Murcia Escape to the Continent

Welcome to what promises to be a sizzling Escape To The Continent.

Now, for over 400 years, this vast 6,000-seat Roman theatre lay

undiscovered beneath the streets of the surrounding town here.

But where do you think we've come to reveal this remarkable discovery?

Well, join us in just a moment and I'll tell you.

'On today's show, we are meeting a couple who want to move abroad

'for their golden years - but they are not looking for a quiet life.'

Oh, you can do anything in here.

You could even extend the kitchen out from there.

Tell you what, this would make a lovely dining room.

Nice big patio doors here. Just take that wall out there.

You've got a bit of work to do.

THEY LAUGH

'But will they find somewhere they're tempted to dive into permanently?'

I guessed you'd find something,

but nothing like this.

Well, today we are in Spain, in the region of Murcia

and this is the Roman theatre at Cartagena.

Now, it was built back in the first century BC

and was in good use for some 200 years,

but as the fortunes of the Roman Empire in Spain crumbled,

so too did the theatre and as the city of Cartagena grew up

it was covered, buried.

By the 16th century, nobody even knew it was here.

But a chance discovery in 1987 revealed three of those

beautifully carved Corinthian capitals that now sit

once again on top of those columns.

Believe it or not, they were found in builders' rubble.

What followed was an ambitious 16-year programme of restoration

that not only excavated the theatre, but also restored it

and brought it back to life.

It is just part of what makes this region of Spain so appealing.

Murcia is a two-and-a-half-hour fight away from the UK.

It is located in the south-east of Spain,

just north of the Costa Del Sol in neighbouring Andalusia.

With over 300 days of sunshine on average a year,

the weather is a big draw.

One of the highest European temperatures has been

recorded here - a staggering 47 degrees Celsius.

Luckily, the coastline is dotted with 192 beaches. Perfect for a dip.

The longest is La Manga, a 13-mile sand split separating

the Med from the inland sea of Mar Menor, a haven for beach lovers.

Yet, this region has plenty more to offer than beautiful coastline.

The historic regional capital is Murcia City,

founded by the Moors in the ninth century.

It's seriously laid-back.

The cathedral itself took more than 300 years to complete

and has the tallest belltower in all of Spain.

But to really cool off, head inland

to the Sierra d'Espuna National Park.

The spectacular rugged scenery, threaded with trails,

is idyllic for walkers and mountain bikers.

Now if you do fancy a nice mix of traditional Spanish life,

along with a lively expat community,

and you'd like it to be somewhere that's a lot less crowded

and a lot cheaper than the neighbouring Costa del Sol in

Andalusia, then Murcia does deserve some serious consideration.

To put it in perspective, back in the UK at the moment your average

detached property is currently going to cost you £275,000,

but here three-bed homes regularly go for just 130,000.

But let's face it, the only figure that really matters to most of us

who want to move here is the weather.

It is currently 35 degrees centigrade.

So while I go and cool off, why don't you meet today's buyers?

West Country couple Andy and Jenny

have been together for 26 years, after meeting on a night out.

Originally from Bristol, they moved down to Cornwall

seven years ago but they didn't leave their busy lives behind.

We both work full-time. I work in a children's centre. I love it.

My passion. By the time we both get home we are absolutely shattered, aren't we?

We love Cornwall, but if we stay in Cornwall

-we'll just carry on working and working and working.

-Yeah.

Least when we move abroad we can have a more relaxed atmosphere,

a quieter life, don't have to concentrate on work and do more things together.

But Andy won't be giving up on work completely.

He's going to continue part-time as a project manager

in the construction industry,

either in Spain or by commuting occasionally back to the UK.

And he's made sure their planned move to Murcia is built

on sturdy foundations.

We have been quite a few times now.

We've got friends who had a couple of villas over there,

so we've stayed in those places.

And we've toured around looking at various properties

and we just thought, "Well, it's the right time now".

We're not fazed about moving at all. And we've gone into great detail.

We just like a challenge, so we'll go for it.

Andy's also a keen sailor,

and as well as working hard they both love to play hard too.

We love entertaining.

We have barbecues as regular as we can with the weather.

We have a few friends round. We do dinner parties.

I love my darts here. We play darts to win.

But if we don't, we accept it,

as long as we have a few bevvies, we have a good time.

So I will try and get people rallied and round

to build up another darts scene.

And they're hoping the great transport links to the region

will mean they won't miss their nearest and dearest.

I'll be sad to leave my family of course, and friends.

But my family are two hours away from me now,

and they'll be two hours away from us in Spain. Free holidays!

-Well, they have that now.

-Yeah, of course they do,

but it'd nice to have free holidays in the sun.

At least over in Spain...

You're not GUARANTEED guaranteed the weather,

but you're pretty much guaranteed.

And there's going to be a lot more that we can do with them.

But it's not just Jenny's two children

and two grandchildren that they'll be leaving behind.

I must have about 150 pairs of shoes.

I must have 80 handbags.

So I'm going to get rid of all my stuff here to buy all new in Spain.

I'm selling a lot of my stuff before we go for the local hospice.

We've raised quite a bit of money so far.

And hopefully before I go I can raise a lot more.

And uprooting to the continent isn't daunting this confident couple.

People thought it was a risk us moving from Bristol down to here.

-We settled in within weeks.

-Yeah.

If you don't take risks, you don't get anywhere.

Our buyers want to be near the coast for sailing as well as the beach,

so we're going to be focusing our search on the towns and villages

in the south of the region.

They offer more value for money,

with the added benefit of being closer to Almeria airport.

But to learn more about what they're hoping for, I'm off to meet them.

Well, Andy, Jenny - welcome to beautiful Spain.

-Thank you, Jules!

-Thank you, Jules.

And welcome to Murcia,

this is a part of the world you actually know quite well, don't you?

We love it here. Absolutely love it.

It's a nice area, there's plenty of shopping, nice beaches.

Quiet and very friendly.

Now let's be clear, this isn't just another holiday home, is it?

No, it's going to be our home as well.

We're looking to retire/semi-retire. I couldn't retire completely.

I mean, I have a two week holiday,

and the second week I'm pacing around like a caged lion.

