FLOOD PLAIN U-TURN
FOLLOWING the deadly DANA storms in Valencia, the Balearic government has done a u-turn on new laws approved in May which allowed construction on flood plains.
Balearic President, Marga Prohens has backtracked, suggesting an amendment to the law to restrict construction in areas at risk of flooding or forest fires.
But opposition parties have fiercely criticised the amendment, saying it does not go far enough and is demanding a complete ban on construction on flood plains.
The PSIB opposition spokesman Iago Negueruela also wants the conversion of commercial units into homes in vulnerable areas to be declined.
On top of that, he wants the legalisation of properties built illegally on flood plains to be halted.
Environmental group GOB has spoken out against the May regulations, stating Palma council has registered at least nine new residential constructions on floodplains and virgin land since November 5.
Margalida Ramis, the group’s president, warned that ‘if the changes are not processed soon, many more properties will be built on flood plains’.
O P LIVE RESS
MENU DEL DISASTER
Demands grow for the resignation of Valencia president Carlos Mazon as it emerges he was having a three hour power lunch as tragedy unfolded
THE streets of Valencia have erupted in fury after it was revealed that regional president Carlos Mazon spent hours enjoying a long ex pensive lunch while his region drowned.
The PP leader is now facing calls for his resignation after 130,000 enraged citizens gath ered to protest.
Protesters accused him of murder and having ‘blood on his hands’, while hundreds of them clashed with riot police. It came as it emerged that Mazon was having a three hour lunch as the floodwaters rose and panic gripped the region on October 27. Mazon was dining at the
By Alex Trelinski & Dilip Kuner
exclusive El Ventorro restaurant with journalist Maribel Vilaplana, until 6pm – many hours after the first red alerts had been issued by meteorologists.
Shockingly, though, he did not cut his meal short despite the worsening crisis and only returned to his office at around 7pm, by which time the death toll was climbing dramatically.
“Mazon’s hands are stained with blood!” chanted
the angry protesters outside Valencia City Hall, who clashed with riot police as they marched to the parliament building.
Four people were arrested and 31 police were injured.
As the region continued the clean up operation after the flooding that left over 225 dead with dozens still miss-
ing, residents continue to question why he continued with his lengthy meal.
Government sources insisted he was being constantly updated on the growing crisis, but his office has refused to disclose the details of his agenda for the day. Meanwhile in Mallorca, despite red alerts for heavy rainfall, the island escaped relatively unscathed. There were 50 ‘incidents’ recorded by the 112 emergency line as the DANA storm swept over the island. And as politicians digest the Valencia disaster a political row is brewing over construction on flood plains (see Floodplain U-turn, left).
Some 449 plots in Mallorca have been greenlit for development in
flood prone areas since a May decree. Of these, 287 are in Campos, 98 in Palma and 64 in sa Pobla, but according to experts, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Geographer Joan Estrany has claimed that although Spain’s Ministry of Ecological Transition has identified 43 official high-risk zones, there are more which remain unmapped as they are too small or have watercourses hidden underground.
For example, he claims Torrent de Sant Magi (Palma) could impact nearby buildings if its banks burst.
Risk
This debate comes on the heels of the Ministry for Ecological Transition’s release of a public tool, the Sistema Nacional de Cartografía de Zonas Inundables (SNCZI), which allows citizens to check flood prone zones nationwide. According to the tool, Palma is the Balearic area most at risk, with over 123,000 residents living in flood zones. Andratx, Manacor, and Soller also have significant flood risks.
Following the Valencia floods, Balearic President Marga Prohens has announced plans to enhance emergency response protocols, aiming to make them more ‘agile and efficient’ to prevent future tragedies.
ANGER: Protesters chanted that Mazon has ‘blood on his hands’
DINED: Mazon (left) enjoyed a threehour lunch with Vilaplana (below) while disaster struck
See Village of the Damned, page 6 & 7
Runway accident
A PALMA airport worker was seriously injured after his legs were crushed by a towing vehicle as a plane was being prepared for take off, with the Guardia Civil investigating the incident.
Look out
PALMA City Hall is set to install two new speed control radars on Avenida Adolfo Suarez to add to the eight already in operation in the Balearic capital.
Red card
A FOOTBALL match was cancelled this Wednesday after a Son Veri player pushed a fan in frustration over a free kick given to rivals, Santa Monica.
Safe in Spain
ASTURIAS is officially Spain’s safest region, according to the INE. The Balearics did not make it into the top 10.
Breaking bad
Top anti-money laundering cop caught with €20 million and a Lamborghini as narco
MADRID’s top anti-corruption detective has been busted with millions of dollars in cash stashed between the walls of his house.
Oscar Sanchez was arrested last week after €20 million was found hidden at his home in Alcala de Henares.
The arrest came in connection to a record seizure of 13 tonnes of cocaine in the Port of Algeciras last month.
A further 15 individuals have been arrested – including Sanchez’s wife, who also worked in the Policia Nacio-
couple flee
By Walter Finch
nal. She was arrested in Toledo but released on bail.
Sanchez, who is Spain’s Economic and Tax Crime chief inspector, was known by his colleagues as ‘the discrete one’ and showed no trappings of his wealth.
But photos have emerged of a fleet of luxury cars and motorbikes parked among the police cars outside his home, including a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder.
Sanchez first fell under suspicion when Internal Affairs uncovered a payment to a company owned by the police chief for ‘services’ from a company linked to narco
TAKING THE HIGH ROAD
A DRUNK driver has achieved the considerable feat of being positive for every drug tested for by police after he crashed a stolen car in Porto Cristo. Police officers found the 25-year-old trapped inside the stolen vehicle and smelling ‘strongly of alcohol’ after taking a curve too steeply and crashing through a barrier.
After emergency crews pulled him out, they carried out both drug and alcohol tests and were astonished by the results. The roadside oral swab tests used by Spanish police can detect cannabis, co-
caine, speed, crystal meth and heroin –and he tested positive for all of them. Despite being severely banged up, the driver refused to go to hospital after being assessed by emergency responders. Firefighters remained at the scene to clear the wreckage and restore the area to normal.
The owner of a local bar had reported the 25-year-old to police earlier in the night after he had kicked him out. He was arrested on the spot, and the case has been handed over to the National Police.
traffickers.
Investigators eventually managed to unravel a collaboration between Sanchez, his wife and a narco couple living the high-life in El Campello, near Alicante.
Identified as ‘Miguel and Vilma’, the couple have been on the run since police intercepted their enormous cocaine shipment on October 14, the largest in Spanish history.
They believed they had all local officials paid off and brazenly introduced the shipment into Spain from Ecuador in one single container. According to police, the Alicante couple claimed to be successful importers of tropical fruits including bananas, mangoes and pineapples from South America.
A MAN has been given 40 days of community service by a Palma court for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend’s cat. The defendant pleaded guilty to coercion and was also handed down a fouryear restraining order in relation to the woman.
The angry former partner went to her house in February 2023 and stole her cat. He kept it for several days, causing distress to its owner who did not know where it was.
She filed a complaint and the animal thief was subsequently arrested.
Security lapse Catnapper
A MAGALUF man used a security camera to spy on his former girlfriend for six days.
