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Summary

This is a Luxury Villa with pool in a secluded area near to Jimena de La Frontera in the Cadiz Province of Southern Spain.  This is real Spain, close to the National Park but within 30 minutes drive of the Costa de Luz and the Costa del Sol including Algeciras and Gibraltar.  The accomodation consists of two en suite Bedrooms, spacious lounge and kitchen and separate pool side and enclosed terraces.

Home from Home in Spain - Huerto de Los Almendros - Jimena de la Frontera, Spain

The house is furnished to a very high standard both inside and out in an English country house style but with some Spanish touches.

The House is ideally situated for exploring the "real" Spain inland from the Costa including the gems of Ronda (which can be reached by train up the stunning Guadiaro river valley), Gaucin and Casares. If the bright lights draw you though, the Costa is just 25 minutes drive away.

We are also fortunate in having a charming Spanish couple living in the next door cottage, who will be only too happy to answer your questions about the region.

Prices start at just £275 per week.

For further details please contact Sheila Kershaw on 01535 645140 or sheila.kershaw@basemel.co.uk

Rooms:

Dining Room / Salon

With views over the valley to the hills beyond, french windows lead onto the terrace to the front of the property whilst a side door leads out to the swimming pool.

For the cooler evenings in the spring/autumn months there is a wood burning stove.

The walls in this and other rooms in the house are hung with original paintings.

The house also has board games, a hi-fi, TV and video (which will play UK produced tapes).

Kitchen

Fully equipped with hob, kettle, small oven, microwave/grill,large fridge and dish washer. There is also a cloakroom leading off the entrance hall in which is a washing machine and iron/ironing board.

2 en-suite bedrooms

The master bedroom, with views to the front of the property is very spacious with twin beds as well as a large fully equipped bathroom (bath and separate shower).

As well as his-and-hers fitted wardrobes, there is also lots of drawer space for all your bits & pieces

The second bedroom is to the rear of the house and has twin beds and a generously sized shower room with bidet. This bedroom also has a fitted wardrobe and plenty of drawer space.

Terraces / Swimming Pool

The middle terrace is ideal for lunches (either in the sun or out of the sun in a half covered area) and dinners, as well as relaxing on the reclining chairs provided.

The covered side terrace is our favourite breakfast location. It and the terraced area around the swimming pool are also ideal for sunbathing on the full length house loungers.

The swimming pool is approximately 4m by 6m and between 1m and 2m deep. It has easy access 0.5m wide tiled steps

More about the house and area:

The House

The house stands in its own gardens with views of the peublo of Jimena de la Frontera, one of the many pretty "white villages" for which this part of Spain is famous. To the front of the house is a large paddock where the next door farmer grazes his horses.

On the other side of the swimming pool is a small cottage which has been converted from the stables of the house. Here live Anna and Manolo who look after the house and welcome guests on arrival. They will be happy to tell you about any local events such as ferias or concerts which might interest you. They both speak very good English.

Swimming Pool

Spanish law requires us to point out that the pool is NOT a supervised facility and so may be used only on the understanding that such use is entirely at your own risk. Only the steps provided should be used to get into and out of the pool. If you are thinking of bringing small children you should also be aware that (as you can see from the photo in the brochure) the pool is not fenced off.

Bedding & Towels

Bedding and towels for the bathroom and kitchen are included, as are things like washing up liquid and cleaning cloths. We do ask you, however, to bring your own swimming towels.

The property lies about half an hour from the airport at Gibraltar (BA from Gatwick and Heathrow as well as Monarch from Luton) or an hour and a half from Malaga (Low cost scheduled airlines from Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and East Midlands and charters from the rest). The property can be reached by public transport from Gibraltar (3 trains a day) but it is advisable to hire a car.

Between the "Estacion" and the "Pueblo" of Jimena de la Frontera, 30 miles due North of Gibraltar is the bungalow Huerto de Los Almendros (the almond plantation). Both the Estacion and the pueblo have small supermarkets, as well as a range of other shops, bars and restaurants.

This house was the home of an artist and her husband who were one of the first Northern Europeans to settle in this lovely "white village" in the heart of Andalusia. The house’s location was chosen for the quality of light that it enjoys, as well as the stunning views over the valley beneath.

