Planning a weekend away, arranging an appointment or wondering why everything is suddenly closed? There’s a good chance it’s a festivo. Here’s our guide to Spain’s public holidays in 2026, including the dates that apply across the country and the local holidays here in Alhaurín de la Torre. So, what is a festivo? In Spain,…
Low Emission Zones (Zonas de Bajas Emisiones – ZBEs in Spanish) are being rolled out across Spain meaning any municipality with over 50,000 inhabitants must implement traffic control measures to improve air quality and reduce pollution. This is Upsticks summary guide for Andalucía, Murcia, Alicante and Comunitat Valenciana but as each autonomous community is different in…
We’re always on the look out for apps and services to make life in Spain that little bit easier and the Bip&Drive app fits the bill perfectly. For people who regularly drive around Europe, you’re probably already acquainted with the Bip&Go French toll road app that pays tolls automatically so you don’t have to stop…
AlertCops is a fantastic app available on both Android and Apple phones, which allows you to report a crime or accident without making a call. It’s available in various languages (Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Basque) so ideal for non-Spanish speakers. Operated by the National Police, Guardia Civil and the Ministry of the Interior,…
Food shopping is probably the easiest of chores to do without a car, from supermarket food deliveries to specialist diets, pet supplies and the ubiquitous Amazon.es for everything else. But don’t discount your local shops and suppliers – ask around (yes, on Facebook too) as there’s no substitute for a word-of-mouth recommendation. Supermarkets Most of…
