Traditional Village House For Holiday Rental, Southern Spain

Property Description

Rute is not really on the tourist map; it's a little town of 10,000 people, best known for its manufacture of Anís, the aniseed-flavoured liqueur. And its gastronomic delights don't end there: it is also famous for its cured hams and delicious - and typically Spanish - sweet delicacies which are traditionally served at Christmas, such as nougat and marzipan.

the house from the street / rear patio detail

Overlooking the regions largest lake and dwarfed by the Sierra de Rute that looms above it, it's a completely unpretentious, exuberant working town but nevertheless fascinating, full of old-time, original character and tradition.

That's good enough reason on its own to spend some time here … but it gets even better … it's right on the edge of the sublimely beautiful Subbética National Park and it's also in the very centre of Andalucía, making Granada, Sevilla, Córdoba and the Mediterranean coast all easy day trips from here.

So, for a couple looking for a base in the heartland of Andalucía and a bit of genuine local lifestyle, this could be just the place. A stone's throw away from the Plaza de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza (where you will find both the Anís Museum and the Casa del Jamón as well as some excellent tapas bars), this terraced village house has been refurbished throughout and is now a really enjoyable place to stay.

In a quiet cul-de-sac in the oldest part of town, double wooden doors open from the elevated pavement outside (lined - of course - with orange trees), straight into the attractive little living / dining room.

Being in the centre of Andalucía, temperatures can be quite extreme here, very hot in the summer months, sometimes close to zero in mid-winter. So you will appreciate the original, thick walls of the cottage which provide first-class insulation, keeping the rooms cool and calm in summer, warm and cosy later in the year. These attributes are enhanced by a ceiling fan and by the glass-fronted log burning stove.

Under its original wood beamed ceiling, everything is nicely rustic in style, welcoming and colourful but also neat and practical. More modern accompaniments include a TV (Spanish programme's only), a CD/DVD player and a small collection of DVD's to choose from. A sofa and an armchair offer comfortable relaxation and a small, round wooden table provides dining space for two or three.

Three steps and a short corridor leads through to the kitchen at the back of the house. It's a good sized room decorated in a pretty, country-kitchen style. Decently appointed it has a gas hob, gas oven, microwave, fridge / freezer, coffee maker, toaster and electric kettle.

The house is on two floors, with the double bedroom and its en-suite bathroom upstairs.

The bedroom is another really attractive, traditional room under its sloping, beamed ceiling. It has both a ceiling fan and air conditioning so you will sleep well no matter what the temperature is outside. An electric wall heater provides winter comfort. There is space enough for a couple of armchairs as well as the comfortable double bed, and it enjoys balcony views of the street outside.

Alongside, the spacious bathroom is equally big and welcoming, very pleasantly finished with softly coloured Moroccan mosaic tiling. It has both a bath tub and a walk-in shower.

Attractive as it is inside, what makes this a really enjoyable place to stay are the back garden terraces areas, all of them surprisingly private and hidden from view, despite being in the middle of town.

From the back door one passes by the laundry room / cloakroom (with W/C) just outside the house and up a few steps to a lovely al fresco dining area, its Moroccan table and chairs beautifully shaded (in summer) by a vine-covered awning. Unseen, this is a perfect place whatever the time of day, to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, for a candle-lit dinner perhaps, or just to enjoy a glass or two of chilled white wine.

A few more steps take you up, past the lime tree (help yourselves) and beautifully scented jasmine to a fabulous sun terrace up above. Here you can choose between table seating, comfy loungers or a dip in the little but very welcoming plunge pool (2 m x 2 m). Mostly it's 1.2 m deep but a little bench seat runs around, just under the water, providing a place to splash about or, better still, for sitting in the pool with your gin and tonic - or glass of anís - comfortably in hand!

And, talking of anís, the Museo Anís is just a few minutes walk away, a fascinating guide to its manufacture and history as well as a place to sample this potent firewater for yourselves! Close by are the Museo del Jamón (ham) and also the Museo Artesanal del Mantecado, Turrón and Mazapán which displays the traditional methods of manufacturing the sweets and Christmas treats.

Galleros and Flor de Rute both have their factories here, Galleros being famous for its annual "Belen", a Nativity Scene made from Chocolate, on view from around 15 October each year, and Flor de Rute for their sugarwork which in 2007 included a sugar life sized scene of Picasso amongst other characters.

If all this wasn’t enough for a short visit, the town also has a ruined Moorish castle, a fine Baroque church and some excellent local tapas bars. It's just a 15 minute walk from the house to Spain's most famous donkey sanctuary, the Sanctuario de Burros, often visited by Queen Sofia and other members of the Royal Family. And, being located on the edge of the Sierras de Subbéticas Natural Park, there are some great local walks including the footpath through the pine forest of Pinar de la Sierra and a section of the long-distance footpath that crosses Spain, the GR7.

Apart from the wonderful countryside and delightful villages of the Subbética itself, the great historical cities of Córdoba and Granada are not much more than an hour away, and the flamenco-buzzing energy of Sevilla is just another hour further.

Right in the heart of Andalucía … this really is "Real Spain".

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Contact Us

Would you like to book this property? Any questions? We are here to help

info@rusticblue.com

00 34 958 763 381

Contact us for bookings, questions or other help

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Property Details

Ground Floor :

Living / dining room

Kitchen

Shaded Patio (furnished) and Sun Patio (furnished)

Laundry Room / W.C

First Floor :

1 double bedroom

Bathroom

Small study area on the galleried landing

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Facilities

Spanish TV • CD / DVD Player • Small collection of DVD's

Glass fronted wood burning stove in the living room • Wall heating panels • Heated towel rail • Air conditioning in the bedroom • Ceiling Fans in the living room and bedroom

Gas oven • Gas hob (4 rings) • Microwave • Fridge / freezer • Toaster • Kettle • Coffee maker • Cooking utensils • Cutlery • Crockery

Washing Machine • Iron & board

All linen is provided (including pool towels) • Futon bed available (in the bedroom) for a young child • Cot & Highchair available (on request)

Small private plunge pool (2 m x 2 m, 1.2 m deep) with underwater seating

Sunloungers • Outdoor dining furniture • Barbecue

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