Removals from Hampshire to Spain
Spain is one of the busiest routes off the south coast — and Hampshire has a card the rest of the country doesn’t: a direct ferry from Portsmouth to northern Spain. From the costas to the cities, here’s how we run it.
Ask around Hampshire and someone always knows a family who’s made the jump to Spain — the weather, the cost of living, the ease of flying back for a weekend. It’s the route we’re asked about most after France, and one where Hampshire’s geography genuinely helps: the Portsmouth ferry sails direct to Santander and Bilbao, so part of the journey can be done by sea rather than a long haul through France.
Where in Spain people head
The costas lead the way: the Costa Blanca around Alicante and Torrevieja, the Costa del Sol from Málaga to Marbella, the Costa Brava north of Barcelona. Then the cities — Madrid for work, Barcelona and Valencia for a coastal-urban mix — and a quiet stream heading inland to Andalucía’s white villages for something slower. Retirement and second-home moves make up a good part of it, alongside families relocating outright.
Two ways south
For the north and centre of Spain, the direct Portsmouth crossing to Santander or Bilbao can be the sensible route — your things arrive on the Spanish coast with far less road behind them. For the Mediterranean costas, we’ll often go overland instead: across the Channel, down the length of western France on the A10 and A63 to the border near Biarritz, then onto the Spanish autovías — the AP-7 hugging the coast south past Barcelona and Valencia to the Costa del Sol. We plan the driving hours and the crossing so your things arrive in good order.
Customs, handled end to end
Since Brexit, moving a household into Spain means an inventory and the transit and customs documents for personal effects. We prepare and file the shipping paperwork and keep it with the load. A permanent move usually brings Spanish residency and NIE steps that are yours to deal with — we’ll flag what those are so nothing catches you out, while we take care of the move itself. As ever, we don’t put a day count on the border; timing depends on the route and the documents.
What travels, and how
Whole homes or part-loads, and the belongings that turn a Spanish apartment into yours. A long, warm road makes good packing matter — we wrap for the distance and the heat, load to a plan, and reassemble at the far end. If you’re going in stages, storage on the Hampshire side bridges the gap. Weighing up other destinations? See every route we run.
Hampshire to Spain — common questions
Is there a direct ferry to Spain from Portsmouth?
There is — the Portsmouth crossings run direct to the north coast of Spain, at Santander and Bilbao. For some moves that’s a tidy option that cuts out a long drive through France; for others, especially to the Mediterranean coast, the overland route works better. We’ll weigh up which suits your destination and your things.
Do you move to the costas and the islands?
The mainland costas — Blanca, del Sol, Brava — and the cities are our regular runs by road. The Balearic and Canary islands mean an onward sea crossing; we can arrange it and we’ll be clear about how the island leg works when we quote.
What are the customs requirements for Spain?
Spain is in the EU, so a household move needs an inventory and the transit and customs documents that apply since Brexit. We prepare and file them. For a permanent move you may also need Spanish residency paperwork; we’ll point you to what’s yours to sort and handle the shipping side ourselves.
Can you store things before the Spain move?
Yes. Many people moving to Spain go in stages or wait on a completion, so we can hold your things securely on the Hampshire side and send them when the Spanish home is ready.
Planning a move to Spain?
Tell us where in Spain you’re going and what’s coming with you. We’ll weigh up the ferry against the overland route and send back a clear, itemised quote.