So I need to keep active.

Looking to maybe renovate some places, maybe build some log cabins.

-Maybe do up a cave house.

-A cave house?!

-Yes.

So Andy's going to be busy, Jenny - what about you?

Oh, I'm going to be busy.

What I want to do is come over here, get a darts team up together,

but also, I'd like to do some sort of voluntary work.

And take up my sewing again, because I love sewing, dressmaking.

So, hopefully, start something from there.

So the future looks extremely busy for the pair of you.

You're going to be busy renovating anything that isn't already

done up by the sounds of it - including cave houses!

You're getting back into the darts and the dressmaking.

How much do you want to spend on this new endeavour?

£200,000.

£200,000. And what exactly are you looking for in your new home?

Three beds minimum. Definitely a pool.

A lot of space for my clothes, shoes and handbags, basically.

And I'd like a little bit of land to go with it.

-And you, presumably, would like somewhere to tinker?

-I would, yes.

Nice little workshop. I quite fancy being a blacksmith, actually.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-There are not going to be enough hours in the day for you.

-Oh, there will.

-And a terms of location,

for many people coming here it's the draw of the coast

that attracts them. Is that the same for you?

I think it would be when we have visitors over,

so we don't want to be too far away.

20 minute, 25 minute drive would be nice.

Well, we've got four, I think,

very interesting properties for you to look at.

So fingers crossed, we might get there,

-and help you kick off your new life in the sun.

-Wonderful.

-That would be fantastic.

-Really looking forward to it.

-Good.

Come on then, let's go.

Jenny and Andy want to spend £200,000 on their Spanish home.

They'd like the property to have at least three bedrooms,

one of which must be an en suite.

A swimming pool is also an essential,

along with a substantial garage and a bit of land.

And what's more,

if there's potential to build on it, even better.

We've got a fantastic line-up of four Spanish homes with which

to tempt our buyers.

Andy's enthusiastic about getting his hands on a project property.

But will he be tempted to bite off more than he can chew

with our final, mystery house?

They'll also have a chance to get involved

in the local expat community.

As well as staying in a rented Murcian home whilst they're here.

Just to make sure that this sunny Spanish spot really is

the right place for them to call home.

Our hunt is getting underway in the village of La Escarihuela.

Almeria and Murcia airports are both 70 miles from here,

and Alicante's not much further,

so the family will be spoilt for choice when booking a visit.

With a friendly village bar,

this cluster of rural life is surrounded by farms.

A 25 minute drive away is the seaside town of Aguilas,

or Eagles, in English.

The historic focal point is the Castle of St John of the Eagles,

which overlooks the pretty marina and beaches.

For a taste of home there's also a British pier, built

by the South Eastern Railway Company at the end of the 19th century.

Our first potential property in La Escarihuela

is on a spacious plot with plenty of room for a project.

But I am a little worried that first impressions might not do it justice.

-There we go. We'll kick-off our property hunt with this one.

-OK.

-Interesting.

-Yes, very.

Not something I was looking at originally, but...

-Is it because it's single-storey?

-I don't know. It's more, erm...

sort of cottagey effect.

Believe it or not, it dates from about 1930,

which I think for this part of Spain makes it relatively old.

And in terms of location, 12km away in Lorca,

you've got a nice, big shopping supermarket.

And every day of the week, within about 20 minutes of this

-particular property, there is a market.

-Oh, yes!

-That's you catered for.

-Yeah?

-I love markets.

But up here in the hills, A, it's a bit cooler,

-but it's much more rural.

-Excellent. I want to see inside!

Come on then, let's have a look.

Initially deceptive, this property is actually beautifully spacious.

And you're greeted by a large,

open-plan living space that's full of character.

-Oh, wow!

-Wow, this is nice.

-Oh, I do like this.

-I wasn't expecting this.

When I seen it from the outside, I thought, walk in here,

ceiling's going to be low, it's going to be dark...

Now you've got the height, it opens the whole thing up.

Obviously with a single-storey it could feel quite low and oppressive,

-but here they've pushed it right up into the rafter space.

-Yeah.

-Really though.

His face has changed, Jules, since we were out there. It's changed! LAUGHTER

I'm delighted to hear it! Come and have a look at the rest of it.

Obviously, dining end here.

But have a look at the kitchen, all nice and new.

-Oh, this is nice. It's big enough.

-It's big enough, isn't it?

I like the worktop, and especially the sink in the corner.

-That's a real nice feature.

-Nice, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's great.

-I like that feature as well, it's nice up there.

-The stone?

-The stone up there, yeah.

-It does all flow rather nicely.

Now, in total it's three bed.

Two of them are off the hallway,

but the master is just through that door there. Go on, Andy.

Tell us what you think of this.

-Wow.

-Oh, I like this. Oh! Look at this!

-I like this, very nice.

Oh, my goodness!

It's fabulous!

Oh, my goodness!

Oh, I love it.

-That is so neat!

-Do you like it?

-Yeah, it's different!

-I take it from your face you like it.

-Oh, I love it!

It's got a nice feel, I feel... I don't know what it is. It's just...

-Comfortable?

-Yeah, that and relaxed, already.

So Jenny is a big fan from the off.

The other two spacious double bedrooms are also both en-suite.

They're located on the opposite side of the central living space,

giving Jenny and Andy a little privacy from visiting guests.

Although room for entertaining

is not something they need worry about here.

-Wow!

-Now, this is what Spain's all about.

-Isn't it just?

-It is.

-Come on down.

-Fantastic. Look at that!

-There you go.

-Beautiful. Look at the view.

-You can't beat that.

If you put the family on a plane now and brought them over here,

-what would they think?

-They'd fall in love with it.

-I know they would.

-They'd say, "When you buying?"

-Yeah, they would.

-"When are you buying, when are we coming?"

-Yeah.

But what I think is really exciting about this property

is that there are so many opportunities for development.

You can see the garden beyond, the gravel garden. Obviously that's yours.

There's also another parcel of land behind this hedge here,

which is going to take a bit more thought, but again,

that's really to be developed with a decent project manager, if you could find one.

They're hard to find, I'll tell you.

My concern was that it might have been a little bit too rural.

