Alastair Johnson relocated to Spain some nine years ago with his wife, Alison, and their one-year-old son.
They initially hoped they would be in Spain for a year, but almost a decade later, they are still in love with the European hotspot and are not ready to leave.
Alastair spoke exclusively to GB News about his expat experience, revealing that while the Spaniards' relaxed attitude to the time "bugged" him at first, he soon realised they had "really got it right".
For those considering making the move to Spain, Alastair shared why he thinks it is the ideal place to live - especially in your "50s and 60s".
Spain's delightful weather and beautiful beaches make it very easy to stay active
GETTY IMAGESMany Britons in their 50s and 60s are retired empty-nesters who are looking to enjoy their new-found freedom in another country.
There are a myriad of reasons people flock to Spain in their older years. It offers beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine and wine, not to mention a lower cost of living.
The glorious year-round weather cannot be ignored either - and according to Alastair, this should be a major selling point for over 50s.
"It sounds so trivial," he told GB News, "but after years in the UK I was just sick of it being grey and cold".
"I like being outdoors: I like hiking, I like swimming in the sea, I like to kayak - and I get to do all of those things here. As an older person, being able to stay active is awesome.
"We've got a big group of friends from all over the world and on a Sunday morning, all the lads go hiking or we play padel together."
Exercising with friends outdoors is, of course, something people in the UK can do too. However, with the famously cold and wet weather, these kinds of plans are never a guarantee.
Spain's gorgeous weather - boasting around 320 days of sunshine per year - means that outdoor socialising is effortless.
"It means that we can be social in ways that don't just revolve around the pub," Alastair said.
"I love going to the pub but when I was in the UK, that's all I did - I just went to the pub.
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'I like hiking, I like swimming in the sea, I like to kayak - and I get to do all of those things here'
GETTY IMAGES"So for our age group, it's great. It's a really active life, the cities are walkable - in the big cities like Barcelona and Madrid, you walk around them. But in small towns as well, people just walk.
"Walking around is the standard thing. On a Sunday, everybody is walking up and down the paseo [public path].
"I'd love to find the stats somewhere about the average step count in Spain versus other countries."
Offering a top tip for anyone thinking of holidaying in Spain or moving to the European hotspot, Alastair also spoke to GB News about the day of the week it's hard to get things done.
Alastair and his wife Alison set up a business to help people looking to move to Spain from the UK. Moving to Spain offers expert advice, resources, insider knowledge and a handpicked network of service providers.
