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olive press
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March 2018
Issue 19
March 14th - March 27th 2018 Is this designer hotel in Madrid really the coolest place to stay in the world?
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SEE PAGE xiv >>
With spring rapidly approaching, we roundup the properties in Andalucia with the most enviable gardens SEE PAGE VIII
Stiff upper lip
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RITISH demand for properties in Spain has remained strong despite uncertainty surrounding Brexit. The last quarter of 2017 showed a 7.6% increase in prices and a huge 19.8% increase in sales. Meanwhile foreign year on year sales rose by 20.4% to 15,266 purchases. Foreign sales in last three months of
Brits refuse to stop investing in Spanish homes despite Brexit fallout and uncertainty 2017 were led by the British with 2,384 sales, followed by French and German nationals with 1,242 and 1,198 purchases respectively. This rise in British engagement was also a quarter-on-quarter increase of 0.9%.
UK nationals now account for 16% of the overseas property market share in Spain, which is an 8% lead on French nationals who account for the second highest number of foreign homeowners. Experts at A Place in the Sun said:
“Although Brexit has understandably stalled decisions for some, many British nationals continue to proceed with their property purchases in their number one overseas destination. “It could be suggested that British nationals during this period were encouraged by Alfonso Dastis’ (Spain’s Foreign Minister) pledge in October that British expats living in the country would face “no dis-
ruption” post-Brexit, amongst other positive comments surrounding pensions and European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) benefits at the time.” It added that it saw 55% and 28% increases in Spanish property searches and property enquiries by Brits respectively.
See Mark Stucklin analysis overleaf
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Hot water
www.theo
SOME 14 fire bosses have been arrested for allegedly embezzling €7 million in public funds. The Policia Nacional found that the Consortium of Bomberos Cadiz took out mass early retirement insurance policies. But when their employees retired early, chiefs siphoned off the money from the payouts. Authorities also found discrepancies in the consortium’s training courses. Large sums were paid to a company to provide training courses, but no evidence has been found that these courses took place. Meanwhile, irregularities were also found in grants and subsidies, which cops believe were used to pay for private trips. The irregularities date back to 2008 and cops believe at least €7 million has been stolen by those at the top.
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Property
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MarchMarch 14th -2018 March 27th 2018
Brits are on the up following a slight drop postreferendum, writes Mark Stucklin
HE British voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016. What impact has the referendum result had on British demand for Spanish property so far? Surprisingly little. The number of British buyers dropped significantly in the second half of 2016 after the referendum, but has been recovering since then (see chart). In annualised terms, British demand declined for five quarters between Q3 2014 and Q3 2017, but then started growing again in Q4 20017.
Double
The British are still by far the biggest group of foreign buyers of Spanish property, almost double the next biggest group – the French. Agents and developers tell me they have seen an increase in British buyers with budgets above €400,000, and a fall in numbers in the middle market between €200,000 and €400,000. Some buyers in the middle market are trading down, bolstering the lower end. I’ve heard one theory that Brits with financial resources are getting money out of the UK and into European assets like Spanish property before Brexit really bites.
Brexit no exit BACK ON THE UP: British demand by quarter since 2013 shows steady recovery after Brexit bump in the road
There is a correlation between British demand for Spanish property and the strength of the pound, as
you can see from the chart below. But whilst the pound has fallen below its level in 2013, British demand
has been far more resilient. A weaker pound means that some British buyers will be trading down, but in
volume terms British demand has been surprisingly unaffected by the referendum result.
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FLOWER POWER IF Estepona didn’t have the most flower pots on the Costa del Sol before, it certainly will now. The town hall has announced it will be introducing another 6,000 of the emblematic features this year. It means the sunny hotspot will have a total of 20,000 flowerpots.
New Mijas development selling ‘extremely well’ A NEW €125 million project in La Cala de Mijas has been announced by Taylor Wimpey España. The Grandview urbanisation will comprise 40 apartments and 20 luxury penthouses on the front line of golf. It will be completely enclosed with communal gardens and swimming pools, with the first phase of the project expected to be completed by November 2019. It comes a few months after Taylor Wimpey and La Cala Resort presented the second and third phases of the Horizon Golf project in the area, which is the first part of a macro project involving ‘at least’ €125 million over the next ten years. The off-plan properties are already selling well, according to the developers.
Planned costa museum still empty THE planned museum for Torremolinos’ Plaza Picasso has been delayed yet again. The 4,000 square metre property has already received a cash injection of €6 million from the town hall, but a change in the local government and a lack of a budget for the arts has stopped the museum becoming a reality. The site will remain closed after the PSOE have yet to find a buyer.
Lost deposits on ghost developments may be a thing of the past in Spain thanks to a feisty family from Ireland, writes Dan Buckley
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WO Irish brothers who sunk their life savings into a bankrupt Estepona resort are spearheading a campaign to help others who have been ripped off in Spain. Ollie and John Reel are battling the banks to claw back sums of up to €500,000 in lost deposits for projects that were never built as the Noughties property crisis kicked in. Working with a top lawyer in Benidorm, they have set up Reclaim in Spain, an agency dedicated to liaising with victims and pursuing the banks through the courts in cases where the developer has gone bust. They have already won eight cases and two settlements and have hundreds more on their books.
Pluck of the Irish
Triumphant
“We have over 300 cases in court already for Irish/UK investors since we started working in June 2016,” says Ollie Reel, a former PE teacher from Armagh in Northern Ireland who gave up his job of 24 years to help others like him. “The first Irish cases were submitted in November 2016 and a couple in Galway became the first investors to get their money back last December,” he said triumphantly. “They were awarded 100% of their €54,000 deposit plus interest and court costs.” Like thousands of Irish people with an eye for a good investment, Ollie decided to invest in Spanish property to cash in on the postmillennium boom. Encouraged by a financial adviser to remortgage his home and use the equity to buy an off-plan property in Spain, he and his brother John were among 395 people who put money into the Estepona Beach and Country Club. They couldn’t have picked a worse time to make such a substantial investment. “There was nothing ever built and all 395 people lost their deposits,” says Ollie. “Like an idiot, I bought two and put down deposits totalling €145,000.” As a UK resident, Ollie was able to reclaim €70,000 through Britain’s financial services compensation scheme on the basis of receiving poor financial advice. His brother, from Louth in the Republic of Ireland, was unable to claim as there is no such scheme there. For years, the brothers struggled to recoup all of their money through the courts in Spain, to no avail. “We took a law case in Spain which cost us nearly €200,000 between 80 of us involved and we were still no further on after seven years.” It was then that they heard of the work of Martin de la Herran from
PROPERTY HEROES: Brothers Ollie and John Reel the Spanish law firm Abolex. He is one of a small group of lawyers who took test cases against banks that held deposits for holiday homes never built. It was pointless pursuing the developers involved as they had all gone bankrupt. All seven test cases taken by Martin
and the other lawyers between 2012 and 2015 went all the way to the Spanish Supreme Court and each resulted in rulings in favour of the victims. By March 2016, after the result of the final test case, a precedent was then set for everyone in a similar situation to claim.
Got to be in it to win it YOU can now get a home in Spain for just €5… well, if you’re lucky that is. It’s all thanks to a pioneering business dedicated to raffling off properties. LotoHome will sell 70,000 raffle tickets at €5 each, and when they are all bought, a winner is chosen. It means the homeowner walks away with €350,000 guaranteed. The latest home is a completely refurbished, two-bedroom, onebathroom property just five minutes from the beach in the middle
of Alcalà de Xivert in Castellón. (top) It comes with a storage room, basement, living room, dining room, kitchen and two terraces. The winner will be announced next February 14, with hundreds of tickets already sold. Anyone from around the world can buy a ticket since the company paired with PayPal. Founder Pepe Bolumar got the idea of LotoHome after raffling off his grandmother’s home in Castellon in 2014, when the property market was still recovering. “We thought that raffling it off would be a good formula, as well as being a way to launch this novel business and showing that it can work, that it can be a profitable business,” he told El Pais. They managed to sell 32,000 of the 40,000 raffle tickets at €10 each, with punters from as far away as Africa, Latin America, Russia and Canada.
