twice as many as New York. “Moving to Tokyo gives expatriates access to a broad cultural, social and geographical diversity,” says Clément Fagon, Director of AGS Movers Asia. “The atmosphere changes from one district to another, which is what makes living in Tokyo a unique experience.”

Tokyo City has a population of “only” 13.5 million. However, it has sprouted several surrounding cities which have merged into a gigantic urban sprawl that forms one 7,000 km² metropolitan area, home to a quarter of Japan’s population.

The total population of the Empire of the Rising Sun is estimated at 125.507 million inhabitants (2021) who are spread over approximately 378,000 km² or roughly 7,000 islands. The main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Okinawa, and Kyushu.

According to a 2014 study by the Global Cities Institute, Tokyo’s population is expected to decrease over time due to the country’s ageing population. Mumbai will be the world’s largest city by 2050.

If you have any questions, AGS Movers Japan is here to help.

When AGS Togo driver Lambert retired after 24 years of unbroken service, it was the first going away party Branch Manager Emilie Ducert had had to organise in a long time.

An AGS veteran of 12 years herself, she explains: “Our employees are very loyal. Of the permanent staff, there is not one that has been here for less than a decade.”

 
Long-serving employees like Emilie and Lambert are found throughout the AGS Group. They play a vital role in our organisation, using their years of experience to anticipate potential issues to the benefit of our clients.

“Customers also love to see the person who moved them into their house when they are moving out again. It creates a sense of trust. In that sense, the veterans play an important role as ambassadors for the business,” Emilie adds.

 
But building customer relationships is only part of why we value our seasoned staff. They are also crucial in training the younger generation, imparting priceless expertise that would normally take years to accumulate. This is how we ensure that when the next Lambert is ready to retire, there is always someone ready to fill his capable shoes.

 
Emilie believes that passing the baton is a unique part of AGS culture and a big contributor to the feeling of family that pervades the Togo branch: “We have a very close relationship with the staff. Whenever we can, we help them. It’s this spirit that they appreciate and, if you ask me, it’s why our going-away parties are few and far between.”

Needing a reliable company to move you from or to Togo? Don’t hesitate to contact us.

We’d love to move you.

Lambert’s farewell occurred before the pandemic, pictures do not show the masks

Feature image: The only cake befitting AGS Togo’s longest-serving truck driver

Situated in the Kigali Special Economic Zone – a 276-hectare stretch of land reserved for foreign direct investment – the warehouse represents the AGS Group’s first opportunity to own a local facility since beginning operations in the country in 1996.

“This building is a sign of our commitment to our Rwandan clients,” says AGS Group Business Development Director, Samuel Mergui. “It is an expression of our trust in the future development of the country.”

With an average annual GDP growth rate of 7.1% since 2000, Rwanda has one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. The new facility will increase the Group’s capacity to absorb the business of the growing local removals market.

In line with international standards, the warehouse will be outfitted with comprehensive security, including full perimeter fencing, CCTV, an on-site security presence and armed response.

The project forms part of the AGS Group’s larger plan to expand its removals operations in Africa. Additional facilities are planned for the Ivory Coast, Madagascar and Zambia in 2021.

As son and grandson of the founders of the MOBILITAS Group, Alain Taïeb and his nephew, Cédric Castro, were invited to speak at the latest Family Business Network (FBN) event, held virtually on 17 September 2020. The FBN is the first global network dedicated to family-owned businesses and their shareholders, and the two gentlemen were honoured to share their thoughts on running their family business under the motto Preserving the Present to Ensure the Future.

Cultivating resilience by putting family first

Since its foundation in France in 1974 by Alain’s parents, Isaac and Sarah Taïeb (Le Point September 2016), the MOBILITAS Group, then known as AGS, has grown from an SME into a mid-sized multinational group. To achieve this, the family first expanded their core activity of removals beyond French borders and then embarked on a strategy of diversification by adding complimentary services to the AGS portfolio. Today the group is active in 98 countries with four areas of focus:  international removals, relocations, records management and heritage digitisation.

