Perched on the hillside with breathtaking views of Zahara de la Sierra on the opposite shore of its stunning lake, this is one of the most spectacularly situated properties in this wonderful part of Spain.
The view, from the cottage itself, from the terrace which extends along its front, and from the beautiful swimming pool just below, is splendid. Beyond lies the azure-blue lake with the spectacular mountains of the Sierra de Grazalema rising up all around and beyond it.
It's difficult to think there's much wrong with the world as one gazes across the calm waters to the Moorish castle, sitting on it's rocky outcrop above the village of Zahara de la Sierra, proudly guarding the secrets of its past.
Accessed by an easily drivable two kilometre country track, the location is perfect, part of a 30,000 m2 estate with nothing but gorgeous countryside all around. Perfect for anyone who want to relax in peaceful, dreamy harmony far away from life's hustle and bustle, yet still within easy driving distance of interesting towns and villages for a day or an evening out.
All on one floor, the holiday home is of recent construction, pleasantly designed and neatly furnished. The distribution is quite simple: one enters to a large, high-ceilinged living room / diner with the kitchen area at one end. Comfortable sofas are distributed around a coffee table in front of the glass-fronted woodburning stove and there is dining space for six.
The three bedrooms lead off, two of them double bedded, one a twin with an extra, supplementary bed. One of the doubles has an en-suite shower room /WC and there is also a separate, attractively tiled, blue and white bathroom with a shower over the bathtub.
Neat and attractive enough inside, it's outside that's the place to be! A part-shaded terrace runs along the front of the property with a table and chairs for al-fresco dining. Steps lead down to the ample pool terrace with sunbeds, a table tennis table and, of course, the lovely 10.5 m x 5.5 m pool taking centre stage.
With just rolling hills, unspoilt countryside and the tranquility of nature to keep you company, this is a fabulous spot, a rural idyll.
Secluded but not isolated, the countryside track ambles through the fields down to the main A376 from where you can quickly get to picturesque pueblos such as Ronda, Zahara de la Sierra, Setenil, Grazalema and Arcos de la Frontera.
Closer to hand, it's just a fifteen-minute drive to El Gastor, the mountain village known as the "Balcony of the White Villages of Cadiz" (there are wonderful views from its highest point at 1,060 metres). Here you will find most things that you may need during your stay, shops, supermarkets, banks and an internet cafe, all in a lovely pastoral environment.
Situated on the edge of the Grazalema Nature Park, the area is a bird-watcher's dream and a botanist's paradise. Particularly suited to walking, horse-riding and adventure activities (paragliding, climbing, biking etc), this is as good as it gets if you want to discover the secrets of unspoilt, rural Andalucía.
For those guests wishing for a more cultural element to their stay, the cottage is conveniently located on the border of Málaga and Cádiz Provinces, allowing easy access to the diversity of Andalucía's most enchanting provincial cities. The city of Jerez, home of sherry, flamenco and Andalusian horses is well worth a visit as is Cádiz, the oldest populated city in Europe, still retaining its seafaring traditions and unique atmosphere developed over centuries of trafficking with Tangiers. It's still easy to conjure up images of pirates with their booty there.
Sevilla, Córdoba and Granada, with their wealth of historic monuments and Andaluz-style joie de vivre, are within two-hours drive by car - each of them a special highlight for any visitor to the area, each of them guaranteeing a everlasting impression of their splendid Moorish legacies.