BRAND NEW: Apartment and view ( above)
2 x Internal Doors – Opening to the right To fit a 12cm surround Surrounds – Handles
230€ each
Open to offers – Tel: 691 900 484
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Property
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MarchMarch 14th -2018 March 27th 2018
ICONIC: Alcazar Catedral and (right) bridge in Navarra
How time stood still
A sepia-toned sojourn into the way Spain’s architecture looked… 200 years ago
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NEW photo exhibition has revealed snapshots of Sevilla and Spain from the 1800s. The shots come from the enigmatic French photographer Luis León Masson, and are on display in Almeria until March 18. The collection is described as ‘one of the most important in Spain in the nineteenth century.’ Masson is believed to have taken around 800 images since arriving in Sevilla in May in 1858. “It is unknown why he came to Andalucia, most likely for some commission in stereoscopic photography for a Parisian firm,” explained Malaga expert Fernández Rivero.
“Stereoscopy was a big business at the dawn of photography and Masson was a teacher.” It was a format in which two joined images, taken from different angles, became a single, three-dimensional image when viewed with a viewfinder. Masson opened a studio in Seville and changed his name to Luis. The images include the Palacio de San Telmo in Sevilla, the famous Alcazar cathedral and Cordoba’s Mezquita tower. Masson can also be seen in one of the world’s first ever selfies, standing in front of the Catedral de Sevilla.
HISTORIC: Cordoba’s Mezquita tower and (left) selfie by Masson
TRANQUIL: A rare snapshot of Andalucia over 100 years before the tourism boom
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Property
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Like a million euros What can you get in one of Spain’s hottest property islands for €1 million or less?
Finest Real Estate Mallorca
cious villa is located in second sea line and has a Large living room with fireplace, 6 bed., 6 bath., vered terrace, saltwater pool and much more. 68 sqm E&V ID: W-00AD7Q · Price: 2,200,000
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Pollensa, which sold for an average price of €400,000 euros in 2017.” Below we have rounded up the best properties money can buy on the island for under €1 million.
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As Engel & Voelkers explain in their annual report: “There is a trend towards increased interest in rural properties with a pool, located some 15 minutes’ drive from the coast. Additionally, the north
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Alaro cottage €575,000
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Charming cottage set in the lively village of Alaró, with a popular market every Saturday in it’s square with cafeterias and restaurants andsqm set just Son Espanyol: Lovely finca with guest house on a 8,000 plot,20 15minutes minutesfrom the capital of the island, Palma. drive from Palma´s old town. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, pool, underfloor The house, dating back a couple of hundred heating, fireplace, high beamed ceiling, wooden and marble floor, double years, is teeming with character. It was renoAlcudia: quality houseID: in W-0297ZZ top condition sea views, located in a bevated inwith the €past keeping the traditional feaglazed window, carportHigh for two cars. E&V · Price: 1,350,000 and converted a wonderful, cosy autiful residential area of Bon Aire, tures, charming traditionalintoelements on exfamily home. terior combined with bright, modernIt’sinteriors, holiday rental permission. set on two levels, and provides a lounge with W-02AAUJ a wood burning stove, €fully equipped Constr. area approx. 310 sqm. E&V ID: · Price: 1,475,000 kitchen with dining area, and access to an indoor patio. Upstairs offers four bedrooms with two bathrooms, and one single room, used as an office. Outdoors the property enjoys a very private and lovely terrace, garden and pool. An absolute gem in one of the most soughtafter villages on the island. REF: E&V ID W-00AE59
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ouse in top condition with sea views, located in a beof Bon Aire, charming traditional elements on exbright, modern interiors, holiday rental permission. 0 sqm. E&V ID: W-02AAUJ · Price: € 1,475,000
Finest Real Estatefeatures Mallorca found for under €1 million. premium apartments in Puerto
house in Palma costing €3.8 million in 2017, while an average villa in Port de Andratx cost €4.5 million, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just a market for the super wealthy. However there are still bargains to be
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T’S no secret that property prices in Mallorca will rise again this year. According to Engel & Voelkers, the number of sales on the Balearic rose by around 20% last year. But with the average price of a town-
El Terreno: Refurbished quality apartment in walking distance to Santa Catalina and Palma old town with 2 bed., 2 bath., patio and terrace, air conditioning, underfloor heating, guest toilet, built-in kitchen, cellar. Constr. area approx. 137 sqm. E&V ID: W-026G5S · Price: € 598,000
Puig de Ros: This spacious villa is located in second sea line and has a holiday rental license. Large living room with fireplace, 6 bed., 6 bath., equipped kitchen, covered terrace, saltwater pool and much more. Constr. area approx. 468 sqm E&V ID: W-00AD7Q · Price: 2,200,000
Son Espanyol: Lovely finca with guest house on a 8,000 sqm plot, 1 drive from Palma´s old town. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, pool, u heating, fireplace, high beamed ceiling, wooden and marble floo glazed window, carport for two cars. E&V ID: W-0297ZZ · Price: €
Palma piso €850,000
This amazing property is located on a high floor just next to the well know Porto Pi commercial centre and offers an exclusive view on the harbour of Palma. It features 3 bedrooms and 3 baths - one of which is en suite as well as a dining living room with direct access to the large terrace from where you will enjoy the magnificent view over the harbour and the bay of Palma. The community features also a pool as well as a parking space. The property comes with wooden floor, central heating as well as air conditioning. It’s the perfect apartment either for an investment as well as for a holiday residence to enjoy the nearby beach of Cala Mayor or the shopping area of Porto Pi and the vicinity of the centre of Palma. REF: E&V ID W-02B0AQ
El Terreno: Refurbished quality apartment in walking distance ta Catalina and Palma old town with 2 bed., 2 bath., patio an air conditioning, underfloor heating, guest toilet, built-in kitche Constr. area approx. 137 sqm. E&V ID: W-026G5S · Price: €
Bendinat beauty - €1, 250, 000
While just slightly over €1 million, this spacious penthouse offers luxury living in the exclusive residential area of Bendinat. Take modern duplex penthouse with private roof terrace, Puerto de Sóller: Luminous apartment with athe beautiful the bay time to view enjoy of Mediterranean outdoor lifestyle kitchen, from onedining of threeroom, terraces, barbequing novation project consisting of seven fabulous luxury and surrounding mountains. It has an open-plan with friends basking sive design, light flooded and spacious rooms, as living room, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Furthermore it has and a terrace, cosyin the year round sunshine. evator. E&V ID: W-02B4W6 · Price: € 1,200,000 garden, a/c hot cold, parking space. E&V ID: W-02A5P2 · Price: € with 535,000 It comes complete air conditioning h/c, under-floor heating in the bathrooms, marble flooring, fireplace, garage parking, storage Engel & Völkers Mallorca · Tel.: +34 971 23 85 84 room, 3 community pools and excellent gardens. Shoppingwith and private beachesroof are terrace, within Palma: Exclusive and modern duplex penthouse Mallorca@engelvoelkers.com · www.engelvoelkers.com/mallorca a shortconsisting walk and the city of fabulous Palma is just 8 part of a spectacular renovation project of seven luxury minutes by car. apartments with exclusive design, light and spacious rooms, as REF: E&Vflooded ID W-0250MJ
well as parking and elevator. E&V ID: W-02B4W6 · Price: € 1,200,000
Puerto de Sóller: Luminous apartment with a beautiful view o and surrounding mountains. It has an open-plan kitchen, dini living room, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Furthermore it has a terr garden, a/c hot cold, parking space. E&V ID: W-02A5P2 · Price: €
Engel & Völkers Mallorca · Tel.: +34 971 23 85 84 Mallorca@engelvoelkers.com · www.engelvoelkers.com/mallorca
Property
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30 % SO L
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Visit o u SHOW r FLAT on sit e 5000 EURO FURNITURE VOUCHER IF YOU RESERVE IN MARCH OR APRIL
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Call our on site sales office on 652 736 253 or email us at costadelsol@maklarringen.se Bought to you exclusively by
Maklarringen is a Swedish real estate agency with 70 offices in Sweden and a long presence in Spain and on the whole Costa del Sol.
