Olive Press Andalucia issue 449

‘IBERIAN OVEN’ SPARKS FLAMES

THE summer season has officially begun in Andalucia this week with the arrival of the so-called ‘Iberian oven’ heatwave.

Residents have been warned of a ‘serious risk to life’ by the Spanish health ministry in parts of Sevilla and Cordoba, where the mercury is expected to reach as high as 44C. Meanwhile, a moderate risk has been declared in Ronda and Marbella. It comes as two forest fires have broken out along the Costa del Sol this week.

A blaze took hold in the hills of Casares yesterday afternoon, and more than 100 firefighters and at least 11 aircraft were roped in to tackle the inferno overnight.

It came just 24 hours after a similar blaze in Nagueles area of Marbella, which also took more than 100 people and 14 aircraft to put out.

Currently, more than 90% of Andalucia is at ‘serious risk’ of forest fires, with experts warning residents to be extra vigilant with their behaviour - including avoiding barbecues and flicking cigarette buds in wooded areas.

No place in the sun

Investigation is launched after PSOE politician evicts vulnerable British mum-of-three

from her home

A BRITISH expat and her three children are demanding justice after being kicked out of their Costa del Sol home ‘without any warning’.

‘Devastated’ Lydia Preston Sweeney, 52, was given just 15 minutes to leave her Benahavis house by her landlord and former PSOE mayoral candidate Luis Feito Miragaya (pictured below).

The left-wing politician, who campaigned for housing reform just last year, is said to have turned up to the two-bedroom property on July 17, flanked by three court representatives.

Complete shock

Lydia was informed that her rent had not been paid since January and that she needed to vacate the property immediately.

But Lydia, from Liverpool, claims she never received any warnings about the eviction.

Her abusive ex-husband is court-ordered to cover her rent and maintenance bills, and she had contacted the courts on multiple occasions to warn that he had not been doing so.

“I was in a complete panic,” she told the Ol ive Press

“I’m crying my eyes out, my 12-year-old daughter is too, she is completely traumatised, she’s not herself any-

By Yzabelle Bostyn

more and is hardly speaking.”

The expat of 10 years and former flight attendant managed to pack just three bags of clothes. She was told the house, where she had lived without issue for three-anda-half years, would be sealed and she could pick up the rest of her things at a later date with a police escort.

However after a visit to social services, she claims she returned that same day to find her belongings being dumped into bin bags and thrown into the garage by Miragaya and his family.

She told the Olive Press: “We came here with the illusion of a better life on the sunny Costa del Sol, you don’t think things like this will happen.

“I am completely devastated, I’m tired, I haven’t slept in two nights and I’ve got awful headaches.

“I’m putting on a brave face for the children but I can’t put it into words, I’m in shock.

“This ‘man of the people’ knew I was a vulnerable person living there with three kids.”

She added: “He’s a PSOE politician so his party is meant to stand up for people like me, but he’s had the biggest hand in getting me evicted.”

Seeing her belongings ‘thrown’ into the dirt was

‘humiliating’ and when she protested, Lydia claims Miragaya ‘ignored’ her, ‘speaking on his phone the whole time’.

The single mum was well aware the rent had not been paid and had been reporting it to criminal courts for months.

The expat was unable to cover the costs by herself and thought she would be protected by a law stating ‘vulnerable’ people cannot be evicted (Real Decreto-ley 11/2020).

When explaining her situation garnered no sympathy, she called a lawyer, who advised her to comply.

Despite court representatives claiming they had notified Lydia about the impending eviction, social services

have not been able to find any evidence of this and have launched an investigation into the matter.

The eviction notice was issued by Marbella Civil Court which did not communicate with the criminal court where Lydia had reported her former husband for not paying the rent.

“There is a process that should have been followed, if it had been, I wouldn’t be on the street with three children,” she said.

Homeless

Lydia and her family, Lyla, 12, Peter, 10 and Harry, 9, have now been homeless for over a week, relying on the kindness of family and friends to get by.

“Spain is meant to be a civilised country,” she said.

“We are a decent family, we get involved in the local community, so for our lives to change overnight like this makes me lose all hope. I just can’t believe it.”

She plans to report the incident to the Spanish ombudsman, as well as the Consejo General de Poder Judicial (the General Council of the Judiciary).

Miragaya, who ran for mayor of Benahavis last year, vowed to prioritise ‘citizen wellbeing’, stating: “It’s time for housing…We will create public housing for families that the young people of Benahavis need.”

Miragaya and the PSOE declined to comment when contacted by the Olive Press.

EXCLUSIVE

OUT IN THE COLD: (left to right) Harry, 9, Peter, 10, Lyla, 12, and Lydia, 52, have been thrown out of their home

Tick warning

A 74-year-old Madrileño has caught the deadly Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) viral disease. There have been 13 cases of the disease in Spain and five registered deaths.

Party’s over

The UK government has warned Brits against ‘modern slavery’ in Ibiza, saying people ‘work long hours for low pay’.

Found

A BRITISH trainee barrister who went missing 12 days ago on the Balearic island of Mallorca has been found alive and well, although he has received treatment for dehydration and exhaustion.

Bus blunder

AROUND 50 people were left injured on Tuesday after a coach suffered a spectacular accident while travelling from Barcelona to Tordera in the Catalunya region.

GANGSTERS in Marbella are using Hollywood-style silicone masks to move around undetected, it has emerged.

Two such disguises were discovered by Policia Nacional last week during the arrest of three men accused of shooting a gangland rival in the leg in March.

Police also found an AK-47, bulletproof vests and 5kg of cocaine during raids on houses in Mijas and Malaga city. The trio are said to have shot a young man

Mafia doubtfire

in the knee inside a shisha bar in Puerto Banus. They have been sent to prison ahead of trial where they will face a series of different charges, including attempted murder, weapon possession, drug trafficking, falsifying documents and more.

Nightclub slasher

A SWEDISH tourist has been accused of attempted murder after allegedly stab bing three bouncers in Marbella.

Swedish tourist, 25, is arrested for attempted murder over knife attack at Marbella resort

hold him down while waiting for police.

EXPAT’S BLOODY DEATH

A BRITISH expat has been found dead in a ‘blood-soaked room’ of his home in Almeria.

The 35-year-old was discovered by the Guardia Civil in Mojacar at around 11pm on Sunday.

The body showed signs of a severe head trauma, while the walls and floors were covered in blood, sparking an urgent police investigation.

The 25-year-old launched a fren zied assault with an 11cm blade at the entrance to the Le Suite club at around 4am on Sunday morn ing, police said. One of the secu

rity guards was slashed in the neck and all three had to be taken to the Hospital Costa

The suspect is a Swedish man of Arab origin who

By Laurence

forced his way into the nightclub, situated inside the fivestar Puente Romano resort on the exclusive Golden Mile. The bouncers are said to have immediately tackled him to the ground and attempted to

CRIME ‘MOVING TO MARBS’

DRUG trafficking gangs are moving their operations to Marbella because of a continued police crackdown further down the coast, an expert has warned. Ana Isabel Cerezo, a director at the Andalucian Institute of Criminology, gave a talk on the scourge of so-called narcos at

the University of Malaga. She told attendees how an ‘intensive and exhaustive’ ramping up of surveillance in and around Algeciras is pushing mafia activity towards the Costa del Sol, with Marbella becoming a ‘very attractive’ alternative.

It was then that the man lashed out with his blade, slashing one of the men in the neck and injuring two others.

He was arrested by a group of nearby Policia Local officers while trying to flee in his car.

Workers at the club raced to place pressure on the victims’ wounds and bandaged them up in a bid to slow the bleeding.

Policia Nacional arrived to find three men, aged 50, 58 and 63 with serious cuts to their head, arms and legs.

A trail of blood was seen on the floor, according to local newspaper Malaga Hoy.

The suspect, from Stockholm, was staying at a hotel in the upmarket town of Benahavis.

He is accused of attempted murder and causing injuries with a bladed weapon.

Local government minister Pedro Fernandez told a press conference that there was an ‘incised-blunt wound on the forehead of around 4-5cm.’ While preliminary investigations point to an ‘accidental’ death, police are not ruling out anything at this stage.

The autopsy will determine whether the death was an accident or the result of an attack.

A NARCO-trafficking network importing seahorse-branded bricks of cocaine into Spain via the Port of Algeciras has suffered a bust. Up to 200kg were hidden inside metal pallets that were later transported to a warehouse in El Ejido in Almeria. The driver of the truck and the owner of the warehouse were arrested and two others were nabbed in Toledo.

Dollimore

McGregor madness

CONOR McGregor tore up Marbella and ruffled feathers in his usual style.

Fresh from sailing in from Mallorca on his yacht, his strolls around town caused excited crowds to gather outside the Hard Rock Hotel where he was staying.

He then kept fans waiting for three hours at his VIP evening at the swanky Clubhouse bar.

But when he did finally show up, it was blockbuster. He swirled through the venue and schmoozed with the fans – before promptly vanishing into the VIP lounge.

The UFC legend is in the Costa del Sol to promote his newest venture – bringing bare-knuckle boxing to Spain.

Diva 1

GOOD SPORTS

Boy band congratulate Spain on Euros win during Marbella concert, wearing Spanish flags and sipping sangria

BRITISH boy band Take That sparked controversy after they donned Spanish flags during their Marbella concert to congratulate Spain for their Euros win.

Take That performed at Marbella’s Starlite Festival in the aftermath of England’s Euros defeat on Monday, July 15. After taking to the stage during Sunday’s match, they raised eyebrows in their post-Euros concert by donning Spanish flags and congratulating Luis de la Fuente’s side.

“That was tough.”

Bump and grind

The band then brought out a picnic basket containing flags, scarves, sunglasses and hats emblazoned with the Spanish flag.

Barlow congratulated La Roja, saying: “It’s only a game of football, well done Spain.”

Mark Owen even draped himself in an Andalucian flag, sipping fresh sangria under a parasol.

Refreshed, the band sang This Life, the title track of their new album. In the face of England’s loss

“We had to play a show during the game last night to a mix of Spanish and English,” said frontman Gary Barlow.

the song aptly encouraged fans to move on, saying: “This life ain’t no bed of roses. This life will take everything that you’ve got.

“In this life, there’s no second chances. Make this life

REVIEW: Take That ‘shine’ on their Spanish tour by Yzabelle Bostyn

ALTHOUGH known as the archetypal 90s boy band, Take That proved they are still going strong, albeit with a hefty sprinkle of dad dancing and panto-esque narration. Some 34 years after they first got together, just three of the original five members remain: Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen.

They performed two sold out shows at Starlite Festival in Marbella on July 14 and 15. It is part of their European tour promoting their new album, This Life, with seven shows in Spain.

Almost four decades into their career, they delivered a unique and privileged experience, showcasing their dozens of hits to a captivated audience.

As they traversed their musical career, the

band gave a cheesy, musical-esque narration, taking the audience on a journey through their discography.

Barlow’s voice is as strong as ever and the group's stage presence cannot be doubted.

Despite various videos poking fun at their choreography online, it is clear to see that fans enjoy the dad-style dancing. The show also had multiple outfit changes, each more glittery than the last.

All the band members got their time in the limelight, performing at least one solo song each.

My favorite was definitely, Pray, with the fun dance routine giving it that touch more pazzazz. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I thoroughly enjoyed the speculator.

Diva 2

yours.”

As for the searing balmy evening with temperatures hardly dropping below 30C, the trio fought through sweat to serenade the sell out crowd.

“It’s going to get even worse: we’re playing in Sevilla tomorrow (Tuesday, July 16). That’s even hotter,” Barlow told the 1,500 fans.

The band played a 90 minute show full of hits from their 34 year career.

Cheeky

As they left the stage, Owen whipped out a water gun, squirting at the crowd.

Was he helping fans combat the heat? Or was it a cheeky reference to Barcelona anti-tourism protestors drenching visitors?

Although missing two former members, Robbie Williams and Jason Orange, they delivered a thoroughly entertaining performance.

The crowd was a mix of English, Spanish and Northern Europeans of all ages, singing along and enjoying the show.

IT was the return of a true disco legend. Like a classic diva, 76-year-old Grace Jones rightfully turned up on stage half an hour late and then gyrated like a teenager in a sexy outfit at the BBK festival in Bilbao. Headlining at nearly midnight, she danced and grooved through a fabulous two-hour set including classics I’ve Seen that Face Before and Pull Up to My Bumper Wearing thigh-length boots and at least half a dozen outfits she wowed the crowd in her first headline show here for a decade. When complimented on the show and asked by the Olive Press later backstage how she had so much energy at her age, she flashed a wicked grin and said: ‘You’re so cute, I love that. Thanks.’

See Tears at Midnight, page 36

ROO’S THAT?

WAYNE ROONEY brought the missus and his family over to Spain to watch the Euro 2024 final.

The former England captain watched his successor Harry Kane and the new generation footballing talent fall to the might of the Spanish from the Clubhouse in Marbella.

The new manager of Plymouth Argyle booked out a whole area for over a dozen friends, families and players with a giant screen and was seen having fun with this team. Of his new role with Plymouth, he told the Olive Press: "It's great to be back in management again and nice to be in Marbella for a few days." Wife Coleen added she was happy to move to the south coast of England but was 'not sure about the weather'. "It's much better down here," she said.

Bridge death mystery

A YOUNG man has died after jumping off a bridge in Sevilla.

The unidentified victim was heard shouting phrases in English before throwing himself off the Puente Barqueta and into the River Guadalquivir below.

The man, in his 20s, had been seen staggering while screaming ‘no one cares about me’ and ‘someone wants to kill me’.

His body was eventually found floating by firefighters about an hour after he jumped off the bridge.

Witnesses said the man began asking for help immediately after landing in the water.

Police are now searching for a rucksack that the victim may have been wearing at the time in a bid to identify him.

LEAVE THEM ALONE!

ANTI-tourism protesters have been branded ‘pathetic’ for taking pictures of tourists and shaming them online.

Many activist groups on X and Instagram have been sharing snaps of Brits and other holidaymakers arriving at resorts with their suitcases or simply walking around their cities.

The images are usually accompanied by dis-

By Laurence Dollimore

paraging remarks using the term ‘guiri’.

In a post on X today, a Malaga-based group uploaded an image of a man and a woman walking through the centre of the Costa del Sol city. The man was dressed in shorts and was topless

Tourists put-off by protests

ANTI-tourism protests in Spain are beginning to take their toll, with visitors to the country admitting that they are starting to think twice about their choice of destination. That’s according to several Americans who this week admitted that the images of demonstrators carrying signs with slogans such as ‘Tourist Go Home’ are giving them second thoughts.

“We love Barcelona, but if they want to limit tourism, we will without a doubt take that into account in the future,” said Val Gui, a 36-year-old executive from Boston who vis-

ited the Catalan capital this month. Gui said he sympathised with spiralling rental costs, noise pollution and crowded streets, and compared the situation to that of San Francisco. He said he felt uncomfortable with so much graffiti aimed at travellers such as themselves.