The reason behind this approach to growth? Family, of course.

“Building for the future – the next generation – has always been a priority for our family business,” explains Alain Taïeb, Chairman of the MOBILITAS Supervisory Board. “If we have always been able to bounce back and be resilient, it is thanks to this principle and the resulting strategy, which is based on three pillars: the family entrepreneurial DNA, a diversified geographical presence and the addition of new activities to minimise risk.”

President of FBN France, Philippe Grodner, confirms: “Thanks to their long-term vision, family-owned businesses have shown that their performance is often superior to that of traditional companies. The family’s values act as an essential glue that binds all employees and stakeholders together.”

This sentiment is echoed in a report published by Centennial Family Companies, in which 86% of family-owned businesses feel that their strong culture and values set them apart.

Adaptability is key

Cédric Castro, Chairman of the MOBILITAS Management Board and the third generation of the family to be at the helm, believes it is the focus on longevity and family values that has allowed the group to remain sustainable in these uncertain times.

“The importance the family places on the future has been absorbed at every level of our operations. Our teams’ daily activities form a continuous momentum that builds on what we have already achieved and lays the foundations for our upcoming plans. Our other strength is being able to adapt quickly. At each critical moment in the life of our group, we have been able to be flexible and adjust. This allows us to continue to develop, diversify and consolidate,” he says.

As such, the adaptability and diversification of the MOBILITAS Group enables it to withstand the current crisis well. “Our archiving and heritage digitisation activities are well-received. We manage archives for banks, government administrations and private companies, and through our company Arkhênum, we also offer heritage digitisation.  Just recently we have worked with a prestigious cognac brand and digitised valuable museum print collections,” Cédric continues.

It’s a fact. More and more companies want to preserve their heritage as a way of safeguarding irreplaceable know-how while strengthening their identity and their brand. This is illustrated by the testimonial of Hélène Galzin from the Renault Group, which has just carried out a great project to preserve its heritage, comprising an art collection, vintage cars and a collection of archives of inestimable value (discover the video).

MOBILITAS knows that conserving knowledge and strengthening brand identity are key activities for any business, which is why they offer digitisation services to their clients. Internally however the company also achieves these objectives through family involvement, building on the present through resilience and adaptability to ensure the future for the next generation.

AGS Tanzania was tasked with transporting a collection of naturalised insects to the MARKK entomology museum in Hamburg, Germany, earlier this year.

The museum borrowed the insects from the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research for display at an exhibition dedicated to the Amani Biological and Agricultural Institute in Tanzania.

AGS Tanzania and AGS Germany worked closely together to ensure the successful completion of this very delicate project.

“The project implementation took around three months,” explains AGS Tanzania Branch manager, Baptiste di Tria.

“The main challenge was to obtain permits for the insects to leave and return to the country. We had to work in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture to obtain all the permits “.

At the end of the special exhibition, AGS was on hand to ensure that the collection made its way back home to Tanzania safely, rising to the challenge presented by this unusual – and unique – cargo.

There are two types of stories that people like to tell about Africa. One is the tale of the dark continent, a place where potholes pit every road and politicians perpetually extend outstretched palms. The other is a more recent story, that Africa’s time has come. And that if you wait too long, you’ll miss out on the great investment opportunity that is the African continent and its people.

As Director of the African Network for the AGS Group, and with over 16 years of experience living and working in Africa in the logistics and removals industries, Frenchwoman Nathalie Jeanneau has heard both stories often. But in the course of her visits to the Group’s branches – at least one in each of the continent’s 54 countries – she gets many opportunities to see for herself which story rings truer on the ground.

“Africa does pose extra challenges,” she freely admits. “Sometimes our phone calls don’t connect, sometimes a branch has no electricity because there is a power cut and there is a shortage of gas for the generator. But you find a solution. If one way doesn’t work, you try another way. There is no problem so big it cannot be overcome.”

