Superbly situated on the hillside above the little rural hamlet of Ermita Nueva, this is a delightful villa, one which cleverly combines the best of traditional Andalucia with state-of-the-art modernity.
Within its own three acre estate of olive trees and fruit groves (figs, walnuts, peaches, apricots, pomegranates, oranges and plums . . . to mention just a few), it enjoys a view which is truly inspirational, across the patchwork of small fields in the valley below to the mountain ranges of Jaén and Granada far beyond, culminating in the dramatic, snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. It is the most delightful of settings, a haven of natural beauty, a place very much at peace with itself.
A perfect setting for this spacious and very comfy home, one which retains all of its old-time Spanish "hacienda" feel yet at the same time exudes modern class and elegance.
Furnished with original works of contemporary art and some fabulous pieces of bauhaus furniture, the result is a well equipped and fully functioning family home - warm, friendly and child conscious.
Built around an attractive, plant-filled central courtyard, which offers soft shade from the acacia tree in its midst, the house is all on one level. The main part of the house (with those fantastic south-facing views) comprises a large living / dining room furnished in thoroughly modern style. White predominates with splashes of black and bright bold colours lending contrast. A good sized and very well equipped traditional kitchen leads off from one end; the master, en-suite double bedroom (with the same wonderful view down the valley) leads off at the other end. This opens to its own furnished sun terrace.
Leading off other side of the patio are two more bedrooms, equally individualistic in both style and decor, one double bedded, the other with two single beds. In the small corridor between them is the second bathroom.
Being a genuine, traditional Andalusian farmhouse, its thick walls ensure that inside it remains cool and calm in summer, warm and cosy in winter. And just to make absolutely sure, there's central heating throughout, as well as the cheering open fireplace.
Along the front of the house, the living / dining room opens through to a lovely, covered verandah with seating and dining alfresco, a great place to relax, listen to the birdsong and gaze across the olive groves and cornfields below to the magnificent sweep of mountains in the distance. It is neatly railed for safety.
The azure-blue waters of the non-chlorine filtered, eight metre swimming pool are just to the side of the house, with a wide sun terrace running along one side, flowering shrubs and rock gardens neatly separated it from the olive groves on the other side. Very comfy, curved "Japanese style" cane sunloungers are scattered casually around the terrace.
A gorgeous sun trap, there are also plenty of shaded areas with attractive cane awnings around the pool providing semi-shade and full shade within the impressive summer house at the end. With its terracotta floors, beamed ceiling and quality cane furnishings, this a perfect place to hide away from the midday sun.
Completely private, nothing overlooks the pool area (or the verandah along the front of the villa). Designed with toddler safety in mind, there is a gated entrance to the pool area from the verandah, wide access steps into the pool and a "Katchakids" safety net.
On the other side of the property, a vine-covered entrance leads up to the house from the little country lane which winds gently up the hill from the village below. There are other properties a couple of hundred metres or so away on the other side of the road but none of them are at all visible once you are inside, or in any of the outside spaces of the villa.
Ermita Nueva is a charming rural hamlet which climbs up the hill, a village famous for its delicious, plump cherries and, of course, for its olives. Still an agricultural area, the people here are friendly and lifestyles remain unhurried. Welcomes are warm and genuine. The village boasts a grocery store (the word 'supermarket' is perhaps a little too grand for it), a couple of tapa bars and a fabulous cheesery which has been winning prizes for its goat and mezcla cheeses both regionally and nationally.
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.
There are some fantastic places to visit around and about, too: the 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. And, talking of restaurants, one of the very best in Andalucía, "El Rey de Copas", is to be found (albeit with a little difficulty) in the village of Ribera Alta, just a few kilometres outside Alcalá. Looking from the outside like just another dusty roadside bar, it's a different story inside and thoroughly deserves its Michelin rating.
Michelin don't give stars for holiday villas; if they did, this lovely property would be high up the rankings.