Fellow Bostonite Madison Smith, 25, added: “I felt a bit guilty and uncomfortable, and I wasn’t completely sure if I should go, so I changed my travel plans from Barcelona to Madrid.”

Anti-tourism activists are criticised for invading privacy of tourists on the Costa del Sol

while his companion was wearing a red bathing suit. The photo was emblazoned with the words ‘go home’ in capital letters. But one local blasted the post, writing simply in the comments: “You are pathetic!”

However others seemed to support it, with one local adding: “I have seen them on Calle Larios, women in bikinis, men, wet and with their chests exposed…. It seems that foreigners get away with everything.”

It is currently an offence to walk around topless or in revealing clothes in Malaga city and various nearby resorts, including Marbella, with fines of up to €750.

An Instagram page called Guirisgohome regularly shows tourists arriving to their Airbnb flats, with one photo of a holidaymaker accessing his keys captioned

SHAMED: Tourist in Malaga are taunted on social media

‘guiri in action’. It comes as more anti-tourism graffiti has been spotted around the city, with messages reading: “Guiris go home” and “your holidays, our doom”. Last weekend, up to 50,000 locals took to the streets of Palma de Mallorca, holding anti-tourist placards whilst booing and jeering at tourists.

THE implementation of the EU’s long-awaited Entry/ Exit System (EES) has been postponed once again.

The new border system is set to replace manual passport stamping for arrivals from third countries such as the United Kingdom.

Those entering any country in the Schengen Zone, including Spain, will have their passports scanned and checked against a database to ensure they have not gone over their 90 in 180 day limit.

The system was originally due to be implemented as far back as 2021, but there have been consistent setbacks.

Now, the latest launch date of October 6 has been pushed back to November 10, for reasons unknown. Airports across the EU have reportedly warned they are simply not ready to implement the system.

Nolotil tragedy

THE devastated family of a British tourist who died within hours of being prescribed a ‘lethal’ painkiller in Spain are demanding answers.

Roy St Pierre, 77, was cycling from Portugal to England when a hospital on the Costa Blanca prescribed him the drug Nolotil.

The grandfather-of-six was given it against warnings from the Spanish health authorities not to prescribe the medicine to tourists.

Deadly infections

Nolotil is being investigated in both Spain and Brussels after being linked to dozens of north ern European deaths - who are believed to be genetically more at risk.

Multiple patients have seen their white blood cells plummet after taking the drug, leading to deadly infections, most notably sepsis.

It is this infection that officially killed Londoner Roy within just hours of being prescribed Nolotil at Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, in Alicante.

Roy had moved to Portugal in 2020 and lived with his daughter Amelia St Pierre in Silves, on the Algarve.

However, the ‘lynchpin’ of the family still had six children back in the UK and decided to travel back

British expat grandfather-of-six died after taking infamous painkiller while cycling through Spain

to see them by bike.

“He was very moral and eco-conscious, so he decided to cycle across the continent,” said his daughter, Eve.

On March 2, 2023, he set off to see her in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, keeping in touch via daily Facebook updates.

The retired youth worker was soon crossing Spain, where he decided to visit some friends in Alicante.

However, on March 25, he began to experience ‘agonising’ back pain, which persisted over a week later, leading him to seek help on April 3. After visit-

EXCLUSIVE

By Yzabelle Bostyn

ing a local health centre complaining of stomach pain and vomiting, he was referred to the Hospital Universitari Sant Joan d’Alacant.

He was there diagnosed with ‘nonspecific abdominal pain’ and told to return if it continued.

The next morning he came back and after an evaluation, was diagnosed with a perforated bowel and for which he needed surgery. By 12 noon he was administered metamizole, the active ingredient in Nolotil, believed to deplete many northern Europeans white blood cells and leave their immunity exposed.

In spite of this, he was still taken into surgery and while the operation was successful, Roy passed away from

sepsis, a widely re- ported side effect of metam- izole, on April 5.

“We were all reeling with shock,” Eve told the Olive Press. “We can’t prove Nolotil killed him, but it didn’t help his odds,” she added.

According to a 2018 informative note issued by the Spanish Medicines Agency (AEMPs), the drug should not be given to people that cannot be monitored or without a background check, due to the risks for northern Europeans.

Pain

Although banned in over 40 countries, the medication is popular in Spain, as it is stronger than ibuprofen and paracetamol.

German pharmaceutical giant, Boehringer Ingelheim, which makes Nolotil, told the Olive Press it has a ‘well-established safety profile’.

“I would really love to meet a spokesperson at Boehringer, who must know there’s a problem with agranulocytosis,” said Eve, a community worker. “I want them to look me in the eye and say that prescribing that for somebody’s medium level pain, is worth my dad’s death.”

Over a year after his passing, the family still feel like they are ‘free falling’, says Eve.

“He was the ground beneath everybody. There’s no home anymore,” she said.

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A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a

OPINION

Justice for Lydia

THE story of Lydia Preston Sweeney being kicked out of her home without prior warning is nothing short of cruel ( No Place In The Sun, p1 ).

The British mother-of-three has not broken any rules and in fact tried to warn the courts on multiple occasions that her abusive ex-husband had not been making his mandated rent payments.

In typical Spanish fashion, the slow-moving and frankly, lack of, bureaucracy has put the lives of Lydia and her kids in danger. It is the husband who must be traced down by the authorities and made to pay what he owes.

Why should Lydia and her three young children suffer for the sins of the father? The Spanish politician and landlord who has kicked her to the curb should be ashamed of himself.

How ironic that he is from the Socialist PSOE party, and when running for mayor last year, advocated for housing reform. Even more disappointing is how he refused to comment on the story or even attempt to justify his actions.

Either he is too embarrassed or simply has no justifiable reason for allegedly throwing Lydia’s belongings into rubbish bags and leaving her on the streets.

We hope the investigation into the administrative failure that led to the Liverpudlian family’s eviction is thorough. The family is owed an apology at the very least and arguably compensation for the traumatic experience they have suffered.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Humenyuk

Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es

Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

(+34) 951 154 841 distribution@ theolivepress.es

FRAGMENTATION

Is Spain about to undergo an internal fracturing?

Inside the movement that wants to make Leon the country’s 18th autonomous community – letting the independence genie out of the bottle in the process

ALITTLE-KNOWN independence movement is trying to take root in Granada. A rabble of rambunctious rebels are seeking to cleave the province from the autonomous community of Andalucia, and escape the so-called yoke of its regional capital, Sevilla.

Leading the charge is author and activist Cesar Giron, who believes Granada could thrive as its own autonomous region.

He points to neighbouring regions to support his argument.

"How is Murcia, which is smaller than Granada, doing? And Logroño, Asturias or Cantabria?”

The region’s history as the former Kingdom of Granada gives the independence movement a historical mandate, he believes.

“It is clear that things have gone badly for us in Andalucia,” Giron adds. “Sevilla has taken everything and left nothing for us.”

While the movement currently appears to have remarkably little public support, it can take heart and inspiration from events fur-

EXCLUSIVE

By Cole Sinanian

ther north.

A recent vote in the province of Leon favouring autonomy from Castilla y Leon has brought to the spotlight its own far more evolved independence movement.

One that’s haunted the region since the transition to democracy.

While it remains to be seen whether the Castilla y Leon government will heed the Leonese call for autonomy, activists in the Leonese region — which includes the modern day provinces of Leon, Zamora, and Salamanca — deem it necessary to confront the related issues of economic decay, depopulation, and what they describe as a deliberate effort to erase Leonese identity.

The historical region of Leon is defined as such through a shared history distinct from that of Old Castille — which includes today’s

THE death of Queen Elizabeth II, Liz Truss’s disastrous stint as prime minister, chorizo-paella croquette and lately the Spain-England Euro 2024 final. What do all of these things all have in common? Well, fortunately for me, they’ve been excuses over the last two years to get my mug back on the Spanish telly to explain to viewers just what the hell is going on with the UK.

Those watching Spanish television most recently may have spotted me giving an English perspective on the Euro 2024 tussle between England and Spain – which turned out to be a painful but unsurprising victory for the boys in red.

My side-gig as the go-to-guiri for Spanish tele-

provinces of Burgos, Soria, Segovia, Avila, Valladolid, and Palencia — as well as through a cultural lineage stretching back to prehistory.

The region also has its own language, Asturleones, which forms a dialect continuum of mutually intelligible varieties spoken across the north of Spain and Portugal. Its identity was solidified with the rise of the Medieval Kingdom of Leon, which, at its peak in the High Middle Ages, was among the Iberian peninsula’s most powerful — and perhaps most democratic.

HISTORICALÑ Up to 90,000 protestors marched for Leonese independence in 1984

and landowners began to form in Leon in the 7th century, through which small towns maintained a degree of economic independence from the feudal lords, with peasants making collective decisions and settling feuds communally.

The direct democracy of the Consejos, as they were known, was seldom seen in Medieval Europe, and played a key role in the kingdom’s prosperity.

A 2020 survey suggested 81% of residents of the Leon province supported ditching Castilla

An elaborate rural network of alliances between peasants

According to Alberto Zamorano, president of the Citizens Collective of the Leonese Region (CCRL) — a group fighting against the ‘cultural erasure and economic and demographic decline’ in historic Leon — an autonomous Leon could help codify the role of direct democracy in Leonese politics.

“Leones autonomy would reinforce this role,” he told the Olive Press, “with specific legislation that would grant them the duties that correspond to them at the legal level.”

POLITICS, DEPOPULATION, AND THE RISE OF LEONESISMO

Despite Leon’s inclusion in the 1833 division of Spanish territories, a series of last-minute political decisions urged by the soon-to-be

The Olive Press’ go-to-guiri Simon Hunter has been on Spanish telly offering an English perspective on the Euro 2024 final – but it’s just the latest in a string of television appearances

By Simon Hunter

vision channels really got going back in 2022, first with the Platinum Jubilee, then with the passing of the queen and later with the ensuing political turmoil. But nothing could have prepared me for the media frenzy in Spain that arrived after Kate Middleton released a badly photoshopped picture of her and her children in March. Rumours were already swirling that all was not as it seemed with regard to her health problems, and the Spanish needed a wisened Englishman to counsel them on the matter. For three weeks, I liter-

ally dedicated myself full time to Spanish television.

I racked up 15 trips to the television studio in nearly 30 appearances on television and radio – on La 1, Antena 3, Cuatro, Telecinco and La Sexta, among others – to discuss the crisis in the British Royal Family.

Despite the serious situation, with both the Princess of Wales and King Charles being treated for cancer, the run of appearances had its lighter moments.

In the midst of the madness, I drove up to see my wife and her family who were spending Easter in their village in Leon.

When I stopped to get petrol, a customer at the counter looked at me and said: “You look very familiar!”

I sheepishly suggested she may have seen me on the television in recent days, to which she replied, pointing her finger at me: “Ingles!”

Once in the village, I also got recognised while we were in the local bar, much to the amusement of my family.

I should, however, point out that everyone who has recognised me so far has been an older Spanish lady – no young people at all – which may tell you something about the profile of the terrestrial TV watcher in Spain these days… Practically every appearance I have done over the last two years has been live, which can be somewhat nerve wracking, particularly as I am

LEON CATHEDRAL: The city and province has been seeking independence for decades

first Dep uty Prime Minister Rodolfo Martin Villa during transition to democracy in the late 1970s led to the merging of Leon and Old Castille into a single autonomous community, largely to the opposition of Leonese.

Polling since has shown high support for Leonese autonomy, with a 2020 survey suggesting 81% of residents of the Leon province supported it.

In 1984, not long after the approval of Castilla y Leon’s statute of autonomy, somewhere between 35,000 and 90,000 protesters took to the streets of Leon under the slogan Leon sin Castilla es una Maravilla (Leon without Castilla is beautiful).

Despite the numbers, the protests failed to enshrine Leonese autonomy, though the sentiment behind them never wore off.

In 2024, the lack of economic opportunities in Leon and the corresponding depopulation of rural Spain — which has had a particularly drastic effect on the Leonese region — has influenced the most recent push for autonomy, says CCRL member Hector Alvarez.

As younger generations head to major cities in search of work, the three Leonese provinces have suffered drastic population losses in the past 10 years.

Data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) shows that the population of the Leon

speaking in my second language. As soon as the camera comes on, you are aware that any slip-up could immediately become a meme, and thanks to the internet, will literally live forever. While I don’t generally get nervous, I do curse myself when a grammatical slip comes out of my mouth, or when I lose my train of thought.

And I always spend a huge amount of time preparing for each appearance, having been caught out very early on in my career for not doing my homework

Guiri TV

AVOID THE FOMO!

“We can make our get, but we don’t have the option to choose a al strategy,” Alvarez

ous public ‘foundations’ put together by the Castilla y Leon government, whose purposes are often murky and, despite being funded in part by taxpayer money in Leon, have little to do with Leonese society

In some cases, these organisations have political motives, and at times appear to have actively worked to diminish Leonese

“There is a part of the expenditure that’s spent in a very opaque way and is certainly

One example is the notorious Fundacion Villalar, founded in 2003, whose stated objective is to

ress in Castilla y Leon through the promotion,

the provinces of Leon,

province fell by more than 8% between 2012 and 2021, while Zamora’s population fell by nearly 12% in the same period, and Salamanca’s fell by more than 6%.

The region’s ties to Castilla have prevented it from developing an economy sustainable enough to keep its population balance stable, Alvarez says, as only a small portion of the autonomous community’s budget is dedicated to the sparsely populated Leonese provinces.

“We are forgotten,” he says. “We don’t have the capacity to define our own economic policy and we depend on what Valladolid tells us.”

This lack of autonomy has prevented the Leonese provinces from forging their own economic policy specific to their needs.

Tourism in Castilla y Leon, for example, has historically been concentrated in Castilla, mainly in Valladolid, so the autonomous government lacks motivation to develop a largescale tourism campaign in historic Leon, which could provide jobs and much-needed economic stimulus.

when doing a radio interview. Fortunately, with very few exceptions, everyone I have dealt with so far – both on camera and behind the scenes – has been incredibly kind, generous and encouraging.

My experiences tell me that Spaniards are fascinated by our Royal Family, and they have also been observing the political chaos post-Brexit with something approaching schadenfreude, but never losing that deep affection for the UK

that so many Spaniards harbour. As the fame and popularity of the now-deceased English former footballer-turned-presenter Michael Robinson showed, Spaniards also have a soft spot for a Brit who can speak their language. Luckily for me, I currently have the honour of fitting that bill, and being their go-to-guiri whenever anything nuts is happening in the UK. I’ve not been short of work…

tury battle in the Valladolid town of Villalar de los Comuneros, during which a group of bourgeoisie rebels staged an uprising against the rule of Carlos I.

The insurrectionists were crushed, and the battle resulted in the decapitation of the rebel leaders.

The Fundacion Villalar, funded by the Castilla y Leon parliament, uses much of its €750,000 a year to pay for ‘Castilla y Leon Day’ celebrations, a holiday that takes place on April 23 — the date of the battle.