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Property
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As winter gets packing, Laurence Dollimore cherry-picks the For Sale properties that deliver views to put a spring in your step
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PRING is just around the corner. After a wet and windy winter, it’s time to watch flowers blossom and feel temperatures warm up. In the spirit of the season, we have scoured the top property portfolios on the Costa del Sol and Mallorca to select those sprouting the most gorgeous gardens and ravishing vistas perfected by Mother Nature.
Marbella project €2,900,000
Spring in your step
This south-facing villa has enviable views over extensive tropical gardens towards the Mediterranean. It sits in a prime location in the heart of Nagueles where the grounds offer complete privacy. Built on two levels, this property is in need of renovation and comprises an entrance hall with guest toilet; formal living/dining room with bar, fireplace and access to a porch enjoying sea views; independent study, accessed from terrace; kitchen and pantry with access to garden; TV room; further lounge/dining room with fireplace opening onto the pool area and covered terrace; master en suite bedroom and ensuite guest bedroom, both with dressing area, sharing a terrace. The lower garden level includes a cloakroom, guest suite, 2 further bedrooms with a shared bathroom, a large ensuite bedroom and a store room. All bedrooms have access to a porch and the garden. www.thespanishestateagent.com Ref: TSEA2637266 Bedrooms: 8 Bathrooms: 6
Mijas moneymaker €1,050,000 This successful holiday rental business in Mijas pueblo could be the perfect career opportunity. The offer includes the SL company, customer base, active homepages in German, English and Italian, well established internet listings as well as all operational equipment. It sits on a private road and a slope with truly fantastic views of the sea, and the green valley of a nearby nature preserve. What’s more, Mijas centre is just a few minutes walk away. www.propertyoverseasgroup.com
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Mountain gem - €1,250,000 This is an ideal country house in walking distance of one of Mallorca’s most attractive mountain villages. The finca sits on 22,000 m2 of fertile land planted with almond and olive trees with the ‘twin sisters’ sierras providing the perfect backdrop. The subtle and rustic interior includes traditional wooden beams. The property also has a large pool and pool house with bathroom and terrace. There are plenty of hiking and cycling routes to discover, while the airport of Palma can be reached easily via the Ma-13 motorway in 30 minutes by car. www.maklarringen.se REF: 208180140
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Stunning palace - € NA This awesome chateau-style mansion flaunts an enviable address on the heart of Marbella’s Golden Mile. Offering privacy and built to the highest specifications on a large plot of over 1.1 ha, the park-sized garden and beautiful heated pool will stop you in your tracks. The main villa is distributed over two levels plus a lower floor. At ground level is the entrance hall leading to a main hall with a modern lift and guest toilet; a living room plus 3 lounges; 2 dining rooms; kitchen and office; en-suite bedroom and dressing room; and covered and uncovered terraces. Upstairs includes a hall; two master suites, both with dressing areas; a lounge; 2 further bedroom suites with dressing rooms; further en-suite bedroom; covered terraces with views to the immaculate garden and the sea beyond. If that’s not enough, the lower level showcases that stunning heated pool with Jacuzzi, sauna, shower area, massage room, gym; and relax room; a home cinema; 2 en-suite bedrooms and dressing rooms; and a service area including machine rooms, wine cellar, laundry room, toilets, storage rooms, kitchen for pool terrace and service stairway and a 4-car garage. Other standout features include underfloor heating and cooling, 2 lifts, top quality marble flooring and bespoke marble walls in all bathrooms, fitted dressing rooms, solar heating and an imposing Louis XIV marble fireplace. www.panorama.es REF: R112-07981
Mallorca Castle €38,000,000 Castillo Mallorca lords it on its own private peninsula at the entrance to Port Andratx with spectacular views from every angle. This legendary property linked to ryalty is one of the most spectacular private residences in the Mediterranean and comprises an impressive main house with swimming pool and a guest house with beautiful gardens and terraces. From the sea there are three private accesses to the property which include a private docking area for a yacht of up to 30 metres. To the west of the peninsula there is a private cave providing a magical atmosphere for watching stunning sunsets and the locals say that there is treasure buried in these waters. Among the three suites in the main house is the Lady Diana suite where the late Princess of Wales stayed during a holiday on the island. In addition, there is a spacious living room in classic style, a large kitchen and dining room, a billiard room in the west wing, a fitness room, sauna and piano lounge. www.engelvoelkers.com
Sotogrande wonder €2.495.000 A spectacular three-storey ‘smart’ villa set in the prestigious golf resort of La Reserva de Sotogrande. The ground floor consists of a big entrance hall, ample living room, drawing room, dining room, fully-fitted kitchen, walk-in cupboard, downstairs bathroom, staff bedroom and bathroom, staff entrance and hall. On first floor, we find four bedrooms ensuite with walk-in wardrobes and terraces with panoramic views. There is also a wine cellar, gym and indoor pool and one bedroom with independent entrance. Other wow factors include ivory marble and natural Irocco wood flooring, indoor and outdoor pools, green spaces, a home domotic system, satellite TV, telephone connection and security glass. www.holmesotogrande.com REF: HSN0-1231
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THE FIRE PLACE MALAGA – MARBELLA – GIBRALTAR
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Costa Tropical
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Vol. 12 Issue 287
March 14th - March 27th 2018
Magic of the Orient
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‘The sugar-canes rattled like bones on the wind, and the dark-blue mountains stood close around, sharp and jagged, like a cordon of police’
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O wrote Laurie Lee of his first visit to the Costa Tropical, just before Spain was engulfed in its murderous civil war. Drive along the coast today and you can still appreciate his dramatic imagery. Once upon a time this stretch of the Mediterranean was dubbed the Costa del Sol Oriental. Then, believing that they were being sidelined by the rival resorts up the road in Malaga province, the folk in Granada province woke up. They decided to call their coast the Costa Tropical. And with good reason… not only does it play host to one of the best climates in Europe, it is also one of the most scenic stretches of coastline on the Med. To be exact, the Costa Tropical extends from the eastern edge of Malaga province close to Nerja, to the frontier with Almería and La Rabita; some 80 kilometres of stunningly varied scenery. Development has yet to make heavy inroads because of the rugged terrain, so forget the miles of ribbon developments you see around Benalmadena and Fuengirola. It’s unspoilt here. Soaring headlands and cliffs are interspersed with small coves, except where the Guadalfeo river flows across a flat, fertile delta near Motril. Here and there, on prominent headlands, ancient watchtowers guard the coast. These torres vigía or atalayas are a reminder of the time when the cry “¡Hay moros en la costa!” warned of invaders from Africa and sent whole communities rushing for the hills.
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David Baird takes a drive through the fabulous, little explored region of the Costa Tropical These days they are great to have a poke around and get a photo with the stunning backdrop of the mountains dropping into the sea. The first village encountered heading east out of Nerja is La Herradura, on a beautiful horseshoe bay. Until tourism arrived it was one of the poorest villages on the coast. These days it’s a charming spot, sitting on a pretty stretch of coastline and with an attractive low rise feel to it. Plenty of expensive homes dot the Punta de la Mona area, and include that of Spain’s celebrated guitarist Andrés Segovia, who had a house
here. Make sure to head into town to see the seafront monument that recalls Spain’s biggest naval disaster. It occurred in 1562 when 28 ships carrying provisions and the families of soldiers from Málaga to Orán on the African coast took refuge here from a storm. The wind turned, with extreme violence, trapping the fleet between two headlands, Cerro Gordo and Punta de la Mona. Altogether, an incredible 25 vessels sank leading to 5,000 people losing their lives.
