FWIW I have always been drawn towards Portugal and never considered Spain as an option for residency - or even as a holiday destination.
Don't really know why Portugal, more a gut feel, backed up by a little research over the last few years?
It's history, Marie..
Spain has always considered The British to be hostile..
Wrong religion,
Centuries of duplicity, to maintain the balance of power, always Thwarting French and Spanish expansion and influence in Europe, Africa, The Carribbean and North America.
Always playing one off against the other.
Elizabeth I and Philip of Spain...
Boasting about how we stuffed the Armada..
Even The Falklands/ Las Malvinas..
Portugal, however, sees us as their oldest friend. They're taught this at school.
Always there to stop Spanish and French incursion.
We lent them the money to pay for Wellington, during the Peninsula war, and financed the rebuilding of the huge damage done by the 1755 earthquake..
They're still paying interest, our locals say.
When we were at war with France and Spain, we always needed somewhere reliable to provide us with booze.
Hence the British names of the main Port houses.
It's good here, innit, Ruth.?
)