It is too far away from a town, really. But we could work with it.

I could work with it.

I could.

We have one more tricky thing we have to discuss before this

house tour is over and that, of course, is the price.

-Who's going to go first?

-I'll go first.

-Go on, Jenny.

I would say 175?

-175.

-I'd say a little bit higher. I think I'm going to go 185.

-OK.

175, 185.

You're right, it's £175,000.

-So comfortably under budget.

-Mm-hmm.

-And very nice to boot.

-Yes.

You're not going to beat this, I don't think.

-Well, you never know, we cross our fingers, don't we?

-This is perfect.

I'm going to give you some time here to go

-and have a look around. And I will catch you later.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

-Thank you very much.

Brilliant. Well, what a start.

It doesn't get much better than that with any property

in any part of the world, frankly.

Under budget by £25,000,

this single-storey property boasts many character

features in the large, open-plan reception, kitchen and dining areas.

There are three en-suite bedrooms

so that the family can visit in comfort.

A pool, two garages and plenty of outside entertaining space

for Jenny and Andy's dinner parties.

Plus, it stands in nearly five acres,

providing a wealth of development options.

I still love this kitchen, darling.

-Oh, wow, love!

-It's another garage, wow.

I tell you what, this would make a lovely dining room.

Board those doors over with some nice big windows.

Ideal, straight from the kitchen into the dining room. Good thinking.

You've got a bit of work to do.

The view. Of course, the pool. Just fabulous.

I could just sit out there forever, it was beautiful.

And Andy's got his workshop. Which helps.

-Oh, you can do anything in here.

-Yeah.

-Your welding, anything!

My blacksmithing.

-Have we sold it to you?

-You have.

Ha-ha, look at your face, it's a picture!

Yeah, I'm holding onto the wallet.

Well, hang onto it for a bit longer,

because we've got a few more properties to show you.

-But I think, a cracking start.

-Very good.

If Andy does find a property he'd like to develop,

he'll need to do his homework about local planning rules.

Each municipality has different regulations, and even minor

changes to property interiors need to be submitted for approval.

A recommended builder or architect experienced in the local

regulations can draw up plans to present to the town hall.

So whilst our first property was a hit,

I know in a perfect world Andy and Jenny would like to be

closer to the social hubbub of a town or larger village.

So with that in mind, our next offering is ideally

located in the town of Puerto de Mazarron,

which I think they'll love.

It's just an hour from Murcia airport,

and 40 minutes from historic Cartagena.

Puerto de Mazarron has the sea to the south

and mountain ranges to the north, gifting it with a microclimate

which results in even better weather than the rest of Spain.

There's a great beach and stylish marina,

both lined with bars and restaurants.

The property is on a residential road with an English pub

and a Spanish bar,

so Jenny's new darts team could be just a stroll away.

And with shops and the beach just a five-minute walk away,

there's no denying this is a prime location.

Hopefully this will bring a smile to your faces.

Yes, oh, that's lovely.

-You don't expect that when you first come in, do you?

-No.

This is a very different proposition to property number one

in that we are much more urban here.

And what we've got you is this three-bedroom, very compact villa.

Corner plot, so you get a bit more space,

you see you've got some room for loungers here. So is this appealing?

-It is at the moment.

-Yes, it looks very accommodating.

-Come on, let's have a look inside.

-OK.

It seems the pool and exterior of this two-storey villa have

made a good first impression.

And this place is really all about the outside.

It even has a second, alfresco kitchen and living area.

So let's see what they think once inside.

Ah.

What kind of an "ah" was that, then?

-It's not very big, is it?

-No.

-I'm just thinking if I have kids over together...

-Yes.

-I think that's why they've made more of the outdoor space.

-Yeah.

It's sort of a reverse Tardis -

it looks a lot bigger from outside than it does inside.

-Do you think so?

-I do.

-But have a look in there.

Two of the bedrooms on offer are down on this floor,

-that's one of them, have a look at that.

-OK.

-See what you get.

-Not en-suite.

-No, little bit small.

I mean, to be honest, you could have it as another reception room.

-This is what I was thinking.

-Yeah.

Because the other bedroom, next door, similar size,

but it's next to the ground-floor shower and bathroom.

-So that would be a better guest room, I would think.

-Yeah.

-This would be nice as a dining area.

-Yeah.

-Let's continue.

We'll have a quick look at the kitchen.

-Compact and bijou, springs to mind.

-I think you're right, yeah.

-But again, think about...

-Yeah, the outdoor space.

-The outdoor space.

You barbecue all the steaks and everything outside even though

we cook inside. He always barbecues everything, don't you?

Even in the rain. She chucks me out there all the time.

So you've got a point. You've got a point.

This house doesn't seem to be winning Jenny and Andy over so far,

but I'm hoping they'll warm up as we head upstairs to the master suite.

-Oy, it's getting so humid, isn't it, this afternoon?

-Yeah.

-Come up here.

-It is coming up those stairs.

-Yeah. Again, it's small and bijou, isn't it?

-It is.

And it has an en suite in here. Bath and shower.

Oh, that's not a bad size.

It is the same sort of size as the bathroom downstairs.

But it also leads out onto this.

And look, it's sunny, yay!

-Oh, yeah, lovely.

-And again, lovely views. There's the Med.

-And you've got the mountains in the background.

-Yeah.

Now I'm just wondering, Andy - you'll know better than me - but

could you not extend this further to give you a bigger master bedroom?

-Yeah, I think it's possible.

-It would be.

Foundation-wise, I'd say you've got a couple of pillars here.

Nice, big patio doors here, leading out from the bed here.

That would be fantastic.

As you come up the stairs, make that into a dressing room.

You've got your en suite, into the bedroom,

-onto the terrace.

-How have you worked all that out so quickly?

He's spot-on like that.

But if Andy's looking to make his mark, the bedroom isn't the only

part of this property that's crying out for a construction project.

-Off-street parking.

-Brilliant.

And you've got this enormous void...

-I know!

-..offering you loads of space.

-It's a bit like a nuclear bunker.

-It is, isn't it?

Whoa!

Never expected anything as big as this.

It lends itself to being something else.

You could actually have this as your living room down here.