Erasure

However, the CCRL as well as the Leonese People’s Union — the primary Leonese regionalist political party — have accused the organisation of a campaign to erase Leonese identity.

A series of children’s comics released in 2011 by the Fundacion Villalar and distributed to public school libraries called ‘History of Castilla y Leon in Comics,’ has been criticised for its historical inaccuracy and apparent ignorance of a Leonese history distinct from that of Castilla.

The comics avoid mentions of a Leonese language and imply that a unified Castilla y Leon has existed since prehistoric times.

“They have persecuted any trace of the Leonese past that united the provinces of Leon, Zamora and Salamanca,” Zamorano says.

“This cannot continue like this, and with the autonomous community we would recover the identity and traditions that have been stolen from us.”

The success of the independence movement is still up in the air. The ball is in the court of the junta of Castilla y Leon, who have historically brushed leonesismo aside.

Only registered readers at theolivepress.es can enjoy our

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It comes after we posted a record number of visitors in the last edition, when more than 1.4 million people visited our website over a seven-day period. Our unrivalled coverage of the Euro 2024 final last Sunday, for example, brought just under 140,000 people to the site in one day.

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Zamora, and Salamanca

REVOLT: Leonese rebels rose up against Carlos I

CLIMATE THREAT

By Alex Trelinski

A study by the environmental group analysed 8,000km of Spanish coastline to understand the effects of global warming over the past few decades - and to predict future outcomes.

According to the report, dubbed Crisis At All Costs 2024, the sea will rise by 45cm Andalucia’s beaches are at major risk of erosion, warn green activists

by 2090 in the provinces of Malaga, Almeria, Huelva and Cadiz.

It means the majority of beaches along Andalucia’s 910kmstretch of coast are at significant risk.

Greenpeace also criticised excessive construction and pollution and warned against building artificial barriers in coastal areas.

Long live Andalucia!

SPAIN’S average life expectancy is famously high, but those hoping for extra longevity should head for the south.

According to new figures, Andalucia broke all existing records for life expectancy last year, coming in at 82.5 years – the highest since records began in 1975.

That’s according to the latest data from the Andalusian Statistics and Cartography Institute (IECA).

It means the figures have recovered from a considerable fall caused by the Covid pandemic.

Life expectancy in 2019 for example, was 82.1 in Andalucia, before dropping to 81.4 in 2020 and 2021.

Broken down by province, Malaga now has the highest life expectancy in the region, coming in at 83.

That’s followed by Granada (82.9), Cordoba and Jaen (82.6), Seville (82.5), Cadiz (82), Huelva (81.8) and Almeria (81.7).

In Malaga province it branded several building projects as simply ‘wrong’, including the Siete Revueltas Resort in Marbella, which it said was being built on ‘flood-prone’ land. It also criticised the Valle de Golf Resort in Mijas, which is set to be the 13th golf course in the municipality.

Two areas most affected by rising sea levels have been Velez-Malaga and the Guadalmar area of Malaga City, Greenpeace said. The Spanish government has also warned of the state of the two areas, previously declaring them zones of ‘serious regression’.

In Guadalmar, it is the area between San Julian beach and the Parador of the Malaga Golf Course, next to Arraijanal approaching the Velez riverclose to the urban centre of Torre del Mar.

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GREEN

GREEN

Ecological timebomb

AN invasive species of catfish that can reach over two metres in length and 100kg in weight is threatening to exterminate the biodiversity of Spain’s rivers.

Scientists are currently conducting studies in the Guadalquivir River downstream of Sevilla to try to determine just how much damage the massive beasts are doing to the native fauna.

The river monster, which feeds not just on fish and carrion but also birds and even rodents, needs to eat 5% of its body mass every day.

“A thousand catfish, over the course of a year, equals more than 700 tonnes of biomass exterminated,” said Carlos Fernandez Delgado, a professor of zoology at the University of Cordoba.

To make matters worse, they live on average for 30 years.

SHADY STONES

PLANS for a fourteenth golf course in Mijas have been slammed as ‘just an excuse to build new homes when so many lie empty.’

The Junta recently granted long-awaited approval for the sprawling development, which will transform the Cortijo Los Ortejones estate into the Valle del Golf Resort.

Local residents can expect a five-star hotel to spring up in the vicinity, as well as an 18hole golf course, a school and a practice tee area.

The hotel will boast 156 rooms, a conference hall, a spa, gym, events spaces and a restaurant, all spread over an area of 20,587 square metres.

There will also be an additional 350 high-end villas – of which 54 will be tourist rentals – set around an Andalucian-style square where concerts and events will be held.

The Junta claims the entire development, one of the largest private investment projects in the area, will create over 400

A GIBRALTAR developer has been accused of illegally reclaiming land on its east coast in order to build a huge new commercial centre.

Ecologistas en Accion Verdemar claims the project will devastate local species in a conservation zone to the east of the Gibraltar Strait. It is believed they will be used to build a £100 million breakwater, part of a new development project that will include skyscrapers, a marina, a hotel, a promenade and commercial outlets jutting into the ocean.

According to the environmental action group, local authorities have spent ‘years’ trying to build in the area, despite the presence of protected species like the ferruginous limpet.

The project is managed by the TNG Global Foundation, which paid Gibraltar £90 million to secure the work.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

DEVELOPED: It will transform the east side of Gibraltar

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jobs and is of ‘strategic interest’ to Mijas. But it has drawn damning criticism from environmental activists.

Green washing

The

Junta is under fire for approving yet another massive golf course on the Costa del Sol

July 24thAugust 6th 2024

“We already have 13 golf courses, it’s just an excuse to build new homes,” Ecologistas en Accion spokesperson, Librada Moreno, told the Olive Press

The campaign group has fought against the new development since its inception, even taking the case to the supreme court.

Although it was ruled a ‘viable’ project, the activists believe it will cause ‘significant’ damage to biodiversity in the area and drain water supplies.

“It’s right next to the Rio Fuengirola and will damage the wildlife there with the pesticides used on the grass and the light pollution from the resort,” said Moreno.

“They say it will use recycled water but all the golf courses in Mijas say that and it is simply impossible that we have enough infrastructure to sup-

ply such a large quantity of recycled water.”

She also highlighted that while the golf course itself may use regenerated water, the new homes, hotels and pools constructed will not.

Drought

“We are in a drought, we are totally against it,” Moreno said. Expected to cost around €60 million, the 1,078,524 square metre site will also require new access roads and green areas. The project was first presented to the public in 2018 and has been backed by the local council and regional government along the way. In 2021, it was included in the Andalucian Acceleration Unit for Projects of Strategic Interest.

Zero floaters

BEACH go-ers on the Costa del Sol can swim a little easier after a new study has deemed the sea water to be ‘excellent’.

The report found the coastal waters meet all EU standards for beach hygiene, including passing tests looking for faecal matter and E. coli.

Scientists conducted a microbiological analysis of seawater samples taken from various Costa del Sol beaches last month.

The research team plans to repeat the analysis every two weeks to maintain a consistent monitoring program.

The report comes in stark contrast to findings by the Junta that the waters off the Zahara de los Atunes beach in Barbate, Cadiz province, contain potentially harmful sewage.

Dire future

THREE of Spain’s most heavily populated regions are at risk of becoming uninhabitable for humans by 2050, according to NASA.

As well as Madrid and the greater interior plateau of central Spain, the regions most at risk are the Valencian Community and the southern autonomous community of Andalucia.

NASA has warned that the unbearable summers inland could become a year-round phenomenon if current climate trends continue.

Sustainable Fashion

HOW many new items of clothing do you buy a year? Try counting it some time!

The fashion industry produces 100 billion garments in a year, which is an astronomical number given there are only 8 billion people living on earth.

Next question: How long do you keep the clothes and how often do you wear them?

The average person today buys 60% more clothes than 15 years ago, but keeps them for only half as long. An average item is worn ten times before being discarded.

Why is this a problem? Because the fashion industry is one of the most polluting, responsible for 4% of all greenhouse gas emissions – not only during production but also during disposal.

Every year 40 million tons of clothing are dumped in landfills, where they smoulder and pollute the atmosphere.

But is it not only the greenhouse gas emissions that are problematic; it starts at the beginning.

Growing cotton, for example, uses exten sive water and dries out the soil, while at the same time heavily depleting and de grading it.

This is caused by the intensive farming that accompanies it and the pesti

other hand, 69% of clothing is made from synthetic fibres such as polyester.

The latest figures suggest that 35% of all microplastics in the ocean comes from these synthetic fibres, which end up in the human body.

Furthermore, the production process often uses toxic dyes and heavy metals that end up getting flushed into clean water streams and rivers.

From there they are consumed by humans and animals, harming ecosystems and biodiversity.

So what can and should we do to stop this system?

The first rule is to buy less clothing and fix it when it breaks.

Next rule: buy higher quality clothes. They last longer and repair easier.

Finally: Have you thought about second hand shopping? I was really surprised how

Please send your questions or comments on how to be greener to

•

•

•

•

•

Cancer treatment boon

SPAIN'S Health Ministry will fund a new immunotherapy treatment for different types of cancer, which replaces the current intravenous infusion with an injection. The new method will cut treatment times for patients from an hour to just seven minutes. Health Minister, Monica Garcia, said: "It is a new immunotherapy against cancer that is less invasive and more effective."

The drug, developed by

Lifeextending antibody tests

A revolutionary new cancer jab has been

approved paving the way for treatment times to plummet

By Alex Trelinski

Roche, is approved for some of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of cancer, such as early-stage non-small cell lung cancer or for various

SPANISH and British scientists have been working together on mice to see if injections of antibodies can potentially extend the life of a human – with encouraging initial results. Monthly jabs of a simple antibody have been administered to mice that are almost a year and a half old, or 55 years in human age.

forms of metastatic cancer; hepatocellular carcinoma; metastatic triple-negative breast cancer or alveolar soft tissue sarcoma, among others. Patients will receive the injection in the thigh every three weeks without the need to remain under observation, which results in less hassle and a saving of resources for Spain’s national health system.

Until now, the drug was authorised but had to be administered intravenously. The use of atezolizumab in an injection was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in January.

These animals have lived up to 25% longer as a result of the injections and are in good health with lower incidence of cancer, less cholesterol, greater muscle strength.

One of the researchers, biochemist Jesus Gil, said: "There's no reason to think that what we've seen in mice isn't going to work in people."

The study has been carried out at the London Medical Sciences Laboratory.

Alba Silveiro, a clinical trials nurse at the Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology in Barcelona said: "Patients have the feeling that they are less sick by spending less time in hospital and the preparation of the drug is easier and simpler because it does not require a sterile environment.”

Infusion

Therefore the average six hours that a person spends in hospital on the current intravenous route between arrival, blood tests, obtaining the results, preparing the material, undergoing the infusion and remaining under observation is essentially halved.

A study showed that the injection is preferred by 79% of patients, because they find it less invasive, painful and uncomfortable, which creates a better quality of life.

LA CULTURA

Church winner

A NEW minimalistic church in Tenerife has won the 2024 ‘Frate Sole’ international prize for sacred architecture.

Fernando Menis is the man behind the Holy Redeemer Church of Las Chumberas in San Cristobal de La Laguna.

He described it as a ‘labour of love and dedication’ for the tight-knit community and the ‘evolution of a collective dream’ that took 15 years to build.

It draws on the local volcanic landscape to create an austere space which incorporates natural light, energy efficiency, and acoustic quality.

Roman conquistador

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

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Benicassim blip?

BENICASSIM Festival welcomed hundreds of thousands of partygoers for another weekend of sunshine and music – but many left the threeday bonanza feeling nostalgic for a bygone era. Many had been disappointed when the line-up for the Valencia festival was released.

Previous iterations of the festival, which used to span four days, have been headlined by the likes of Oasis, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Leon A TOMB belonging to a Roman commander who conquered Spain has been uncovered in Pompeii.

Belonging to General Numerius Agrestinus, it is inscribed praefectus Autrygonum, which refers to the people he ruled over from the northern regions of Iberia.

The Roman Empire fought the Cantabrian Wars between 29 and 19BC as part of its conquest of what is now present-day Spain. Having fought on the empire’s frontiers and expanded its reach, Agrestinus was rewarded with ‘the highest magistracy of Pompeii twice, other political offices, and a monument upon his death.’

The once legendary Valencia music festival was beset by technical hitches, stifling heat and downsizing, writes Ben Pawlowski

ard Cohen, The Prodigy, Bob Dylan, Ed Sheeran and David Guetta.

But this year the pickings were a little slimmer, with the roster failing to attract the normal array of international stars for which the festival became famous.

Headliners this year included the Black Eyed Peas, Jess Glynne, Sam Ryder, Yungblud, Miles Kane and

The Vaccines, alongside a host of reasonably wellknown Spanish acts.

The underwhelming line-up was not aided by a string of technical hitches and failures.

One guest posted on social media ‘Benicassim died in 2017’, whilst another claimed it ‘is time to find another Spanish festival to attend’.

Disappointing

The criticism was so intense that Benicassim’s official Instagram page turned off comments on posts advertising tickets for the 2025 edition of the festival.

The Black Eyed Peas, led by the ever-eccentric Will.I.Am, closed proceedings on the opening night - however, their set, which was due to start at 3am owing to the intense heat, was pushed back to 4am after their set was be-

set by technical issues.

Former Eurovision star Sam Ryder put on a brilliant set, but that performance was again subject to a delay of over half an hour.

Frustrated by flops on the big stage, many punters took to exploring the smaller stages including South Beach Club where DJs provided a never-ending playlist of dance tunes.

But in another disappointment for hardened Benicassim lovers, several previous popular stages, including the silent disco tent, were nowhere to be seen.

Even many stalwart locals admitted that, for better or worse, Benicassim International Festival is not quite the extravaganza it once was.

CASTLE CULTURE

THE Castillo de Niebla Theatre and Dance Festival, regarded as the 'jewel in the crown' of summer cultural events in Huelva province, is celebrating its 39th year. The festival features 16 shows at the open air castle stage featuring professional and amateur performers.

Top-class

Classical theatre and top-class dance feature in the event put together by Huelva Provincial Council which aims to attract tourists who enjoy some culture mixed with their traditional holiday: Council president, David Toscano, said: "We cannot forget that culture is an engine of the economy, increasingly demanded by travellers and essential to improve people's quality of life.”

An expansive programme has been produced with something for all tastes, running until August 16.

SLIM PICKINGS: Benacassim failed to attract big name artists

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EXPAT OLYMPIC

AFTER conquering first Wimbledon then Europe, Spain has now set its sights on a global sporting prize: this year’s Olympic games. Their star studded roster includes athletes that have gone on to become household names, such as World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso and tennis legends Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.

Among the 382 athletes Spain will send to Paris this summer will be a ‘lesser known’ cohort of Spanish athletes, canoeists, swimmers and more whose roots extend beyond Iberia.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

One will even carry the Spanish flag during the opening ceremony.

Marcus Cooper Walz, a sprint canoeist born in Oxford, UK, will represent Spain alongside Galician sailor, Tamara Echegoyen.