Moving along, we come to the other key resort of the Costa Tropical, Almuñecar. When Laurie Lee trekked across Spain in 1935 — vividly recorded in his book As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning — he came to a halt in ‘Castillo’, a village, ‘backed by a bandsaw of mountains and fronted by a strip of grey sand which some hoped would be an attraction for tourists’. Castillo was in fact Almuñecar. Lee changed the name to protect his friends. ToContinues on Page 28
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day modern apartment blocks line the coast here, but fortunately the old town, crowned by castle ramparts, has been preserved. It is an attractive labyrinth of narrow streets. While large numbers of north Europeans visit in winter, it attracts mainly Spanish visitors and retains its Spanish character. Behind the town thousands of tropical fruit trees flourish in the sheltered Río Verde and Río Seco valleys. The unique micro-climate allows the growth of mangos, custard apples and avocados. Sadly though, 1000 years of sugar production on the southern coast of Spain came to an end in 2006 when the last azucarera (cane refinery) closed at nearby Salobreña. Few towns are as impressive on first sight as Rum is produced in Salobreña. Its dazzling white the area on a small houses, topped by ancient ramscale. You can parts, clothe a buy Ron Pálido in huge rock rising steeply from flat local shops farmland. A long sandy beach, split by a large rock (reminiscent of a basking whale), juts into the sea. Nearby is Motril, the bustling administrative centre of the Costa Tropical. It was known in the 18th and 19th centuries as ‘Little Cuba’ because of the importance of its sugar production. Rum is still being produced in the area on a small scale. You can buy Ron Pálido in local shops. It comes from the surviving distillery, run by Paco Montero. Since the decline of that industry last century, Motril has opted for tourism. It’s worth paying a visit to the Parque de los Pueblos de América, which claims to be the most important tropical botanic garden in Europe, with 36 botanic species imported from the Americas, including coconut palms, jacarandas, magnolias. Meanwhile, learn all about sugar cane production at the Centro de Interpretación at this park. And you can gain a fascinating insight into the rise and fall of Motril’s sugar industry at the Museo Pre Industrial
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SOARING: Salobreña castle and Velez de Benaudalla (below)
EXPLORE: The caves by Costa
del Azúcar, in the El Ingenio de la Palma. Inland from here you will find the motorway to Granada city and a short drive inland you will come to some spectacular mountain scenery, dotted with sleepy villages including charming Velez de Benaudalla (right) You must visit Lecrín valley, or the Valley of Happiness as it was known to the Moors. This is a pleas-
Monday to Sunday: 10am - 11:30pm tel: 958 82 83 95 s/n Calle Playa del Peñón, 18680 Salobreña, Granada
ant, slow-paced corner of Granada province where comedian Alexei Sayle has a home. Seismic movements and erosion have gouged deep ravines and soaring cliffs out of these foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Towering over the valley is the Cerro del Caballo, 3,013 metres high. In winter it is often capped with snow while in the sheltered valley below oranges
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Instead of continuing east into Almería province, turn left and head up into the mountains. Soon you reach La Contraviesa, a bleak, largely uninhabited range of beautiful mountains. From its upper reaches, rising as high as 1,800 metres, you look across the deep Guadalfeo valley to the villages dotting the Alpujarras, as the area on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada is known. The panorama is particularly spectacular in Spring when the almond blossom contrasts with the distant snow-capped mountains. A traditional part of meals along the coast and in the Alpujarras is the Vino de la Contraviesa, a hearty rosado. Until recently the region’s wines never rated much attention from connoisseurs. Today, however, half a dozen bodegas are making serious attempts to produce quality vintages by introducing new grape varieties and modernising their methods and making some fine reds and whites. Conditions are unique, as the Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and native vines are wafted by breezes from both the Sierra Nevada and the Mediterranean. Definitely worth a little exploration.
Tropical and the olive oil museums
and lemons flourish. If you head east of Motril on the Almería road the coast loses some of its charm. The beaches, backed by steep rocky slopes, tend to be grey and gritty. New farming methods have enhanced local incomes but not the scenery. Terraces have been hacked out of the hillsides and shrouded in plastic to allow intensive crop produc-
tion. Guaranteed sunshine and sophisticated irrigation methods produce crops from once-barren terrain. Hemmed in by greenhouses, Castell de Ferro has grown into a minor tourist resort, with mainly Spanish visitors. Breakwaters protect the beaches here and at tiny La Mamola, which has acquired a promenade. It
attracts summer vacationers and apartment blocks have sprung up. If you are seeking a tranquil hideaway, this could be the ideal spot. Backed by arid, bleak mountains, La Rábita (population around 1,500) has spruced up its seafront and boasts a handsome promenade bordered by palm trees. The name comes from rábitas, fortifications built by the Moors as military-religious sanctuaries.
David Baird is the author of the best-selling East of Malaga - Your guide to the Axarquia and Costa Tropical. He has lived in the area for decades and also written about the infamous rebels who fought on against Franco after the civil war in his book Between Two Fires Guerrilla war in the Spanish sierras, much of it based in the Costa Tropical. His comprehensive guide to Granada province, The Glories of Yesterday, is due out soon.
RESTAURANT
d e s i r p r u s e b Come and Call 634 09 02 07 or email us on numero20laherradura@gmail.com Paseo Andrés Segovia, 20, 18697 Almuñécar, Granada
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Welcome
THE Costa Tropical of Granada is a real paradise. It’s a place to enjoy beaches, mountains and fertile valleys, cut through with rivers and with woodland areas above, perfect for outdoor sports. We also have a great range of quality places to stay and a rich cultural heritage, which frequently comes alive in the streets, squares and theatres. On top of that we have an extensive and varied gastronomy, numerous museums and historic monuments, which range from the Prehistoric to the present day. We invite you to come and get to know better our region, an area of privilege, full of life and much to discover. Welcome to the Costa Tropical!
Sergio García President Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa Tropical de Granada
Drama unravels T
he dramatic curves and peaks of the Costa Tropical are all thanks to the African continental plate, which is pushing its way under the Eurasian plate, causing a climate and geology unlike any other in Spain. Winter rains and melting snow has cut deep ravines into the once-forested hillsides, which having lost their fertile topsoil, are mostly now home to almond, olive and carob
trees. Above towers the imposing Sierra Nevada mountain range, which protects the coastline from the worst of the central plateau winter, while Africa shields it from the harsh effects of the Mediterranean and Atlantic weather. The result is a sub-tropical climate which explains the variety of exotic local produce, including mangoes and avocados.
Salobreña
tel: 625 284 146 info@salobrenavacaciones.com www.salobrenavacaciones.com
Vacaciones
FOR RENT from €1,850 per week
FOR RENT from €2,400 per week
FOR SALE €205,000
Villa El Último Gavilán - Monte De Los Almendros 5 bedroom 5 bathroom
Villa El Oasis - Monte De Los Almendros 4 bedroom 4 bathroom
House - Costa Aguilera REF: 0393 3 bedroom 2 bathroom
This is a luxury holiday home. It faces due south with a panoramic, uninterrupted view of the sea. Situated on high ground, the open countryside is only a few minutes away.
This south facing villa has stunning views across the Mediterranean sea and the village of Salobreña. Centrally located within an hours reach of Malaga, Almeria and Granada airports.
Beautiful property located on an urbanization with 22 houses creating a small Andalucían white village. South facing with stunning views to the sea, and distributed over three floors.
FOR SALE €270,000
FOR SALE €285,000
FOR SALE €550,000
Country Property - Alfamar REF: 0365 2 bedroom 1 bathroom
Attic - Salobreña REF: 0385 3 bedroom 2 bathroom
Chalet - Monte De Los Almendros REF: 0405 2 bedroom 2 bathroom
South facing property with beautiful views, lounge/dining room with open plan kitchen and a beautiful terrace with pool, barbeque area and fruit trees. Plenty of parking.
Beautiful attic with stunning views and an amazing terrace. This amazing property comprises of a lounge / dining room, fully equipped kitchen, three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
This property is move in ready. Distributed on two levels, with a garden in the lower area of the plot. This property has its own private infinity pool and has stunning views.
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Gillian Richardson is known locally as ‘Lady Di’... and increasingly for selling houses
Queen of sales
S
HE is one of the true expat godmothers of the Costa Tropical. Having lived in Salobrena since 1992 there are not many corners of the Granada coastline that Gillian Richardson, of Salobrena Vacaciones, has not explored. Well integrated in the area, the motherof-two, from Henley, near London, is the oracle on just about every apartment and farmhouse for sale or rent, particularly in the Salobrena area. She explains that the huge range of nationalities that own in the area bought here, precisely because it is not the Costa del Sol. “People come to the Costa Tropical because they like the real Spain. They don’t want to live in the Nerja area with its fish and chips and every other voice being a foreigner. “Here in Salobrena it really feels like a Spanish village and we haven’t been swamped with foreigners.” She fell in love with the coastline having first visited on holiday in 1978, with her late husband, a dental surgeon. “It was just fields of sugarcane and stunning views,” she says. “We decided to move here 25 years ago and put our young kids, then four and nine, into a lo-
cal school. “It didn’t take long to get integrated and we were quickly adopted by the village, who nicknamed me ‘Lady Di’ and helped me learn Spanish.”
