Set deep within its own 150 acre estate of beautiful woodlands and looking out over glorious hills and dales, this wonderful country house has double helpings of character and charm ...
With delightful views of the Parque Natural, this is a congenial, Woosterish country-house in the forested mountains of western Andalusia.
Set amid its own 150 acre estate of beautiful woodlands and looking out over the gorgeously green hills of the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Aracena, this is a wonderful villa, almost Tuscanesque in style.
Idyllic country retreats don’t come much better than this, elegant and eclectic, casual and congenial, a real lived-in house. All in an enviable location, deep in the heart of one of Spain’s most beautiful nature reserves.
Rolling hillsides are thickly wooded with sweet chestnut and cork oak, small groves of olives and walnuts, orchards of apples, plums, peaches, figs and pears. There are some classically pretty villages too.
In the summer (usually for the months of July and August) the entire property is made available for rental. It comfortably sleeps twelve and the rental includes two permanent staff.
The soft hues of green and golden nature stretch out to heather-covered escarpments on the horizon. In Spring, the valley below the house is filled with white heather, primroses and the song of nightingales.
From its stunning hillside position, overlooking mile upon mile of this verdant countryside, here you will enjoy the very best that the Sierra de Aracena has to offer.
With 150 acres of woodland estate, it goes without saying that there are plenty of delightful outdoor spaces. To mention just a few, there is a lovely, vine-shaded terrace which runs along the front of the house, a cool and tranquil spot to enjoy your lunch or a late dinner under the stars.
To the side, where there is another entrance to the house, the large courtyard, resplendent with flowering shrubs and palms, is another. Here you will enjoy the soft hues of green and golden nature all around, stretching out to the heather-covered escarpments on the horizon. In Spring, the valley below the house is filled with white heather, primroses and the song of nightingales.
"A very special place which is full of warmth and charm, the antithesis of faceless 'boutique' luxury - a marvellous base for exploration or relaxation".
And then there is the swimming pool … approximately 100 metres away from the main house, it is reached by a stroll along a leafy lane. With its turquoise blue waters cascading into the view beyond, the evening swallows sometimes swooping down to take a drink, the sun setting over distant hills, it really is the ‘ultimate’ infinity pool.
Big (11 m x 8 m), and gorgeous, it is flanked by a large pool house / pavilion with its own bar and comfortable indoor sitting area. There’s a barbecue and basic kitchen facilities too, so there’s no need to go back to the main house for refreshments.
If it all gets too much, taking the occasional dip and lounging in the sunshine, don’t worry, there’s a double bedroom (with en-suite bathroom) right here in the pavilion …
The rosy-pink washed walls of the main house emerge out of the oak and chestnut woods at the end of the country track which winds gently down through the estate. A much-loved family home, built by the owners themselves using materials salvaged from old buildings throughout Spain, it looks, and feels, like it has been here for centuries.
Features such as the panelled dining room, the arched doorways and the sweeping wooden central staircase are older than the house and suit its style perfectly.
Crammed with cheery oil paintings, cushions, pottery, books and family memorabilia, it’s a cosy, cluttered, happy mix, everything set off by deep Mediterranean colours.
Wonderfully homely.
"An English country house, eclectically decorated and dropped into the beautiful Sierra de Aracena national park. The picture-postcard pool is stunning and has one of the best vistas in all Spain".
Downstairs, the principal rooms include a large, comfortable drawing room with its cosy, rosy sofas distributed around the fireplace, a pine-panelled, candlelit dining room, a really well equipped farmhouse kitchen (the owner is a wonderful and renown cook), the conservatory (with a grand piano and panoramic views) and the TV / Media room (with WiFi connection).
A cloakroom, the entrance hall and the two outdoor terraces complete this floor, along with the laundry room – but you will be unlikely to use this as the maid will do all your washing for you.
In keeping with the rest of the house, all the bedrooms are charming and attractively decorated, each with its own character and distinction, whether due to hand-painted walls, oriental hangings, a bath tub with a view, or a fireplace.
All have goosedown pillows and olive oil soaps, chairs to lounge in and pleasing colours, cushions, pictures and heaps of books.
All have comfortable beds and good quality linen. Windows open to the oaks and chestnuts of the forest … and to the glorious sound of silence.
Three bedrooms, the master suite (a double with en-suite bathroom and private roof terrace), another double, this one with an adjoining sitting room, and a Double/Twin again with its own terrace, are on the first floor.
Three more bedrooms are one flight further up: a twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom, a double (which can be unzipped to twins if preferred) with a bathroom just across the corridor, and a suite with a double bed, en-suite bathroom and an adjoining sitting room.
And, just in case that’s not enough bedrooms for you, don’t forget that there’s a double bedroom (the beds can also be unzipped into twins), with en-suite bathroom, in the poolside pavilion.
With uninterrupted views over undulating hills covered in dense oak and chestnut woods it's reminiscent of Scotland ... with sunshine and sherry ...
Even though it’s set deep within breathtakingly beautiful countryside, the property offers most 21st Century mod-cons, including satellite TV (free-to-view TV as well as BBC radio stations and Spanish terrestrial channels), a video and DVD player. There is WiFi internet connection (via satellite), telephone and fax. Domestic help is included in the price and an excellent cook can be provided by arrangement.
There’s lots to keep one occupied in this wonderful part of Andalucía. The lovely town of Aracena, with its Moorish castle and stunning underground caves, its weekly market, theatre and music concerts, is only a few minutes’ drive away. There are a host of pretty, whitewashed villages to explore in the hills and dales all around and opportunities to walk, ride or bird watch galore.
There are excellent restaurants in the vicinity and, throughout May to September, there are fiestas or romerias almost every weekend in the nearby villages. The women don their flamenco dresses, the caballeros sit astride their horses and there is, of course, always a huge party!
Then there’s Portugal, somehow a different world away, yet just 60 kilometres from here. And if you crave urban adventure, the marvellous city of Sevilla is just an hour and a quarter away.
However, be warned, Alastair Sawday, publisher of the Special Places to Stay guides, chose this as one of his twenty favourite hideaways with charm. You may become so relaxed here that you won’t want to venture out at all!
All the facts and features about these villas
Outdoor staff will look after the watering of the garden, maintenance of the pool, feeding of hens and pigs etc.
Finca is a working small farm and you may put in orders for organic vegetables with the gardener.
The property is available for rental in the summer for 6 weeks only: from 6th July until 16th August.
The swimming pool will be open throughout the rental period.
Start and finish days are Friday.
Prices are inclusive of a maid 10.00- 14.00. She will make beds if rooms are available to do so and will clean. She will do laundry and ironing by arrangement with clients.
Additional services can be arranged with the maid (such as preparation of light luches, to be paid for locally)
RB/VR/CA/00012
| 2024 Season Dates | Sleeping upto 10 per week |
|---|---|
| 5th July to 30th August | 10,000 € |
| Rest of the year | N/A |
| 2024 Season Dates | Week | Fortnight |
|---|---|---|
| Prices Pending | — | — |
Reached by a 1 km unpaved track (easily negotiable in an ordinary car), 2 km from Los Marines (basic facilities) in La Sierra de Aracena region (Province of Huelva).
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