This quality holiday home enjoys an authentic,
rural Andalusian setting, a great place just to "be". On the hillside above the little and very traditional pueblo of Ermita Nueva in the province of Jaén, the south facing views extend far and wide across patchwork fields and rolling hills of olive trees to the highest peaks of Sierra Nevada beyond.
The property makes best use of the wonderful views, which can be enjoyed from the lounge, from both bedrooms, from the front terrace and from the swimming pool which is situated just behind (and above) the house. It is the most delightful of settings, a place very
much at peace with itself.
The rural tranquility is enhanced by the leafy shade and seclusion offered by the magnificent, 400 year old oak tree which overhangs much of the front terrace, a completely private space to enjoy outdoor meals, a leisurely barbecue and, no doubt, a sundowner or two.
There are some steep drops here, so care should be taken with young children or anyone with wobbly legs.
Inside, all is spacious, comfy and cool. It's an attractive home which, although recently
built, offers charm as well as excellent facilities. The owner is constantly adding extra little touches and improvements, both inside and outside.
The attractively decorated and furnished living / dining room / open-plan kitchen
extends along the entire length of the house: at one end, the fully equipped kitchen,
at the other, the comfortable living space.
Upstairs (please note that the stairway is not railed) are the two attractive bedrooms, one double bedded, one with twin beds pushed together. Both are spacious, both have beamed ceilings, both enjoy the wonderful view. Not a bad place to wake up to the early morning birdsong! There are TV's in both bedrooms, as well as the living room downstairs. The second bathroom, which has a tub as well as a shower, completes the distribution.
Throughout, furnishings are of excellent quality. It is equipped down to the very last detail with satellite TV, mosquito nets on all windows, an independent freezer (as well as a fridge, of course), dishwasher etc.
At an altitude of 1,000 metres, summers are warm and sunny here but pleasantly comfortable. Thick walls and double glazed windows keep the house cool in summer,
warm and cozy in winter. And just to make absolutely sure, there's central heating
as well as the cheering open fireplace around which the sofa and armchairs
are arranged.
Steps lead up the bank to the
swimming pool which is located just above and behind the house. A gorgeous, south-facing sun trap, the terrace surround is equipped with sunloungers and a sunshade. Almost all of it is completely private, not overlooked by any other property.
Ermita
Nueva is a charming rural hamlet which climbs up the hill, a village famous
for its delicious, plump cherries as well as its olives. Still an agricultural
area, the people here are friendly and the lifestyle remains unhurried. As yet, few
tourists have found their way to this part of Andalucía and welcomes are
warm and genuine. The village boasts a supermarket, a bakery and a couple of tapa bars.
Just below the village lies the main Granada to Córdoba road,
so from here it's very easy to visit either of these great cities. Granada is
just 40 kilometres to the south (little more than half an hour away by car), with
Córdoba some 120 kilometres to the northwest.
This main road is two kilometres from the house but please be aware that when the wind is from the east, from outside the villa one is slightly aware of the rumble of traffic in the distance.
There
are some fantastic places to visit around and about, too: Montefrío and the
surrounding rural beauty of the Poniente Granadino lies to the southwest
of the house, a region which leads naturally on to the Subbética de
Córdoba, a lovely area of pretty villages set amongst rolling hills
and small mountains, a place to enjoy a glass or two of the local Montilla sherry.
Just five kilometres away is Alcalá La Real, a Moorish fortress town dominated by its magnificent 15th Century hilltop castle.
These days it's an unpretentious market town, with a handful of quite decent (and
very reasonable) restaurants.
At the same time,
this is also a great place to come home to after a day out exploring the great historic
cities and countryside joys which are so close at hand.