Both her children have found professional careers (James, 36, is a photographer, in Granada, while Marie Claire, 30, is a lawyer working with her mother) and are now set to marry local Spaniards this year. The company, which initially just dealt with holiday rentals but is now also an estate agency, has seen an increase of almost 50% in sales over the last two years. “There’s been a lot of growth and we are getting lots of requests,” she explains. “The biggest sales are down in the village of Salobrena, particularly with Spanish, while I have lots of foreign buyers looking in the Monte area or for fincas inland,” she adds. The company has a great range of properties from a small one-bedroom flat for €35,000 to a €2m villa. “We also have a great range of beautiful old fincas in the nearby countryside, for less than €100,000, perfect to do up,” she continues. “All in all this place is a sleeping giant and in many ways I hope it stays that way.” Visit www.salobrenavacaciones.com or call 858123401
DREAM TEAM: Some of the office girls with Mathilde (second right)
Dream break
WHEN Mathilde Haalstra saw the opportunity to swap her life running a busy town hall in Holland for a permanent life in Spain, she jumped at the opportunity. And in two short years she has worked extremely hard to turn her company Villas Colores Spain into one of the leading rental companies on the Costa Tropical. From their base in Salobreña, they currently rent and manage nearly two dozen luxury attractive villas. All guaranteed to have stunning views, they range from villas, sleeping 15, to three-bed properties, all carefully managed by the office and cleaning team of 20. “We don’t just rent them, we make sure they are carefully managed and run to perfection,” explains the mother-of-three from Utrecht. “In summer they get fully booked but in the winter and spring they are perfect for holidaymakers looking to be near the beach, golf courses as well as the ski slopes. Granada and Malaga are both less than an hour away. “From here you can be strapping on your skis in the Sierra Nevada just one and a half hours away.” The company’s clients include Europeans as well as Canadians, Americans and even Russians. “We have a big team of cleaners, gardeners, poolmen and even three people specialising in laundry to make it all tick over well. “Our goal is to increase the number of our luxury rental villas gradually, maintaining the high service for both guests and owners.” To rent a villa or enquire about their property management services contact the team at +34 958612027 or rentals@villascoloresspain.com or visit www.villascoloresspain.com
VILLAS COLORES SPAIN R E N TA L S , S A L E S A N D D E V E L O P M E N T
”Dozens of beautiful properties for your perfect break on the Costa Tropical ALL with stunning views!”
email: rentals@villascoloresspain.com www.villascoloresspain.com tel: +34 958 612 027 Carretera de Malaga 2A 18680 Salobreña (Granada), Spain
Contact us at any time for inquiries regarding our beautiful villas. We are ready to answer any question you might have. Carla van Asten, Carmen Sanchez, Mathilde Haalstra, Maribel Navarro
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HARDY: Laurence was impressed with the area - and its prices
No tropical downpour can dampen the delights of Motril and Almuñecar, towns with different pasts whose Costa Tropical location makes them siblings under the skin, writes Laurence Dollimore
Sister March 14th - March 27th 2018
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OSTA ‘Tropical’ it certainly was. The monsoon-like March rains lashing southern Spain showed no mercy as I arrived in Almuñecar, one of the most important tourist towns in the province of Granada. But no time for complaining, I headed to lively seafront eatery Mar de Plata, where four glasses of wine, two soft drinks and an oversized tapas of hearty Irish stew came in at just €12. It’s one of many food bargains you’ll find in this ancient town, where tapas is often provided free of charge with every drink - not something you would see in the likes of Marbella, where one drink alone can cost the equivalent of my entire lunch bill. After a short sprint back to the hotel, it wasn’t long before tums were rumbling again. It was off to Da Nicola’s pizzeria, owned by friendly British expat Nigel, who moved to the seaside village 12 years ago after more than 20 years in Lanzarote. “Life is just so much more tranquil here,” he told me, “there’s a great international community too, mostly British, Swedish and German.” The businessman set up his restaurant just over two years ago. “People move here for a relaxed way of STRONG FOUNlife and they definitely get that, it’s not as DATIONS: Roman chaotic as the Costa del Sol but there’s water system in still a nice buzz about the place, espeAlmuñecar still cially in summer.” stands today An hour’s drive from Benalmadena, Almunecar is more famously known as an important setting in British author Laurie Lee’s account of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. His book - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning - referred to the town as ‘Castillo’, in an attempt to disguise people’s identities. But Almunecar’s history goes much deeper than the Civil War. It was originally called Sexi when it was founded as a colony by the Phoenicians around 800 BC - a fact not lost on some residents today, who still refer to themselves as Sexitanos. Over the next 600 years it would become an important port and town with a large fish salting and curing industry that was a major supplier to Greece The Roman and Rome. aqueducts are The Romans took over the town during war with the Phoenistill standing cians in 218 BC. Almunecar thrived and was rec- and in use - after ognised for its loyalty to Rome 2000 years in 49 BC thanks to its fishy forte. Evidence of this was uncovered during excavations in the Majuelo Botanical Gardens in the 1980s, a large section of which is still on display. As they needed huge amounts of fish and sea salt and a constant supply of fresh running water, the Romans built more than 8 km of water conduits in the valleys of the Rio Seco and the Rio Verde in 1 AD, including five significant aqueducts. They are all still standing and amazingly, after 2,000 years, four of them are still in use. The Roman water supply also served the town and recent excavations in the centre uncovered the fifth aqueduct and a Roman baths. You can see the most impressive aqueduct (top) just a three-
PICTURESQUE: One of the many beautiful historic buildings in Motril
minute drive from the centre of town. The Romans are believed to have been the first to fortify the Castle of Saint Miguel, although frequent rebuilding has destroyed most of its very extensive fortifications. Just below the castle on the landward side is the Cueva de Siete Palacios, although it is less a cave and more the largest
remnant of a Roman palace yet found in Almunecar. It survived for hundreds of years as ‘social housing’ until the ‘cave dwellers’ were re-housed in the 1970s. Only then did its true origins become apparent and it now houses the town museum. It means there is lots to do and see if you need to pass the
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A SLICE OF HISTORY: The historic roman aqueduct (left) and the leftover Roman ruins from as far back as 1AD in Almuñecar (right)
WHAT A VIEW: You can see from the coastline to the snowy mountains from the Castillo de San Miguel and (right) Motril cruise ship
time on the very few rainy days here. In summer, you can head to one of over a dozen beaches that play host to thousands of tourists every year. And if you’re looking for more of a city vibe, drive 20 minutes east to Motril, Granada’s second biggest town and the capital
of its coast. Here you’ll find great food at great prices, and of course, the legendary free tapa per drink. Once the sugar refinery capital of Andalucia and, arguably, Spain there are still eight old sugar refineries standing tall
today. They were once seen as the future of the city, now they are legacies. The Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza is another vestige of the town’s commercial heritage. Both a refinery and a distillery, it sits next to the public swimming pool and the Parque de las Américas. It was founded by the Larios gin family in 1885 but due to the low salaries paid, the workers tried to burn it down. The town hall also wanted rid of it but the Junta disagreed and has declared it a property of historical heritage to protect its distillery, chimney, store and terrain. Study the history of gin or drink it and get your free tapa, a trip to the Costa Tropical can offer both ... whatever the weather.
