Places & lifestyle · 6 min read
The Mediterranean longevity blueprint: why Spain and Portugal lead Europe for healthy years
Spain has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, and Portugal is not far behind. The reasons are less about miracle foods and more about daily life: sunshine, walking, fresh food and plenty of company.
- Best for
- Understanding the lifestyle
- Key idea
- Healthspan, not just lifespan
- Also read
- Coast or city?
Longevity has become one of the most talked-about subjects in health. Much of the conversation is about supplements, gadgets and clinics. The research on the places where people live longest tells a simpler story: what matters most is how you spend an ordinary day, year after year.
Spain and Portugal are good examples. Both have long life expectancies, and in Spain it is among the highest anywhere. This guide looks at why, and what it means if you are thinking of moving there after 60.
- 84years: life expectancy at birth in Spain, among the highest in the world
- 300+days of sunshine a year on both coasts
- 4everyday habits that matter most
Lifespan and healthspan
Lifespan is how many years you live. Healthspan is how many of those years you spend in good health, independent and doing the things you enjoy. Most of us care more about the second. The habits that lengthen healthspan are also the ones that make later life more enjoyable, which is good news.
Four everyday habits
- 1
Moving through the day
Walking to the café, the market or the beach, swimming and gardening add up to far more movement than an occasional gym session.
- 2
Fresh, simple food
Vegetables, fish, olive oil, pulses and fruit, eaten slowly and often in company, are the everyday diet on both coasts.
- 3
Sunshine and outdoor life
Mild winters mean more time outside, more daylight and more reasons to leave the house all year round.
- 4
Good company
Regular contact with friends and neighbours is one of the strongest factors in healthy ageing; loneliness is one of the biggest risks.
“The secret of a long, healthy life on the Iberian coast is not one thing. It is the shape of an ordinary day.”
| Northern Europe | Iberian coast | |
|---|---|---|
| Daylight | Around 8 hours, often grey | Around 10 hours, often sunny |
| Time outdoors | Limited by cold and rain | Walks, terraces and swims |
| Meals | Often quick and indoors | Long lunches, often shared |
| Social life | Tends to shrink in winter | Carries on all year |
What it does not mean
Moving south is not a medical treatment, and no place guarantees a longer life. Genes, healthcare and personal circumstances matter too. What a sunny, walkable and sociable place does is make the healthy choice the easy one, every day, without needing to think about it.
Where Solera Village fits
Solera Village is designed around these habits. A pool, gym and studio on site, walking and cycling routes nearby, a restaurant and café-bar for shared meals, and a community that makes it easy to stay connected. Homes and amenities are planned for residents from 2027.
To see how everyday costs compare with your home city, try our cost calculator.
See the numbers for yourself
Compare everyday costs in your home city with Solera, and buying or renting with Solera over 10 to 25 years.
Open the cost calculatorGeneral information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; please take personal advice before you move. Ask us a question.