Although Walz grew up in Mallorca, he was born to a German-British mother and American father.

While speaking about the flag ceremony, he said: “I have

English blood and a Spanish heart, all my successes have been for Spain.

“It’s the best flag of the best country in the world.”

He has competed for Spain since the early 2010s, and is one more the country’s most successful athletes, earning a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics and a silver medal in 2020 Olympics.

This year, he will take part in the K4-500 race and the K2500 race on the River Seine.

Another expat-born athlete hoping to triumph – but this time in the water not on it – will be

as swimmer Carmen Weiler.

‘I have English blood, but a Spanish heart’

Weiler was born and raised in Singapore to a German father and Valencian mother. Record

At just 19-years-old, she has never taken part in the Olympics before but in June, she set a new Spanish record in the sport, securing her a spot on the squad.

She trains under Spain’s Olympic bronze medallist, Sergio Lopez, at Virginia Tech University (United States). She will compete in the women’s 100m backstroke category.

“When I touched the wall, I didn’t even know it was a record,” she said.

Spain’s expat population will also be represented in the dressage competition by Jose Daniel Martin Dockx. The 50-yearold was born in Malaga to a Belgian mother.

Despite his heritage, he is clearly

PAUL POWER: Florian Johannes Trittel Paul will represent Spain in sailing

PropertypropertySpain’sbest maginEnglish

THE MUSEUM HOMES OF SPAIN

Meet the Ronda residents who transform celebrities homes LICENCE

See page 24

Delve inside to see the abodes of Spain’s greatest artists

Beating the high press

A SPANISH football team has come to the rescue of a grandmother who was facing being booted from her home of six decades to make way for a tourist apartment.

The plan to evict Maria Muñoz, 88, from her Cadiz house sparked outrage, with the pensioner given a cruel ultimatum: she could either leave or buy it for €147,000, which she simply

By Simon Hunter

couldn’t afford. Fortunately, residents’ platforms came to her aid and when the city’s Cadiz CF football team heard about her plight they jumped in to help. The team’s foundation has now bought the property and drawn up an indefinite rental agreement so that she can stay as long as she likes. The Fundacion de Cadiz will charge Muñoz her previous rent

of just €92 a month. The octogenarian has occupied the apartment since 1967, back when it was rented out by rooms. She lived there with her husband Antonio, and had her three children there.

In the 1990s, the property was refurbished, but she and her husband continued to pay what is known in Spain as renta antigua, or ‘old rent’, a small peppercorn sum not updated in line with inflation.

It was when her husband died in 2016 that her problems began. Legally, she was required to transfer the contract over to her name, which she failed to

do, unaware of the rule. A new contract was then signed, with the €97 monthly rent. But there was a time limit to the contract, and in recent years the owners began to sell the other apartments. Meanwhile, most of the neighbouring apartments were turned into tourist rentals, with Maria’s landlords planning to do the same.

SWEET SPOT

All the signs so far this year point towards a steady performance from the Spanish housing market in 2024, though housing access in hot markets is a sore point

ASTEADY performance with gently rising sales and prices is the sweet spot that all housing markets long for.

It generates confidence amongst buyers, investors, builders and lenders without triggering a speculative boom that can end in tears.

So far this year all the signs suggest that the Spanish housing market is enjoying such a sweet spot after the boom and subsequent soft landing that followed in the wake of the pandemic.

Sales were up 1.8% year-on-

year nationally in the first quarter, according to Housing Ministry figures, and the latest numbers from the notaries’ association suggests that growth has continued in the second quarter.

Compared to other European countries, property sales are doing well in Spain, and are likely to increase the confidence of international investors.

Spain is one of the minority of European countries where home sales increased year-on-year, according to Eurostat (based on countries for which data is available), and transaction numbers

compare favourably to competitor countries like Portugal (-3.4%) and France (-21.6%).

House prices are also sending the right signal to inspire local and international confidence in the Spanish housing market.

Once again, Spanish house prices rose 6.4% in the first quarter compared to the same period last year, whilst the EU average increase was just 1.3%, and the Eurozone average was -0.4%.

Spanish real estate looks like a

particularly good investment at the moment when compared to the 4.8% decline in France, and 5.7% drop in Germany.

A report on the housing markets of the coasts and islands recently published by the appraisal company Tinsa paints a picture of a steady increase in holiday-home prices.

They are up 3.9% over twelve months to the end of March, despite a fall in overall demand somewhat mitigated by an increase in the number of buyers coming from abroad.

Looking forward, the recent decline in interest rates is expected to be good for home sales, with 12-month Euribor declining in the last three months in annualised terms after a run of 12 consecutive monthly increases.

Nobody expects base rates to rise anytime soon, and mortgage foreclosures are at record low levels, which suggests there is little distress in the market. All good news.

House prices are inspiring local and international confidence

One of the report’s conclusions is that there are no widespread signs of overheating in the coastal market, except for some specific locations in the Balearics.

Similarly, no price corrections are expected for second residences; if any occur, they are expected to be minor and insignificant. Those are all good signs.

However, there is one black spot in the Spanish housing market, namely the lack of affordable housing in hot markets where most people want to live.

Politically this is now a hot potato and the government keeps introducing rules and regulations that make the situation worse.

Other countries like the UK face a similar problem but it does mean that housing is becoming an increasingly political issue, which is not a good sign.

Pink

OF Spain’s multitude of gay-friendly cities, the cheapest to buy in is Cadiz, with the average price of property for sale in May being €2,825/m2, according to Idealista.

But bargain hunters may want to move quickly - this has risen 8.8% in a year.

Second on the list is Torremolinos at €3,081, followed by Sitges with an average price of €4,594/m2. On the other end of the LGBQT scale, look no further than Madrid, where property costs around €4,473/m2.

New builds needed

MALAGA province needs to build 3,425 social housing units a year over the next two decades in order to solve the affordable housing crisis.

It translates to 68,500 homes in total, with an annual investment of €124 millions – of which 54% should come from the taxpayer. It is the finding of a report commissioned by the Malaga builders and developers association. Celso Gomez, who oversaw the report, described the current level of public investment in affordable housing as ‘ridiculous and inefficient.’

According to Gomez, renters in Malaga spend an eye-watering 66.8% of their income on rent.

Live like a Duchess

WANT a taste of living like a Duchess? Now you have the chance - but it will cost you €35,000 a month.

The children of the late Duquesa de Alba - or Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva - have put up their exclusive Marbella mansion to rent, Villa Las Cañas

The spectacular Villa Las Canas sits on the Golden Mile on Casablanca beach.

It was one of the late-duchess’ favourite homes and she spent many summer holidays there with her first husband, Luis Martinez de Irujo, with whom she had six children.

It is currently owned by son Fernando, the Marquis of San Vicente del Barco, who inherited it.

PLATFORM: Housing minister Isabel Rodriguez

Crackdown looms

THE government is set to introduce two new rules to crack down on short term property rentals.

The first will see landlords having to justify why they are only offering short contracts.

According to the Minister for Housing, Isabel Rodriguez, this ‘justification’ is necessary to avoid fraud and help seasonal workers and students.

A new state platform is also being considered to advertise short term rentals.

Each will be given a unique code in order to track and control rentals.

The measures were presented by Rodriguez following a meeting with Spain’s working group on short term rentals.

The group, made up of estate agents and unions, was established to find a solution to landlords who abuse short term contracts, as well as the issue of tourist lets.

Rodriguez is hoping to modify the ‘Horizontal Property law’ so that neighbours have to give the green light before tourist lets can be set up.

“We simply can’t look the other way,” she said.

HOME property purchases in Spain went up by 3% in May compared to a year earlier with prices rising by 1.3%. Despite high interest rates, the country’s notaries said there was an increase of almost 10% in the number of new mortgages granted.

The figures show the continuance of the upturn recorded in April which was a busy month due to the Easter holiday period.

The Duchess - who was famous ly the most titled person in Spain and more royal than the British queen - acquired the property in 1963.

It was the year she spent her first summer vacation with her first husband.

At that time, the house only had one floor, but over the years they built two more.

The mansion, which has a total area of 1,400 square metres, counts on 10 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms.

It also has a large living room with a fireplace, a dining room, a fully equipped kitchen, a gym, a sauna, a Turkish

bath, a cinema room and a wine cellar.

The house also has several terraces with sea views, a swimming pool, and a barbecue area.

Villa Las Cañas has been the scene of countless parties, celebrations, and family gatherings.

It was also the refuge of the duchess during difficult times, such as the death of her husband in 1988.

NOT FIT FOR YANKEES

AN American magazine has warned its citizens to avoid the Campo de Gibraltar and the Mar Menor area of Murcia (right) if moving to Spain.

International Living, which promotes the idea of living abroad, warns that Gibraltar has too much focus on banking and gambling.

It claims the ‘border towns’ of the Rock, such as Algeciras and La Linea, should also be avoided.

“Gibraltar's focus on online gambling and banking that offers international tax shelters adds to a somewhat unsavoury atmosphere,” it ruled.

“As a tourist destination, these elements do not pose a problem, but maybe you wouldn’t want to live there,” the article continues.

It was also extremely damning about the Mar Menor area due to its environmental problems.

It ruled that the saltwater lagoon area

Up and

The number of mortgages granted in May grew by 9.8% year-on-year, to 28,909 loans with the average loan rising by 1.8% year-on-year, hitting €150,219.

The percentage of home purchases financed by a mortgage stood at 46.3% and the size of the loan accounted for

AmericanmagazinesinglesoutGibraltararea andMurciaasnotbeingsuitableforUSretirees.

ButMijas,BenalmadenaandSitgesarefine

By Simon Hunter

has suffered from the ‘ecological collapse of marine life’ caused by pollution from farming and hotels.

an average 71.9% of the price.

The average price per square metre stood at €1,681/m² in May, which is 1.3% more than the same time last year.

Apartments rose by 3.4%, to 1,890 euros/m²; while those of family homes stood at 1,300 euros/m²- 3.3% less.

The biggest price rises were in Galicia (21.3%), Cantabria (11%) and the Valencian Community (10.1%).

Instead, the controversial feature on moving to Spain, picked out five places it recommended to its readers, four on the coast and one, Miraflores de la Sierra, close to Madrid.

In Andalucia it particularly recommended Benalmadena (far left), which comes top of its list.

It raved about the ‘quiet, family-friendly beach resort’ with its attractions including a butterfly park, a Buddist stupa, two aquariums and a cable car.

It also recommended its casino, despite its criticism of gambling in Gibraltar, and Tivoli World amusement park, despite the fact it has been shut for years.

And it raved about its nudist beach, Benalnatura, which ‘has its own café and bar’.

Second on the list is Mijas (left), described as attracting expats from all over the world because it serves as the gateway to Cos ta del Sol’s ‘golf valley’.

“With beautiful weather all year and reasonable greens fees, this location is a golfer’s paradise,” the article reads.

Finally it singles out Al muñecar, in Granada, and Sitges in Barcelona province.

MALAGA’S hotel sector has hit out at anti-tourism demonstrations.

Javier Frutos, President of The Malaga Association of Hoteliers (Mahos), said: “To demonise our main industry for electoral or ideological gains is irresponsible.”

The city was recently rocked by protests as demonstrators gathered in the historic centre, where they unfurled a banner reading Malaga para vivir, no sobrevivir (Malaga for living, not surviving).

Mahos pointed to last year’s housing law as the main culprit for the shocking housing situation.

Mahos has now launched a campaign to welcome visitors and highlight the industry’s crucial role in the economy.

The association has put up a series of multilingual posters giving a warm welcome to tourists and emphasising the positive aspects of tourism, such as job creation and economic growth.

BANDERAS BEATEN

DEFEAT for Antonio Banderas after years of legal battles has finally spelled doom for his Marbella villa.

Known as ‘La Gaviota’, it has been declared an illegal development and ordered to be demolished.

The villa was first blacklisted in 2003 after it was found the license granted by the infamous Jesus Gil administration ‘invaded natural land’. Banderas fought back against the ruling and in 2013, reached an agreement leading him to give up 1.2 metres of land at the side of the property.

However, in 2015 the ruling was revoked. This led to a series of legal disputes finally culminating in its demolition order.

Need a helping hand when you go on holiday, someone to cherish your pets in their own home? Join us, and control pet care costs. Find free checked pet and house sitters through HouseSit Match, the friendly online house and petsitting network For affordable travel, home and pet care.

TEAMWORK: Paul and Emma have renovated the homes of Thandie Newton, Ian McEwan and half of Take That

Artistic

Transformations, upcycling and fine specialist painting for celebrities, royals and power brokers. Now the talented couple behind London’s Rock ‘n’ Rolf are back in Marbella and the Costa del Sol, writes Jon Clarke

FROM top crime writers to leading royals, Hollywood actors to Premiers hip stars and tech billionaires to half of Take That, is it any wonder the clients of Rock ‘n’ Rolf expect them to deliver and do it on time.

The artists - who live in Mala ga’s inspirational Serrania de Ronda mountains - are a ma rried couple who have worked between London, Los Angeles, Greece, France and Spain for the last three decades.

Transforming homes, designing furniture and painting film sets, there is literally no type of interior design demand they haven’t had to tackle.

In short, they are creatives, who have made a good living from harnessing the arts. Paul Rolf comes from a family of upholsterers (his dad was in charge

ROCK ‘N’ ROLF ETHOS

is beautiful

not want not

put off until tomorrow what you can do today

is in the eye of the beholder If it ain't broke don't fix it.

LICENCE

of all the furniture at the Bank of England) while Emma Cherry’s mum was a free spirit who brought her family up in Ibiza in the

“If you had to narrow down what we do

I’d say we are stylists, fine specialist painters and surface finishers,” explains Emma, who also teaches yoga and frequently takes to the stage, perfor-

ming in both English and Spanish.

“We often work with interior designers, but more often directly with clients and some of our favourite projects have been around Marbella, in particular up in the exclusive enclave of Zagaleta, creating bespoke finishes for several clients with multiple properties.”

Unable to give many names due to confidentiality clauses, they can reveal that one of them is an international software mogul (‘all top end and top of the range’), while others are ‘well known celebrities’.

“But I can tell you Emma once did a job at Highgrove House for the former Prince of Wales… yes, the King,” explains Paul, who grew up in North London, before attending art college where he studied painting.

extraordinary job with a myriad of original touches… and we also did the kitchen of Thandie Newton, who doesn’t mind us mentioning her,” he laughs. Their remarkable skills include fantasy marble, chinoiserie, washes, murals, antique finishes, distressing, decoupage and anything else you can apply to a surface.

Their remarkable skills include fantasy marble, chinoiserie, washes, murals, antique finishes, distressing, decoupage and anything else you can apply to a surface

“Oh and we recently painted the London home of Ian McEwan. It was an

“We work with so many different types of paint and work on fabric, furniture and walls,” explains Emma, who studied at drama college.

“But, above all, we are into simple, well executed jobs with an attention to detail. That is what most motivates and inspires us.