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www.theolivepress.es A ll about
On your hike! T There is so much beauty to see by foot along the Costa Tropical
HE Costa Tropical offers great hiking opportunities for all ages all year around. There is a complete network of trails along the coastline while the inland villages offer a perfect way to enjoy the stunning nature and subtropical climate while getting in some exercise too! There really is a route for everyone, from beginners to experts. They include gentle walks between coastal beaches along the Costa Tropical coast path, easy circular
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CAPTION Pore cus. Imus eati rat. Temquis doluptae. Muscita tecerchil int utet aliquaeped magnati atiatatur, omnis pe et
trails through the valleys among tropical fruit farms, rural tracks that connect the small villages of the Rio Verde and the trails of the Junta de los Rios. For tree lovers, be sure to check out the Camino del Nacimiento and the ancient olive trees of Velez de Benaudalla. There are also beautiful trails running through vineyards and almond trees in blossom in Polopos, Sorvilan, Rubite, Albondon, Murtas and the charming village of Turon.
COME AND LET THE HISTORY WASH OVER YOU Historic 19th century hotel with award-winning 18th & 19th century gardens, Arabic roots and luxurious service
Restaurant open by appointment Email.: info@casadelosbates.com Telephone restaurant.: 672 35 73 36 Carretera Nacional 340 – km. 329,5 (Motril – Salobreña) 18600 – Motril Tel.: (+34) 95 834 94 95
www.casadelosbates.com
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LIVING ON THE EDGE Iconic Spanish architects complete stylish cliffside pad on the Andalucia coast
Restaurante El Peñon Open since the 1950s – How times HAVEN’T changed!
Horario de apertura: 12:00 h a 00:00 h. Paseo Marítimo S/N, 18680 SALOBREÑA (Granada) Teléfono/Reservas: 958 610 538 / 958 611 198 E-mail:gomezvillaescusacb1@gmail.com www.restauranteelpenon.es
Photo by: Jesus Granada
I
T brings a whole new meaning to the concept of living life on the edge. Perched above the Med, Casa del Acantilado (The Cliff House) is the creation of weird and wacky Madrid architects GilBartolome. Something of a challenge, it was created by Pablo Gil and Jaime Bartolome on a 42-degree slope on the Costa Tropical coastline. Commissioned by a young couple from Madrid, every window of the home, near Salobrena, boasts stunning views of the sea. The state-of-the-art design split over two floors features a ‘dragon-scale’ curved roof, floor-to-ceiling windows and an infinity pool. Its position dug into the hillside helps the inside stay cool in the summer months and warmer in winter. “The project combined joyful living, innovative construction techniques, the return of craftsmanship and the cave as an environmental strategy,” explains Bartolome.
hotelmiba
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restaurant & skybar C/N340, Km 325, 18680 Salobreña, Granada, España Tlf: +34 958 617 228 www.hotelmiba.es
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WHERE TO EAT
Costa Tropical March 14th - March 27th 2018
Coast with the most
The food scene on the Costa Tropical is really starting to grow, writes Jon Clarke
F Méson Nacimiento R E S TAU R A N T & TA PA S B A R
An incomparable setting where you enjoy homemade food, and delicious pizzas and meats in our wood-fired oven
Open 12.00-17.00 & 19.30-23.00 Closed Tuesday paconacimiento@hotmail.com tel: 958 622 196 Paseo de Nacimiento, 14, 18670, Velez de Benaudalla
OR foodies and hotel snobs there is an exciting adventure to be had away from the famous Granada ski slopes. The food scene on the Costa Tropical just gets better and better with new restaurants opening every month. One of the most exciting is No.20, which combines the very rare, and usually volatile cocktail of a Frenchman and an Englishman. Combining the food skills of English chef Mark Parris, 43, with the business nous of French manager Laurent Hue, 40, this La Herradura eaterie is one place not to be missed. Mark, from Kent, has considerable pedigree in the kitchen, having trained under Albert Roux at Le Gavroche in London, before doing stints at the Oxo Tower, Harvey Nichols and Souffle. He made a name for himself locally at Los Laureles, in Almunecar, before setting up No20 with Laurent, who trained at Switzerland’s top cook- BEACH FARE: Squid at El Peñon ery school. I was very impressed with the attention to detail below the town. and the lovely mix of flavours in Mark’s original I’ve eaten here on various occasions over the starters, which came (sort of) in combos. last two decades and rarely been disappointed, Take the duck number, it truly quacked with duck not just with the excellent ambience and views, foie, duck ham and duck breast, flavoured with but also by the service. feta cheese, raspberries and apple sauce. Professionally run, by two local friends, it focuses Meanwhile a series of blinis, with vodka and dill on top quality fish and seafood, including lobcured salmon, with salmon pate was a true win- sters, and has an excellent wine list to boot. ner, while a superb vegetarian starter of grilled And in Salobrena there is now even more with halloumi cheese, with courgettes, asparagus, the exciting addition of Arais restaurant in the pine nuts and baba ganoush was a treat. heart of the town. I even ate my first souffle for years in Andalucia, a This stunning spot is the creation passion fruit number, which rose of Francisco ‘Paco’ Izquierdo, like the messiah! an ambitious chap, who has not Up the coast in Salobrena, I This is one place only cooked since his teens, but found another equally alluring also makes his own rum, from a that, if he gets local dish, which combined the factory in the town. superb mangoes and avocados Dubbing his food as ‘an advenit right, could be from the area with a splendidly ture’ his place is certainly well cooked red snapper. tilting for a Michelin out of the ordinary. Whipped up by Motril chef Jose Beautifully decorated, it is split star one day Miguel, at Restaurante La Bainto two parts, a bustling bar hia, it was as surprising as it area, full of creative furniture was delicious, served in a pesto and lighting, and a stylish dining sauce, with shavings of mozzarella on top. room next door. The chiringuito-style restaurant is certainly any- With a kitchen to die for and a team of chefs from thing but your usual fried fish affair, and apart around Spain, this is one place that, if he gets it from the cool jazz music, there were a number of right, could be tilting for a Michelin star one day. interesting dishes. A big fan of local and seasonal produce, his menu These included the so-called ‘queda bien’, a changes regularly and there are two choices of clam and langoustine stew, which was delicious, Menu Degustacion, one starting at just €36. The as well as an excellent value rich and creamy fish food presentation is second to none. soup at just €6. I ate with him in the bar, where he explained why Literally next door, you must also look out for the the celebrated Motril shrimps are partly blue and legendary Restaurante el Penon, which sits how to make rum from the local sugar cane. in pole position literally built on the famous rock We tasted the shrimps in a passion fruit soup, as well as a delicious braised octopus, all washed down with some excellent local Granada wines and a couple of chestnuts from Bierzo. This is a man to watch. My next port of call was up in the hills, towards Granada at the atmospheric spot, el Nacimiento, in Velez de Benaudalla. This is one trip well worth the journey, particularly to take in the Museum of Olive Oil, en route. Hidden up a tiny track on the edge of the village, you will find this charming spot beside a roaring stream and waterfall. Once an olive mill, it is a great place for lunch or dinner and the menu is a good range of dishes typical from the Granada region. TRIP TO THE SOURCE: El Nacimiento
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WHERE TO STAY
Bedding down Y TEAMWORK: At No.20, chef Jose at La Bahia and (below) Arais and its chef Paco
OU are spoilt for choice with excellent places to stay on the Costa Tropical. There is something for every budget, from cheap hostels to incredible inland estates. These include the stunning Palacete de Cazulas, which costs from €4,600 a week in low season. An ancient Arabic redoubt, it still has its deeds from when it was sold by its Moorish owners to a Christian in the 16th century. Almost as old and also with Arabic roots, Casa de los Bates is an amazing 19th century Italianate mansion, with sumptuous bedrooms and well appointed dining and sitting rooms. The place oozes history and the family home, now owned by two charming brothers Borja and Inaki, is full of antiques and photos of its illustrious guests, which have included Nelson Mandela and the King of Spain. It sits in amazing grounds, divided into two distinct sections, one from the 18th and one from the 19th century. In total contrast, you must consider the ultra-hip hotel Hotel Miba, which perches on an escarpment overlooking Salobrena town. Every inch of this modern hotel maximises on the incredible views, be it across to the breathtaking
Aráis Restaurante
ANCIENT AND MODERN: Casa de los Bates and Hotel Miba
nearby town, which soars up like a wedding cake from stage left, or stage right to the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains. The creation of South African Martin and Swedish Eva it is a true cornucopia of style, and its bedrooms are spacious and comfortable to the max, each with their own terrace. Best of all, you can also eat in the hotel, which has a restaurant highly-rated locally and rapidly garnering a reputation further afield. It’s a regular hang out for local business folk and the food has plenty of contemporary twists and a hip dining room.