And that is just a reception room up there.

Have that basically as a hallway.

I'm seriously thinking of an extra bedroom for when they all

come over together. Patio doors there. Let themselves in and out.

-Yeah, ideal.

-There we go, sorted.

There you are, look - you came up with the solution!

But with all these projects planned, we need to find out

if the price of it will free up some funds or max out their budget.

So, go on, then, Andy.

I'm going to be a real conservative. £187,000.

-187 - very precise, isn't he?

-Hmm.

I think that's probably a bit on the high side.

I'm going to go for £182,000.

-Are you now?

-Yes.

-Well, you're both high.

-Oh!

And you're both wrong.

This could be yours for 174,000.

So it's still comfortably under budget.

And I think there is some scope to do something up there

on the top floor to make that master bedroom bigger.

-And who knows what you could do down below?

-I'll leave that to the boss.

I'll get it sorted.

Go and have a quick wander round,

-and then we're going to whisk you away.

-OK.

-Yes.

-Sounds interesting.

Ah, yes - we've got quite an evening for you! Go on, off you go.

-Thanks, Jules.

-Thank you, Jules.

-I'll catch up with you later on.

Phew!

Situated in the midst

of a charming town,

what this property lacks in space,

it makes up for in location.

It has three bedrooms,

one en-suite, and

although it's short on space inside,

it does have an outside kitchen.

It's also significantly under budget,

which could allow our couple

to enlarge the current floor plan.

My initial thoughts... a little bit on the small side,

but then, when Jules explained about the outside space,

and I saw it, I thought, well, yeah,

you spend more time outside than inside in a place like this.

Big basement, erm... Jen's looking at it as extra bedrooms,

I'm looking at it as living space,

but we'll come up with the best solution.

For the move, I think community will be important for us.

You can walk to the shops, and they've got a bar at hand,

which is great. I could start up a darts team in that bar.

-I did promise you a little treat.

-You did.

There is something just down the road...I want to show you, come on.

-Oh, wow.

-We can hardly wait.

Today, we've seen two very different properties,

but when Andy and Jenny stepped inside both of them,

they really began to imagine their potential Spanish futures.

'And just up the road, here in Puerto de Mazarron,

'there's the opportunity to test out what life really could be like.'

Right, you too, now, we thought it might be quite nice if

for the rest of the week, you had your own villa to yourselves.

Sounds very nice.

Come on, I'll give you a quick tour and then I'll leave you to it.

-Look at this.

-Oh, my goodness!

Pillars and a pool, and we've also set you up with

his and hers sunloungers.

Wow, Jules, this is wonderful.

It's yours to enjoy for the week.

-Oh, thank you.

-We've seen a lot, you've got a lot to think about.

-Soak up the atmosphere, take in the area...

-Yeah.

..and I will catch up with you in good time tomorrow.

-See you later.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Jules.

-Enjoy.

-Bye.

I'm looking forward to that glass of wine,

-and I want a beer.

-Oh, yeah, absolutely.

You get the wine and I'll get the corkscrew.

-CORK POPS

-Cool.

-Hey, well done, well done.

That's nice and light.

-Oh, wow, roof terrace.

-Oh, my God.

After you.

-Oh, what a day.

-Oh, yes.

-Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

-Two very nice properties.

Which property do you think would be better for the grandkids

-or for the family?

-Second one.

-Second one.

-Yeah, you can walk to the beach.

-Shops.

-Shops, everything,

but I've still got a hankering over the first.

Yes, I'm the same way. I loved the property earlier.

-Hmm, but we'll see what tomorrow brings.

-I'm all in favour of that.

-And me.

-Yeah.

-Cheers, my darling.

-Cheers, my love.

MEN SPEAK SPANISH

West Country couple Andy and Jenny are hoping to put 1,400 miles

between them and their busy lives in Cornwall,

and relocate to Murcia in Spain.

In the morning, breakfast on the terrace.

Yeah, this is the life, darling.

They've got £200,000 to spend on a home out here,

and they're getting used to local life

by staying in a Murcian rental property.

They still have two more properties to view, but this morning,

all that's on the menu is a trip to the nearby Plaza de Abastos market.

-Oh, well, you don't get that size in England, do you?

-No.

-That's a nice big juicy one.

-Yeah.

-Muchas gracias.

-Excellent.

-Six.

-Seis.

HE SPEAKS SPANISH

-Erm...

-Clean?

-Clean? Yes, please.

-Oh, yes, please.

Whilst it might take a while to get to grips with the lingo,

what will be easy to stomach is the cost of groceries here in Spain.

Fruit, veg and store-cupboard basics are cheaper than at home

by between 10 and 50%.

And, for when they don't want to cook, eating out won't dent

Andy and Jenny's pockets either.

Choosing a local restaurant or cafe will mean your meal or coffee

will usually be about half the price of back in the UK.

Along with tourism, agriculture is Murcia's main economy.

It's the largest exporter of fruit and vegetables in the whole country.

Whilst we're used to seeing "produce of Spain" on our oranges

and lettuce, you may not have noticed it in your spice rack.

Paprika, although also known elsewhere in Europe,

is particularly prized by Spanish cooks when it comes from Murcia.

The Spanish love affair with the spice started

when Christopher Columbus brought it back from South America,

and it's thrived in this region ever since,

especially the rare bola variety.

I've come to meet sisters Inma and Luisa Sanchez from La Pastora

paprika manufacturers, to find out more about this vibrant red spice.

Inma, Luisa, very nice to meet you.

Your family's history of paprika goes back 70 years.

Well, it's quite a story, isn't it?

We are a third family business generation.

Our grandfather and our father started in 1945,

and this paprika is naturally from Murcia, origin.

Now, many people won't understand where paprika comes from,

or indeed, what it is. What kind of a plant is it?

-You've got some of it here.

-Mm-hmm.

-It looks very much like a pepper.

-It is.

-It is a pepper.

-That's exactly what it is.

It's a capsicum, it's a pepper.

Our variety is unique in the world.

And this is, this is a bola here.

-Yes, it is.

-This is bola paprika capsicum.

And choricero, that will be other variety, also that we grow,

very special, to make chorizos.