He refused to accept his relationship was over and, after moving out, he accessed footage of the living room and kitchen via a mobile app. The woman learned what he did when she received an email from the security company detailing the video downloads.
The man was given a suspended one-year jail term and a €1,725 fine plus a twoyear restraining order.
Discover Leonardo Boutique Hotel Mallorca Port Portals - Adults Only, a 4-star superior hotel located right next to one of the most luxurious marinas of the Mediterranean: Port Portals.
Choose from one of our 77 unique rooms, all of them with great amenities and spectacular views, and enjoy a cocktail in the hotel’s Sky Bar or cool down on a Balinese bed by the pool. Come join us!
PROCEEDS: Flash cars outside his house. (Top) Sanchez
GERE’ING UP FOR A MOVE CELEB
RICHARD Gere is selling up in the States and moving to Spain.
Despite being an outspoken critic of new president Donald Trump, the change is to be closer to his in-laws, he has revealed.
The Pretty Woman star, 75, and his wife Alejandra, 41, plan to live in the Madrid area.
“Alejandra will be able to return to her lifelong friends and get closer to their culture again. And that makes me happy,” he said.
"I love Spain and I think your lifestyle is fabulous. Also your ability to live transmitting joy and happiness,” the actor added.
“It is a beautiful place, the food is extraor dinary and the people exude sensitivity and generosity, as well as a strong will to laugh and enjoy. So I'm look ing forward to going there.”
In 2016 he described Trump (right) becoming President as a ‘nightmare’. The timing of the move couldn't be more sensible after his wife posted her public support for Trump’s ri val Kamala Harris after voting this month.
Chart topper
British expat’s novel tops the global bestseller list - even above Ian Rankinwith mystery thriller
A BRITISH expat has topped the Amazon book charts with her fifth novel, a thriller based in Marbella.
Karen Brady’s Where’s the Money? quickly shot to the top of the global gi ant’s thriller bestseller list, nudging out crime genius Ian Rankin. The plot follows two sisters, Bonnie and Skye, who move to the resort with their husbands, two ‘extremely successful businessmen.’ There, they ‘live the life of absolute
By Yzabelle Bostyn
luxury’ before tragedy strikes when the men die in a mysterious car crash. And when the devastated widows go to check their bank accounts, they discover all their money is gone. Thus begins an international hunt to find the truth behind their husbands’ untimely deaths.
The idea for the book
HOBBY: Brady’s ‘pasttime’ has seen her shoot up the the running
emerged when Karen and a friend were laughing about a crime article they saw in the Olive Press and asked themselves ‘but where’s the money?’
“My friend said it would make a good title for a book and it got me thinking,” Karen told the Olive Press.
It is her fifth book since writing became ‘a hobby’ after retiring to Mijas in 2018.
“Spain has provided the per-
Outpour
of anger
MALAGA star Antonio Banderas has slammed the slow response by authorities to Valencia's flood disaster.
Banderas was critical that the army was not mobilised fast enough once the extent of the problem became clear.
He asked why army helicopters ‘with food, water and medicine’ had not been sent to the towns affected more quickly.
“Why are our taxes and resources not used better? Why?” he added.
fect environment to pursue my writing,” she said. “I love the laid back atmosphere and how everything is mañana, I’m literally living the dream.”
She added: “I write mystery thrillers because it’s what I love, when your mind is racing and there’s suspense.”
Even though she’s not ‘in it for the money’, her books have done extremely well, charting high in the bestseller lists and selling thousands of copies.
Passion
Born and raised in Birmingham she launched her own recruitment business at the age of 23.
“I’ve always had a passion for writing,” she explained. “But it’s hard to be creative when you’re chasing the dollar.”
In 2006, she joined a writing group and began to hone her skills alongside other talented writers, before spending the next 12 years writing her debut, Agnes in Bloom.
FAMOUS faces have flocked to support the victims of Valencia’s deadly floods.
Tennis star Rafael Nadal (top) is managing donations through his tennis academy in Manacor, while actress Penelope Cruz (above centre) has made ‘significant’ donations to various charities.
Founder of Inditex Group, Amancio Ortega (above right), has also donated four million euros to the Spanish Red Cross, while Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez (above left) will donate a million euros to flood victims.
The football club has also launched fundraising efforts, alongside other stars including Rosalia and Georgina Rodriguez.
Director Depp
JOHNNY Depp has spent a weekend in Sevilla, close to his ex-wife who lives in Madrid.
The controversial star was printing his directorial debut at the European Film Festival as well as doing a bit of sightseeing.
Open from Monday to Sunday 13:30 – 17:00
(Last reservation at 15:30) 19:00 – 00:00
(Last booking at 22:30)
Depp - whose ex Amber Heard moved to Mallorca then Madrid three years ago - has gone behind the camera to direct Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness
It tells the story of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani trying to find a home for his art during wartorn Paris in the early 1940's. Depp was on the red carpet for a screening at the Cartuja Center - the biggest cinema in Sevilla.
Visit 4 top restaurants in 4 hours
Savour 4 gourmet dishes paired with wine Walk at your own pace with our web app
A NEW seaplane operator in the Balearic Islands has been running test flights this month ahead of launching its service in the New Year.
Isla Air Express is based in Palma and is backed by German investors.
The carrier will use a pair of De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter seaplanes.
The first service will be a 35-minute flight between Palma and Ibiza which was tested last week..
The tests are the culmination of six years of planning as the company seeks operator permits from both the Balearic Islands Port Authority and the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency.
Once established, the operator plans to offer high-frequency services from Palma to Ibiza, Formentera, and Menorca.
Island hopper
BURGLAR SLAYING
AN 84-year-old man is being retried for killing a burglar after a guilty ruling was overturned, in a case that has gripped Mallorca. A Palma court heard this week how Pau Rigo blasted burglar Mauricio Escobar, 25, in the stomach with a shotgun from point blank range in February 2018. Mauricio and his twin brother Freddy had targeted the Porreres home of the retired businessman knowing that he kept large amounts of cash in the safe – and it wasn’t the first time they’d struck.
In October 2017, Freddy and the so-called ‘Demon Gang’ had tied Rigo up, forced him to open his safe and made off with €30,000.
When they returned four months later demanding
Elderly businessman looking at four years in jail for shooting burglar in the chest in 2018
By Walter Finch
€200,000 they believed was hidden in his house from selling his business, Rigo – 78 at the time –managed to grab a loaded shotgun.
Manslaughter
The Escobars’ defence lawyer has claimed that this shotgun was laid out in ‘preparation’ to kill his clients in a ‘disproportionate’ act.
The original trial in 2023 found Rigo – who claims he acted in self-defence
Speeders beware!
A NEW radar speed car operated by the Palma Policia Local caught out 345 motorists in the last week of October.
The special car has been leased out to the police by the DGT traffic authority in the Balearic Islands.
The police are also maintaining their campaign to monitor law breaking by electric scooter riders.
Palma City Council says it expects to collect an extra €4 million in traffic fines next year, helped by the car and also new fixed radar points.
The big switch on
PALMA City Hall is to splash out €67,155 on this year’s Christmas lights switch on.
The cash will pay for ‘the production and artistic direction’ the light show, which will take place on November 23. It will be the official start of the holiday season.