Reservas: 958 61 17 38 | Calle Granada, 11, Salobreña, Granada
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Top ranking
A SPANISH hotel has been ranked in the top 10 best all-inclusives in Europe. The Iberostar Anthelia in Tenerife came seventh in the TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2018 in the all-inclusive hotel category. The luxury five-star hotel sits right on the beach on the Costa Adeje, nestled between Playa del Duque and Playa de Fanabe. It’s described as being ideal for families as it offers a ‘romantic atmosphere for parents and entertaining activities for children, accompanied by a wide range of outstanding facilities and services.’ Its decorated rooms are spread across six individual buildings, while the hotel features a main buffet restaurant, three a la carte restaurants and a variety of bars, offering a range of cuisines. In the extensive garden area, guests will find heated freshwater pools (one located in the VIP exclusive complex), a seawater pool, two children’s pools, spacious sun terraces, sun loungers with cushions and parasols, and a towel service.
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Set in stone
OLIVEinto PRESS OK.pdf STUNNING: ANUNCIO Home carved rockENERO in the18 Balearics
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Looking for Design Inspiration?
The house was designed to blend in with its surroundings
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STUNNING environmentally-friendly home has been carved into rock in Formentera. The brainchild of architecture firm Marià Castelló Martínez, the home is made up of mainly wooden panels. The firm explains: “The scenic location has very few high buildings, so we were told to avoid creating a site that was overly tall. “To pay respect to the nearby surroundings, the building uses a white exterior with cross-laminated wood panels. “On the interior the ground floor uses brick walls on two sides of building, while using the aforementioned wood panels elsewhere throughout the house. The resulting space is a home that blends seamlessly into the landscape. “It’s a house for a family sensitive to the environment.”
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The leading home decoration magazine for homeowners with style… Tel. (+34) 951 38 38 97 | info@homeandlifestyle.es | www.homeandlifestyle.es
SLEEK: The house has been praised for its design, and it even has a view of the nearby sea
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ROCKY: The home is at one with nature
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Capital of cool T
HIS Madrid hotel is probably one of the coolest in the world right now. It has received dozens of glowing reviews and media testimonials for its conceptual art and design. The Barcelo Torre de Madrid has featured in the Daily Telegraph’s ‘The Coolest Design Hotel in Madrid’ list and dozens of ‘most Instagrammable hotels in the world’ roundups. Its unique design is the brainchild
of top Spanish designer Jaime Hayon, who used the concept of ‘New Spain’ as his inspiration, while incorporating the latest trends from London, New York and Paris. The hotel overlooks the Gran Via and Plaza de España and has 256 designer rooms, including luxury suites with private terraces. www.hotelbarcelotorredemadrid.com
Property
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by our 2017 customer database survey of 13,500. SEE for yourself
VOTED BEST and MOST INFORMATIVE WEBSITE
*includes videos *google street maps *full descriptions *chat box
84.950 €
Villanueva de Algaidas – Málaga TH3658
Bright and spacious 3 bed, 2 bath property is close to all the local amenities. Shops, bars, restaurants, municipal pool and summer gardens. A gated entrance leads to a pretty patio with established plants.
159.950 €
Montoro - Córdoba
VL745
This stunning property sits within amazing plot of 11,000m2 of land with partially landscaped gardens, patio areas, private swimming pool and independent garagesurrounded by panoramic views of the countryside. Laid out over one floor, 2 spacious bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a spacious lounge with fire and separate dining room and well fitted kitchen.
114.950 €
Fuente Piedra – Málaga
TH3665
This property 3 beds, 2 baths is just a short walk to all the local amenities. At the rear of the property there is a private courtyard garden with a tiled swimming pool for those hot summer afternoons. This property has been beautifully presented and rewired throughout well worth viewing priced to sell!
285.000 €
Loja - Granada – Málaga
CJ414
This stunning rural property sits in the most idyllic location with 360% views of the surrounding countryside, within a fully fenced plot of over 25,000 m2 of land which includes established olive, almond and various fruit trees throughout the land. The property has been finished throughout to a very high standard and is beautifully presented.
Malaga Office
34.950 €
Fuente Tojar – Córdoba
TH3633
The property offers 2 double bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, one of them being an ensuite. You also have the bonus of a large roof terrace of roughly 50m2. The house is raised from the main road giving it a nice entrance. It has patio and utility room.
120.000 €
Colomera - Granada
TH3662
This beautifully kept victorian townhouse. The property is in walking distance to all local amenities with easy access to the main motorways. It comes part furnished with street parking. The property has 4 bedrooms. 408m2 built.
18.000 €
Martos - Jaén
TH3660
This lovely 2 bed townhouse has lots of original features and could make a beautiful home, perfect for a couple or small family. It comes part furnished, close to amenities and has on road parking. Both electric and water are connected and you can also get internet.
24.995 €
Baena – Córdoba
TH3564
The two beds, one bath property has been renovated recently. It would be great for both a holiday home or used permanently as you also have all amenities close by including major supermarkets. The property is spread over 3 levels. Bargain!
Jaen Office
Calle de la Villa 14, 29532 Molina, Malaga
Calle Abad Moya 4b, 23680 Alcala la Real, Jaen
info@inlandandalucia.com
contact@inlandandalucia.com
952 74 15 25
953 58 70 40
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Property
www.theolivepress.es
MarchMarch 14th -2018 March 27th 2018
Bedder than the rest Huge expat furniture company opens new 13,000 square metre showroom between Velez Malaga and Torre del Mar
OPEN SPACE: Show room has a huge range of furniture
Mobile: +34 618 963 609 Email: info@detropen.es Web: www.detropen.es Autovia del Mediterráneo, exit 272, Vélez-Málaga Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm
13.000m2 SHOWROOM
Specialists in outdoor furniture
I
T might just be the biggest outdoor furniture emporium in Spain. Sitting at the motorway junction by El Ingenio shopping centre between Torre del Mar and Velez Malaga, it is literally crammed full of incredible products. Spread out over 13,000 square metres, you could easily spend an hour trying out the range of sofas, chairs and tables. Recently relocating from its Motril home, where it has been for a decade, its Dutch expat owner Marcel Kluijtmans is an ambitious chap, whose done well despite the recession. “We’ve grown and grown despite the tough times economically in Spain,” he explained. “It’s by offering good quality products at great prices.” Hundreds of guests raised a toast at the inauguration last month. Just an hour from Marbella, all products can be found online at www.detropen.es and delivered free around the region.
EVENT: At Detropen furniture store
All Models In Stock - www.detropen.es
BBQ: At launch event in Velez Malaga
DINING SETS · LOUNGE SETS · LOUNGERS & BEDS · SHADE SAILS & PARASOLS · ACCESSORIES
Now at our new location in Vélez-Málaga
WE ARE HERE
Repsol Gas station
(Formerly Jardín del Ingenio)
El Ingenio Shopping Centre
Property
www.theolivepress.es
CA N
9 SA 0 VE % M
ON EY *
March 14th - March March 2018 27th 2018
PROPERTY IN SPAIN?