That is one of my favourite ingredients.

Now, this looks like the sort of thing I would just eat raw.

You could eat it, you could also fry it in the kitchen.

I'm expecting it to taste quite hot. That's how I associate paprika?

-It's not, it's not.

-It is sweet, taste.

-You can try it.

-Very sweet.

-Mmm, that's gorgeous.

I could put that in a salad as it is.

You could, yes, of course, you could.

So what gives paprika its unique taste?

The variety, where it grows.

This ground, this sun, this variety.

And this variety is so special,

it's been given a Protected Designation of Origin status,

just like Camembert cheese in France,

but making a crop flourish in this arid corner of Spain can't be easy,

so we're meeting one of the local farmers

to learn more about how they manage it.

-Hello.

-Hello, we want to introduce you to Jules.

-Nice to see you.

-Buenos dias!

-Buenos dias!

Now, what are the real challenges growing these crops here?

Dificultad que tenemos aqui son...

-Hacer mucho calor! Y aqui tenemos problema con la agua...

-Agua! Water!

Even I understood that! Water, clearly a massive issue.

We have problem in this area.

We say water as gold, and the high temperature that will be good,

because this is what makes the paprika to become red.

But is the sun, that when the fruits are not protected by the leaves,

they can get burned.

-So how do you pick it?

-Pues...

-A mano!

-A mano!

-LAUGHING

-By hand!

By hand.

Once picked, at the Sanchez sisters' factory,

the fruits are dried and then milled to a powder.

The Bola variety produces sweet paprika powder.

But La Pastora also create hot paprika which is blended with

chilli powder, and smoked paprika made by drying

the fruits in a wood-fired smokehouse.

With all the hard work they're putting into their paprika,

it would be rude not to give it a try.

And luckily for me, they've lined up a tasting.

We are in one of the famous restaurants

in the area of Murcia, and she is an extraordinary chef.

So she use our paprika in her dishes.

I would suggest you first try, why not,

a little bit of the raw material.

-The paprika, yes?

-Here we go.

-Mmm. Ooh, it's got a real bite, doesn't it?

-Yes, a real taste.

Not for the faint-hearted.

Let's hope I can handle some of the spicy version.

-Mmm, very nice.

-Mmm.

-Absolutely beautiful.

-Wow.

That really is hot paprika.

-So this is with the smoked paprika?

-Yes.

I'm not sure if I can taste anything after the hot paprika,

-but we'll try.

-I'm sure you can.

The flavour tastes different. From one to the other.

But you clearly need the right paprika for the right dish.

That's it. Very important.

And finally, the sweet. On a carpaccio with mushrooms.

They do know how to eat well in Spain.

I wouldn't be able to choose.

That is my favourite.

And I have got to go back and meet our buyers,

who I am told are preparing lunch and they do need some paprika.

-Then you take this.

-You can choose.

-There we are.

-We'll take that one. Girls, thank you very much.

-Thank you to you.

Thank you.

Supplied with some spice, I'm off to Andy

and Jenny's to build up strength for more house-hunting.

Well, something smells good.

Hello?

-Hello, Jules.

-Hello, mate. How are you?

-How the devil are you?

-Nice to see you.

-Hello, Jules, you're going to join us.

Jenny, you're looking very radiant. Look at this!

-What have you cooked for us, Jenny?

-Mackerel.

-OK, that was done on the barbie.

-Gorgeous.

-Now, I have brought you some paprika.

-Oh, hello.

This is the smoked, very good with fish. Try that.

Tell me what you think.

-There you are, I'm going to give it a liberal dash.

-A liberal dash.

That is nice.

And how was last night? How did you get on?

Excellent, we had a lovely evening in the pub just down on the corner.

There was a lady there talking to a family and she said,

"I used to play darts in my heyday."

I thought, "Excellent, I can start a darts team."

I'm in the zone now. I'm ready.

And then I suddenly thought, "You haven't bought a place yet,

-"so how can you sign her up?"

-Ah, yes, well.

You haven't bought one just yet, which brings me

onto this afternoon's plans, because we do need to keep on house-hunting.

-OK.

-Shall we go and see one more this afternoon?

-Oh, yes, please.

-I think we better.

-Eat up.

Our next property is situated in a private residential estate

called Mazarron Country Club.

It's 20 minutes north from the Port of Mazarron,

where Jenny and Andy are staying.

In between the country club and the port is Mazarron town.

It's got a street market that I know Jenny will love

and it's overlooked by a 15th century fortress, built in part

to protect the riches of the mines that once proliferated in the area.

The treasures at the country club include a tennis court, pool,

bar and a ready-made social scene.

Although we have the feeling of being up in the mountains,

we are just 12 miles from the nearest beach.

Well, this is what I thought we'd have a look at this afternoon.

-That looks quite nice.

-Andy?

-What about you?

I'm not getting a vibe from it. I'm not... It's just not speaking to me.

-Why is that then?

-People say that you get a vibe when you walk up

and I'm just not getting the vibe, really.

-You can't really see all of it from here.

-No, that's it.

That's probably what it is.

And in a way, this is a building that isn't designed to

impress you from the front door.

It's all about what's going on beyond it.

Because we're at the top of the Mazarron Country Club urbanisation.

It was a development that was started about 15 years ago,

this was built about eight years ago.

And as they got further up the hill,

the views that these properties now offer just get better and better.

So, I'm hoping that this will tickle your fancy a bit

-more from the other side.

-I'm interested, I want to see it.

It also has some scope for some extension.

-Now you're trying to pique my interest.

-I am! I am!

Come on, have a look.

The charming, traditional entrance of this two-storey villa

leads into a bright central reception and living area.

There we are.

-I like this.

-I'm watching you like a hawk. I'm looking for some glimmer.

It is nice. I like it, it's light, airy. I love the door.

-It reminds me of an old medieval door.

-Well, there is that. Yeah.

And that spiral staircase...

That's the thing that really dominates this room

and I think gives it this lovely sense of character.

It is three-bedroom, but two of them are on this floor.

They've used one of them as a dining room, at the moment.

-You could get a double bed in there.

-Yeah.

And there is another one that mirrors it here.

-And they are both served by a nice family shower room.