“And we love transforming spaces and particularly love upcy - cling,” continues Paul, who admits to frequently visiting rubbish dumps for furniture and other items. But this, he explains, ‘guarantees’ original

COLOURBOARDS: Rock ‘n’ Rolf work hard to choose the right colours and can do any type of bespoke painting

INSPIRATIONAL: Their home near Ronda has amazing views over rugged mountains

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

LOOKING FOR MORE PROPERTY STORIES?

items and their love of creativity has brought them work with some of the world’s leading names in kitchen and furniture design, including Chalon, Smallbone, Martin Moore and Humphrey Munson, not to mention London-based designers Violet & George and Godrich Interiors, Matthew Williamson, in Mallorca and JW Interiors, in Oxford.

They themselves have bought and remodelled many homes since meeting 25 years ago in London.

After working in France and America, they fell in love with the mountainous Ronda area, where they turned a small village house into the hippest, New York-style loft space maximising on light and views and crammed full of their dozens of amazing artworks and collectibles.

It’s a remarkable home, perched at the top of the village of Benaojan, with a leafy garden full of olive, carob and lemon trees and a large, open-plan living area with bespoke furnishings, bright lights and brushed concrete floors.

Everything is curated to feel like a film set, a la Sexy Beast, with a backdrop of ama-

Continues on Page 20

DESIGN: The team can work on any surface and have a big range of skills

Including

From Page 19

HUES, TONES AND TEXTURES

zing mountain peaks and nothing feeling out of place.

There is a particular emphasis on hues, tones and textures, while the selection of everyday items is thoughtful. Their choice of fabric, furniture and lighting is peerless.

The building cascades down the steep village slope and a guided tour leads you through a warren of bedrooms and then into a totally separate three-bedroom apartment, ideal for friends to stay and with the same level of style.

They make a good team, with Paul having a very architectural perspective and a keen eye for detail, while Emma is their interpreter and translator of ideas, guiding their choices.

Together they like nothing more than ‘hunting for treasure and rummaging around’ ending up reusing and reinventing everyday items and objects.

“We are influenced by the past, present and future, not just in terms of design, but also from an ethical, sustainable and philosophical perspective.

“We definitely want to make as little impact on the environment as possible and adopt an old fashioned makedo and mend attitude.

CREATIVE:

ROCK ‘N’ ROLF PEOPLE & PLACES

Rock n Rolf are Fine Specialist Painters & Artists with over 20 year experience transforming furniture, walls and surfaces. Experts in decorative finishes from the traditional to the more contemporary, including antique effects, distressing, fantasy marble effects, chinoiserie. Over three decades experience in Andalucia and the UK. MANY REFERENCES.

David Hicks, Peter Doig, Andy Stone, The Wizard of Oz, The Doors, Rutter, Shakespeare, Sissinghurst in Kent, V&A, Wallace Collection, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, The Alhambra, Tom Ford, Yves St Laurent, Mathew Williamson, Saturday Night Fever, A single Man, Dune, Picasso Museum Malaga, ELO, Blondie, Strictly ballroom, Sevilla’s Alcazar, Kew Gardens Richmond, Plaza De España Seville, Sex Education, Sir Kenneth, Ted Talks, Nyad, John Singer Sargent, Michael Clark, Olafur Arnalds, the BBC shipping forecast, Jacques Grange, Jasper Conran, Busby Berkeley, Rothko, Picasso, David Bowie, Steve McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Columbia Road, Fuengirola market, Emmaus

PAST PROJECTS:

many in Marbella and Zagaleta

PROPERTY

29thDecember 12th 2023

AIRBN-BROKEN

Ihad just finished writing the last piece on the explosive appearance of movements against ‘tourist massification’ and legal changes to tourist apartment rentals when news appeared that Barcelona was banning all Airbnb rentals. It is a surprising development in its radicalism. The full implications for the Barcelona tourism market – a key feature of the Barcelona economy – will take years to shake out. However, there’s already a debate opening about what the effect will be on the stressed housing market in Barcelona.

For instance, Spanish Property Insight, a source of solid analysis and statistics on the housing market, had an interesting take. They argued the ban would make no difference to the rental housing stock. It argues that unrelated factors, such as the new housing law in Spain, will ensure that the rental market continues to deteriorate.

BARCELONA REGULATIONS

Before getting into the details of that argument, let’s talk about the Barcelona law itself. Since 2012 Barcelona has had a licensing system if you want to rent an apartment through an online tourist apartment platform.

In many ways, Barcelona city has been a pioneer, for good or ill, in the regulation of tourist apartments in Spain. It has pushed increasingly stringent regulations as it sought to relieve pressure on the rental market and preserve the traditional character of neighbourhoods – with limited success.

It’s not surprising, given that Barcelona is a magnet for more than 12 million tourists per year (2023 numbers) in a city of 1.6 million. It brought in a total of €9.6 billion and employed 100,000 people.

Barcelona City Council puts out very detailed annual reports, and the report for 2023 shows that while 7.8 million tourists stayed in hotels, Airbnb-style tourist homes made up 2.9 million. According to the same study, the number of licensed Airbnb style homes was approaching 10,000 in 2023.

Will a ban on Airbnb ease the long-term rental housing crisis?

won’t be renewed. In addition, they are working on a law to mandate all contractors to allocate 30% of new homes to social housing.

This is a very big deal and will have an undoubted knock-on effect throughout Spain. In Valencia, following the Barcelona decision, there is a law in the works to ban any new tourist apartment licences in the old city.

Back to the argument in Spanish Property Insights – which is also an argument made by tourist apartment operators. They start by stating that eliminating 10,101 tourist apartments only represents 1.1% of Barcelona’s housing stock. How can that change anything?

Except that this is a bit of a, shall we say, self-serving number.

HONEST ACCOUNTING

First, it is a number based on licensed Airbnb-style apartments. Except, it is estimated by some – such as the watchdog website Inside Airbnb – that only 41% of Airbnb listings are licensed, while 32.5% are unlicensed, and the rest are exempt from licences.

Only 41% of Airbnb listings are licensed, and 32.5% are unlicensed

All of which is to say, tourism is a very big deal in Barcelona.

Besides the economic benefits of employment and tourist spending in the city, it has had negative consequences that will be familiar to anyone who lives in a heavily touristed area. There is a lack of affordable housing, a sense of loss of cultural identity in neighbourhoods where few locals can find affordable apartments, etc.

For instance, house rental prices have increased by 70% in the last decade, while purchase prices have gone up by 40%.

With that in mind, the city’s PSOE administration passed a ‘sunset law’ on all 10,101 Airbnb-type licences in the city. By 2028 they will all expire and

They get their numbers by data scraping Airbnb’s website, which doesn’t include booking.com, VRBO, et al. But according to their data model, there are 18,519 Airbnb listings in Barcelona. Also, only 60% of listings are for a full property vs 39% for a private room in a shared property. That means that Airbnb alone accounts for 11,100 properties plus another 7,000 multi-room listings. But that’s not the only reason that the 1.1% figure is problematic.

The second reason is that commentators are counting total housing stock – including home ownership. But that’s comparing apples and oranges. In fact, according to the city’s statistics, the rental stock in Barcelona is 290,416 units. Assuming 15,000 licensed and unlicensed Airbnb-style properties represent over 5% of the rental stock dedicated to Airbnb-style tourist rentals – and it may still be higher. One study in 2015 wrote that it was 6.85%.

THE IMPACT ON RENTAL PRICES

What’s more, if you look at the map below, also from Inside Airbnb, you can see that tourist rentals are heavily concentrated into a small area. Outside of the downtown, there are almost no Airbnb

rentals at all.

To be an honest accounting of the impact of Airbnbs on rental housing availability, we have to look at the rental housing stock just in those areas where we find Airbnbs. It seems clear that in many parts of the historic downtown, there is considerably more than 10% of the rental stock dedicated to Airbnb rentals. That pattern is exactly what you see in every tourist area – heavy concentration in downtowns, near the beach, the old town, etc.

In 2023 I wrote on the question of Airbnb-type rentals and their impact on local rental prices, using other studies. Here’s what I wrote then:

“There is certainly evidence that shows high concentrations of tourist rental properties do indeed have an impact on rental prices within a region of a city. For instance, a study from 2019 argued the following:

“The results show that a one standard deviation increase in Airbnb intensity is associated with an increase of 7.3% in rental price.”

Well, if large sections of downtown Barcelona have more than 10% ‘Airbnb intensity’, I’ll let you do the maths on what that means in terms of rental pricing.

When I wrote the above article, almost exactly one year ago, I was more circumspect about the impact of Airbnb on rental costs and quality of life. But I think the recent, very large street protests and broader concerns regarding ‘over-tourism’ demonstrate how deeply the impact is being felt.

UNDERLYING ISSUES BEYOND AIRBNB

It’s a vicious circle: more tourists = more demand for short-term accommodation = less supply of longterm accommodation = less supply of housing stock in certain areas = price increases = Locals get priced out of the market. This point also needs to be made. Simply outlawing tourist flats will not solve the rental housing crisis in Spain. There are bigger structural problems at play that have led to a long-term lack of new house building. If we just go back a few years, post-COVID Covid, the situation is very different. According to this study by the prestigious Brookings Institute, there was a glut of available

rental property post covid.

PROLIFERATION: The map shows Barcelona’s Airbnbs are concentrated in the centre

“As a result of the [COVID] crisis, the supply of rental homes in Spain increased 52% between September 2019 and September 2020. One factor is the transfer of tourist and short-term rental properties to the long-term rental market and the change from sale to rent for owners who cannot reach their price expectations.”

However, taking the example of Barcelona once again, the Spanish Property Insight article argues the following in 2024:

As a result of Socialist policy, the long-term rental supply in many Spanish cities has declined dramatically, especially in Barcelona, where 30% of rental adverts are now for seasonal rentals, up 53% in a year, whilst long-term rentals have declined 15% YoY, according to property portal Idealista. They use this as proof that the recent Spanish housing law reform has ‘destroyed the long-term housing market’. I don’t agree with the PSOE housing law and have written on why it won’t solve the problems we face. But the above argument about the rental housing market doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. It is equally likely that with the return of booming tourism post-Covid, owners returned their properties to short-term tourist rentals. Moreover, accompanying this tourism boom has been a boom in home sales and prices, thus further depleting stock and supplying the ever-increasing tourist rental market.

Let’s also not forget residents taking advantage of the booming sales market to sell rental stock, thus further depleting the market share of long-term rentals.

It may make us feel good to score points against the government, but this is not the only reason for the increase in tourism rentals and the decrease in long-term housing stock. And, as evidenced by the recent protests, you can’t hide the truth from those experiencing it.

The Property Insider by Adam Neale

Take a journey through half a dozen of Spain's house museums with Dilip Kuner

AS the summer heat arrives, the crowds head to the beaches. But as thermometers hit the sizzling 40s those-in-the-know are usually to be found hunting cooler alternatives.

Fortunately Spain boasts a wealth of cultural treasures, and its ‘house museums’ offer a unique opportunity to step

into the lives and spaces of creative giants - and get out of the sun. From the whimsical visions of Gaudi, the mindfulness of Cervantes or to the eccentric world of Dali, these homes-turned-museums provide a window into the minds that shaped artistic movements

CREATIV CASA NATAL DE PICASSO

Art enthusiasts can really delve into the world of Pablo at the Casa Natal de Picasso in Malaga, the birthplace of the iconic artist. This house museum offers a fascinating starting point to understand Picasso's formative years, before strolling round the corner to view his more serious works at the Picasso Museum.

In particular, you will discover why he loved painting doves and started as a small child, with the birds frequently perching on his bedroom windowsill.

PABLO: The birth house of the Spanish great can be visited in Malaga

CREATIVE E

LOOKING FOR MORE PROPERTY STORIES?

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

EXPERIENCED AND TRUSTWORTHY

JM Constructions explain why they are the people to see if you want to build your own home

EVER wanted to build the house of your dreams but haven’t a clue about where to start or how to go about it ?

Well to begin with you need an experienced and trustworthy company - a company exactly like JM Constructions

JM Constructions and Reforms have been operating in Spain for over 30 years serving the community on the Costa del Sol, and know absolutely everything you need to know about the building trade. Which means that they can handle every aspect of any works from the initial conversation, to dealing with licenses and permissions, sourcing materials, and constructing the works right up until completion. That could mean anything from constructing

a new build villa or out building, to doing reforms on kitchens and bathrooms or building retaining walls or a swimming pool.

No job is too big or too small, as JM’s proprietor Jaime told the Olive Press: “We can do it all to turn your dream house into a reality, from assisting with land acquisition to hiring an architect to produce your ideal design.

“We handle every single stage personally, which includes dealing with all the documentation pertaining to planning permissions, or whatever your chosen property needs to ensure that the build is constructed to a high and fully legal standard.

“Embarking on a self build can, for most people, be an extremely daunting prospect, but by choosing JM Constructions for your project, you are guaranteed a smooth and stress free process from start to finish.”

JM Constructions are also more than happy for potential clients to visit some of their completed works to inspect the quality of their builds first hand.

They have recently completed a large project in Casares, a villa that is now on the market for €1.1 Million, with the next smaller build being an 80 sqm finca, and another villa of 400 sqm already lined up.

With a strong work ethic and a desire to please clients it’s clear to see why JM Constructions have lasted so long and done so well on the Costa del Sol.

So whether you are looking for stone walls, damp elimination, internal walls, a roof or even a water deposit, just pick up the phone to give Jaime a call, and he’ll find a solution to suit both you and your budget.

Please contact Jaime at +34 630 344 897, email on info@casaresliving.com or visit the website www.casaresliving.com

SURREALIST: Dali’s house is located in Portlligat, Catalunya

His former home is a living testament to his surrealist vision.

Explore the unconventional spaces where the zany artist worked, and gain a deeper understanding of the artistic genius behind melting watches and dreamlike landscapes. Continues

Journey to Portlligat, a small town near Cadaques, in Catalunya, to explore the eccentric world of Salvador Dali.

GÜELL: Gaudi’s home is inside the famous park he designed

GAUDI HOUSE MUSEUM

Immerse yourself in the intimate world of architectural genius Antoni Gaudi at his former residence within Park Güell in Barcelona. This house-museum, where he lived from 1906 to 1925, showcases not only the architect's design genius, with furniture and objects crafted by his hand, but also offers a glimpse into his personal life.

Imagine him surrounded by these very furnishings, fueling the inspiration that produced Barcelona's most iconic landmarks, including the Sagrada Familia cathedral.

CASA DE CERVANTES

If you are more into words than paintings, then pay homage to Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Spain’s most famous book Don Quixote The former home of the iconic writer (formerly a tax collector) can still be visited at his birthplace in Alcala de Henares, near Madrid.

Live in The Real Spain...Traditional properties for sale

Jimena de la Frontera – Townhouse 275,000€

Three bedroomed traditional townhouse in the pretty whitewashed hill village of Jimena de la Frontera.

Jimena de la Frontera – Large Premises Massive Potential! – 175,000€

Large premises in the heart of the village near the Plaza, formally ground floor shop and apartment above with a huge terrace. Can be sold separately.

