'We ditched the UK for Spain - our new house costs half the price of our cramped one-bed London flat'

A Brit who has ditched life in the UK for a fresh start in sunny Spain says he is now 'living the dream'. Michael Pope, now 39, used to live in a one-bed flat in Mile End, London while working in sales at a tech startup.

Now, he lives in a two-bed house in Madrid, which he says cost 'half the price' of his 'cramped' old flat, and is now living his 'dream' life running his own wine company.

Whilst living and working in London, Michael said the people were nice and the company was good - but he admitted he never felt passionate about his life or job.

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Michael had always considered moving to Spain as his girlfriend Maca, now 37, is from Madrid. "We used to pop back and forth between London and Madrid a lot, so it was something we talked about doing," he said.

The couple's plan accelerated when Maca's brother fell ill, leading them to relocate during the summer of 2018. Facing unemployment and language barriers in Spain, Michael said: "It was a weird one. Because in many ways I was much more ready to leave London than Maca was."

Reminiscing, he added: "I get sentimental when I think about London because the city I remember is not the one I was experiencing at the end. It changed so much over the years I was there. It became expensive - there was this horrible pace of life. So it was nice to be somewhere new."

Michael, who started his Madrid journey teaching English to business executives before venturing into sales, has noticed significant lifestyle contrasts to London. He said: "I think in Spain there's more of a focus on being sociable - on spending time with family. The pace of life is slower - and the quality of life just feels far better than in London."

"I see groups of elderly people walking in the street on their way to play bingo or bridge together. I don't remember ever seeing groups of elderly people walking in the street in London. It feels like people just enjoy life more here." He then added: "Plus, our two-bed in Madrid costs half what our one-bed in London did. So that helps things too."

After moving, Michael improved his Spanish and delved deep into the local wine scene, taking courses with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust and frequenting wineries and restaurant terraces. His personal life also saw uplifts, with his wife’s brother recovering from illness after a bone marrow donation.

However, 2023 brought unforeseen challenges as Michael faced redundancy and contemplated his next career move. During his birthday celebrations at a winery, as Michael pondered over job applications, Maca suggested he assess what he really wanted.

"On the table next to us, a group of people couldn't speak Spanish very well and were struggling to talk to the waiter about the wine they were drinking."

Maca suggested that Michael could help bridge the language gap and share his passion for wine with others. This encouragement gave Michael the confidence to pursue his dream. He established Vine Travel, which offers bespoke wine tours, tastings, and experiences.

After months of preparation, Michael launched his first vineyard tour in September 2023, taking on multiple roles as host, driver, interpreter, and wine expert. The business has taken off, with Vine Travel being fully booked from September to November and a busy schedule ahead.

Michael's goal was to create tours that he would want to experience himself, and his hard work has paid off. "The last few months in particular have been incredible," he said. "I've just had so much work. I've been mentally and physically tired - but in a healthy way."

"We often focus on smaller wineries which helps customers immerse themselves in Spain's wine culture as much as possible. And lots of my clients have a genuine interest in wine and its production. So the experiences are great."

Michael, who is currently focusing on expanding his company, shared his contentment with his new life: "We live in a city we love. We have a very cuddly Dachshund called Charlie. I have a business I'm passionate about. I'm happiest around wine and dogs. So life is good."