-OK.

-If you like.

But this is the project because this is the kitchen

and I'm afraid it is absolutely tiny.

-Blimey!

-Yeah.

-That really surprises me.

But, here's the thought, you could push it out that way

and also then go that way with it.

-Yeah, you would have to do something with that.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

I'd fall over myself in there.

Aside from the kitchen, there is a lot to love about this property.

Especially upstairs.

That spiral staircase... You just want to go up there. Don't you?

It's just inviting you to go up there.

-Well, that's our cue, isn't it?

-I think it is.

-Come on.

Let's go up and have a look.

-Oh, my word!

-It's a nice size, isn't it?

-Jenny, do you like it?

-Oh, I like it.

-Do you?

-Oh, yes, I do!

-Good!

You've got loads of built in storage over there, you've got

the terrace through there which overlooks the entrance, as it were.

I'm told that in the morning it is sunny there. Which is quite nice.

And it comes with another terrace.

This one is really cool, look at this.

Again, access from the top of the spiral.

Oh, love, look at this.

Absolutely fabulous. I knew there was more to this.

Come over here, look at this. This is nice.

This gives you an idea of the kind of geography of the garden.

-Oh, my goodness!

-There you go, there is the pool.

-Oh! Oh, that's huge!

-I didn't expect a big one like that.

-No?

-I really did not.

Wow!

-And a lovely garden to go with it.

-It's fabulous.

-And it's minimal.

-Easy maintenance.

-Yeah, we are not gardeners.

But I could keep that looking tidy.

Come on, let's go downstairs.

Back on the ground floor and stepping outside,

the covered dining area and surrounding garden are just

begging for an alfresco dinner party.

Oh, this is nice, too.

Very nice.

Now, they've glazed that end but, if you imagine the whole thing

glazed, you'd end up with an enormous second reception room.

And you can even extend the kitchen out from there, back around.

And follow through.

But the thing I love about this place is that it's not

-a square plot.

-No.

-It has an interesting kind of geography to it.

-Oh, that is lovely.

-So inviting.

-It's huge.

-It's grown on me.

-Good.

-I am liking it.

Yay! Well, let's think about the price then, shall we?

-Jenny, what's it worth?

-I'm going to say £192,000.

-192. Andy?

-I'm going to have to say it's going to be slightly higher.

I'm going to go £205,000.

-It's £198,000.

-Yeah.

I thought so. And worth it.

-Could you see why we brought you here?

-Oh, I can.

It gives you community, it gives you the most spectacular backdrop,

let's face it.

And I think this has got the scope for you to also make it more unique.

-You could.

-Go and explore and we'll find each other somewhere.

-Thanks, Jules.

-Thank you.

-Have a look at the kitchen extension.

-I will do.

A fraction under £200,000,

this three-bedroom villa has some very special features.

It has a bathroom downstairs and up plus a large terrace with views.

There is space to enlarge the kitchen,

but it would be wise to check past precedents that may have been

set for similar extensions in the area.

Also, the benefits of the country club do come at a cost,

community fees here currently stand at £40 a month.

If I'm being honest, if it had been

further on down in the urbanisation, I'd have said definitely no.

Being in the place it is, the size and the shape of the plot,

I think it really sets it out.

It was airy, clean and the spiral staircase... It was to die for.

The only problem is the kitchen, which both Andy

and I feel is far too small.

So, you think you could do something with this.

There's a couple of possibilities.

We can either come out there, out to the corner,

take it along and extend it onto that corner.

Or, we could start from that corner

and take it round to pick up with the extension.

-That would be really good.

-Yeah, that would really good.

-Yeah.

-Seen enough?

-Yeah. Fabulous. I'm really impressed.

-I'm just ready for a beer now.

-Ah! Now we're talking.

-Well, hot day needs a cold drink.

-I think so as well.

-Come on then.

-I'm buying. How about that?

-Thank you very much.

-Oh, you're on.

Come on, mate, after you.

We are over halfway through our house hunt. One more to go.

And my kind of reading of the situation is that we are still

trying to beat property one and all that that offered you.

Property one was stunning, wasn't it?

You walked in there and you felt right at home

because it was a Spanish house.

Location wise, probably a little bit too far out?

We are looking to be more central with the Spanish community,

not on the outskirts.

We want to be able to interact with the Spanish people.

Whether that's through where we live, through something that we

decide to do, like Jen with voluntary work or me with work.

-Or just on the social aspect.

-Yeah.

-That's what we're looking for.

So, what can we do?

I think our mystery house therefore needs to have a lot

more of a traditional Spanish feel about it.

In a more Spanish area.

And if we can, get you to meet some expats to really give you

a detailed breakdown of what it's like living here.

I think that's what we need. Because we don't know the pitfalls out here.

We do need that little bit of input, especially on solicitors.

So, no, talking to an expat would be really good.

That would be a help. Definitely.

So, that's all going to happen tomorrow, but in the meantime...

-Let's drink up. Cheers.

-Cheers.

It's the final day of our property search in Murcia,

where Cornish couple Andy and Jenny are hoping to marry rural

Spanish bliss with downtown fun and frolics.

They've been sampling the local lifestyle by staying

in a Murcian villa and, with a bit of luck,

this could soon turn from a holiday to every day.

All that's left now is to view the mystery house.

Our final offering is a five-minute drive from the village of Tallante.

Ten miles away is the city of Cartagena,

a perfect day out for when the family come to visit

with the opportunity to give the grandchildren a history lesson.

Tallante is a quiet slice of rural life,

with a friendly bar and restaurant.

The mystery property I've found here takes the rural Spanish bull

by the horns.

Andy says he would love a project, but with this unique property,

he might be tempted to take on more than he can handle.

-Oh, wow. This is Spanish.

-It's a bit of a surprise.

I take it it's not that one, it's that, it's a doer upper.

-What, the bit on the end?

-Yeah.

-Well, that is part of it.

-You do get that.

-Oh, wow.

-But, no.

What we've got for you here is our mystery house,

or should I say, really, mystery houses.

-Because you have got a two-bedroom annexe there.

-Oh, my goodness!

And then a lovely, old Spanish finca. It dates from about 1900.

