Set in its own five acres of terraced land, with wonderful views of the Mediterranean Sea below and access to the mountains above, this property consists of the original (and fully restored) wood-beamed farmhouse and a newer, artist's studio house. They are separated by a beautiful walled garden with a very inviting swimming pool.
The track up to the property from the small coastal town of La Herradura is long (five kilometres) and winding but more than worth it because it brings you to this splendidly situated property, high in the hills, beautiful nature all around, and a gorgeous view down to and across the sea. Ships pass slowly across a blue horizon, goat bells clicking joyfully in the mid distance, a glass of good Rioja even closer to hand … it's a wonderful place!
Intimate and, for all practical purposes, unseen (there
are just two other houses in view, one of them unoccupied and the other a considerable distance away), this is a delightful and very rural location, yet just a few minutes drive from one of the most beautiful bays on the Costa Tropical.
Not least of the many attractions here is the wonderful microclimate, with very agreeable subtropical winters and cooling sea breezes in summer (the sea is only a couple of kilometres away as the crow flies). It's not called the Costa Tropical for nothing!
Purchased by an English artist and her husband more than twenty years ago, they have developed the property in a lovely way, retaining all it's original character and relaxed country style, yet at the same time making full use of the wonderful views and ever-changing Mediterranean light.
The track from town leads up to a parking area just inside the gates at the top of the property with the buildings just below. The original farmhouse is all on one level: an airy and very well equipped country-style kitchen opens through to a cane-roofed inner courtyard with dining facilities, and also to the wood-beamed sitting/dining room with sofas on either side of its lovely old wood-burning stove.
Furnishings are an attractive mix of antique and contemporary. The style throughout is charming, comfortable and unpretentious, a proper family home.
From the living room a door takes you through to a terrace which has views to the sea. A gate at the end leads to the walled garden and pool alongside. The two bedrooms also lead off from the living room, one large double (which can also be accessed from the terrace) and one twin bedded room. A bathroom completes the distribution of the original farmhouse.
The walled garden and swimming pool which separates the two properties is a delightfully serene and secluded space. The irregular shaped, approx. 11 m x 5 m pool (with night lighting) takes centre stage, surrounded by an ample and well furnished terrace area. Mature palm and lemon trees, bougainvillea and other flowering shrubs around the surrounding walls provide colour and scent. There's a barbecue, a paddling pool and, to complete an already blissful scene, a trickling fountain.
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Beyond is the more recent addition, the imaginatively created, south-facing artist's studio. Downstairs is a 40 square metre open-plan living room which features large sliding louvre doors and sliding windows which open onto a huge terrace which runs along (and beyond) the length of the property. Whether inside or out, whatever the time of day or night, here you will enjoy the fabulous, panoramic views over the surrounding hills to the Mediterranean beyond. Two more fountains on the terrace areas add ambience to the idyllic vista.
The wonderfully light and spacious open-plan living space of the studio includes a dining area and a small kitchen area (which can be screened off if you prefer), a glass-fronted wood-burning stove and surrounding sofas, one of them convertible into a comfortable double bed. A bathroom/WC is also on this floor.
An internal staircase leads up to the equally large double bedroom on the floor above. This features slide-away louvre's and huge windows where, if anything, the views are even more impressive! The double bed can be unzipped and separated into two singles if preferred. Concealed in a large cupboard there are simple cooking facilities, so here you can tuck into your breakfast in bed, watching the fishing boats bringing their catch in across a sea shimmering gold in the early morning light …
There is a separate bathroom/WC on this upper floor and, from the top of the stairs, independent access to the driveway and parking area.
This lovely property combines seamlessly, making it an ideal holiday villa both for one family or for two. Everything joins together but, because there are two houses and so many different outdoor spaces to choose from, a little independence is easily achieved.
It will appeal to people who like to venture off the beaten track. A property of genuine character and charm, it is a real home which has been improved and developed bit by bit over the years. Add the peace and serenity of its splendid location, in the hills looking down over the jacaranda trees to the sea and (on a clear day) to Morocco beyond, its well worth the minor inconvenience of a fifteen minute drive on a country track to reach it.
The hills around the house are excellent walking country: remote and peaceful they are grazed by goats and dotted with avocado plantations, olives, almonds and vineyards. The track that leads to the property continues up to an ecological nature reserve called "Pena Escrita". Here and there, the track branches off to other houses and little hamlets as well as alternative ways back to La Herradura, or over the hilltop to the old, and very beautiful, Almuñecar to Granada road.
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La Herradura means "horseshoe" and gets its name from the contours of the beautiful bay which it graces. It's a pretty town, not much more than a fishing village really, but with sufficient concessions to tourism to provide a choice of restaurants, beach bars and night spots. The coastline here on Granada's Costa Tropical is more rugged than most of the better-known Costas, and this has protected it from excessive tourist development. There are some wonderful coves and bays to explore as well as the resort towns of Almuñecar (which has an excellent summer jazz festival) and fashionable Nerja.
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The many activities on offer include scuba, cavern and technical diving, as well as horse riding and tennis, paragliding, climbing, and absailing. In summer the water on this coast is very clear, with a visibility of up to 25m (80ft), and teeming with fish. The diving school in La Herradura has a first class reputation. Granada, Málaga and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Las Alpujarras, are all easy day trips from here. The cities of Sevilla and Córdoba are further afield but still within visiting distance.
What are you waiting for!
