Property Description
Without doubt one of the most charming country houses in Andalucía, this is a beautiful villa in a heavenly spot, the perfect place to to enjoy the very best of summer living.
Only twenty minutes from the beaches of the Costa del Sol, here you are in the midst of some of Andalucía's most seductive countryside, forested hillsides all around opening up in the south to views across the Mediterranean Sea. It's gorgeous.
It is the owners' residence for most of the year (they spend their summers away) and is consequently extremely comfortable, a real family home equipped with quality furnishings, rugs, books and pictures. The gardens, both front and back, and the terraces which surround the house are beautifully tended, a riot of joyful colour and shady greens under Andalucía's blue, sunny skies.
There are one or two other villas dotted around and about on the hillsides (this is one of the prime locations anywhere on the Costa del Sol) but there are no near neighbours overlooking the property.
Here all is private and secluded, set in its own grounds of more than an acre, surrounded by pine trees, mountains and beautiful nature. The gardens and grounds are delightful, views are wonderful and there's nothing to disturb your idle revelry. Just the tinkle of distant goat bells and the happy singing of the cicadas in the pine trees to keep you company.
Outside spaces are divine, starting right outside the back door where the lovely outdoor dining terrace is festooned with flowers clambering here there and everywhere under the shade of a huge grape vine. There's plenty of space here with bench seating, both a portable barbecue and an open fireplace for cooking, as well as the dining area with its quality wooden furniture.
Other terrace spaces wrap around the house, some shady, others open to the sun. It's a place of character as well as charm, a delightful, rustic old wooden bench being just one of many places where you will want to settle down for a while or two, surveying the glorious bowl of nature which opens up in front of and below you. There's nothing else around, no near neighbours, just sublime countryside and birdsong to enjoy.
Wild gardens sweep down the steeply sloping grounds, thickly carpeted with cactus, prickly pear, ivy, lavender and roses under the shade of olives and the magnificent, towering pine trees. Down and down it goes, a stepped pathway (there are 45 steps!) leading through the greenery to the swimming pool at the bottom.
This is another irresistible spot. From here, lounging in the sunshine on the casually rustic terrace surround, one looks out across the azure-blue waters of the pretty pool (8.5 m x 4 m, 1.2 m - 2.2 m deep) to pine forests, shrubs and a thousand wild flowers. It's completely private here, and … oh, so peaceful …
A pool house, which runs along one side, provides plenty of shade as well as a handy W.C. A round wooden table and chairs enjoy the dappled shade of a gnarled old olive tree with a large parasol as back-up. Four loungers welcome you to the sunny surrounds alongside.
Although the house is no more than 30 years old, it looks and feels like it has been here for centuries. Its thick walls, high wood-beamed ceilings and lovely, weathered terracotta floor tiles keep everything delightfully cool in summer as well as lending great character and charm.
A short entrance hallway leads through to a spacious and very attractive living room. Comfortable sofas and easy chairs are gathered around a glass fronted, wood-burning fire. It's a lovely room, the pretty gardens outside highlighted through large windows, the verdant greens contrasting beautifully with the soft, warm furnishings, colourful paintings and fascinating artifacts inside.
Collected by the owners on their world travels, there are many beautiful, exquisite details throughout the house. You certainly won't find them in Ikea!
A happy, homely and completely relaxing room, its rustic farmhouse style is, of course, combined with a few choice concessions to the 21st Century. Discretely hidden away in a wooden cabinet you will find a 32" flat screen HD satellite TV (with free-to-view programmes, BBC, ITV etc) and DVD player. The owners are music lovers and there is a high quality stereo system with speakers to match. Bring your iPod, it connects to the amplifier. There are books as well as hundreds of DVD's to choose from and WiFi internet connection throughout the house.
Two steps up from the living room is an equally attractive dining room with its beautiful Mexican dining suite (which comfortably seats eight) taking centre stage. It's semi-open plan with the sitting room alongside, making it one big living space for all the family to enjoy.
The kitchen leads off from the dining area. There's plenty of light, space and everything you need to self-cater in style.
From the entrance hallway, a double bedroom suite leads off on one side. Pretty, rustic and comfortable, it has views to the gardens on two sides and an en-suite bathroom (shower over bath tub) alongside. There is a guest cloakroom / W.C. on the other side of the hallway.
Upstairs, a mezzanine floor opens to the living room down below and provides a neat little study area (the house has WiFi internet connection so bring your laptop with you).
There are two more bedrooms on this floor. The large master bedroom suite with its king-size double bed and pretty en-suite bathroom (shower over bath tub) enjoys fabulous south-facing views from its balcony windows down to the sea and beyond, to Africa! The twin bedroom at the end of the landing has use of the walk-in shower room just alongside.
