Who runs this site? BeautifulGalicia is written by two of us, a Dutch couple who moved to the Ribeira Sacra region in January 2026. We write everything ourselves, in English, based on what we actually experience living here. Neither of us is a native English speaker, but we chose English because most of the people asking these questions are searching in English, not Spanish or Galician.
Are you locals or expats? We are newcomers, not locals. We try to be upfront about that distinction throughout the site. When we write about local customs, history, or long-term community dynamics, we are describing what we have observed and been told, not speaking as people who grew up here.
Do you use stock photos? Sometimes we do but we try to place as much of our own fotos as possible. A lot of the images on the site are our own drone and landscape photography. For privacy reasons we do not feature identifiable people in our photos.
Does the site make money? No
Can I trust what you write? We only publish things grounded in our own experience or things we have taken the time to verify, and we try to flag it clearly on the rare occasion we step outside that. That said, we are not lawyers, accountants, or immigration consultants, and rules around residency, taxes, and property can change or vary by situation. Always double check anything important with a qualified professional before acting on it.
How can I contact you or suggest a topic? We are always interested in hearing from readers, whether that is a correction, a question, or a topic you would like us to cover. Reach out through the contact page.
Do I need to speak Spanish, or Galician? Spanish will get you through daily life almost everywhere, though in smaller inland villages you will hear Galician spoken at least as often, sometimes more. Learning some Galician earns real goodwill locally, even if Spanish is the more practical starting point. We do not personally recommend Babbel based on our own experience trying to learn with it, but there are other apps and local classes worth looking into.
Is inland Galicia a good area for someone hoping to live off the land cheaply? This is one of the most common expectations we encounter, and in our experience it is usually more idealistic than realistic. Rural Galicia can absolutely support a simpler, lower cost lifestyle, but living entirely off a small piece of land on minimal income is a much harder proposition than it looks from the outside, and we have seen it disappoint people who moved here expecting otherwise.
What is the bureaucracy like? Slower and more paperwork heavy than most people expect, even for things that sound simple, like opening a bank account or registering as a resident. Patience and, in many cases, a good gestor make a significant difference. We share specific stories from our own process in our Moving to Galicia articles.
What about healthcare and health insurance? Spain has a public healthcare system, but non-EU residents and some visa categories require private health insurance, often without copago (co-payment), as part of the TIE application. We personally use Feather Insurance.
Why are there so many empty houses in rural Galicia? This comes up constantly, and the honest answer is that it is tied to decades of emigration, an aging population, and inheritance situations where a house ends up owned by several family members who cannot agree on what to do with it. We go into this in more depth in our article on the subject.
Is the land classification system confusing? Yes, and it catches a lot of newcomers off guard. Whether land is classified as suelo rústico or something else affects what you are legally allowed to build or do on it, and this is worth understanding before you fall in love with a property. We cover the basics in our article on suelo rústico and Galician land law, though for anything specific to a property you are considering, a local gestor or lawyer is essential.
What is the weather actually like? Inland has a more continental climate than the Galician coast, meaning hotter summers and colder winters than people expect from “rainy green Spain.” We experienced a notable heatwave in July 2026, for example, alongside winters cold enough that heating with firewood is standard practice in many houses.
Do you recommend visiting before moving? We do, and we would say the same to anyone. Reading about a place is never the same as spending real time in it, especially somewhere as regionally varied as Galicia.