The contract has been given to Circ Bover, which will create a performance centered around light, music, and ‘other artistic elements’.
In addition to the light show, the day will feature cultural and recreational activities throughout Palma, including live music and craft workshops.
– guilty of manslaughter, but the case has since gone through several legal twists and turns.
The provincial court in Palma annulled the verdict on technical grounds and then decided there had been ‘insufficient evidence’ that Rigo had ‘intent to cause Mauricio’s death’.
However, prosecutors appealed and the Superior Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands ordered the current retrial.
A Guardia Civil officer who responded to the crime scene told the court that he saw ‘a guy lying on the floor and two elderly people inside the house, scared out of their wits and covered in blood’.
Jail
Meanwhile, a forensic expert took to the stand and surmised that Mauricio had been lunging at Rigo when the deadly shot was fired.
The prosecution is asking for four years in jail for Rigo, who is expected to learn his fate next week.
Foreign aid
KIND hearted expats have raised over €700 to donate to Valencia food banks. Mark Brown launched the fundraising campaign in Chingford, North-East London to send to his second home, Oliva.
The 58-year-old spends half his time in Spain and wants to ‘show locals the English community cares, because that’s what neighbours do.’
“Spain is like home to me,” he told the Olive Press. “I have local friends, I love the culture, the way of life. It was so upsetting to see it destroyed.”
The semi-retired piano teacher received donations from his local church community, St Peter and Paul. He will fly to Valencia on Saturday, donating the €720 proceeds to local food banks.
Hope lost
THE bodies of two small brothers have been discovered a fortnight after they were swept away in the DANA floods.
Ruben Matias, (right), five, and his brother Izan (below), three, were found in Catarroja, several kilometres from their home in Torrent.
A giant shipping container from a passing truck had crashed into their bedroom, exposing them to the storm and sweeping them away.
An extensive search operation involving hundreds of local volunteers and even a specialised Mexican team known as Los Topos Aztecas scoured for them for two weeks.
“We are devastated,” the boys’ aunt told reporters. “While we had lost hope of finding them alive, it still hurts deeply to have it confirmed.”
Lunch tragedy
THE bodies of three businessmen who vanished while having lunch during the DANA floods have been discovered. Miguel Burdeos, a key supplier of Mercadona, Jose Marin, of
Mas Camarena school group, and Vicente Tarancon, of sportswear brand Luanvi, all washed up near the La Orza de Angel restaurant in Chiva. Their vehicles were swept away when a river flooded near the town of Cheste inland.
Steve needs you!
Olive Press appeal to identify amnesia-struck Brit in hospital
THE Olive Press is renewing its appeal to identify a British expat who has been struck with amnesia in a Spanish hospital.
Stephen, 71, was first admitted to Torrevieja Hospital on September 24 after suffering a stroke while cycling in Alicante.
As we reported last month, he was struck with severe memory loss and can only recall his first name and age, but no other details about his life or loved ones.
Tragically, not a single person has reported him missing, and an ongoing police investigation has resulted in no further clues.
The officer leading the case told the Olive Press this week: “We still don’t know his identity, but steps are being taken through the authorities in England.”
No matches
Stephen is ‘in a bad way’ having suffered a second stroke in the same hospital and his condition has not improved.
“We want to interview him and try to get more information but right now he can barely talk,” added the policeman.
“We have absolutely nothing to go on, because he had no wallet on him when he was admitted and only knows his first name and age.
“There are also no missing persons reports that match his name or description.”
Investigators are still trying to contact Steve Presland, a keen
TALK OF THE TON!
THE Pueblo Español in Palma is set to host a series of candlelit concerts themed around hit Netflix show Bridgerton.
Attendees are encouraged to wear their finest Regency gowns to hear songs featured on the programme played by a string quartet.
Described as the ‘event of the year’ it aims to be ‘a magical evening equal to any ton ball’. Tickets for ‘Candlelight: Bridgerton Highlights’, are already on sale for January 25 and March 8 at 7pm and 9pm on both nights.
Sweet as sugar
TWO sugar glider possums have been born at Benidorm's Terra Natura - a first for the animal conservation park. The babies are now three months old and are beginning to explore the world outside their mother's pouch. The youngsters have started to open their eyes and are doing well. Sugar gliders are small marsupials, weighing between 150 and 300 grams and are native to eucalyptus forests in Australia and New Guinea.
By Laurence Dollimore
cyclist from the UK whose photo shares an uncanny resemblance.
While friends of Presland said he denies being the man in hospital, he has yet to speak directly to the Olive Press or police.
If you recognise the man, please contact tips@theolivepress.es
The Foreign Office told the Olive Press this week it ‘stands ready to support British nationals abroad 24/7’.
A
Voted top
expat
paper in Spain
OPINION
Disaster shame!
ANGER at the inept early handling of the Valencia floods by politicians manifested itself at the weekend with 130,000 people taking to the streets of the regional capital.
Fury after 225 deaths and counting is entirely understandable but it is also palpably clear the initial response from Valencia and Madrid was one of sheer incompetence.
Valencia president Carlos Mazon has tried to blame the lack of emergency alert warnings onto everybody else.
But he hasn't had the courage to say that as the boss, he has to carry the can for such a serious mistake.
Mazon was having a cosy late lunch while flood water was already sweeping cars away and flooding buildings.
Then you have the equal ineptitude of the national government which - three days after disaster struck - proudly proclaimed that 500 extra troops had been sent to help with rescue efforts.
Within 24 hours, realising the horrific underestimation, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez upped that number to 10,000 but it was all too little, too late.
We've been 'treated' - if that's the right word - to politicians blaming each other, and that hasn't gone down well with flood-hit residents trying to identify dead relatives and rebuild their lives.
They wanted a rapid response and didn't get it. It's fortunate that it was just mud that was thrown at Mazon and Sanchez during their ill-timed visit to Paiporta, with the King and Queen as collateral damage.
The generosity of the Spanish people has been extraordinary with donations and countless volunteers travelling to the area.
Some rescuers from France even arrived before the soldiers and local police. Others have come all the way from Mexico.
The country's politicians should hang their heads in shame for not matching their spirit by showing a basic level of competence in handling such a life-changing emergency.
They have to be made answerable in the future once people’s lives return to some kind of normality.
PUBLISHER / EDITOR
Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es
Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es
Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es
Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es
Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es
Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es
Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es
Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es
Cole Sinanian cole@theolivepress.es
WHY WAS A CRUCIAL ‘LIFE-SAVING’ DAM NEVER BUILT IN CHESTE?
Village of the damned
DISPATCH: The Olive Press sent Laurence Dollimore to one flood-ravaged town in Valencia that’s been forgotten by the world
AS a biblical flood tore through his village like a tsunami, David Fraile received a heart-stopping message from his mother; “Help me, I’m going to die!”
It was just one of several panicked voice clips he was sent on that fateful night in Valencia on October 29, when a so-called DANA storm sparked Spain’s deadliest floods in over a century.
But this was not Paiporta, Chiva or Utiel, the ‘ground zero’ towns that grabbed headlines around the world.
This was Cheste, a much smaller village some 40 km west of Valencia city that has been almost completely ignored by the media and, perhaps more alarmingly, the authorities - a fact that locals desperately want to change.