Local Shops and Restaurants

Both the Estacion and Jimena itself have small supermarkets which are very satisfactory for groceries and every day needs. Each of them also has a range of other shops but for the very large supermarkets such as Carrefour you need to go down to the coast to Algeciras, La Linea or Estepona. And then, of course, there is always Marks and Spencers, Tesco (known down here as "Checkout") and Safeway in Gibraltar!

There is also a small market in Jimena on Fridays. This varies from week to week but tends to be a mixture of fresh veg. and textiles/leather goods. Much larger markets are held on a daily basis up and down the coast. The nearest is a huge one in Estepona on a Wednesday. On a Sunday morning there is also a much more select affair in Estepona port. It is fun to wander around this market and then have lunch in the port as the market breaks up (about 2pm). A major league people watching opportunity! In season, you would be well advised to book as soon as they open in the morning if you want to sit outside. Also on a Sunday, there is a huge car boot sale between San Luis de Sabinillas and Estepona.

As to restaurants, there is a traditional "Venta" just along the main road towards Ronda called "La Rejas". You are likely to need to speak a bit of Spanish here, it is definitely a bit of true Spain frequented by the locals. In the pueblo there are two restaurants at which some English is spoken, "El Anon" and the "Para". There are also numerous bars at which some food may be available. In the Estacion there is the "Meson Campoy" where there are menus in English but not much is spoken! The staff, however, are very helpful and so we always seem to end up getting fed and watered!

If you are tempted to go further afield then the choice is frankly, overwhelming. There are some excellent places in Duquesa down on the coast, including a fine fish restaurant called "Andres", the "Molino" at the Estacion de Benoajan is an excellent outing on the train for lunch and "Claus on the Rock" which is in the refurbished army barracks is good for lunch under canvas by the water’s edge in the new marina port of Gibraltar. Speaking of Gib, early evening cocktails at the Rock Hotel is something special, if only for the stunning views over the bay as the sun sets. The list of restaurants is endless, so no doubt you will discover your own favourite.

Places to Visit - Fairly Local

The castle in Jimena – if you are interested in antiquities then Manolo may be able to arrange for you to meet Hamo Sassoon, who has done an enormous amount of research into the origins of this structure and the uses it has been put to over the years.

Castellar – Another castle but this one is a little better preserved and has a community still living in it. There are also some stunning views on the way up to the top over a lake which the locals use as a guide to whether the coast is going to be subject to water shortages this year or not. You have a choice as to which road you use to get back down to the main Algeciras – Ronda road. You can go back the way you came or you can go straight on – but be warned, it’s a pretty rough ride!!

Ronda – which you could drive or can be done on the train. If you decide to go on the train, please be aware that there is a reasonable climb from the train station to the town. Whilst there, the bullring is worth a visit and the views from the Parador are so beautiful that they may help you to get over the cost of the drinks there! Having said that, we think that the best bit about the town is the way that you can wander and people watch imagining an almost unchanged lifestyle over the past three or four centuries.

Gibraltar – You may have heard stories about Gib being a bit grubby but it has really cleaned its act up in the past 3 or 4 years and is now a good day trip. Don’t forget your passport and don’t be tempted to take your car in. It can take hours to get across the border by car. Opposite the frontier about three blocks inland there is a pretty secure underground car park which costs 1 Euro an hour. From there it is a five minute walk into Gib and there are plenty of buses which will take you over the airstrip into the town. Finally, remember to be careful what booze/cigarettes you bring back because Gib is a duty free zone so the Spanish won’t be too impressed if you have too much.

The hill road to Ubrique – a lovely drive through some stunning Andaluth scenery. Also has a couple of Ventas en-route in which you can practice your Spanish whilst eating your lunch.

Costa de Luz & Tarifa – A windsurfer’s paradise so try not to be blown off your feet! By far the least developed of the Costas with some stunning views over towards Morocco.

Seville – is a beautiful city with one of the biggest ferias there is. Held around Easter each year.

Cadiz – home of the Spanish sherries, all the major names have on-site tasting facilities.

Malaga – everyone just passes by the city to the airport but the centre has not really been touched since the 15^th century and is well worth a visit. Combine your visit with the Monday market for a special treat.

Nerja – officially the Northernmost part of the Costa de Sol but less developed than the rest of the Costa, this gives you an idea what the coast was like before the Northern Europeans arrived.

Granada – Really not possible in a day but well worth an overnight trip. Really shows to its full effect the Moorish influence on this part of Spain.

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