When my husband began speaking seriously about relocating abroad, with Spain as the probable choice, I started following YouTube creators who shared their journeys and daily experiences there. Those accounts helped convince me that life could work out, so I gradually expanded my subscriptions to include more Spain-focused channels. To express gratitude for the quiet reassurance they provided, I have decided to recognize them here in my blog.

First and foremost is Spain Revealed, run by James Blick. This channel focuses primarily on moving to Spain, has interesting interviews with people who have made the jump, and sometimes delves into the cultures that make Spain an interesting place to live. He is a foodie, and a number of his videos feature making stops at local restaurants and highlighting regional specialties. He offers a “Masterclass” on moving to Spain twice a year, covering many topics from visas to finding pet care over the span of 8 to 10 weeks, a mixture of pre-recorded videos and live video group calls on deep-dive topics. If you’re seriously considering making a similar journey, I’d strongly recommend signing up for James’s class.

Life in Valencia

Next I’d like to highlight several channels from folks living in our target landing spot, namely València.

  • The Long Way Home – This is probably my favorite Valencian channel. Matt and his family moved to Spain without a lot of preparation and have faced quite a few challenges. Despite that, they are making a very successful life in Spain, and they share the challenges, the successes, and some great travelogues along the way. He also posts interviews with other immigrants about their unique experiences. New content every Thursday.
  • Andrew Moves Abroad – I’ve found this channel relatively recently. Andrew, his wife, and three small kids moved from the US to Valencia about a year ago (as of this writing), and share their experiences in the city. The channel focuses on family life, how their kids are integrating into Spanish culture, and the differences between US and Spanish culture. He frequently posts “shorts” with longer videos coming out about once a week.
  • In Spain We Trust – another new channel to me, Mitch describes his life in Valencia, the challenges he and his husband faced in moving pets across the Atlantic, and the pain of being denied a visa to visit family in the US. Mitch keeps it real, the ups and the downs.
  • Abroad in Valencia – The host of the channel, American Kevin has lived in Valencia with his Valencian husband since 2018, and his channel covers day trips he takes outside of the city, cultural events like Les Fallas, how much it costs for him to live where he does, and other personal observations.
  • Everything is Boffo – A Filipino couple who jumped from Southern California to Valencia without having seen the city. Thanks to Spain’s policy of streamlining citizenship for former colonies of Spain, they are both now Spanish citizens. They document their life in Spain, their encounters with Spanish bureaucracy, and how to move to the country under the various visa options. They also produce a lot of entertaining YouTube shorts.
  • Hola Spain! – This couple moved from Texas to Valencia, and their videos share their experiences in Spain, commentary on what’s going on in the US, and their discoveries of Spanish culture.
  • Our Chosen Spanish Life – Technically not from València but from a nearby town. Two older gentlemen around the age of my husband and myself, navigating life in Spain as a mixed-race couple. Unfortunately, they haven’t updated their channel in a while. I hope they haven’t decided to abandon it.

Life In Spain Outside of Valencia

And now for several that are not in València yet are still a joy to watch:

  • Closer to Happy – I always immediately watch new videos posted by this channel which consists of Cliff and Cheryl Pia, a couple that gave up a lucrative fast-paced life in the States to live in a much calmer Marbella on the Costa del Sol. They share experiences in Spain, including some of the more interesting festivals, interactions with their family, comparisons between the US and Spain, and goofy loving-couple stuff.
  • Days We Spend – The first “life in Spain” channel I followed and still a must-watch for me. Shawn and Lainey are a fun couple who are living in Ourense in the autonomous community of Galicia, northwestern Spain. They are avid hikers, and all-around outdoors enthusiasts. They usually post new content every week, but are on a bit of a pause as they welcome a new addition to their family. Best of luck guys!
  • Hamiltons in Spain – Bruce and his family moved from the S.F. Bay Area to Logroño, Spain with no jobs and two kids. The channel documents family life in Spain, travels with very young children, and compares their life in the States and their life in Spain. Bruce has a very laid-back delivery style which can itself be very soothing.
  • Ian C Francis – A visual storyteller who moved to Malaga from the States by way of Italy, he documents things like the cost of living, the cultural differences he’s noticed, and a newly awakened artistic hobby.
  • We Dreamed of Spain – A channel hosted by Mel Moss, a British expat based in Malaga, featuring cultural and historical sites of interest, and travel to various regions around Spain.
  • Get Me To Spain – Neil & Sue, UK retirees in Costa Blanca, create videos about immigrating to Spain on a Non-Lucrative visa, Spanish festivals and traditions, comparisons between the UK and their life in Spain, and interesting topics. If you want to see the Costa Blanca through the eyes of Retired Brits, this channel is for you.

Relocation Advice and Services

  • Bureaucracy Spain – They claim to be Spain’s leading immigration platform, and the group we are using to help us apply for our Visa. Their videos cover all sorts of immigration-related topics. More immigration news and services are available at their website.
  • Spain Guru – Bruno started this channel to help people immigrate to Spain. He has videos covering all of the steps of applying for visas, getting your identification card, and getting Spanish citizenship for those who desire it. The channel is very focused on making immigration to Spain as transparent and painless as possible. They offer several paid immigration services and referrals through their website.
  • Mari in Spain – This is another channel which exists to promote their paid relocation assistance services, but I still find the videos interesting and informative. She addresses topics like affordability, which city to find your new home in, and changes to Spanish immigration law. Her website can be found here.
  • Traveling with Kristin – While Kristin helps clients move all over Europe, her YouTube channel often has videos pertaining to life in Spain. She immigrated from the US, and does make some videos making comparisons between the US and Europe. You can check out the services she offers on her website.
  • Hi Homes – This channel focuses on information about real estate in various regions of Spain, primarily the Costa del Sol.

News and Current Events

  • Spain Speaks – Stuart is a British expat who has been living in Spain (I believe Madrid) for a few years now. He shares interesting insights about the cities of Spain and the cuisine found therein. He also has frequent “Update” live broadcasts where he covers some of the Spanish headlines, gives his perspectives, and responds to viewer comments. It’s useful to get a personal perspective on what’s going on in the country.
  • Euronews in español – The official Spanish language YouTube channel for the news outlet Euronews.
  • El País – The YouTube channel for Spain’s national newspaper. They report on stories from Spain, the US, and other places. Videos are between 1 and 6 minutes long, and are entirely in Spanish.

Travelogues

  • Come to Spain – Mostly a travel vlog, visiting and highlighting some of the most beautiful, historical, and interesting cities in Spain.
  • PakSpan – a lively and entertaining couple who visit interesting and culturally significant cities around Spain and highlight the beauty to be found in each. They focus mostly on the Costa del Sol, but sometimes they venture further out. I’ve been adding several of the cities they’ve visited to my list of places to check out once we’ve landed in Spain.

Other Interesting Spain-Related Channels

  • Spain on a Fork – A cooking channel, focusing on traditional dishes from all over Spain. The few I’ve tried have been outstanding.
  • ARTING ABOUT with Nathan – Not really a channel about Spain, but Nathan does live in Barcelona and travels to other Spanish cities for urban sketching. I find him entertaining and creative, a fun channel to watch when you need something distracting. And the channel name gives me the giggles. 🙂