It was around 8pm when two ravines on either side of the town overflowed, forming one enormous torrent that first crashed into a row of 18 attached houses on the village’s outskirts.
Known as La Alameda del Chalet, the properties had largely been used as summer homes for decades and counted on a communal swimming pool, but some residents lived there all year round.
One of them was Mari, David’s mother, who thankfully realised just in time what was bearing down on her and was able to scurry up a ladder and seek refuge on a rickety shelf inside her ironing room.
From there, for nearly half an hour, she sat frozen in fear as she
watched the filthy flood water filling up her home, in which she has lived for 25 years.
“It was an absolute nightmare,” Mari told the Olive Press this week, holding back tears as she recalled the traumatic memory.
“I really thought I was going to die. I could see tables and chairs being washed away, even my car was taken by the rapids.”
And cruelly for her son David, there was nothing he could do to help his 67-year-old mother.
“I can hardly sleep, I keep having nightmares,” she explains, wiping away tears as her doting son consoles her. Meeting them some 12 days later, it is shocking in the extreme that they are still cleaning up the damage on their own, trying to salvage anything they can from the wreckage.
While he was only two minutes away by car in the centre of Cheste, the road to his mother’s home was completely cut off by floods. He could only listen to her increasingly desperate pleas to come out and save her.
Incredibly, Mari was saved by two Moroccan neighbours who somehow managed to scale her roof, which had been partially ripped off, and dived into the flood water to pull her out.
I can hardly sleep since the floods, I keep having nightmares, Mari told the Olive
Press
They were able to get her onto a higher ground above the properties, from where they could shelter until the floodwater started to subside.
It was only then that David finally received the news that his mother was safe, putting an end to his agony.
It’s the kind of story that briefly restores one’s faith in humanity, but Mari is clearly scarred for life.
“There are so many memories here and it is just heartbreaking seeing it all destroyed,” continues Mari, pointing to badly soiled books and damaged photo albums. Among the debris are all the shattered remnants of her family’s life, including her son’s guitar, children’s colouring books and crayons, and antique armchairs that have been passed down through the generations. As if the destruction wasn’t enough, there are now additional fears of disease, as the inside of their homes are slowly becoming condemned with creeping mould and fungus.
The pools of stagnant waters all around, also pose a series of health risks.
“We are very worried about catching cholera or tetanus,” explains David. “No-one is explaining to us what to do or how to act.”
It is indeed, something of a disgrace that vaccines for the latter are already being rolled out in other hard hit towns, such as Paiporta and Chiva, but not in Chesta, the municipality that seems forgotten amid the
BIBLICAL: The town of Cheste has been ignored by local authorities
www.theolivepress.es
THE BEST OF THE BEST
IT is one of the most prestigious architecture prizes in the world.
So it’s amazing that Spain is connected to two of the three buildings up for the top prize of the UK’s Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awards this year.
Spain-based architect David Chipperfield is on the shortlist of three for the International Prize, for his clever conversion of a monastery (left) into an office block in Paderborn, Germany.
British talent Chipperfield, who spends much of the year in Galicia, used ‘sculptural demolition’ to convert the St Vincenz Hospital into the headquarters of the TAP holding group. Also on the list is the fabulous Modulus Matrix social housing project, in Barcelona, by Peris + Toral Architects.
The stunning 10,000 sqm block was built almost entirely from wood on the site of a former cinema.
The largest wooden building in Spain, it was built from sustainable wood from the Basque Country.
The other nominee is the Lianzhou Museum of Photography, in China, which was built on the site of an old sugar mill.
BREAKNECK PACE
Spain’shousingmarketrocketsfurtherupwith10%annualgrowth–butisitabubble?writesWalterFinch
SPAIN’S housing market continues to set records and shoot for the stars.
It has grown by 9.6% in a year and 16.6% since January 2023, according
to the latest data.
Breakneck expansion has propelled it well above the largest previous peak of 2007, which led to a dramatic crash,
as the graph (left) shows.
The average house in Spain now costs €2,209 per square metre, 4.4% higher
than in June 2007, when it peaked at €2,115 sqm, according to property portal Idealista.
However, by February 2010 it had tumbled to €1,890 sqm, before dropping to an alarming €1,49 sqm in 2016 worsened by the euro crisis.
Since then Spain’s prices have embarked on an impressive recovery that went into overdrive in January last year.
One of the highest rises is in Madrid which exploded by 18.8% in a year to €4,830 sqm, while in Barcelona prices are up 10.8% to €4,597 sqm.
Valencia saw the highest rise, where prices have increased by a fifth (20%), followed closely by Malaga (19.6%), Santander (18.1%) and Alicante (16.7%).
San Sebastian is the most expensive city overall, at €5,631 sqm, while
Sustainable or cause for alarm?
THE situation now is fundamentally different to 2007 in terms of supply. Spain was building more than the whole of Europe then and we are now firmly in a resale market with constricted supply. These days clients are not buying for investment but for lifestyle and you can no longer get mortgages with loan to value ratios of 100% and even for non residents.
Meanwhile, further regulatory changes have closed mechanisms that facilitated a boom such as the ability to sell a contract during construction (aka ‘flipping’).
Zamora is the cheapest at €1,171 sqm. Meanwhile, all but four provinces recorded higher prices, with Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas seeing the steepest rises of 16.4% and 16% respectively.
Other fast growers include the Balearic Islands (14.8%), Alicante (13.9%), Malaga (12.7%) and Murcia (14.9%). For anyone looking for bargains, house prices have actually fallen in Ourense (-3.2%), Córdoba (-2.5%), Badajoz (-1.1%) and Ciudad Real (-0.7%).
The Balearic Islands continue to be the most expensive autonomous region at €4,663 sqm, followed by the Community of Madrid (€3,641 sqm), the Basque Country (€3,015 sqm), the Canary Islands (€2,767 sqm) and Catalunya (€2,443 sqm).
Bargain hunters should check out Castilla-La Mancha (€937), Extremadura (€977 sqm) and Castilla y León (€1,199 sqm).
COMMENT by Olive Press Property Insider Adam Neale
SHORTLIST: Lianzhou Museum and (left) Barcelona’s wooden social housing scheme
See Wooden wonder page 10
29thDecember 12th 2023
AGERMAN cathedral is on the verge of losing its title as the world’s tallest church to Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia.
Antoni Gaudi’s as yet unfinished work is on track to surpass Ulmer Munster in Germany, which has held the record since May 31 1890.
La Sagrada Familia’s ‘Tower of Jesus Christ’ is set to be finished in 2025 as one of the final phases before completion of the cathedral.
At an anticipated height of 172 metres, it will exceed Ulmer Munster’s 161.5 metre Gothic spire by just nine-and-a-half
HOLY RIVALRY
metres once the final tower is crowned with a 17 metre cross - ironically made by a German company.
The final competition of the basilica in 2026 will coincide with the centennial of Gaudi’s death, marking the realisation of his lifelong dream.
Gaudi famously remarked: “My client is not in a hurry,” reflecting his belief that the project’s grandeur warranted the time it took. Meanwhile, the leadership at Ulmer Munster remains unfazed by the impending loss of its record.