Oh, fabulous.

And it is surrounded by I think the prettiest bit of landscape

we have been able to give you thus far,

these beautifully manicured almond groves.

And in terms of location, we are only 20 minutes from Cartagena.

-20 minutes from there is ideal, isn't it?

-It's ideal.

-I just want to get inside now.

-I just want you to buy it.

Come on, let's see.

-Come on into the hallway, guys.

-Oh, my word!

-Wow!

-Oh, wow!

-That's a hallway.

-Look at the floors, the floors are original.

These are two of the three bedrooms,

so there is one here and that is en-suite.

-Yeah.

-That one isn't.

Oh, look at that.

The other thing to point out is that this is being sold fully furnished.

-That was going to be my next question about the beds!

-Yes, you see?

You see. Well, it was seeing the bed that reminded me of that fact.

-Oh, it's out of this world.

-Wow.

-Fully furnished!

-You could just...

If you wrote the cheque today, Jenny, you could just walk in.

-I can take the bed?

-Have a look at this. This is your main...

Forget the bed, come look at this. This is your main living room.

-Oh, this is lovely.

-That's a nice size, isn't it?

-I've just spied the kitchen.

-Here's the thing, Andy.

You could, if you wanted to dispense with this, which is

the third bedroom, remove this wall and open it all up.

Or additionally keep that and just take that wall out there.

-Which leads into that lovely kitchen.

-Well, you could.

I mean, let's have a look at it. Yes, that could go.

-I mean, it's a nice feature.

-Yeah.

-But, yeah, you do get this rather nice kitchen.

-Oh, this is nice.

-I like the kitchen.

-And it's only just been refitted.

It is a nice sized kitchen. Very workable.

-I can't get over it. I just love everything about it.

-I love it.

Utility room down there, nice stable door going out to the back.

-It's fabulous. I don't know what to say.

-Are you overcome?

-I am! I am!

-Oh, Jenny! You could have a little cry if you like.

-No, stop it!

No, it's... I never expected anything like this.

-So, our mystery house is working, then?

-More than working.

I guessed you'd find something, but nothing like this.

Well, Jenny is already sold.

But wait until Andy sees what's on offer when we step outside.

From a workshop,

to external storage, as well as ruins ripe for development.

There's things to tinker with, Andy.

There's also a one-bedroom annexe with a bathroom that could

come to life with a bit of redecorating.

However, the best is yet to come.

Come on in.

Oh, this is nice.

The heart of it is this kitchen which is the centre

and everything...

-Oh, my goodness! It's big.

-..emanates off of this.

-Oh, look!

Twin room in there, you've got another twin there

-and then through there a family bath and shower room.

-Whoa.

-Be ideal for the kids when they come over.

-Yeah.

So, in addition to the main house and the one-bedroom annexe,

the guest wing has two twin bedrooms

and is completely self-contained and fully furnished, too.

All of this is set in two acres of land

and of course there is also a pool.

That's gorgeous, isn't it? I love everything about it.

How much do you love it? How much will you pay for it?

-Who's going to go first? It's the final one.

-You go first.

Go on, then.

Well, it's stunning, it's big.

I'm going to be a bit conservative on it

because it is a little bit out.

I know it's stunning, it's got potential, I'm going to go £192,000.

No, I think it's worth more than that.

Probably over our budget, but I've got to go for £199,000.

-£199,000.

-It's not, is it? It's way over.

It's not way over, it's not way over. It's £235,000.

I'm not surprised.

That said, I am assured that a sensible offer would get

a sensible answer and I suspect that

if your offer starts at least with a two, a conversation could be had.

-Yeah.

-Could you find it, could you find the extra?

-I think we could.

-Yeah, I think we could find it somewhere.

I think we could. Yeah.

-We've got to.

-Go on, go and explore.

-We've got to.

-Go and explore.

Go and see my bed!

And it may well be Jenny's bed because,

unusually as we have said, this property does come fully furnished.

But I think it also offers them a lot more than just furniture.

This really is a lifestyle choice

and that is what they are trying to undertake and, wow,

what a place to start a whole new life on the Continent.

Now, it might be priced over their budget by £35,000,

but the two-bedroom guest wing

and one-bedroom annexe will be a huge bonus when the family visit.

It comes fully furnished to a very high standard

and is chock-full of rural Spanish charm.

The open plan living space in the main farmhouse has beautiful

period features and the kitchen has brand-new appliances.

Oh, this is something else, darling.

-Oh, I love it!

-You love it, do you?

-I want it. I really want this bed.

Jen obviously fell in love with the bed.

And this I love as well.

It is, it's a nice size. Especially if we have the kids down as well.

-And this kitchen, love.

-Yeah, it's a really nice size.

-It's perfect.

Really workable.

You can socialise in there,

while still having people in the lounge or even outside.

We've got to try and get this. The space is incredible.

I mean, the family could come out and live in the annexe

and we would never see them.

I mean, there is so much room,

so much potential there and Andy would love it.

There are so many things he could do, finish off, he'd be in his element.

-Wa-hey!

-Hey!

-I thought you weren't going to come out.

-We nearly didn't.

-Thank you for visiting our property.

-Is it going to be your property?

-I'd love for it to be.

-Yeah?

We're going to talk about this. Absolutely.

-I think you've got an awful lot to talk about.

-I know. I know.

-Who's for the beach, then?

-Yes!

-Yeah, that's a good idea.

Murcia's beautiful beaches are often what entice people to this region.

Holiday-makers and expats alike.

The jewel in the crown of the coast is the Mar Menor,

or little sea in English.

It's the largest lagoon in Europe.

65 square miles of warm, clear water.

None of it more than seven metres deep.

Joining a sailing club out here would be a great way for Jenny

and Andy to kick off their social life.

And to give them a taste of the fun that can be had,

I've arranged for them to meet expats Janice

and John from the Sailing Association of Mar Menor, or SAMM.

Now, how many people have you got in the association at the moment?

At the last count, it was about 108.

But it fluctuates, people join during the summer

when they come over, people come over just for holidays

and they join.

Andy here is very keen to get himself another boat.

I am, I've got one in England but when we move over here,

I will be getting another one.