In the midst of all this glorious, peaceful countryside, this is one of the most beautiful settings in Andalucía. You will probably be reluctant to venture far from this paradise, but when you do, you will be delighted by the wealth of things to do and see around and about.
Casares is five kilometres away, a spectacular hilltop village steeped in history with its Roman baths and aqueduct still in place. Climb to the castle at its very top, where the Moors held out against the Catholic troops surrounding the town, and enjoy the fantastic, panoramic views of mountains and across the deep blue sea.
Heading inland, the timeless beauty of some of Spain's most impressive Natural Parks awaits you, with lots of other charming towns and villages to discover along the way. Gaucín, Jimena de la Frontera, Genalguacil and, further to the north, delightful old Ronda and the mountain village of Grazalema are all attractive, lovely places, well worth visiting.
The Mediterranean coast is an easy twenty minutes drive from the villa. The beaches of the western reaches of the Costa del Sol, the nearest to the villa, are much less "touristy" and less congested than those further east. It is still possible to find swathes of empty golden sand here. Estepona is the nearest of the resort towns on the coast, a little more than fifteen minutes away. Marbella, with all its glitz and glamour, and Gibraltar, take 40 minutes.
For golf enthusiasts, there are at least 25 top quality golf courses (including Valderrama, Sotogrande, and San Roque) within 30 minutes drive. Highly recommended is "Finca Cortesin", host to the Volvo Masters Matchplay Championships, less than ten minutes away from the villa.
For eating out, look no further than the roadside ventas just five minutes drive from here. "Arroyo Hondo" is, in our opinion, one of the best restaurants in Andalucía. Owned by an English and Japanese couple, their food combines the best of both cultures and is delicious - and reasonably priced too. We have also heard many good reports of "Venta García".
A great location, and a very special home with real countryside charm … this is just the place for a perfect summer holiday!
Contact Us
Would you like to book this property? Any questions? We are here to help
00 34 958 763 381
Property Details
Ground Floor :
Entrance hall
Dining room with two steps down to a large open-plan Living room
Kitchen
Double bedroom with en-suite bathroom (shower over bath tub)
Guest Cloakroom
Shaded, furnished dining terrace and other furnished terraces
Gardens and grounds
First Floor :
2 bedrooms :
1 master double with king-sized bed and en-suite bathroom (shower over bath tub)
1 twin bedded
Bathroom (walk-in shower only)
Mezzanine floor study area
Facilities
32" HD flatscreen satellite TV (Free-to-view) • DVD • Hi Fi Stereo with CD player and iPod connection • Excellent selection of CD's • Hundreds of DVD's (including for children) • Books • WiFi Internet (bring your own laptop)
Glass-fronted woodburning stove in the living room • Electric wall panels • Fans in all bedrooms
Electric Oven • Ceramic hob (4 rings) • Microwave • 2 Fridge / freezers • Dishwasher • Toaster • Kettle • Coffee pot • Cooking utensils • Cutlery • Crockery
Washing Machine • Tumble dryer • Iron & board
All linen is provided (including pool towels) • Hairdrier • Cot & Highchair (on request)
Filtered swimming pool (8.5 m x 4 m, 1.2 - 2.2 m deep)
Pool terrace • Pool house • Gardens and Grounds • Night lighting on the dining terrace and by the pool • Sunbeds • Sunshade • Barbecue • Outdoor dining and garden furniture • Parking
Notes
The property is available for rental in the summer only. The swimming pool is open throughout this period
A welcome pack is provided on arrival
Because the grounds are steep in places and there are many steps down to the pool, we do not consider it suitable for unattended toddlers or for anyone with wobbly legs
There are cats which wander through the grounds (but not in the house) so it is not a suitable property for anyone who suffers an allergy to cats
Please, no smoking in the house
Rentals for this property normally run from Saturday to Saturday
Location
Accessed by a 1 km track (in decent condition and easily negotiated in an ordinary car), 5 km from Casares (most facilities)
Costa del Sol 20 mins; Gaucín 25 mins; Estepona 25 mins; Gibraltar 40 mins; Marbella 40 mins; Tarifa 50 mins; Ronda 1 hr; Málaga 1¼ hrs; Sevilla 2 hrs; Granada 2½ hrs; Córdoba 2½ hrs
See the location map above
Airports
Gibraltar 40 mins; Málaga 1¼ hrs; Jerez 1¼ hrs; Sevilla 2 hrs
See our Links Page for web sites of airlines traveling to Andalucia from the UK.
Car Hire
We offer competitive rates for car hire from Málaga and other airports in Andalucia. Click here for full details
Find Out More
About the La Costa del Sol
You may find it useful to view our frequently asked questions