Dean Torsten Krannich noted
Pasaje 19 de Marzo, 10 y 11, Poligono Son Bugadellas, Calvia, Mallorca
(+34) 971 69 30 04 Fax: (+34) 971 69 15 05 info@tiptoptoldos.com www.tiptopmallorca.com
that while the church’s height has been a point of pride, its spiritual significance is what truly matters. “The church lifts my heart up to God,” he emphasised, highlighting its importance extends far beyond its towering spire.
As La Sagrada Familia prepares to claim its title, this transition is not merely about height, but rather a contrast of styles and histories. Ulmer Munster, with its Gothic architecture, represents a period marked by soaring cathe-
German minster about to be surpassed by Spanish Gaudi masterpiece, writes Dilip Kuner
drals and religious fortresses. Its construction was interrupted by the Protestant Reformation and only resumed in the 19th century, symbolising a city that rebuilt itself amid political and economic challenges.
In contrast, La Sagrada Familia embodies a different era - a fusion of modernism, natural beauty, and faith.
Gaudí’s brilliance is evident not only in the height of the structure but also in its organic curves and intricate details inspired by nature.
Though Ulmer Munster may soon become the second-tallest church, Ulm boasts a rich cultural heritage. Albert Einstein, born there in 1879, remains a key figure in the city’s identity. Visitors can admire a stained glass window in the church that features Einstein, and the city takes pride in its connection to one of history’s greatest minds.
UP AND UP: Barcelona’s Segrada Familia will soon trump Ulmer Munster
Sorry seven
SEVEN apartment owners have been fined €80,000 each for renting illegally in Mallorca.
The owners, who all have property in the same Palma block, will raise a total of €560,000 for the authorities
The Mallorca Tourism Department is levying the fines for operating without the necessary licences.
Tourism Minister Jose Marcial declared that ‘illegal rentals are a plague’.
He warned that they create unfair competition for honest businesses and threaten community harmony.
Justice
The enforcement is part of a clampdown, which has meticulously followed all legal processes to bring the offenders to justice.
Previously, fines handed out for illegal rentals hovered around €40,000, but now they’ve been doubled to deter future violations.
The authorities have pointed out that the maximum possible fine is a whopping €400,000.
Only 621 properties in Palma have official tourist licences.
The authorities in Mallorca are particularly angry about the number of holiday rentals available on the platform Airbnb, which it claims are illegal.
At least 70% of the properties to rent are illegal, while around only 8% are illegal.
Floodplain errors
WONDERWALLS
Thisamazingvillacould DefinitelyMaybeinspire youtowritearockclassic
IT is very much a slice of Rock n Roll history and it has a rental price tag to match.
With two previous rockstar owners, it’s no wonder Casa Atlantis costs over €100,000 a week to rent in the high season.
Built by Tubular Bells genius Mike Oldfield (right), it was later owned by Oasis legend Noel Gallagher (below), before he sold it to an unnamed millionaire.
Set close to one of Ibiza’s most stunning beaches, it has a 15,000 square metre plot and the most amazing 13-by-five infinity pool. Also counting on a smaller children’s pool, the six bedroom/seven
ALMOST a third of the residences affected in the Valencia disaster were built in flood risk areas during the housing bubble, according to research by DATADISTA.
The study claims developers would have known the land was liable to flooding thanks to the 2003 Flooding Land Action Plan (Patricova).
Land included on the list has been updated over time to reflect changes due to the climate crisis and other factors.
On a national level, it is estimated at least three million people live in flood risk areas and building on land liable to flooding is still permitted in Spain.
The property is available to rent from €71,000 per week in the low season and sleeps up to 12 people.
It sits in an isolated clifftop area and has direct access to beautiful Ses Boques beach.
The current owner has upgrad ed the home to a ‘truly luxurious family and friends accommodation’ and guests will live like kings.
SOTOGRANDE could soon be in the hands of Saudi Arabia as it prepares to be put up for sale. Founded in 1962, the luxury resort counts on two golf courses, a marina and a five star hotel, among many other attractions.
Its current owners, London-based Orion Capital Managers are looking to disinvest in the area.
According to real estate sources, the company has received several offers, with one from Saudi Arabia, believed to be the PIF fund, the most advanced.
A regular playground for polo stars and princes, including Princes William and Harry, it has counted on many celebrity owners from Glenn Hoddle to Mike Rutherford and Nick Knowles.
SAUDI SALE?
The exclusive private community only counts on 7,000 homes, and limits how many people can live there, ensuring privacy and exclusivity. Orion took over Sotogrande for around €225m alongside partner Cerberus in 2014.
In 2017 it bought the remaining stake to manage 100% of the company, before carrying out a series of upgrades, including the renovation of the SO/Sotograne Spa & golf Resort hotel. It also launched a string of new luxury developments including La Reserva, where villas sell for over €10 million.
Close to the village of Es Cu bells, near neighbours include supermodel Linda Evangalista (right), who has a stunning house up in the nearby hills, while fellow sing er songwriter James Blunt lives just up the road. The village itself counts on a stunning church and a couple of good restaurants.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
WOODEN WONDER
A BARCELONA social housing project is being tipped as the winner of one of the architecture world’s top prizes. The Moddus Matrix project in Cornella has been short-listed for the RIBA International Prize 2024.
The groundbreaking, six-story courtyard building is under construction and will feature 85 homes.
The pioneering project is largely made from sustainable timber from the Basque region.
chaos.
In fact, given the lack of help from police or the army, you’d be forgiven for thinking the flood had happened overnight.
On my visit, there were no more than a dozen officials working around the town, and they were entirely focused on repairing a bridge around 200 metres away, which had been heaved in half by the deluge. Meanwhile, dozens of cars, motorbikes and hundreds of pieces of furniture and personal effects remain scattered outside the properties.
The shocking scenes show how the wall of water completely emptied out these houses, dragging everything outside after around 500mm of rain per square metre fell across the region in just a few hours.
Rosalia Martinez Santos, 50, who vacations in one of the homes, told the Olive Press:
“We’ve had no help from the government and feel totally abandoned.
“The only people who came to help were a group of 200 or so young people who travelled from other parts of Spain.
“When I saw them getting off their buses with shovels and buckets, it was incredibly emotional.
“We have a saying here, ‘El pueblo salva al pueblo’ (the people saves the people), and never has it rung more true.”
Rosalia had been in her own flat in the centre of the nearby town when the worst of the flooding began.
From her first floor balcony she watched as the torrent carried cars and large recycling containers down the street as if they were pieces of lego - knowing full well that her summer home on the outskirts was being turned upside down.
Her fears were soon realised when she visit-
ed the following day.
“It was a complete shock, I was lost for words,” she continued. “It’s going to take us years to recover from this.”
But if there is any positivity to be taken from this disaster, it is the seemingly unshakeable sense of community.
While the Olive Press was reporting among the wreckage, two boys named Juan and Vigilo (pictured), aged 12 and 13 respectively, showed up to offer their help, having walked over from the centre of town.
Dressed in simple clothes and with plastic bags over their shoes, they told us they had a ‘driven need’ to do something to help.
This had been the scene of many happy summers for them, where they would come and play in the communal swimming pool with friends.
“We have come to help and do whatever we can because this is our pueblo and we have to stick together,” explained Juan.
much of the damage caused by the DANA.
