This classical country villa is surrounded by the multi-coloured landscape of the Serranía Ronda.
The drive from Ronda will take you through Arriate, a pretty Spanish town, up through steep, narrow streets, out into countryside.
This elegant villa is set in beautiful open country side, on the outskirts of the famous city of Ronda. The house is ten minutes’ drive from Ronda via Arriate. Rising up all around are hills covered in Mediterranean oaks (encinas), cork oaks and olives. You’ll see cultivated fields with tractors and patchworks of ploughed land of all colours.
Crops of cereals and olive plantations are the mainstay of agriculture here, but the symbol of Andalusía, the bull, can be spotted too. The hamlet of Los Prados, is a landmark for the villa, turn off the main road and take an unmade road to the house.
The dirt road to the house is 2 km, it’s a wide and flat road, a bit bumpy in places, so you’ll have to drive slowly. The entrance is through a conifer-lined drive to an Impressive low, wide, white villa with a lounging terrace at the front. The house is set back from a circular drive.
The decor of the villa is white with discreet accents of colour. The whole effect is classical and calming.
The front of the house has a colonnaded veranda as at the rear. There is room for eating outside, a hardwood table seating six looks out to the circular palm tree flower bed which forms the centrepiece of the drive. Also on this terrace is a sofa bench and two cushioned chairs with a coffee table. A charcoal barbecue sits in the corner, close to the dining table and the door which leads directly to the kitchen.
The kitchen is modern, new and sleek. The worktops are solid wood. Three steel ceiling lamps hang down, casting their light on a clean and spacious room. The equipment is of good quality: Bosch washing machine and tumble dryer, AEG dishwasher, 5-ring Gaggenau induction cooktop. There is an American-style fridge freezer with ice-making facilities and filtered water dispenser, as well as a microwave, coffee machine, kettle and electric oven. Food is stored in a walk-in pantry just off the kitchen.
Within the main house is a self-contained apartment for two, perhaps for members of a group who would prefer a little extra quiet or privacy.
The kitchen has an outside terrace which catches the morning sun so is perfect for taking breakfast al fresco. There are 11 steps down from this terrace and then 11 steps back up to the independent front door access to the separate apartment off the kitchen.
The separate apartment is opposite the kitchen and has a double bed, en suite bathroom, and small kitchenette and living area.
As already stated, it has its own front door access from the outside. The kitchenette has a 2-ring ceramic hob and red marble surround worksurface, a steel sink and an under-counter fridge. The small sitting area has one armchair and a little coffee table. The double bedroom is all in white and has two bedside cabinets.
The en suite bathroom has a full jacuzzi bath tub and shower mixer taps. The wc and basin are white porcelain but the tiles surrounding the bath are a funky floral orange, turning a classic bathroom into something that’s a bit more fun.
Down nine stairs from the kitchen is a basement with a basic bedroom and bathroom, perhaps for a nanny or young teenager.
The covered swimming pool is ideal for those prone to sunburn. The pavilion offers shade from the fiercest summer sun.
The open plan living room is the first room you come to when entering from the outside front terrace. The living room is an impressive expanse of white, with silver accents, dominated by an open fireplace. The floor is a pale limestone colour which is carried on throughout the house. Opposite the fireplace is a three-seater sofa, coffee table, armchair and day bed, as well as a large, flatscreen TV. The high, white ceiling amplifies the light and space of the room and sets off beautifully the candy- coloured chandelier above the dining table. The dining table seats ten. From the living room there is direct access, through two double French windows, to the pool terrace at the back of the house.
To the left of the living room, towards the rear of the house, is the master bedroom suite. This bedroom has a super kingsize bed, again the decor is in simple, but tasteful white. There is an armchair in white, a wooden clothes rail and two small trestle tables as bedside shelves, as well as two fixed wall lamps for reading in bed.
This bedroom has its own dressing room with clothes space and a full length mirror. The en suite bathroom has a full bath tub with a fixed shower over. The wc and bidet are separate from the bath. The bathroom is classic in white marble and pale grey. This bedroom suite has access to the patio terrace and pool. The double glazed door from the bedroom leads to a vestibule and then a white, wrought iron exterior door leads straight to the poolside.
The swimming pool is covered by a roofed pavilion with sides open to the elements. Direct access can be gained from the master bedroom which opens out directly in front of the long rectangular pool. At the opposite end of the pool is a shower and bathroom area. The water is accessed by steps. The pool and all porches have night lighting.
Surrounding the pool area is campo, ie countryside, conifers, palms, borders of lavender and small potted trees. There is no noise except for the rustle of leaves and the chirp of wild birds. It is utterly peaceful, conducive to rest and meditation.
The bedrooms are minimalist, simple and tasteful.