LITERATE: The Cervantes house dates back to the 16th century

For those drawn to the beautiful works of Joaquín Sorolla, a visit to the Sorolla Museum in Madrid is a must.

SOROLLA MUSEUM

Housed in his wonderful family home, the museum displays not only the artist’s vibrant paintings but also personal objects that illuminate his life and artistic process.

The Valencia artist did well during his lifetime, unlike many artists, and the size and grandeur of the home and its lovely garden demonstrate this well. In particular, you’ll see

photos of him painting there, alongside his children, while some of his best paintings are always on show.

Art lovers can pay homage to Francisco Goya by visiting his birthplace in Fuendetodos, near Zaragoza, in Aragon.

The Goya House Museum allows visitors to explore the humble beginnings of the artist who would come to revolutionize the Spanish art scene.

The simple home has many of its original features and sits in a charming old village, with many

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

LOOKING FOR MORE PROPERTY STORIES?

Scan

Golden visa!

SPANISH prime minister Pedro Sanchez recently announced his intention to cancel the Golden Visa scheme.

The Socialist PSOE leader said the move would stop speculation of the property market.

The programme grants any foreigner residency if they buy a home worth €500,000 or more.

The law was approved in 2012 in the middle of a recession following the real estate crash in 2010.

Its main aim was to reactivate the Spanish property market and attract foreign investors to buy all the real estate portfolio left with the banks, especially in those days when prices were extremely low and economies were suffering across the EU.

During its first years, the main applicants for the Golden Visa were from the Middle East, Russia and China.

But since Brexit came into full effect in 2020, there has been an increase in British applicants, who see it as the easiest route to moving to Spain permanently.

There are also more advantages when compared to other types of visas.

At the moment, the Government is drafting a new act to abolish the Golden Visa, but until that is passed, there is still time to apply.

So if you are thinking of buying a property in Spain worth €500,000, you can still apply for a Golden Visa, just do it now!

You will need to comply with the following:

● Have an Investors’ Residency Visa that is in date and not expired

● Have travelled to Spain at least once during the visa’s approved period

● Prove that the €500,000 investment is still in place

● Be over the age of 18 and without a criminal record

● Have medical insurance and sufficient money or financial means to support the applicant (and family) during the period of stay in Spain

There is still time to gain residency in Spain via the Golden Visa scheme, but you’ll need to act fast

The Residency Visa will be applied for and granted by the Spanish Consulate of where the applicant is buying.

A Residency Authorisation will need to be applied for and is granted by the Directorate General of Migrations.

The application for a Residency Visa will be resolved in a maximum period of 10 days, except where the application is subject to the EU Visa Code.

The Residency Authorisation will be granted in a maximum period of 20 days from application after which period. If the Consulate has not responded, the application will be presumed granted.

HUMBLE: Goya’s old home retains its old charms

CEO: Diego Echavarria

From Marbella to Mollina and Mijas to Manilva

TOURIST TWIST

A 2019 change in the law made it possible for communities to ban tourist rentals in their complex – with unintended consequences

SINCE then, a lot of communities have raised the 60% vote needed for the prohibition of new tourist rentals.

A ban can be good for those who want peace and quiet, but not so good for others. Namely the ones that want to sell the property, as a ban can lower the properties price by up to 15%.

So what happens in practice when a community of owners bans tou rist rentals?

First of all, the properties that already had rental licences can not be prohibited in continuing renting.

All valid licences keep being valid for use. So, a lot of the time, the ones that caused problems by not controlling their rental clients will keep on renting.

But the community can vote to up their community fees by 20% for the properties used for tourist ren

tals, as it is considered more wear and tear on the facilities.

For the ban to be legally valid the community must register the ban in the property registry – this is very rarely done (it costs money), and creates a legal problem.

For example, a buyer wants to buy a property as an investment for tourist rentals and is informed that the community has a ban in place.

But after checking the property registry the ban is not registered. So the buyer could buy the property, get a licence and rent it!

But doing so would most likely not be very popular with the neighbours... I find that a lot of the time the administrators did not inform properly about the legal process to make the ban legally valid and the cost in the AGM.

Hence the ban was not registered and problems arise.

Another controversial issue is that tourist rentals were never considered an ‘economic activity’ until a court ruling at the beginning of the year deemed that it is to be considered one.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

This is because many communities have written in the statues that economic activity is forbidden. The idea was to disallow commercial activities such as offices, medical centres, massage parlours, telemarketing centres, dentists, etc in a residential complex.

But this court ruling has created a controversy as some complexes now state that they in fact have had a ban against tourist rentals in place since

the complex was built.

And they are using this to get rid of rentals that had licences before they passed the ban based on the 2019 law. But by actually allowing it before it is now open for a heated legal discussion...

On the other hand, as the national government’s new Property Law from 2023 has failed miserably in making more permanent rental properties available at affordable prices, they are now aiming to make tourist rentals more difficult nationwide.

A ban could lower the properties prices by up to 15%

In recent weeks the minister of housing has started talking about making tourist rentals subject to VAT. Depending on which level they put it at it would take 10% or 21% out of the pocket of all owners.

I think it is unlikely that they will manage

to get support in parliament for this, but it creates a worry.

Personally I think it would be better to offer a bigger tax reduction for owners that rent out their properties long term. That would be an incentive for all parties and result in more available properties and lower rental prices.

• Offices in Calahonda, Torrequebrada and La Cala de Mijas.

• All sales agents and valuers are Certified Estate Agents by GIPE.

• Multilingual, 12 languages spoken!

• Qualified property valuers with years of experience.

• Professional valuation report based on confirmed sales prices for the last 15 years of similar properties in the immediate area.

• 21 years established = Client list of more than 15.000 potential buyers!

• Professional presentation: Quality photos, Virtual Tour and Floorplans

• Your property will be published: on our web page in 4 languages, videos on social media, ads on national and international property portals all over Europe as well as on major MLS platforms. No one gives better coverage!

• No sale - No fee! Call us for a free valuation!

Contact our property valuers Daniel Holmquist or David Hemmings to value your property!

CALAHONDA

TORREQUEBRADA LA CALA DE MIJAS

Great Spaces From Concept to Creation

QUALITY SERVICE FOR QUALITY HOMES

RENSON Management has been overseeing projects and managing homes on the Costa del Sol for over 25 years.

With roots in the UK, they cater to both English speaking clients and Spanish natives.

Their team of professionals is dedicated to not only managing the construction of your dream villa but its maintenance.

Beautiful homes deserve to be looked after, whether that’s maintaining the air conditioning, pool, underfloor heating or any other facilities.

The Renson Management team is available 24/7, so you can enjoy your villa knowing that help is on hand. They are expert problem solvers with quality contacts, so they can deal with any issue and will think outside of the box to find a solution.

No problem is too big or too small, whether you’re struggling with your hire car or can’t figure out the pool settings. They look after properties in the coasts most exclusive areas including Zagaleta, Cascada de Camojan, Nagueles and Casablanca.

While most of our clients use their villas as holiday homes, they are also available to help with full time residences and business properties.

They offer their services all along the Costa del Sol and into Gibraltar.

As well as managing villas, they also oversee high end construction projects, ensuring they meet the highest standards.

Renson Management makes sure constructions stay within budget and meet programme requirements.

They provide detailed, chronological breakdowns of each project from the first meeting to completion.

If you work with Renson Management, you can be sure your property is in safe hands, whether you’re building your dream villa or looking after your holiday home.

GOING GAUDI

Efforts are underway to get six more famed buildings by the Catalan master UNESCO status

OME six buildings designed by the celebrated Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi are seeking collective UNESCO recognition. The sites, which are scattered throughout Spain, hope to achieve the honour by 2026.

In his home city of Barcelona is the Torre Bellesguard, while just across the sea

lies the Catedral-Basílica of Santa Maria of Mallorca (restored by Gaudi).

The Caprici de Gaudi de Comillas can be found in Cantabria, the Museo Casa Botines Gaudi in Leon, while the Palau Episcopal de Gaudi is in Astorga.

All six entities have signed an agreement

with the Gaudi chair of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), pledging to work together to achieve a place on the prestigious list.

If successful, they will join seven other buildings by the modernist architect: the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Palau

Guell, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, Casa Vicens and Colonia Guell

Located outside of the Catalan capi -

tal, the recognition would push tourists to explore more of the region and diversify tourism. All of the buildings submitted have been subject to research, restoration and improvements dating back to 2005 in order to meet UNESCO’s rigorous requirements.

GRAND: The Palau Episcopal de Gaudi

BEAUTIFUL: The Caprici de Gaudi de Comillas and (right) the Catedral-Basílica of Santa Maria of Mallorca

GREAT: The Torre Bellesguard in Barcelona

Living the fusion of nature and golf

A residential complex with an attractive contemporary design and spectacular golf views.

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The modern and traditional harmonise in this coastal property just outside bustling Barcelona

A PREMIO FOR PREMIA

A DOG’S LIFE

hen you’re away from home it can be hard to leave the pets in the care of another person. It is so much more comforting to know your pet can stay in their own home and be cared for by real animal lovers.

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ATALUNYA’S architectural wonders are not confined to the capital city.

Just a short train ride up the coast from Barcelona, among the hills of Premia de Dalt, lies a fascinating treasure that has been described as a ‘sculptural monolith’.

It is pitched against Catalunya’s rugged Maresme coast, where mountainous uprisings dotted with tall pine trees spring up immediately from the coast line.

Standing out instantly from the surrounding houses and traditional Catalan architecture, the building is a bold

By Yzabelle Bostyn

and daring construction that breaks completely with what has come before.

While just a simple family residence, the structure embodies both architectural simplicity and something of the avant garde.

The monolith mixes the traditional Mediterranean architecture found around it with a modern design that creates something entirely new.

The uncomplicated white facade echoes traditional coastal buildings, while also ripping up the blueprint by using innovative techniques and materials.

Each was meticulously chosen to create a delicate, neutral palette which harmousily blends with its surroundings.

Inside, the house is constructed using interconnected segments, creating a flexible living space ‘where new narratives unfold as one moves through it’.

The strategic placement of windows and openings manipulates light and creates reflections to blur the boundaries between interior and exterior, creating a rare ambience of being both indoors and outdoors at the same time.

By pablocorrotopradillo, an architec-

tural firm based between South Africa and Toledo, Spain, the project has been a worldwide collaboration with designers across the globe. It was completed in 2023 for a private client, measuring 332 m2.

SCULPTURED: The house is found in the hills up the coast from Barcelona

FAILING TO WORK

Housingcrisisgetsworseasrentalmarkethitbydoublewhammy of soaringpricesupto20%year-on-yearandshrinkingsupply

SPAIN’S housing policies are ‘failing to work’ as it emerged rental prices have zoomed up by 13.2% in a year.

And the situation is ‘getting worse’ insisted a spokesman for Spain’s leading property website Idealista. Every city in Spain has higher rental prices than in June 2023, with Valencia and Caceres experiencing the highest increases at 19%. Madrid has seen rises of 17.9%, while both Palma and Barcelona went up by 17.8%.

On the costas, Malaga’s jumped 16.5% in a year, Alicante 14.1% and San Sebastián 11%.

By Walter Finch

Overall the prices have risen by 5% over the last quarter alone, with the average price now standing at €13.40 per metre square, according to website Idealista.

“The data shows the failure of all the government measures taken over rentals, culminating a year ago with the Housing Law,” said Idealista spokesman Francisco Inareta.

“All indicators, such as supply and demand pressure, show the situation is getting worse."

Tourist war continues

SEVILLA is removing 715 tourist apartments, two thirds of which are in the historic centre.

It is the first city to use new legislation allowing town halls to remove tourist lets which don’t meet standards.

The move follows an ongoing dispute over how to tackle the problem.

The Partido Popular (PP), is pushing to only limit the number of tourist apartments, insisting they are good for the economy.

The opposition PSOE party wants a complete stop on new licences and to slash the number from 10% of the current stock to a mere 2.5%.

Residents fear rising rents and a loss of the city's traditional atmosphere if drastic steps are not taken.

He continued: "The situation of falling supply and sharp price increases is much more intense in high-pressure markets like Valencia, Madrid, Palma, and Barcelona, where rent increases are dangerously approaching 20% year-on-year.”

He said the government needs to act and cannot wait to see if the new Housing Law will eventually work.

He added it is more likely to ‘significantly worsen the situation for thousands of vulnerable families’.

“It is necessary to take bold measures to restore the confidence of property owners,” he added. Barcelona is now the most expensive city to rent with prices at €22.10 per metre square, followed by Madrid and San Sebastian. Palma (€17 m2) and Malaga (€14.5 m2) round out the top five.

The cheapest cities for renting are Zamora (€6.5 m2) and Ciudad Real (€6.7 m2).

Iñareta, slammed the government’s housing policies for creating the price spiral.

"The data from this report show the failure of all the measures and policies that

Long-term rentals vanishing

THE housing protesters taking to the streets across Spain will feel vindicated by the latest data from Idealista.

The availability of long-term rental properties is down 17% across Spain, and they have been vanishing off the market at a spectacular rate in the most desirable cities.

In crisis-hit Barcelona, long- term rentals have plummeted by nearly half (45%) and in Madrid by over a fifth (22%).

In Malaga curiously – where the protests have been at their most vociferous – the long-term rental stock has actually increased by 4%.

In Alicante and Valencia the drop is also more modest, at 8% and 6% respectively. Landlords however clearly prefer the less risky option of seasonal lets, which have surged by 55% and now ac- count for 13% of Spain’s total rental stock.

have been taken regarding rental housing, culminating a year ago with the Housing Law,” he said.

A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS

The Finance Bureau makes buying property in Spain a breeze

SPAIN’S charm – from its picturesque landscapes to vibrant cities and rich culture – makes it a top destination for real estate investment.

If you’re setting your sights on a piece of Spain, consider using a mortgage broker to unlock the best financing options.

The Spanish mortgage market can be complex, especially for foreigners unfamiliar with local regulations, language, and unique banking practices. This is where The Finance Bureau can help you.

As a mortgage broker, we act as your guide throughout the process. We will explain the intricacies of the market, interest rates, and loan options, ensuring you have the most up-to-date information.

Instead of knocking on individual bank doors, we can present your application to a wider range of lenders, including banks, credit unions, and even private institutions. This broadens your options and increases your chances of finding the most competitive offer

that aligns with your financial situation.

Navigating paperwork, liaising with lawyers and sellers, and negotiating terms can be overwhelming. With our many years of experience we take care of these tasks on your behalf, freeing you from the stress and time commitment typically associated with We also leverage established relationships with banks which can translate into better terms and interest rates for you compared to what you might achieve alone. We at the Finance Bureau simplify the route to getting a mortgage by offering expertise, access to diverse lenders, expert negotiation skills, and personalised guidance. With our help, you can confidently secure a mortgage that aligns with your financial goals, paving the way for your dream of owning a piece of Spain.