“People are angry,” he told the Olive Press, “I remember when they were planning to build it but political interests got in the way, many lives could have been saved.
“My mother used to tell me stories of the deadly 1957 floods, so we’ve always known that these ravines pose a danger to the area and nothing has been done.”
The dam project was shelved allegedly following pressure from ecologists, who insisted it could cause harm to biodiversity - while the roughly €300m price tag became difficult to justify following the 2007 economic crash.
She cannot go through something like this again, we don’t feel safe
But in the wake of the disaster, questions are being asked as to what could have been done to prevent such a tragedy, which has so far claimed well over 200 liveswhile more than 90 remain missing.
In Cheste, scrutiny is being placed on a phantom dam that was announced as part of the National Hydrological Plan for 2005, but was never built.
Locals revealed how a site on the borders of Cheste had been earmarked for the project.
The Olive Press was led to the area by a former plasterer who lives on a farm nearby.
Ramon Toledano Milla, 57, said he believes the dam that never was could have mitigated
The dam site was at the height of the now infamous Poyo ravine, which measures dozens of kilometres and travels through all the worst hit towns down to Valencia city.
For the residents of Cheste, they now face years of crippling anxiety over if - or rather when - history will repeat itself.
It comes after meteorologists this week said a similar flooding event is likely to reoccur ‘within 20 years’. And this is largely due to global warming.
It means the value of homes, smack bang in the middle of this flood catastrophe - plus thousands nearby - have plummeted overnight.
“We are thinking of moving,” confesses David, “My mother doesn’t know if she can continue living here now, she cannot go through something like this again, we don’t feel safe.”
But he at least remains hopeful.
“We are taking it day by day, and we will rebuild step by step, but we want the world to know what has happened here, and we want the people in power to be held accountable.”
BBC PLAUDITS
Respected global news outlets use the Olive Press for reliable coverage
THE Olive Press’s coverage of the deadly DANA floods has clearly shown our media credentials worldwide.
Both the BBC and Sky News, as well as the Daily Mail, the Times and Chinese State radio, reached out to us as we delivered round the clock 24/7 reporting on the worst disaster in Spain this century. Since the chaos began on October 29, we have published scores of stories both online and in print - and even sent our reporters to Ground Zero, both in Andalucia and in Valencia. Unlike our rivals, we gave the story the gravitas it deserves, with front-page prominence and cleared the first few pages inside, (top) while others completely missed the story altogether.
Our digital editor Laurence Dollimore visited the disaster zone in Valencia for three days last week (pic below left), where he worked alongside the Daily Mail to speak to the affected locals. He was the first reporter into the village of Cheste, where victims were desperate to tell their stories.
“Thank you so much, you did an amazing job and now the world knows what happened here,” said one villager after reading our exclusive report.
Meanwhile, editor Jon Clarke (above) appeared in half a dozen radio and TV interviews, including Sky News, BBC News and LBC, while Yzabelle Bostyn (below) was interviewed on Times Radio
The rest of our NCTJ-accredited reporters kept readers informed of the latest updates through the night and weekend.
This is the kind of journalism and dedication you should expect from any decent expat newspaper. It is also the kind of work that is supported by our subscription model, and so we thank those of you who have already become paying members.
Scan the QR code to subscribe to the Olive Press
CHAOS: Cars, furniture and people were thrown into disarray, while (inset) two boys help with the clearing up
REUNITED: David and his mother Mari
LA CULTURA
Still good
THE REINA Sofia Museum is set to auction off some of its prized artwork and donate the proceeds to DANA victims.
They plan to sell Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s Still Life in New York and pass on the proceeds to Valencia-based food banks.
On first sight, the piece shows a full fruit bowl, but if you turn the canvas around, there is another painting showing an empty table.
Botero donated the painting to the Fundacion Reina Sofia before his death upon a plea from the charity to help with their work in food banks.
Chauvinism exposed
Netflix reveals longstanding mistreatment within the walls of Spain’s FA
A NEW streaming documentary is shaking the foundations of the Spanish Football Association over the way it has historically treated its female players. Netflix’s ‘It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football’ delves into the history behind the infamous kiss FA chief Luis Rubiales’ planted on the lips of female player Jenni Hermoso. The women’s head coach, It details how Jorge Vilda, would
GHOST TRAIN
A ROMAN necropolis has been discovered in Merida by construction workers.
Found near the train station, it contains 65 to 70 tombs, with some in excellent condition. The find was ‘completely by chance’ during work for new rail infrastructure.
An imperial era cemetery, it is believed to be from the 4th century and mainly contains the bodies of young people and children.
According to the excavation’s leading archaeologist, Pedro Damaso, the discovery confirms the existing hypothesis that the Emerita Augusta area of the city was once a huge ro-
By Yzabelle Bostyn
reportedly enter the players’ hotel rooms at night, check their shopping bags and control their media appearances. The documentary highlights the deep divisions in the team after a group known as Las 15 spoke out against the former manager, with many withdraw-
man graveyard.
Similar graves have been found in the nearby Basilica de la Martir Santa Eulalia and Calle Carderos, further supporting this theory. Archaeologists also found materials for making sarcophaguses, pieces of marble and shoes, all of which suggest wealth.
OP QUICK CROSSWORD
8 Step by step (3,3,2,1,4)
9 Got tuba arranged for a tower (7)
10 Rise to one's feet (5)
11 Niels ---, nuclear physicist (4)
12 Type of rum (8)
16 Wry smiles (8)
17 In or of the present month (4)
20 Become one (5)
22 Period of little change (7)
23 Methane or water vapour, for example (10,3)
1 Place to soak (3,3)
2 Chinese decorating philosophy (4,4)
3 French-speaking coastal African nation (5)
4 Shoemaker's model (4)
5 Type of winch (7)
6 Passport endorsement (4)
7 Preamble (4-2)
13 100 square metres (3)
14 Cog never resolved to come together (8)
15 Costumed procession (7)
16 1990's fashion style (6)
18 Most faithful (6)
19 Scapegoat (5)
21 Notion (4)
22 Strapped (4)
ing from the squad in the lead up to the 2023 World Cup. They say that Rubiales, who was in charge at that point, dismissed the women’s claims despite being at the ‘beck and call’ of the men’s team.
But the Netflix show claims that the culture of sexism actually stretches back even further, to the reign of predecessor Ignacio Quereda, who managed the side for 27 years between 1988 and 2015.
Players claim Quereda frequently made vulgar remarks, treating them like his ‘little
girls’ and ‘squeezing their stomach rolls.’
Despite complaints and Quereda’s removal, the issues simply continued when Vilda was appointed, with the successor essentially ‘being his own boss.’
The documentary culminates with the World Cup win and controversial Rubiales kiss, which has changed the face of Spanish women’s football forever.
A feature length documentary, it follows a 2021 film ‘Breaking the Silence’, which exposed Quereda’s regime.
Roaring thirties
MADRID is hosting a free exhibition celebrating 30 years of the Lion King, including original pieces from the films.
The event is now open in the Espacio Cultural Serreria Belga and will be available until November 27. Artefacts include original sketches and models from the films and the musical.
A fashion collection inspired by the film’s savannah setting is also exhibited, designed by French studio Balmain.
The event is the precursor to Mufasa: The Lion King, the latest film in the series, to be released on December 20.