Well, we have a group for that.

It's called the cruising group.

And what you do is you invite other members of SAMM to come

and join you for a day's cruising and they crew for you.

That's interesting.

But it's a great social scene as well, isn't it?

Outside of the sailing.

Well, we've built up a social scene within SAMM.

We have a Christmas do, we have a summer activity for three days.

-The bowling club.

-We have the bowling club. The cycling group.

-And the walking group now.

-And pop groups as well.

-And pop groups as well.

-But have you got a darts club yet?

-No.

-No, we haven't, have we?

-Oh, ideal!

-There you go.

-I can set up a darts team.

-Excellent.

-That would be perfect.

-I love darts.

-That would be brilliant.

-I do actually, as well.

-You do?!

Excellent.

-How about that?

-I'm there!

-How easy was that?

-Fantastic.

Well, look, we are in your capable hands. Let's get out on the water.

-Yes, let's go. Absolutely.

-Looking forward to it.

Janice moved here from the UK eight years ago and John has been

back and forth between the UK and Spain for 15 years.

They are perfectly placed to fill our couple in on what to

expect from life out here.

Is there anything that you want to know particularly about living

-out here?

-Well, we've heard there are so many pitfalls about it,

so we need a bit more on the legal advice.

Well, I've bought several houses out here and I've had no problems.

So, some of the nightmare stories that you see are a bad

portrayal of what's going on.

But if you stick by the reputable companies, use the lawyers,

-you should be OK.

-So, what's it like in the winter?

I mean, temperature wise.

The last series of two winters,

I can remember the only thing I wore was a gilet and a thin pullover.

-Oh, right.

-The houses being tiled, it can feel colder than it actually is.

So, think about that when you are buying.

If it's got central heating, that's a bonus.

-If it's solar, that's even more of a bonus.

-What about utility bills?

There is a Suma bill where you are going to pay your rates,

it will depend on what square meterage you've got.

There are several other taxes that you pay but they are way,

way cheaper than what it would be in Britain.

Now, John, we've shown Andy and Jenny urban properties

and rural properties.

In your experience, which are the easier to live in here?

Well, that's a tough one because I came out to Spain at 52

and if you'd asked me then, I would have...

My heart would have been on a rustic finca.

But actually, as I've got older now, I've got a nice garden,

but it's not big and I'm glad that I haven't got the big

maintenance of a finca, if that's what you're going to call it.

If you've got land and you are growing stuff,

you've really got to stay here and look after it because it's that dry.

We are probably in the same situation you were.

We were sort of thinking finca. You know, in the Spanish community.

But in 15 years' time, we could end up saying,

"Oh, no, we've got to sell this. And move back in."

So, that's worth thinking about.

Yeah. It is certainly worth thinking about.

We are looking for that interaction with the Spanish community as well.

The local Eroski, which is a big supermarket, actually does cooking

courses where the English can go in and learn how to cook Spanish food.

And we have an evening where the Spanish come, the English come,

-and between us we talk.

-Oh, that would be brilliant. Yeah.

I think that's the thing that's going to make it work for you.

It's being able to genuinely interact and immerse yourself

to a certain extent in the Spanish culture and the Spanish way of life.

-I mean, what's the easiest way into it?

-Buy a dog.

The bigger the better?

Walking the dog in the park, they'll start talking to you.

I've got a dog and my Spanish improved tremendously.

John may have set their minds at ease about Spanish home

horror stories, but they are right to be cautious.

Many of the recent scandals relate to the licence of first

occupation for new-build houses.

The licence means that the town hall has approved the building

and every property should have one.

If your offer is accepted on a property, you need to pay

a deposit of 10% of the purchase price to take it off the market.

Additionally, you should allow 11% on top of the cost

of the house to cover taxes and fees.

Also worth considering for retirees is health care provision.

Pensioners in Spain do have to pay for prescriptions

but they are capped at 18 euros a month,

providing your annual income is less than 100,000 euros.

Well, as you can probably tell, we had a huge amount of fun this week.

But it shouldn't take away from the very serious business of

trying to find Jenny and Andy not just a new home but a new lifestyle.

And in many ways I think we have left them spoilt for choice,

but choose they must.

So, which one of our properties is it likely to be?

-It has been a bit of a whirlwind, hasn't it?

-Oh, yeah.

-A brilliant whirlwind.

-And we've spoilt you, haven't we, really?

You have really spoilt us.

Lots of properties we would never have even thought of looking at.

So, have we managed to find you the perfect one?

-I suspect there is a favourite.

-There is.

-OK.

-What is the favourite, Jenny?

-Oh, let me think(!)

-The mystery house.

-Ah! The mystery house.

-Yes.

I think we really polished the rural dream with our final

-offering, our lovely mystery finca.

-You did.

-Definitely.

It had so much to do there as well.

You had the two annexe properties,

you had possibilities to extend out the back.

I think when the family come out, they will absolutely love it.

Oh, they will. They absolutely will love it, won't they?

-It is the perfect place for us.

-So, what happens next?

-Are you going to do it?

-If I listen to her, definitely.

But I've got the sensible head.

I'm going to have a structural survey done on the property,

just purely for its age.

It looks OK at the moment,

but I would like to take it a little bit further.

And, Jenny, it is of course a little bit over budget,

but do you think you can stretch to it?

We are going to talk to the owner and see

if we can compromise on the price.

But we are going to do everything we can to try and get that extra.

-You look dazed but happy.

-Yeah, absolutely.

I've still got my head around the mystery house at the moment.

-I think it was the bed that swayed her.

-Yeah, it was the bed, was it?

You see, free furniture! There you go.

Well, it's been an absolute pleasure, guys.

-I'm rather sorry this week is coming to an end.

-So are we!

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

Well, there is no getting away from Andy

and Jenny's determination to hopefully now be

well on their way to finding their new home here in the sun.

And whilst we have managed to sample some of the best property

and produce that Murcia has to offer, there is still one thing that

I've yet to do this week and that is to take a swim.

I'll see you next time.

Since they've been back in the UK, Jenny

and Andy had been in touch with the owner of the mystery house.

They are confirming their budget

and are planning a trip back to Murcia soon.