Save money on your electricity and get your bill and customer service in English Call +34 916 358 626 Energy Nordic is your English-speaking electricity supplier in Spain. Everything we say and write to you will be in clear, direct English. Should you have any questions, you will always have an English-speaking customer service team ready to assist you. Quite simple! We have an office in Fuengirola and you are always very welcome to drop by. Find out more at energynordic.com
*At the moment 9 out of 10 can save money on their energy bill if they switch to Energy Nordic (based on our current customer profile)
Energy Nordic S.L. C/San Pancracio 18 29640 Fuengirola +34 916 358 626 energynordic.com
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Property
www.theolivepress.es
March March14th 2018 - March 27th 2018 Advertorial
10
We have your property (and a lot more) covered
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Reasons IT’S TIME TO
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Attendance of a lawyer Should you be arrested as a result of a road traffic offence, we will provide you with a lawyer at the corresponding police station to assist with any preliminary police statements. This assistance will be provided within four hours of the request for the service. More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com or call 902 123 139.
www.theolivepress.es Property
March 2018
XIX
No sense
Swedish invasion
SWEDISH nationals made up 6.4% of foreign purchases in Spain last year. It is one of the fastest growing markets after increasing from only 4.6% in 2012. Swedes now account for 10% of all purchases made with Spain’s top builder, Taylor Wimpey España. The estate agent said: “Spain’s economy is the fastest growing in the Eurozone, bringing greater confidence back to the property market and thus attracting demand from North European countries. Over the last few years, we have seen a real boost from Swedish buyers especially.” Norwegians and Danes are also increasing their Spanish property purchases. Norwegians made up 2.2% of foreign sales in 2017, while Danes accounted for 1% of sales, according to the annual data from the Spanish registrars.
Balearic resort halted for not having planning permission
A
HUGE resort in Ibiza has been put on hold after it emerged the developers did not have permission to start construction. The Six Senses resort and spa project in Cala Xarrca, the north of the White Island, is already significantly advanced, with ground broken and concrete structures in place. But while local developer Beach Box Ibiza had approval of the basic project and environmental impact study, its execution project had not been approved. Authorities in Sant Joan had promised environmental activists they would watch over the execution of this development ‘with a magnifying glass’ but appear to have taken their eye off the ball. Local environmentalists, who called the develop-
ment a ‘brutal aggression’ against the area, forced the town hall to concede that work had started without proper planning permission, and order a temporary halt to building work. Jonathan Leitersdorf of Beach Box Ibiza said:“Our vision is to capture the authentic Ibiza experience of community, spirituality and celebration to be delivered with top service, organic food and beverage, and luxurious accommodations for our guests. It is the first full-service hospitality experience with rich amenities not yet offered on the island.” Mayor Antoni Marí said the town hall ‘will take some time, approximately a week, to study the situation with planning officials.’ It will check the basic project, the execution project (yet to be presented), and the environmental integration all comply with the licence, in which case the building work can be authorised. “But if that’s not the case, if there’s more construction, the halt could be definitive,” he said.
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March 14th - March 27th 2018
Villas & Fincas is urgently looking for Quality Properties for clients Country Villas – Beach Villas – Equestrian Vineyards – Olive Farms – Cortijos In the area of: Casares, Estepona, Inland Sotogrande, Gaucin, Ronda, Jimena, El Cuarton, Tarifa, Vejer de la Frontera, Caños de Meca, Atlanterra, Zahara de los Atunes or large cortijos inland Andalucia Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 5 m² Built: 573m² Plot m²: 25,000 Garden: Private Garage: Private Pool: Private
RONDA – 1.295.000 €
Ref. Nr. 186-00259P
LUXURY MODERN COUNTRY HOUSE, CORTIJO
Villas & Fincas | Casares Property Agent Ctra. de Casares s/n, 29690 Casares Malaga SPAIN Phone: + 34 952 895 139 Mobile: +34 636 546 796 E-mail: info@villasfincas.com
www.villasfincas.com
MORTGAGE THINK TANK by mortgage broker Tancrede de Pola
Don’t let favourable mortgage rates tempt you into forgoing a broker, writes the Finance Bureau’s Tancrede de Pola
Property of the Week
T
HE latest figures released last week show home mortgages in Spain grew by 9.7% last year. According to the National Statistics Institute, of the total capital borrowed in Spain in December 2017, 61.6% was to finance homes. It’s an encouraging sign of the times and shows Spain’s property market is in full recovery mode.
The favourable financing conditions currently being offered by banks has probably been a main driving force behind the strong statistics. But while there are favourable conditions being offered, hiring a mortgage broker is still a must when buying your holiday home. It can be easy to get carried away, but it’s important to have someone in your corner to highlight any hidden fees or compulsory addons tucked away in the small print and to ensure you get the best possible mortgage product to suit your needs. One of the biggest pitfalls can be ‘trap-related products’ that often get hidden in the small print. These additional products get attached to your mortgage and usually include insurance policies. It is important to know exactly what is attached to your mortgage. What may seem like a great rate can be soured by expensive – and sometimes unnecessary – insurance packages. Using a broker will save both time and money as they will be looking out for these hidden add-ons and will always look for ways to lessen their impact. Also, different banks have different under-writing criteria so, whereas your circumstances may not suit one lender, they may be appropriate for another…your broker will be aware of this and match you to the correct funding source. And while the vast majority of banks specify the fees and commissions they charge, not all of these costs are always declared. Many financial institutions refrain from publishing less well-known fees such as early redemption charges. These are, however, regulated by law, and may not exceed 0.50% for the first five years and 0.25% thereafter.
When it comes to picking a mortgage, you must get it right first time as the relatively high set-up costs preclude jumping in and out of products as happens in other countries so it is virtually impossible to reverse the process. But the best way to ensure a good mortgage that does not hide anything in the fine print is to solicit the help of a mortgage broker.
To contact Tancrede for all your mortgaging needs call: 666 709 743 or for insurance queries call: 951 203 540 Email: tdp@thefinanacebureau.com The Finance Bureau Centro Commercial Guadalmina, 2nOffice No. 7 Guadalmina, 29670
Baena - Córdoba 24.995 € Cordoba, Rute- TH3564 - TH3555 42.500€ Beautiful townhouse in large The two beds, one bath property hasopen been area where parking is easy. Ground floor renovated recently. It would be great for both a has living room, dining room, bedroom, holiday home or used permanently as you also kitchen, large bathroom, patio, have all amenities close by including major fireplace and private terrace with supermarkets. The property is spread over 3 great views. On the first floor there levels. Bargain! are three bedrooms. A must see!
tel: +34 +34 952 953 587 tel: 741 040 525
Calle Abad Moya 4, Bajo Calle deAlcalá la Villa 23680, la 14, Real,29532, Jaén Mollina, Malaga info@inlandandalucia.com info@inlandandalucia.com www.inlandandalucia.com www.inlandandalucia.com
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www.theolivepress.es
March 14th - March 27th 2018
Villas & Fincas | Casares Property Agent Ctra. de Casares s/n, 29690 Casares Malaga SPAIN Phone: + 34 952 895 139 Mobile: +34 636 546 796 E-mail: info@villasfincas.com
Call us now to list your property, we have clients waiting for Luxury Country Properties, Vineyards, Quality Equestrians and Hunting Estates.
RONDA – 1.295.000 € LUXURY MODERN COUNTRY HOUSE, CORTIJO NEAR THE VILLAGE OF ARRIATE, ANDALUSIA Bedrooms: m² Built: Garden: Garage:
5 573m² Private Private
Ref. Nr. 186-00259P
Bathrooms: 5 m² Plot: 25.000 Pool: Private
Ref. Nr. 186-00669P RONDA – 7.500.000 € LUXURY HACIENDA, COMPLETELY RESTORED CONVERTED INTO AN EXCLUSIVE COUNTRY HOUSE Bedrooms: m² Built: Garden: Garage:
9 2.300m² Yes Yes
Bathrooms: 12 m² Plot: 121.100 Pool: Yes
Ref. Nr. 186-00259P
BANALUP – 1.150.000 € CASAS VIEJAS, ELEGANT COUNTRY VILLA Bedrooms: 5 m² Built: 329m² Garden: Private
Bathrooms: 5 Plot m²: 1.719 Pool: Private
www.villasfincas.com
Ref. Nr. 186-00739P
RONDA – 1.250.000 € LUXURY MODERN COUNTRY HOUSE, CORTIJO FOR SALE, RONDA RONDA €Bathrooms: 5 Bedrooms:– 1.495.000 5 SPECTACULAR CORTIJO IN ANDALUSIA m² Built: 573m² m² Plot: 25.000 Garden: Bedrooms: Garage: m² Built:
Private 7 Carport 561m²
Garden:
Yes
Pool: Bathrooms: m² Plot: Pool:
FOLLOW US ON:
Private 7 13.700 Private
Ref. Nr. 186-00588P