SOLID SINGING
OVER 200 artists and bands will take part in solidarity concerts across Spain to raise money for DANA victims this week.
SOM
VALENCIA
(We are Valen cia) events will take place in some 20 cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Bilbao, Granada, Burgos, Lleida, Murcia and Sabadell.
Funds raised will go to the Fundacion Horta Sud, a charity dedicated to helping those affected by the floods. The initiative is the brainchild of Barcelona based record label, Hidden Track Records.
“We also want to strike up solidarity throughout the country, sometimes it’s better to let the show go on.”
Over 200 artists and bands will take part, among them Carolina Durante, L.A.M.O.D.A and Zahara. Entrances are available through the ticket platform, Dice
Spanish celluloid
THREE Spanish films have been nominated for Best Film at the European Film Awards (EFA).
Pedro Almodovar’s English language debut The Room Next Door, which received a 17-minute ovation at Cannes, made the cut.
As did They Shot the Pianist by Fernando Trueba, and The Sultan’s Dream by Isabel Herguera and Javier Mariscal.
The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony in the Swiss city of Lucerne on December 7.
It is no surprise that the much-lauded Almodovar is also up for Best Director, while his star Tilda Swinton is in the running for Best Actress.
BUSINESS
The right choice?
THE Choice Hotels group will expand its portfolio in Spain as part of a long term strategic agreement with Faranda Hotels & Resorts.
Eight properties will switch to the group’s Ascend brand over the next year, with some changing in the next few months.
It means the hotels will add 700 rooms to the Choice offering in Spain.
Faranda, which was founded by the Fernandez family, has built an international portfolio of hotels over 40 years in both Europe and Latin America.
“Spain is a key market and through this agreement, we will see the Ascend Hotel Collection expand significantly across Spain in the coming months,” said Choice CEO David Beers.
Why Choose AnyTech365?
Madrid and Valencia are counting the financial cost of the flood tragedy
THE deadliest floods in Spanish history have exacted a massive financial cost in addition to the human suffering.
Valencia Chamber of Commerce estimates the final bill will be well above €10 billion.
At least 4,500 businesses located in ground floor properties have been badly damaged or destroyed.
Dozens of shopping centres and industrial estates have also been damaged while many transport companies lost their lorries.
The flooding of fields meanwhile dealt a heavy blow to agriculture in the region.
Trade union La Unio estimates at least 50,000 hectares of crops were affected, while agricultural insurer
UNEMPLOYMENT in Spain went up in October but it was the smallest rise for that month since 2006 - barring the pandemic years of 2021 and 2022.
The number of jobless rose by 26,769 - below average increases for last month.
The total fell 5.7% from the same month last year, which was the biggest annual fall since September 2023.
The overall figure was 2.6 million
€10 billion flood fee
By Alex Trelinski
Agroseguro believes the cost could rise to €150 million.
Both regional and central government finances will be severely stretched by the cost, although Spain is seeking aid from the EU solidarity fund to ease the burden.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a series of measures worth €10.6 billion euros aimed at shielding and relaunching Valencia's economy. These include aid to small and medium-sized businesses, self-employed workers, tax relief and a three-month
Positive trend
people registered as unemployed. Among industrial sectors, construction registered a fall in unemployment compared to the previous month.
The Labour Ministry said a significant trend in hiring was confirmed with 43.5% of contracts registered in October being permanent.
postponement to repayments of loans and mortgages.
Clearing debris and reconstructing infrastructure will
BACK ON TRACK
also be financed by Madrid to the estimated tune of €2.6 billion. Spanish insurers rely on a common fund managed by the CCS public consortium that shares the cost across
AnyTech365 AI powered unique software can pinpoint the root cause of a problem providing real-time protection and immediate response to suspicious activity. This proactive approach significantly reduces the risk of cyberattacks. AnyTech365
Unfreeze your PC blues: The ultimate guide to reviving your Windows device
IS your Windows PC stuck in a digital deep-freeze, leaving you twiddling your thumbs?
Fear not—whether it’s the spinning wheel or a full-on freeze, we’ve crafted a safe and simple guide to help you thaw out your tech troubles without risking your PC.
First things first, sometimes your computer’s just thinking. Give it a minute or two to snap out of it.
This little ‘freeze frame’ could just be your PC’s version of a power nap. Meanwhile, grab a coffee, check for any quirky error messages,
World class, cross-platform security platform with advanced scanning techniques to
and let it regroup on its own.
And if you’re still stuck, it might be time to reach out to AnyTech365 for some remote expert support—they can quickly identify what’s holding your PC hostage. Next, make sure your PC is up to date.
Running outdated software is like ignoring oil changes for a car!
Head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update , click Check for updates , and let your PC grab the latest fixes and patches. It’s the simplest way to prevent future freezes and keep things running smoothly.
If you’re unsure about system updates, AnyTech365’s experts can guide you through it safely, ensuring nothing gets missed. If you notice just one app acting up, it might be time to give it a nudge. Use Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find the app under Processes, and click End Task to close it safely. This gentle reset usually won’t affect other parts of your system, making it an easy way to bring unruly apps back in line.
When in doubt, a simple restart is often the easiest fix.
Go to the Start menu, select Power > Restart . It’s a quick reset that solves a lot of common glitches. This method is as non-invasive as it gets and is often all you need.
Founded in 2014 by Janus R.
If things still aren’t working, booting into Safe Mode is a simple way to see what might be causing the issue. Restart your device, hold down Shift, and select Restart from the Power menu. From the options that appear, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings and select Safe Mode Safe Mode only loads essential files, which helps you pinpoint software conflicts without changing any core system settings.
If you’re uncertain about this step, AnyTech365’s team can walk you through it remotely, mak-
the sector in the event of a natural disaster.
The CCS therefore covers most of the compensation and insurers only directly pay out for peripheral damage in areas unaffected by the floods.
Payout
The system is 'perfectly prepared to deal with this type of situation', said UNESPA head, Mirenchu del Valle Schaan.
More than 72,000 claims have been submitted so far, with the first payouts already arriving.
Thanks for your service
STRONG sales and demand are continuing to drive robust expansion in Spain’s service sector, according to an S&P Global survey.
The study recorded 14 consecutive months of uninterrupted growth – a trajectory which does not look set to change any time soon.
“Spain’s economy continues on its positive trajectory and the service sector remains a significant growth driver,” according to Hamburg Commercial Bank economist Jonas Feldhusen.
Optimistic
Businesses are said to be ‘optimistic’, expecting positive market conditions and planning further investments and commercial initiatives accordingly next year. Separately, another study showed Spanish manufacturing expanded last month at its fastest pace in more than two years. The economy improved by 0.8% in the third quarter of 2024 – faster than economists had expected and double the eurozone as a whole.
comes with expert assistance, AnyTech365 provides reliable, safe, and hands-on support for tackling stubborn freezes and other computer woes. With their help, you can
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
SEEING ISLE TO ISLE
The Spanish private islands that attract the rich and famous
CELEBRITIES as diverse as musicians Shakira and Ricky Martin, actors Mel Gibson, Johnny Depp and Leornado de Caprio, magician David Copperfield and businessman Richard Branson have one thing in common - they all own their own private island.