Turning left from the living room are the two twin bedrooms which share a bathroom in between them. Both rooms have twin beds pushed together if required and the mattresses (90 cm) can be zipped together to make a double (1.80 m). All the decor and bedlinen is white, with two bedside cabinets, a wrought iron clothes rail and armchair. Both bedrooms are spacious with tasteful arched windows. In one room, the windows look out to the front entrance driveway, the other room’s view is to an oleander border.
The shared bathroom is of white porcelain, pale grey tiles and gleaming chrome. It has a full bath tub with shower over – the shower has a large sunflower head and hand held attachment – wc and pedestal washbasin.
The closest neighbours are on the horizon, your space is entirely your own.
To the right of the pool is a sun terrace made for lounging. The courtyard of the sun terrace is dominated by a big palm tree and mature encina, both offering shade for the sunloungers nearby. This terrace then leads back into the house to the living room through a colonnaded veranda.
The colonnaded veranda has furniture for relaxing: six lounging chairs with cushions and low tables. The shutters of all the windows are painted a pretty eau de nil colour which works perfectly with the white walls.
Down nine steps from the sun terrace is a covered garage for one car although there is plenty of space for outdoor parking at the front of the house.
The drive to the villa will take you past stables, horse riding can be arranged for villa guests.
Next to the kitchen is a light, airy room which is a single bedroom with wardrobe.
One of the owners is a professional, international horse rider/trainer whose life revolves around horses. He would be pleased to organise horse riding for any guests interested in this activity while on holiday, so please ask when booking.
The villa was designed and built by the other owner who is an international architect. The house has all the up to date conveniences you would expect from a modern property: underfloor heating runs throughout the house, wifi and internet, iPod charging, multi-channel TV in all languages. Air conditioning is in one bedroom.
The quality of light sharpens colours into a vivid, vibrant Spain.
One of the main features of this house has to be its proximity to that must-see city of Ronda. The sheer ‘Spanishness’ of Ronda cannot be underestimated, with its gorge-spanning bridge, ancient Moorish past, classical bull-ring and links with great figures of art and literature. Ronda is just breathtaking and shows off all that is dashing about Andalusía.
If you happen to be here in September, usually the first week, you’ll catch the Goyesca, a festival where the crowds dress in 18th century costumes, sing and dance and generally make merry in the streets. Colourful photo oportunities will abound.
But of course this region isn’t just about Ronda. The beauty of the area is breathtaking and has been the inspiration for artists and nature-lovers alike. The two national parks close by are the Parques Natural: Sierra de Grazalema and the Sierra de las Nieves. Grazalema is famous for being one of the wettest parts of Andalusía by a freak of geographical location.
As a result it is lush, green and pretty, and the area is well known for its pueblos blancos circuit, a network of authentic, Moorish white villages.
The drive from the house along the A367 to Málaga is a journey through amazing scenery. Undulating fields of ochres, browns, earth reds and pinks are punctuated by the giant teeth of limestone outcrops. These jagged crags are covered with encinas, those hardy oaks adapted to the Mediterranean climate. The vast expanse of plain stretches out in front of you as this surprisingly quiet (but main) road takes you through the beautiful landscape in the direction of Ardales.
This inland area of southern Spain is on the migration path of many exotic birds. The second largest colony of flamingos can be seen just north of Ardales at Laguna Fuente de Piedra.
Everything in this region is big, bright and bold. If you want to see the vibrant face of Andalusían Spain, it’s right here.
"Words almost fail me! This is without doubt the most well appointed & beautiful rental property we have ever stayed in."
Dining and lounging terrace at front (furnished)
Rentals for this property run from Saturday to Saturday in high season, but can be flexible out of high season, please ask.
A weekly change of linen and towels is included for rentals of more than one week.
Outside catering can be arranged if requested in advance. Different tastes can be catered for eg traditional Spanish or more sophisticated cuisine.
Horse riding activities can be arranged, please ask when booking.
Central heating is subject to a 250 Euro per week surcharge for winter rentals, firewood is charged at 10 Euros a load.
Please, no smoking in the house.
RB/002057/2D
| 2023 Season Dates | Sleeping 2 per week | Sleeping 3/9 per week |
|---|---|---|
| 5th January to 24th March | 1,540 € | 2,000 € |
| 25th March to 15th April | 1,800 € | 2,640 € |
| 16th April to 16th June | 1,660 € | 2,160 € |
| 19th June to 27th August | 3,000 € | 3,000 € |
| 28th August to 20th October | 1,660 € | 2,160 € |
| 21st October to 16th December | 1,540 € | 2,000 € |
| 17th December to 3rd January 2024 | 1,800 € | 2,640 € |
| 2024 Season Dates | Week | Fortnight |
|---|---|---|
| Prices Pending | — | — |
In open countryside, 10 minutes from Ronda (all facilities) in the Ronda Mountains region (Province of Málaga).
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