In Africa, a flexible and innovative approach to doing business is key, she stresses – the ability to adapt to unforeseen changes in the political or natural environment. “But,” she quickly adds, “that’s true for business anywhere, not just in Africa.”

Nevertheless, Nathalie knows that these are the challenges that, for many people, make doing business on the continent too much hassle. But she believes that knowledgeable local staff, who are sensitive to the culture and history of their country, play a big role in making business possible and ensuring that clients’ projects run smoothly.

“We have excellent branch managers who run exceedingly tight ships. They have to if we want to stay competitive. We bid against the historic removals companies who have expanded into Africa like we have, but also against newer local companies. They are FIDI-accredited, and their service is as good as anything you can find in Europe. And the customers, they’re savvy and knowledgeable, very business minded.”

These customers form part of an Africa-wide market that, according to the Brookings Institute, constitutes more than one billion consumers who, by 2030, will be spending an estimate of $2.5 trillion every year. Add to that the rapid urbanisation and rising incomes of recent years and it’s little wonder that businesses looking to expand have Africa squarely in their sites.

“What is left to do in Europe? What is left in Asia?” Nathalie asks. “Those markets are saturated, and companies are looking to new horizons for growth. Africa is very attractive. We have an abundance of labour, a wealth of natural resources, and space. Everything still has to be built and developed, there is everything to play for. I do think Africa’s time has come, and I intend for AGS to help make it happen.”

I would like to express my full satisfaction with AGS Algeria’s services for our move to Algiers. In particular, I thank you for having mobilised your entire team for this operation even as movement restriction measures due to COVID-19 were already in place in Algeria, and as my wife and I were confined in France and unable to come to Algiers for this move. Your know-how shows that your clients’ total satisfaction is your priority. This deserves the greatest attention. Be sure that I will strongly recommend AGS Algiers to my friends and family.

Kind regards.
C.R

AGS Warsaw Key Account Manager, Piotr Zelwak managed the move of Mr Leoni’s goods from Poland back to Brazil. Piotr, an AGS veteran for more than 20 years, has handled countless moves throughout his career but admits that this move was very special due to its sensitive nature. “The household goods of Mr Leoni included large collections of fragile items such as crystal and porcelain pieces, as well as antique furniture and various works of art,”says Piotr.

The AGS Warsaw team once again demonstrated a high level of professionalism and attention to detail to move Mr Leoni’s consignment, and great care was given to packing and boxing the household items. AGS used high quality boxes and packing material to ensure all items were secure and minimum damage was caused to the valuables.*

“I was very careful in choosing a moving company as I’ve learned the importance of having an experienced team during the course of my career,” says Mr Leoni. “Considering the dismal performance of some of the moving companies we have worked with in the past, I made the decision to work with AGS for my final move back to Brazil.”

“The AGS packing team is very experienced and extremely careful with each piece. The packing was performed in the most professional way. Besides for the excellence of its packing team members, AGS also uses solid boxes which adds additional protection and gave me extra peace of mind,” says Mr Leoni.

AGS Warsaw packer, Maciej Antczak, who has worked at AGS for more than ten years, handled all the packing for the move. He did an excellent job and successfully packed more than 200 boxes of chinaware.

“I am very satisfied with the service received from AGS Warsaw. The team, under the supervision of Piotr Zelwak, was very professional and took care of all paperwork related to the move. Piotr is an industry expert and pays extra attention to all matters related to the move, from packing to shipping,” Mr Leoni added.

The AGS Group would like to congratulate Piotr (pictured above with a painting offered by Mr Leoni) on completing 20 years at the company. The success of Mr Leoni’s move is further evidence of the great service Piotr has offered during his tenure and we wish him many more successful moves in the future.

AGS Warsaw packer, Maciej Antczak, brillantly packed more than 200 boxes of chinaware.