While the majority of these are in Florida and the Caribbean, Spain has its own collection of private islands, which beckon the mega-rich, each boasting its own unique allure and opulence.
From the sun-drenched shores of Ibiza to the more understated charm of Galicia, these exclusive havens serve as retreats for the wealthy elite.
Here we spotlight four of Spain’s ‘private islands’ owned by the mega rich - including a Russian oligarch.
Isla
In the middle of the Mar Menor lies this 94 hectare volcanic island.
Also known as Isla del Baron, the island takes its name from the Baron of Benifayo, who built a neomudejar style palace on the summit of the long-dead volcano. The island is known for its unique plant and birdlife, including rare Chamaerops. In nearby San Pedro del Pinatar, the Baron built another neomudejar palace which is now the town’s Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum.
November 29thDecember 12th 2023
Sa Ferradura, Ibiza
The ‘epitome of luxury’, a week on this exclusive island costs an eye watering €250,000 to 300,000 for up to 12 other guests. Owned by Russian oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov (currently engaged in a spat with Vladimir Putin) the haven
has been enjoyed by the rich and famous, including Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Elon Musk.
To access the top-tier accommodation, visitors must answer a list of questions from the eager to please staff: What’s your favourite food? What style of service do you prefer? What little details would make you happy?
Like ‘being taken to a Bond villain’s lair’ guests are picked up in blacked out cars and driven across rocky terrain to arrive at their destination.
Set over 3.5 hectares, it has
Just minutes from the ‘playground of Ibiza’, this private island provides a refuge from the chaos.
The only property is an ultra-modern and it comes with a personal jetty, pool, jacuzzi, helipad, professional grade kitchen, a spa, panoramic terraces and chartering services.
Spread over 600,000m2, the island offers an intimate experience just 900 metres from the White Island.
You can even contract the ultimate party experience, with a yacht day, a night at Pacha,
Ibiza’s most exclusive nightclub and dinner at some of the area’s finest restaurants. Visitors can also tailor activities to them, with paddle boarding, diving, jet skiing and sailing on offer.
The island is popular with celebrities, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Justin Bieber and Liz Hurley (pictured right). It is also a preferred destination for luxury weddings.
Despite this, the island is no stranger to contro-
OP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
versy. Manager and longtime partner of Spanish actress Norma Deval, German entrepreneur Matthias Khün was sentenced to six months in prison plus a fine of €10,800 for building on the island.
The real estate agent, who owns Kuhn & Partner, carried out construction works on the Tagomago without permission and licenses, tainting a Natural Area of Special Interest. It reportedly costs €25,000 a night to stay and it last sold for €150 million. Today, Austrian nobility are thought to own it, though Khün still manages the island.
Across: 8 One day at a time, 9 Tugboat, 10 Stand, 11 Bohr, 12 Jamaican, 16 Grimaces, 17 Inst, 20 Unite, 22 Plateau, 23 Greenhouse gas.
Down: 1 Hot tub, 2 Feng shui, 3 Gabon, 4 Last, 5 Capstan, 6 Visa, 7 Lead-in, 13 Are, 14 Converge, 15 Pageant, 16 Grunge, 18 Truest, 19 Patsy, 21 Idea, 22 Poor.
Hidden in a valley of mountains and forests lies this mysterious island.
A tiny islet in the centre of the Burguillo reservoir, it is home to a magnificent castle surrounded by defensive walls.
a bar, a spa, an infinity pool and a gym after being kitted out with extensive, four-year renovations by the ‘eccentric’ owner. It is found 22 kilometres away from central Ibiza, making it the perfect getaway for the rich and famous.
Parts of the stunning fortress can be rented from as little as €340, but to be the king of the whole castle you need to cough up at least €1,300.
Up to 10 people can live out their mediaeval fantasies by staying over at the stronghold, with an additional 38 spaces
70 metre tall residential building was constructed in the 1960s and is now an integral part of the Vigo coastline. Also in contrast with the natural surroundings are the 30 high-end chalets built throughout the 10.6 hectare island. Residents are connected to the mainland by a bridge leading to the Playa de Vao.
Although the urbanisation is private, the island’s two beaches and Roman remains are open for public access.
Tagomago, Ibiza
Mayor, Murcia
Isladel Burguillo, Avila
Shooting for sixes
SPANISH speakers have topped 600 million globally this year for the very first time. There are nearly 500 million people who speak Spanish with native proficiency.
Honesty pays
DINERS in El Palo who tried to pay up after realising they had not been charged €48 for a paella were told by the restaurant owner to donate the money to charity.
Mud raker
A SPANISH news reporter was caught on camera caking himself in mud before giving an update on the deadly Valencia floods direct from the disaster zone.
HISTORY REPEATS
Neighbours shocked to discover they had recreated a street scene from 60 years ago
VOLUNTEERS have inadvertently recreated a slice of history by dining outside in a floodwrecked street – just as past valencianos did during deadly floods in 1957.
History rhymed as a family were snapped celebrating that their street in Catarroja had
finally been cleaned up after nearly two weeks of hard slog. What they didn’t realise is that the photo eerily recreated a moment last seen 67 years ago.
On that occasion, locals dragged
out a table and chairs into knee deep water during severe flooding which killed 81 people. It is just one of a number of heartwarming moments that have surfaced amid the chaos
WHAT CAN AI GET YOU?
A BENIDORM hotel is blazing a trail with a team of eight robots that can help check people in, print room keys and even pour pints. The Climia Benidorm Hotel boasts its latest recruits can also clean rooms and provide room service. While the robot waiter can carry up to 60kg worth of food and plates. Creators Bumerania, from Alicante, say they will not take jobs, but free staff to concentrate ‘on serving the client’.
and tragedy that struck on October 29.
In another video, two toddler cousins are seen running to hug one another after being separated by the catastrophe.
One commenter said: “It’s the little ones that are the best, so cute!”
Meanwhile, one little boy’s birthday was nearly ruined after flood waters had left a car outside the front door trapping him in his house.
So instead, family and friends climbed on top of the cars to reach up and pass him his presents through the balcony and celebrate with him.
Close to the bone
is trying to entice tourists to come and visit by telling them to ‘go ham!’ It is a daring marketing campaign that takes aim at the anti-tourist
which has become ubiquitous in
The darkly humorous slogan has been seen on buses, trains and street corners. However, not everyone has seen the funny side.
One Madrid local slammed the ‘sh*tty sign’ for ‘laughing at the locals who live there.’
A STIR was caused outside the
Stadium after a Real Madrid superstar was spotted taking pictures with fans. Even the local media were on the scene with a cameraman and journalist to get a few words with the great Vinicius Jr. What the people had failed to realise was that the man getting all the attention was just a lookalike.
ProPerla is a type of exterior coating designed to protect and improve the performance of the building.
• Super hydrophobic: Water rolls off the surface, preventing water damage.
• Breathable: Allows moisture to escape, preventing dampness and mold.
• Self-cleaning: Repels dirt, making maintenance easier.
• Insulation: Extra layer of insulation, enhancing energy efficiency.
• Protection: Against salt, moss, algae and lichens.
Pro-Perla coatings are designed to last.
MADRID’s Jamon Museum
graffiti
Spain.
Bernabeu