LUXURY APARTMENT, MARINA PUENTE ROMANO Ref: OP14482

Built: 144 m² | Terraces: 41 m² | Beds: 3 |

BEACHSIDE PENTHOUSE, BAHÍA DE ALCÁNTARA Ref: OP14658

Built: 114 m² | Terrace:s 146 m² | Beds: 3 | Price: € 2,070,000

CORNER DUPLEX PENTHOUSE, ALOHA Ref: OP15010 Built: 140 m² including terraces | Beds: 3 | Price: € 795,000

RENOVATED APARTMENT, PUENTE ROMANO Ref: OP14904

FIRST-FLOOR APARTMENT, MONTE PARAÍSO Ref: OP14619

Built: 168 m² | Terraces: 41 m² | Beds: 3 | Price: € 1,675,000

ELEGANT & SPACIOUS APARTMENT, LAS BRISAS Ref: OP14351 Built: 180 m² | Terraces: 20 m² | Beds: 2 | Price: € 775,000

LA CULTURA DREAMS

proud of his Spanish upbringing. When he competed at the World Dressage Cup in 2023, he brought the only purebred Spanish horse, saying: “It’s our breed and as you can see, it's got a lot of heart, is obedient and can com pete…They are beautiful animals.”

He has previously com peted at two mer Olympics (2012, 2016) securing records of 7th place in team events and 29th place indi vidually. Finally, Florian Johannes Trittel Paul will represent Spain in the 49er sailing category. Born in Switzerland,

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

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LOOKING FOR MORE CULTURE STORIES?

With Spanish sporting supremacy underpinned by expat-born stars, which immigrant athletes might follow in their footsteps at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris?

the 30-year-old has previously competed in the Nacra 17 event at the Summer Olympics, where his team placed 7th. He was inspired to sail by his dad and grandfather, both keen on the water and began his sailing career in Spain.

PROUD: Dockx uses Spanish breeds when he competes

An insistent anti-war message at Bilbao’s BBK brought Massive Attack’s important subversive influence back to the fore after a five-year hiatus

WHEN the lights really dimmed and the music finally slowed down it was time to take a breather.

And then came the tears.

Having watched some of the most moving drone footage shot in Gaza, inter-spliced with bomb factories in the US and politicians, signing armaments, I was already tingling.

And then came out Liz Fraser with the most beautiful rendition of Massive Attack’s hit song Teardrop.

She wrote the original lyrics (even though Madonna was meant to sing it) and clearly knew how to move the crowd on the main stage at Bilbao’s superb BBK festival.

And hers is some voice; the former Cocteau Twins star warbling with ingenuity and grace, the song having been recorded when her former partner, tortured genius, Jeff Buckley had just drowned.

established since 2001

By Jon Clarke

It was one of many high points of a headline Massive show in Spain, the first since Madrid in 2019.

With all the key singers in situ, Shara Nelson and Horace Andy, in particular, plus Robert Del Naja on top form, what could go wrong?

Well nothing. This was superfluous. In the blistering two-hour set the Bristol collective delivered an incredibly impressive range of styles and sounds.

From trip hop classics, such as Karmacoma, to more reggae-fused heavy bass numbers, like Angel, a touch of rap and even almost-punk rock at times, with Girl I Love You, a great example.

The West Country crew - who fused in the West Indian suburb of St Paul’s and have long been close to graffiti artist

TEARDROPS AT MIDNIGHT

Banksy - are impossible to pigeonhole and, all the while, their political message is very compulsive, be it highlighting the risks of face recognition software or the horrific war in Palestine. It is literally impossible to understate quite how good the backdrop video and graphics were. Indeed, with the exception of perhaps the Chemical Brothers, I can’t remember watching anything quite as cutting edge and moving.

Horace Andy, a Jamaican, who got involved with the Trip

Hop scene in Bristol, sang a blinder on the likes of Angel and he was particularly good on Safe from Harm and Spying Glass.

The undeniable takeaway though was the voice of Fraser, who was simply delightful on Teardrop as well as Black Milk.

But, as comebacks go though, this was both joyous and groundbreaking and showed, exactly, how Massive have many important decades left in them.

Later in the evening, we got to enjoy the Prodigy, easily the most popular British

festival band in Spain.

Perhaps the sixth or seventh time I’ve seen them headline a festival, it amazes me how many local Spanish love them, going absolutely nuts for the big hits Breathe or Firestarter.

The next day it was the turn of Grace Jones, the icon blowing everyone away with a wonderful repertoire of classics through the years.

Then it was the turn of festival stalwarts Underworld, who emerged at 2am and had thousands jumping about until heaven knows when.

There were certainly tears the next day!

ATMOSPHERIC: The songs Angel and Teardrop were delivered perfectly with Horace Andy and Liz Fraser (inset)

CUTTING EDGE: The backdrop film

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Sky’s the limit

MALAGA Airport smashed its record for flights in a single day on Sunday, July 14th when it handled 630.

The airport even exceeded its own official capacity of 46 takeoffs and landings per hour, reaching 50 at its peak.

Peak times at the airport are now stretching to four hours in the morning and an additional two to three hours in the afternoon. Even nighttime operations are becoming increasingly busy.

Despite exceeding its capacity, Malaga Airport has managed to avoid delays and has maintained a normal level of service. This has been put down to the new Midas project control system, which has enhanced operational capacity and boosted communication between air traffic control, airport operations, airlines, and crews.

Top of the parks

Spanish water park voted the best in the world – ten years in a row

A SPANISH water park has been voted the world's best for 10 successive years.

The accolade, courtesy of the 2024 Traveller's Choice Awards from TripAdvisor, goes to the Siam Park on the

Hey…big spender!

A MYSTERY customer dug deep to pay €50,000 for a premium bottle of champagne at a Marbella nightclub.

The big-spending visitor was part of a group of six that enjoyed the top range Dom Perignon Champagne Brut Luminous Phantom at the Momento club and restaurant.

The Methuselah-sized bottle had six litres of top quality bubbly inside – the equivalent of eight standard champagne bottles. The business team said the contents were consumed on the premises and had been specially offered to a 'highly relevant' customer.

“Although it seemed like a very difficult item to sell, we knew that this day would come,” a Momento spokesperson said.

Costa Adeje – located in the south of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Among the reasons given for travellers choosing Siam Park is its recreation of the ancient Thai kingdom from which it takes its name, along with the varying water park experiences covering over 85,000 m2.

There is plenty on offer from dizzying slides, pools of all shapes and sizes (including big artificial waves), huge areas to slide through, exotic forests, and zig-zagging rivers.

It is divided into three sections: Relax, Family, and Adrenaline. There'a a kilometre-long tropical river known as the Mai Thai River along with various beach-

es and a sea-lion pool plus the Floating Market shaped like a typical Thai village.

The Tenerife complex has welcomed 14 million visitors since

opening in 2008, and the TripAdvisor award consolidates its position as the 'most awarded' water park on the planet. It has also come top in competitions such as the European Star

Award or the Park World Excellence Award.

Many of its individual attractions such as Singha, Kinnaree or The Dragon have also been award winners.

Spectacular

TripAdvisor takes into account the absence of security issues, proper management of the facilities, the treatment given to visitors, and the transparency in comments published on their site, which means that contenders that want to apply for an award cannot manipulate the process.

The spectacular nature of the attractions, care of the park and the vegetation it boasts are also analysed.

Pricey penthouse

for 100m2. The

largest

will

terrace in the

at 100m2. The finishing touches to the penthouse are still being put together and will attract highend guests.

MAI THAI: Siam park is inspired by Thai kingdoms

Open everyday 12:00 - 22:00

The best chicken and ribs in town also available salads, fries, garlic bread, wraps and kids menu

POPCORN CHICKEN

TEL: 623 74 11 81

AV. LUIS BRAILLE, LOCAL 30, ESTEPONA SCAN FOR

Candela Marbella, a restaurant right in the heart of the charming old town.

Enjoy traditional local and national dishes with unique international touches and flavours thanks to our chefs Andi Zillner and Mathias Theodosis.

tel: 646 88 84 31 candelamarbella.com Pl. Gral. Chinchilla, 2, 29601 Marbella, Málaga

Must-visit: This littleknown city an hour from Madrid makes the perfect day trip for history buffs and literature lovers, writes Yzabelle

JUST an hour from Madrid, this city makes the perfect day trip for both history buffs and literature lovers. While the oldest univer-

sities in the world are spread amongst Bologna, Oxford and Salamanca, few people know that just outside Madrid lies the world’s first university city. Established in 1499, Alcala de Henares quickly became a beacon of knowledge and learning, so it's no surprise that it is also the birthplace of ‘Spanish Shakespeare’ Miguel de Cervantes. At just 30km from Madrid, this small city is easily accessible by train or bus, both taking just over an hour.

Stepping off the train in the modern area of the city, we recommend you start at Alcala's main attraction, the university.

And what about a dream day out with a gourmet lunch on Candela’s stunning new yacht?

“A choice of four distinct menus, one vegan, perfect for a fun - or romantic - day out on the high seas!”

SUPRISING: The university is full of curiosities

LOOKING FOR MORE TRAVEL STORIES?

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

The University of Alcala de

Henares

Just a twenty minute walk away, you will soon find yourself faced with the institution’s intricate facade and bustling roses in the Plaza de San Diego.

Although you can have a look around for free, the university also offers guided tours for a purse-friendly €6.

We took a Spanish guided tour and I hastily translated everything for my mum and brother, making sure they missed none of the surprising, amusing and intriguing history of the university. There are also tours in English, but they

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

Pages of history

only run once a week (Saturdays at 2.00pm), so an audio guide might be your best bet.

Built as the ‘model’ Spanish city by Cardinal Cisneros, the university represents the start of the Spanish golden age after their reconquest of Moorish territories.

Unfortunately, only the assembly hall remains of the original building, with fascinating mudejar features and Cisneros’ mausoleum.

This is in part due to the decline of the university in the 19th century, leading

to the hall’s use as a stable until the people of Alcala took back ownership.

The main plaza echoes Madrid’s Plaza Mayor, while the second plaza was once home to the dormitories and a jail. Literary devotees will love the auditorium, where Spain’s answer to the Nobel prize for literature is awarded by the king. As you leave, make sure to admire the facade, designed by famed Spanish arquitecht Rodrigo Gil de Hontañon.

Continues on Page 40

ELITE EDUCATION

CRIMSON Global Academy (CGA) is changing the way families think about education.

Our online school is an internationally accredited private school that’s delivering live, world-class real-time learning to students all over the world.

From primary to middle and secondary school years, we offer a wide range of class options to suit every student.

Whether your child is just beginning their educational journey or preparing for admission into top universities, CGA supports students each step of the way.

Founded for students and families who seek personalised online education opportunities, CGA provides a flexible and dynamic pace of learning.

The Online School Helping Students in Spain aim for Global Success

THE CGA EXPERIENCE

At CGA our teachers have an average of over 20 years experience

● For young athletes and performers, CGA’s flexible schedule allows them to balance their training with academics.

● Families that move frequently can rely on CGA for consistent, high quality education no matter where they are in the world.

● Ambitious students aiming for top universities can study based on their ability, not just their age, enabling them to earn university-recognised qualifications through accelerated courses.

In the past year alone, our students were accepted into 61 of the best universities worldwide, including Ivy League schools like Princeton, Columbia and Cornell. They also received five offers from Oxbridge and 21 offers to the world’s top 20 universities.

At CGA students can expect everything they would find in a traditional school, and more. From exams, assemblies, to school houses and a dedicated principal, students can ensure they receive a holistic school experience. Students at CGA have the opportunity to study at a pace that’s as unique as they are. Either through one-on-one learning, live group classes or asynchronous learning, our students have the flexibility to tailor their education to their needs and goals.

CGA’S ACADEMIC ROADMAP:

CGA Primary (Ages 8-10): Focuses on core subject mastery with complimentary World Geography and Computer Science subjects, in preparation for international curricula within a global school.

CGA Middle School (Ages 10-13): Includes US Junior High and CGA Lower Secondary school. Students can choose between 1:1 or group classes, available part-time or full-time.

CGA High School (Ages 13-18): Offers internationally recognised curricula from International GCSEs, A Levels to Advanced

Placement courses and the US High School Diploma.

WHAT MAKES CGA SPECIAL?

At CGA our teachers have an average of over 20 years teaching experience, and are chosen for their ability to engage and inspire students. With small, real-time classes,

students receive the utmost personalised support and attention, combined with social counselling and university admissions guidance.

By combining the best aspects of a traditional school with innovative online methods, CGA helps prepare students for an extraordinary future.

Plaza de Cervantes

The chicken girl

The runaway success of Estepona’s Pollo de la Mar isn’t just down to its salivating menu

IT has fast be come one of most popular restaurants

in the Port of Estepona, but the magic behind Pollo de la Mar doesn’t just lie in its secret recipes.

The force that is driving its success is a softly-spoken, twinkly-blue-eyed 26-yearold called Lisanne.

Known as the beaming smile behind the counter, Lisanne has put her heart and soul into the business and its delicious homemade fried chicken.

Running Pollo de la Mar is a dream, she tells the Olive Press as we enjoy the evening sun, because ‘every day is different.’

“One minute I’m serving a customer, another I’m doing the rotas, maybe later I’ll go to a supplier to stock up,” she explains.

“I wake up in the morning and I just don’t know what the day is going to bring.”

But the thing she loves the most? “Chatting with the

people that come into the restaurant.”

“Talking with them as they come in and make their orders, feeling part of the community here, saying hi to the people who work in the other businesses. It makes me feel blessed.

“But I also love to be in the kitchen and try out new ideas and experiment with new flavours.”

Little did Lisanne know that when she arrived in Spain four years ago with a qualification in childcare and pedagogy, she would become a fried chicken impresario.

But life has been funny that way, and now the popular figure in the port is recognised around the town as she takes her dog Shanti for walks.

“I am the chicken celebrity girl,” she laughs with that twinkle in her eye.

For more information or to place an order, please call +34 623 74 11 81 or visit Avenida Braille, Local 30, Estepona

From

Page 39

The home of legends

After the university, make your way to the nearby tourist information centre in the Plaza de Cervantes.

The Plaza de Cervantes

On your way, make sure to admire the towering statue of Cervantes’ legendary work, Don Quixote and the surrounding rose bushes. There, the helpful guides will give you a map of Alcala’s main sights, starting in that very building.

The tourism office is found in the Capilla del Oidor, an ancient church which houses a brief but interesting exhibition about Cervantes.

Then, cross the plaza to the Santa Maria tower, where you will get privileged views over the city. You may have noticed a number of white

storks flying overhead as you wandered around Alcala and from the viewpoint, you can spot dozens of nests on church towers, trees and ramshackle roofs.

Known as the city of storks, Alcala has over 90 breeding pairs and thanks to their conservation work it now has the largest population of the birds anywhere in Spain.

Once you have admired the views, make your way down the steps and head towards the Cathedral Magistral de los Santos Justo.

The Cathedral de los Santos Justo

Along the way, admire the unique architecture of the city, with orange brick buildings and cobbled streets.

You can enter the cathedral for free and although it’s certainly worth a look, it pales

in comparison to the majesty of other Spanish cathedrals like Sevilla or Granada.

