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Back in Xativa
  • Miel Degang
  • Laura Debyser
  • Miel Degang
  • Laura Debyser

Back in Xativa

Living in Xativa for 6 months Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 4, 2026
    Back in Xativa
    The main and only street of Alboi, our temporary home
    The main and only street of Alboi, our temporary homeMichel visiting = cycling 🚲Discovering Valencia's coffee scene ☕Valencia area = oranges & hilltop chapels 🍊Exploring a shortcut to Xativa (so far no 🐗 encounters)BeforeAfter 🪏Aftermath of the storms 🌪️1How we missed almuerzos ...Sumi enjoying her new territoryLuxury taxi service for Laura's parents 🚕Ciudad de Artes y ScienciasEl terreno 💚☀️Spax - the local dog shelterNew find: weekly organic vegetable box 🥬Aftermath of the rain 🌧️Having chickens = eating eggs again 🐔Laura's work station (and Sumi's favorite spot🔎)Miel's work station (if the weather allows it)

    Back in Xativa

    March 7 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    It almost feels like we never left. Even though we’re now based in a tiny village near Xàtiva instead of the city, we quickly slipped back into our Spanish routines: frequent trips to Valencia, hikes straight from our doorstep, volunteering at the dog shelter, hosting friends and family who come to explore the region with us 🐾🥾.

    With a big piece of land at our disposal, we also decided to try our luck at gardening. Whether we’ll actually harvest vegetables before our next adventure is… still a big question mark 🌱😂.

    The weather has kept things interesting too. In just two months we’ve had sunny January days, wild wind storms in February, and endless rain in March. Spain definitely didn’t stick to the “always sunny” stereotype this time ☀️🌪️🌧️.    Read more

  • Back in Xativa
    1The terreno is blooming 🏵️
    1The terreno is blooming 🏵️Our house 🏡Preparing for life outdoorsNew favorite spot in Xativa: the book shop 📚🤓Serra de l'OmbriaBocairent 🏘️Ermita del Santo Cristo de Bocairent ⛪Fallas FestivalOne of the Fallas in Xativa before ...... and afterCatedral de ValenciaPicnic with the neighbors/landlords 🧺Sumi's best friend!Serra de Benicadell

    Primavera is here! 🌸

    March 27 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    After a winter of mixed weather conditions, spring has finally arrived ☀️. This is our favorite season here as the temperatures are perfect for hiking and doing day trips.

    Back at home, the garden has completely exploded with colour 🌺. What looked rather empty a few months ago is now buzzing with flowers, bees, and enough greenery to keep us busy.

    We also survived another edition of the famous Fallas festival 🎇. It's loud, smoky, chaotic, and probably not winning any sustainability awards anytime soon... but it remains one of Spain's most unique traditions, so we went to check it out anyway (in both Valencia and Xativa). 😅    Read more

  • Back in Xativa
    BBQ with Miel's parents 🔥Salto de Chella with Lisa 💦Ganesh 🤤Beers with Yannick 🍻El Palmar de Albufera - the birthplace of paella 🥘To the beach with GuusieCycling adventure with Jenka 🚲Crosswords with MJ 🤓Paella with Joan and MimiPádel with ArnoutSUP with Arnout

    Visitas de Bélgica 🇧🇪

    May 19 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    April and May were all about visitors! Friends and family came over from Belgium (and other parts of Spain), turning our quiet village life upside down 🌪️.

    Some of our guests were a little unlucky with the weather. A few even managed to experience more rain here than back in Belgium (sorry, Lisa! 🌧️)

    For us, though, every visit felt like a mini holiday. We spent our days exploring Valencia, enjoying outdoor adventures, and sharing lots of food 🥘.    Read more

  • Back in Xativa
    Slow mornings 🍊Spotting wildlife at the Barranco del CintGriffon vulturesCycling (steeper than in Belgium) 🚲Sumi, the Queen of AlboiCala d'Ambolo 🏖️Isla del Descubridor 🪨Deep Water Soloing at Isla del PortitxolPaella 🥘Home-grown veggies 🧑‍🌾Exploring new restaurants in Valencia 🍴Secluded cove between Altea & BenidormAltea old townFuente de Marzo - favorite water spot near XativaRidge Ascent of Puig 🪢Boardgames by the pool 🤓Foster kittens 😺Our paddleboard hidden under a sea arch 🔍Chilling at the pool 👙Via Ferrata at Charcos de Quesa 🪢Pizza night with friends 🍕Climbing off-beat crags 🪢

    Vida de verano ☀️

    June 30 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    For our final month in Spain, we wanted to make every day count. That meant plenty of trips, many of them to the beautiful Costa Blanca. Not for the tourist-packed towns, but for its stunning nature reserves, hidden coves, crystal-clear waters, and towering cliffs 🌊. Exploring them by paddleboard was one of the highlights of our stay. We even got a private show by some dolphins during one of our trips 🐬!

    Summer had definitely arrived, treating us to a constant 30+°C. Thankfully, our pool was never far away, making those hot afternoons easy to handle 😎.

    After six wonderful months, it's time to head back to Belgium. We'll miss our peaceful little village, the outdoor lifestyle, and the feeling of having nature right on our doorstep. Hasta luego! 🇪🇸    Read more

    Trip end
    June 30, 2026