What makes the perfect Sunday in Spain? Euro Weekly News asked readers to share their ideal way to spend the day, and the answers show that there is no single recipe for a perfect Sunday.

For some, the best thing about Sunday is having nowhere in particular to be and no need to rush. Angela Freezer finds the relaxed Spanish lifestyle is so appealing that every day feels the same. As she puts it, “Every day is a Sunday in Spain.” It is a sentiment that will resonate with many who have made Spain their home, where a slower pace of life can be one of the biggest attractions.

For others, a perfect Sunday starts with getting outdoors. Mary Foster enjoys combining a walk with one of life’s everyday pleasures, describing her ideal day as “A long walk along the beach with plenty of coffee stops along the way.” It is an appealing way to spend a morning, taking in the sea air and stopping whenever the mood strikes.

Family also plays an important part in the perfect Sunday. Ena Cummings keeps things simple, saying her ideal day involves “Spending time out with family and the fur-kids.” Whether that means a walk together, a relaxed lunch or simply enjoying one another’s company, spending quality time with loved ones is a great way to make the most of a day off.

David Oliva enjoys a mix of outdoor activity, local traditions and time to unwind at home. His ideal day offers a little bit of everything. “Local shops closed. Stop off at the bar for morning churros and chocolate after the stroll through the woods dog walking. Proper Sunday roast dinner, afternoon binge watching slurping red wine.”

Meanwhile, Ken J. Brooks keeps his answer short and sweet: “Local bar”. Sometimes, there is no need to plan anything more elaborate than a visit to a favourite neighbourhood spot, whether for a coffee, a drink or a chat with familiar faces.

So, what’s the secret to an ideal Sunday in Spain? Most people said that spending time outdoors, enjoying good food and drink, and being with family or friends were the ingredients that mattered most. Whether it’s a beach walk, churros and chocolate, a roast dinner or a trip to the local bar, the perfect Sunday is ultimately about slowing down and enjoying the day.

Los Alcazares welcomed around 180 watersports athletes from several countries as the 27th edition of Surfari Mar Menor brought three days of windsurfing and sailing action to the Costa Calida over the weekend of October 9 to 11.

Surfari Mar Menor welcomes national and international athletes

The annual competition attracted national and international participants from Spain, Portugal, Finland and the Dominican Republic, turning the Mar Menor into an international showcase for watersports. This year’s edition also introduced a new venue and additional varieties of sports.

New venue brings races closer to spectators

For the first time, Surfari Mar Menor took place at Playa Náutica de Las Salinas, a recently inaugurated watersports area in Los Alcazares. The new location brought competitors, organisers and spectators together in one setting, with dedicated spaces for equipment preparation, race information and the presentation of trophies.

The venue also allowed races to take place close to the shoreline, giving residents and visitors a better view of the colourful sails crossing the lagoon. Organisers hoped this would make the competition more accessible to people who wanted to watch the action without taking part themselves.

Windsurfing, wingfoiling and Formula Kite take centre stage

Windsurfing remained the central focus of the event, but this year’s programme expanded to include wingfoiling, a wind-powered sport where you stand on a hydrofoil board while holding a wing to glide above the water, and Formula Kite, a high-speed Olympic sailing sport where athletes on hydrofoil boards are pulled by ram-air kites. The latter, which made its Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games, also featured the Spanish Formula Kitesurf Cup.

These additional sports brought different ways of harnessing the wind to the competition, showcasing the range of watersports possible on Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon.

International competition boosts the Costa Calida’s watersports appeal

The event’s international participation further underlined the lagoon’s appeal as a destination for sailing and wind-powered sports. The Mar Menor’s relatively consistent sailing conditions are another major attraction, allowing participants to enjoy watersports while giving spectators a chance to watch the thrilling races from the shore.

The competition concluded on Sunday, October 11. Andalusian competitors secured seven podium finishes across five categories, while Canarian sailor Isidro Enríquez won the overall Windsurfer title by just one point.

With its new venue, expanded programme and international participation, the 27th Surfari Mar Menor re-established Los Alcazares’ reputation as a top destination for watersports, thrilling races, and an active supporting community on the Costa Calida.

A long-time Costa del Sol expat has warned that Spain’s drive for development is coming at the expense of the people who already live there, with older residents facing growing problems with traffic, housing costs and access to everyday services.

Steve Marshall, who moved to Spain with his family almost 30 years ago, says the promise of a better quality of life was a major reason for making the move. However, he believes the balance between development and residents’ needs has changed dramatically.

“When our family moved to Spain almost 30 years ago it was for a better quality of life,” Steve said. “There was a balance between achieving that goal and the need for development and growth.” He now fears that balance has been lost, with building projects taking priority over the infrastructure needed to support growing communities.

Steve Marshall questions the cost of development

“It appears that the authorities are hell-bent at building on every available piece of land with no obvious thought given to the necessary infrastructure,” he said. Steve believes new homes and other developments must be matched by investment in the services residents need to live safely and comfortably.

“By infrastructure I include such things as roads, parking facilities, water, sewage treatment, hospitals, doctors, nurses and police who are just part of the core infrastructure that should go with development,” he said.

He argues that the effects are already being felt in everyday life, particularly by older people who may find it more difficult to negotiate crowded streets or cope with heavier traffic. “Navigating building sites that spill out onto pavements is difficult and dangerous,” Steve said. “The massive increase in traffic makes it equally demanding for older residents.”

For people who depend on their cars because public transport is unavailable locally, he believes the situation is particularly worrying. “For those who want to use their car (because there is no local bus service) they now do so with unacceptable risk,” he said.

Older residents face rising housing costs

Steve accepts that development has an important role to play in Spain’s economy, creating jobs and bringing new opportunities. His objection is to growth that fails to take account of the people already living in an area. “There will always be the need for development,” he said. “It brings with it job creation and ‘progress’ but it should not be at the expense of a quality of life that we are all entitled to.”

He also believes local authorities have a responsibility to put the needs of their communities at the centre of planning decisions. “The role of the authorities is to serve their community,” he said. “That cornerstone of democracy does not appear to be at the forefront of their thinking these days.”

Housing affordability is another major concern for Steve, particularly for older residents living on fixed incomes. “As home prices rise so does the cost of renting,” he said. He claims that monthly rental payments can now exceed the pensions of some older residents who have built their lives in Spain. He also points to what he describes as excessively high deposits, which can make finding a new home even more difficult. “For some of our older neighbours they are faced with the previously unthinkable option of returning to the UK as owning/renting becomes unaffordable in Spain,” he said.

Steve calls for town halls to listen

Steve believes town halls and planning departments need to consider the impact of proposed developments on existing residents, rather than concentrating solely on construction and economic growth. He says he raised his concerns with his local Foreign Residents Department and was invited to put them in writing to the Planning Department. However, he says he was given a caveat that the department was under “no obligation to respond”.

For Steve, that experience raises a wider question about how much influence established residents have over decisions that directly affect their lives. His message is not that Spain should stop developing, but that growth should bring improvements for the people who already call the country home. As he put it: “It should not be at the expense of a quality of life that we are all entitled to.”