Calle Mayor

From there, enjoy a drink in the square or begin to make your way down Calle Mayor, the longest porticoed street in Europe. Echoing fairytales and fantasy, the tudor-esque buildings were delightfully different to what I normally see in Andalucia and I loved dipping in and out of the porticoes to discover gift shops, cafes and hidden alleyways.

We stopped along the way at Empanadas Lulu, a family business serving a variety of pastries, complete with veggie and vegan options.

After following a sign for the old synagogue, we also found a quiet square and enjoyed a moment of calm in this tucked away bar.

Echoes of fairytales and fantasy rang from the Tudoresque buildings

Museo Hospital de Antezana

One of these hidden gems was the Museo Hospital de Antezana, believed to be the first modern hospital in Spain. Although unfortunately it wasn’t open when we arrived, you can visit on Saturdays and Sundays for €6 or book a guided tour to visit during the week.

Once finished, make your way down the street to admire the Plaza de Cervantes one last time, before heading back to the train station.

Av.Bulevar Principe Alfonso de Hohenlohe, local bajo no.5, 29602, Marbella

FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL

The Cervantes Birthplace Museum

Henares.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Summer loving

TikiTano is the perfect beach restaurant where the location is only matched by the food, writes Matt Jones

IT’S not at the heart of any of the key Costa resorts.

But the dining secret of TikiTano in Guadalmansa, between San Pedro and Estepona is one of the most beloved places to eat for those-in-theknow.

This beautiful beachside restaurant, now part of the Besaya group, is a must try for any foodie living on the Costa del Sol and beyond.

The location is per fect, with ample park ing in this quiet urbani sation.

The attention to detail is impressive in the extreme, with the decor cleverly planned and each table offering up impressive views.

An army of staff buzz about offering up specials of the day and an extensive drinks menu.

Then comes the definitive WOW moment, as we were led by our host Christina to a table on the shaded terrace with stunning views to the beach and inland mountains.

Before ordering our head chef Chema, who oversees the group, came over to introduce himself.

He has a very impressive CV, initially training in Bilbao before moving to the Michelin starred restaurant Zartziko, then to Goizeko Kabi.

He further improved his skill set in Bayona, in the South of France and later in Spain’s food capital, San Sebastian before moving to the Costa

del Sol 11 years ago.

So no surprise that this man knew how to cook.

And this shone through in his Tuna tartar, what a dish.

Served with an avocado and mayonnaise mousse dressed with herring eggs and wakame seaweed, it was the perfect starter for a warm and sunny day. We accompanied this with fried prawns with egg, piquillo peppers and garlic.

Moving to our main courses my caramelised salmon with miso, pak choi and beurre blanc of lemon was beautifully cooked and the flavours blended

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

perfectly.

The classic Rossini-style prime cut of beef sirloin with foie gras was divine and melted in the mouth.

For pudding we went with the baked cheesecake recommended by Chema, which had an amazing texture and was served slightly warm.

His chocolate number, mixing dark and milk with chunks of brownie and white chocolate crunch with a secret ingredient to tingle the taste buds, was the tops. Finally, we tried the Pavlova cake with strawberries and a red fruit coulis which is great for the summer heat.

As the restaurant's catchphrase goes; 'Welcome Back To Your Dreams'. We had certainly come home.

For more information or to reserve your dream table, please visit www.tikitano.com or call +34 952 79 84 49.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

SO/Sotogrande introduces exclusive gastronomic delights this summer inspired by the great tuna migration

O/Sotogrande SPA & Golf Re-

sort is making waves this summer with a unique culinary offering inspired by the transatlantic journey of bluefin tuna.

From June to September, guests can indulge in a special edition of the Bistronomy experience at the resort's gourmet restaurant, Cortijo Santa María 1962, curated by chef Leandro Caballero.

In a continuation of their love affair with bluefin tuna, the resort will host Michelin-starred French chef Nicolas Isnard in August.

Together with Caballero, the pair will present exclusive Signature tapas at IXO TAPAS & BAR, enhancing the resort's vibrant dining scene.

Launching the season with a tribute to the renowned bluefin tuna of Cadiz, SO/ Sotogrande's Bistronomy experience showcases

Tuna heaven

a series of exquisite menus highlighting this prized fish.

The culinary journey begins in June with the 'El Atún en Andalucía' menu, featuring tuna caught off the coast of Cadiz.

Diners can savour various cuts like

tarantelo and parpatana, prepared using traditional methods such as escabeche, smoking, and grilling over charcoal.

Complementing these dishes are regional products like Jerez vinegars, Ronda wines, Tesorillo citrus, and locally sourced vegetables.

From July to August, Cortijo Santa María 1962 will offer the 'Atun Clasico' menu, dedicated to traditional preparations that highlight the authentic flavour of almadraba bluefin tuna.

The culinary journey concludes with a Nikkei cuisine menu, symbolising the tuna's return journey from Cadiz to the Caribbean.

This menu will feature dishes with a Japanese twist, and will include cevi-

che and other innovative creations.

In August, the

on

From August 13 to 20, Isnard will collaborate with Caballero at IXO TAPAS & BAR to offer exclusive signature tapas.

Additionally, the chefs will conduct a

masterclass, sharing their expertise in creating sophisticated and flavorful dishes with almadraba bluefin tuna.

This summer at SO/Sotogrande SPA & Golf Resort promises to be a gastronomic delight, offering guests the chance to enjoy the finest tuna dishes in a stunning setting.

The delicious menu starts from €85.

For more information, please visit so-hotels.com/es/sotogrande or email directly to cortijo.sotogrande@so-hotels.com

spotlight remains

bluefin tuna with the arrival of chef Nicolas Isnard.

and

We work in and around Alcaidesa, Sotogrande, Manilva, Estepona, Cancelada, San Pedro, Marbella, La Cala, Fuengirola and everywhere in between including inland areas.

To see how we work visit us at www.casaresliving.com Jaime +34 630 344 897 or email: info@casaresliving.com

PROPERTY PATTER

Two Olive Press readers debate Spain’s worsening housing crisis

Politicos in the spotlight

Dear Olive Press,

IT’S about time this has come up for discussion as there is clearly a problem here. (see our online opinion ‘Conduct forensic searches on the bank accounts of politicians who keep approving destructive tourist developments on Spain’s coasts’ from last issue)

There are not enough resources for all the developments government officials are approving, not to mention that they are destroying the coastline and everything a few miles inland. There isn’t enough water or anything else and Spain is turning into a desert at an alarming rate. A rate that will only be sped up by all the building, carbon emissions,etc.

And to make matters worse, building projects are approved here without environmental impact reports or input from the community. It reeks of corruption!

Sheila Maureen,

OP Online

Complete unfinished houses!

THERE

That is already a stated objective of the socialist government

You can not blame landlords for seeking higher returns from the short let market!

That is also economics!

Mark, Torre Pacheco, Murcia THE

Greed and speculation!

THE housing crisis started long before the latest housing laws. The justification for the increases is always ‘the market’ as more and more people jump on the bandwagon of buying properties to let and not to live –especially amongst foreign buyers. In the old days it was called speculation and frowned on. Now everything is justified if it makes money, irrespective of the consequences

Jennifer Stewart Jost, OP Online

Yes, but also finish the houses

YOU are correct, Jessica. The way to achieve that honourable objective is not to criminalise landlords. Rather look at this as an opportunity to help those who have been priced out of the market by employing the large stock of unfinished properties that litter the country.

Most of these are casualties of the financial crises in 2007/08, and almost certainly the banks who granted mortgages on these properties will by now have made provisions inline with the Bank of Spain’s directives. This is now a great opportunity for them to illustrate to the public that they care. Also, short term rentals involve substantially higher costs for landlords than long term, so this situation might just be a passing fad.

Mark, Torre Pacheco, Murcia

Fan mail

I WAS very impressed by the latest pull-out sup- plement in the Olive Press (July 10) about the Cos- ta de La Luz.

I have been a regular reader of your paper ever since I picked up a copy of the first ever edition at Granada Airport in 2008.

The current supplement is one of the best you have put together over the 18-year history of the paper. Very full coverage of the whole length of one of the best costas in the whole of Spain.

Congratulations to your team of writers: Belinda Beckett, Jon Clarke and Walter Finch. Best wishes for the continued success of the Olive Press.

Paul Whitelock, Ronda

Hate mail

I WISH you and the rest of the media would stop peddling this weather rubbish.

Although I totally understand why you do it – to help support the globalist agenda on climate change.

The weather fluctuates each year, last year it was equally as hot.

And who are these so-called experts, anyway? You did this in 2020 with the Covid scam and the so- called fake vaccines.

In 2015 it was 50C on my terrace, and over the years Seville and Madrid have had higher tem- peratures I am sick of this brainwashing propaganda. I am not sure who I am p****d off with more – you media for constantly gaslighting us or the stupid sheeple who believe all this c***p....PLEASE STOP Oh, I forgot – you are all under orders!

Steve, OP online

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Tech boost

MALAGA’S tech boom has lured German giants Mercedes Benz to open up a new office in the heart of the city.

The new centre will boast a 60-strong workforce, largely from the local area, to work on a variety of high-tech projects for the prestige car manufacturer.

Located on the main shopping street in Calle Larios, it tackles challenges in innovation, big data, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and finance projects.

The firm is still hunting for the best talent, on the lookout for software developers, cybersecurity consultants and cloud engineers among other

Mercedes-Benz cruise into Malaga: German giants set up tech hub in the Costa del Sol capital – and they’re hiring

By Walter Finch

cutting edge positions.

“We are committed to Malaga and know it is a place where we can find talent for our company’s growth,” said Juan Guerrero, the CEO of Mercedes-Benz in Madrid.

Malaga’s burgeoning tech sector has more than doubled in size over the past decade, creating over 10,000 new

ELECTRIC PUSH

ELECTRIC vehicle sales in Spain went up by 49% last year, according to the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (Anfac).

It reports that 124,607 electric vehicles (fully-electric and plug-in hybrids) were sold in 2023, of which nearly 114,000 were passenger cars.

The share of the overall vehicle sales market is 12% – two points higher than in 2022 but far lower than the European average of 21%.

Anfac has called for government help to boost electric sales to achieve a target this year of around 280,000. Its annual report revealed that the average age of the Spanish car fleet rose again in 2023, standing at 14.2 years.

Last year, six out of ten vehicles of the 30 million in circulation were 10 or more years old, with only 1.2% electrified.

jobs and consolidating Malaga’s position as a leading player in Spain’s innovation economy.

There were 8,631 people employed in the technology sector In 2013 but just ten years later that number had more than doubled to 19,000 in 2023.

This growth comes on the heels of several high-profile developments, including the recent inauguration of Google’s new security engineering centre on Paseo de la Farola which already employs 60 people.

Talent

Malaga’s tech park, already home to the soon-to-be-established IMEC research and development headquarters, is at the heart of this transformation.

IMEC, a global leader in semiconductors, is set to bring an additional 450 jobs to the city.

These developments highlight Malaga’s growing appeal as a destination for tech companies and talent alike from firms across the globe.

Gold star

SPAIN is still the golden child of Europe after posting economic growth of 2.4% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The latest World Economic Outlook reported an expansion of GDP that far outstripped Spain’s European neighbours, and predicts a similar pace of 2.2%in 2025.

Neither France (0.9%), the UK (0.7%), Italy (0.7%) nor Germany (0.2%) managed economic growth above 1%.

The Spanish government had initially aimed for growth of 2% this year and 1.9% in 2025. However, Carlos Cuerpo, the minister for the economy, indicated that his team would likely revise the 2024 growth target upwards to ‘close to 2.5%.’

Price cut

SPAIN'S leading supermarket, Mercadona, says it will spend €150 million once again this year to cut prices on over 1,000 products.

As it battles against German discounters Lidl and Aldi, who are opening more stores in the country, Valencia-based Mercadona says it will continue to lower customer prices when costs fall. It claims price cuts have led to savings of up to €150 over 12 months.

It also boasts of offering goods with 'high quality at the best possible price' anywhere in the retail market.

A BURGLARY spree on the Costa del Sol has turned out to have curious culprits: three mischievous housecats. Daisy, Dora and Manchita have been prowling the small town of Frigiliana looking for open windows. After darting in, they would leave with their ill-gotten gains, including socks, underpants, baby clothes and gloves.

100 items

The actions of the felines have strained neighbourly relations between owner Rachel Womack and her cats’ victims.

The trio can bring home more than 100 items a month – most recently a stuffed bear and a baby’s shoe – and Womack has no idea who they belong to. The behaviour has baffled the experts.

“All around the world there are cats doing this, yet it has never been studied,” says Dutch biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra.

Double trouble

Olympic Village goes wild as Alcaraz and Nadal arrive ahead of their ‘dream team’ doubles debut

THE Olympic Village is buzzing in Paris ahead of one of the most highly-anticipated sporting events in history.

Two of Spain’s greatest ever tennis players will be joining forces in a bid to take home doubles gold medal.

Carlos Alcaraz, 21, and Rafael Nafal, 38, sent fans into a frenzy this week as they posed for a cheeky selfie after landing in the French capital.

By Alex Trelinski

The Grand Slam champions will be waving the flag for Spain at the opening ceremony and have already attracted a lot of attention in the village.

Their arrival sparked quite the commotion in the dining hall with non-stop requests from participants, volunteers, and organisers for selfies - be it to-

Beach day cut short

A HUGE swordfish measuring some two metres in length has forced the closure of a beach in Spain.

Sunbathers in Tarragona raised the alarm with the authorities at about 1pm last Thursday, prompting police to attend the scene at the l’Ardiaca beach in Cambrils and close it

gether or individually.

For Mallorca’s Nadal, it will be his fourth Olympics as he tries to win his third gold medal, while Alcaraz, who hails from

off to swimmers.

The fish sadly thrashed around on the coast in a disoriented state, before getting trapped on the shore and dying.

Once the danger to the bathers had passed, the beach reopened and activity resumed.

The fish’s corpse was taken to the Centre for the Recovery of Marine Animals under orders from the police and City Hall, so that an autopsy could be carried out before it was incinerated.

Murcia, will be enjoying the world’s greatest sporting event for the very first time.

It follows his second Wimbledon title in a row after his thumping straight-sets victory against Serbian Novak Djokovic earlier this month.

The Roland Garros clay courts will be familiar to 14-time French Open winner Nadal and his young successor, Alcaraz, who won the tournament for the first time in May.

Certainly if all the photos are anything to go by, both men are enjoying their Olympic experience so far.

Monkey mayhem

SPAIN’S Guardia Civil has opened an investigation after two of Gibraltar’s famous Barbary macaques were located caged in a garden in Granada.

High notes

AN air hostess has gone viral after entertaining passengers with an improvised concert on a delayed flight from Ibiza to Madrid, she sang Hit the Road Jack, by Ray Charles.

Going native

HOLLYWOOD legend Michael Douglas celebrated turning 80 during a local celebration in Valldemossa, Mallorca, where he has a home.