This property is one wing of a 200 year old farmhouse which has been restored to create an attractive, yet authentically rustic, holiday villa. Its situation, overlooking the Natural Park of Alcornocales and just five minutes drive from two of the most beautiful beaches on the Costa de la Luz, makes this one of the best holiday destinations anywhere in Andalucia.
Located in a small hamlet on a hillside, the villa has a privileged position in the heart of the Natural Park "El Estrecho". The views of the surrounding countryside, the Atlantic Ocean and beyond to the African coast, are splendid.
Just a few minutes drive from the main coastal highway, an unpaved road of 300 metres leads up to the property. By car it's just seven minutes from here to Tarifa, capital city of sun, fun and surf.
To one side of the property, just a few minutes away, lies the beach of Bologna, with its fascinating Roman ruins. On the other side of the rocky outcrop which rises up behind the farmhouse is the beach of Tarifa’s Punta Paloma with it’s enormous sand dunes.
Both are renown for their clear blue waters and wide, golden beaches. And these are just two of the fabulous beaches on this wonderfully wild coastline on the southern-most tip of Europe, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean. As famous for bird watching as surfing, there are endless opportunities to explore the rolling countryside and unforgettable seascapes: mountain-biking, scuba-diving, climbing, surfing, tennis, horse-riding, fishing, hang-gliding and, newest of all, kite surfing . . . to name but a few.
A small, walled garden leads up to the house which, although adjoining the other wing of the property (which is also rented as a holiday villa), is completely self-contained and private. A shaded, furnished terrace runs along the front of the property and continues around the side of the building, where the inviting swimming pool (8 m x 4 m) is also located. From here the views are to the distant hills of the the Natural Park of Alcornocales.
Night lighting around the terrace and pool makes this an equally inviting place to be once the sun has gone down.
One enters to an attractively furnished living room, with the well equipped kitchen at the rear and a dining area to the side. Comfy sofas are casually arranged around an open fireplace and there's satellite TV, DVD and music equipment to keep you entertained. The kitchen area is well equipped with a fridge/freezer, dishwasher, microwave, oven and all necessary kitchenware.
It's all nicely casual and relaxed under it's high beamed and cane ceiling. Large windows along the front look out to the rolling hills beyond, others to the pool area at the side.
On this ground floor there is also an attractive and charmingly rustic bathroom, with one of the biggest bath tubs imaginable. Quite splendid!
An attractively tiled stairway leads up to the three bedrooms (they are all double-bedded) and a second small bathroom (it has a shower but no bathtub) on the first floor. All three bedrooms are equipped with mosquito nets and radiators and enjoy the same standard of decoration as downstairs, with traditional beamed ceilings, terracotta floors, hand painted tiles and solid hard wood furniture.
Comfortable and charming as the house is, this is a part of Andalucía which just cries out to be explored. Tarifa, at the point that separates both Europe from Africa and the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, is a surfing paradise but still retains its traditions and character. The long stretches of white sandy beaches on the Costa de la Luz are there for you to discover. There's Gibraltar 'around the corner' and the white villages and ancient towns of inland Cadíz to explore.
For those who like to expend a little energy when on holiday, there are a wealth of nature related activities: horse riding, mountain biking, rock climbing, bird watching, trekking, tennis, hang-gliding, scuba-diving, fishing and whale watching … and, of course, wind and kite surfing.
And there's always the option of a day trip to Morocco … fast ferries leave regularly from both Algeceiras and Tarifa, it's a wonderful trip (especially the longer, three hour trip from Algeceiras to Tangier), the ships often accompanied through the Straits by dolphins and even whales. When you step ashore, you will certainly know that you are in a different world!
