SpainPropertyGuide-Issue6-Autumn-2021

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CURRENCY OUTLOOK: Euro
stumbles as ECB maintains
dovish policy outlook
EURO
EUR/GBP: Unchanged at £0.85
EUR/USD: Down from $1.17 to $1.16
The euro initially got off to a strong start in
September, with the single currency carrying over
some of its momentum from late August and
supported by some robust Eurozone data releases.
However, the euro’s bullish run was curtailed by the
European Central Bank (ECB), which maintained its dovish
stance as it concluded its September policy meeting, in
spite of also announcing plans to begin reducing the pace
of its pandemic emergency purchase programme.
This pullback in the euro through the second half of
September was then fuelled by political uncertainty in
Germany as well as pressure from a stronger US dollar.
Looking ahead, the single currency could face
additional volatility in the weeks to come, as coalition
talks in Germany could result in prolonged uncertainty,
while the policy divergence between the ECB and Federal
Reserve may drag on the single currency.
The pound has traded in a wide range over the past four
weeks, in response to growing doubts over the resilience of
the UK’s economic recovery.
This comes as businesses express concerns over staff
shortages, supply constraints and rising energy prices, the
combination of which could lead the rebound in growth
to stall in latter half of 2021.
POUND
GBP/EUR: Unchanged at €1.16
GBP/USD: Down from $1.37 $1.36
Also spooking GBP investors in early September were
concerns over Boris Johnson’s announcement that
national insurance contributions would rise in 2022 as part
of a ‘healthcare levy’.
But Sterling subsequently rebounded following the
Bank of England’s (BoE) September policy meeting, as its
hawkish forward guidance prompted GBP investors to start
pricing in a March rate hike.
With the UK now facing a fuel shortage, the country’s
economic headwinds show no signs of abating. As a
result, the pound could face an uphill battle in the coming
month, particularly if the end of the government’s furlough
scheme results in a sharp rise in unemployment, as some
economists predict.
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CONTENTS
COSTA BLANCA NORTH
Beaches and crystal waters 6
A perfect destination to live 8
A coast of two halves 10
Featured property 16
COSTA BLANCA SOUTH
The white coast 18
A coast of two halves (continued) 20
A family business 24
COSTA ALMERIA
Long stretching beaches 34
Costa Almeria Market review 36
COSTA DEL SOL
Popular destination 40
Luxury Homes 42
Andalusia getaways and retreats 46
Golden View 50
Soul Marbella 52
COSTA CALIDA
Classic Mediterranean region 26
Costa Calida Market review 28
BALEARIC ISLANDS
Archipelago in the Mediterranean 60
Ibiza - Shabby Chic and much more 62
SALES
EDITOR
DISTRIBUTION
DESIGN
>> sales@spainpropertguide.com
>> editor@spainpropertguide.com
>> distribution@spainpropertguide.com
>> design@spainpropertguide.com
Tel: Spain +34 966 94 20 22 • Tel: UK +44 7498984177
Sunset in
Marbella COVER IMAGE: Shutterstock
26
4
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SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

12
10
LAW & LEGAL
Living in Spain 30
Buying A Property in Spain - The process 38
Golden Visa 55
SPORT
Europe’s sports and leisure paradise 32
32
20
42
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
5

COSTALANCA
An ancient coast of beaches, crystalline waters and
rocky cliffs that lead down to secluded little coves
and bays, the northern part of the Costa Blanca is
often described as the most beautiful section of all – and
one of the finest examples of Mediterranean lifestyle to be
found anywhere.
COSTA BLANCA NORTH
Alicante provides the big city feel as well as a large
international airport for the region, and as you head north
from here the first significant resort town is El Campello,
popular above all with Spanish tourists. From here to the
pretty coastal town of Villajoyosa, with its multi-coloured
Levante houses, Beach, there are only tiny beachside spots dotted, and
Benidorm
6
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more of the same until you come to the most famous
Costa Blanca resort of all: Benidorm.
Famous for its package tourism, as humorously depicted in
a British comedy series, this large resort town is redeveloping
its look and offering to appeal to a more modern kind of
tourism, complete with stylish resort hotels and a series of
large theme park attractions such as Terra Mítica, Terra
Natura and Aqualandia. From here, the coast becomes
more rugged, with imposing capes and rocky cliffs and
bays that together create breath-taking scenery against
a backdrop of blue skies and green pine groves.
Altea is a stylish resort town with a beautiful historic centre
that ranks as one of the region’s highlights, while Platja
L’Olla is a wonderfully secluded stretch of coast between

NORTH
Elche
Rojales
Orihuela
Villa Martin
distant cliffs. Just before you reach another iconic resort
town, Calpe, Altea Hills is the first of a series of luxurious
villas suburbs with stunning coastal views – one of several
residential resort areas that offer an excellent choice of
modern homes with all the latest styles, amenities and
high-tech comforts. The views from here are truly stunning.
EXQUISITE SHORES
Calpe is gifted with a stunning setting – a wide bay
overlooking an iconic rock cape not unlike that of
Gibraltar, as well as an inland lagoon known as Les Salines.
This picture perfect spot first named by the Phoenicians
provides the ideal setting for a resort town, and Calpe is
the last large town before you come to the end of the
Alicante
Santa Pola
Guardamar
de Segura
Torrevieja
Denia
Javea
Benissa Moraira
Altea Calpe
Albir
Benidorm
Villa Joyosa
Costa Blanca at Jávea and Denia, passing the pretty little
coastal resort of Moraira. Beyond it lays gorgeous coastal
scenery with idyllic bays such as Plata de la Granadella,
with its turquoise water.
Jávea and Denia are two pretty towns fronting sandy
beaches and surrounded by attractive residential
areas set within pine groves, with many following the
undulations of golf courses such as the excellent La Sella
Golf. The iconic Parc Natural Montgó crowns the natural
beauty of this region, which is also less than an hour from
Valencia, close to many more beauty spots and always
just a short drive from country villages full of authentic
regional charm.
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
7

“A perfect
destination
to live”
8
l
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

Delfin Natura is located in Costa Blanca, in Playa del Albir, l´Alfas del
Pi (Alicante), It is the perfect place to live or enjoy your holidays. What
makes this area so special is its light, its good weather throughout
the year, its incredible beaches and the nature, and breath-taking
landscapes that surprises all its visitors.
Delfin Natura, is a private apartment urbanization in a consolidated
environment, with spectacular gardens and facilities, just step away
from the beach and nature.
If there is something that makes the Delfin Natura apartments unique,
it is their large gardens on the ground floor and their spacious terraces,
with surfaces between 20 and more than 130 m2, from where you can
see the sea and the Natural Park Sierra Helada.
Delfin Natura is located on a 30,000m2 plot within a fully consolidated
environment and in the best location of Playa del Albir.
Surrounding the buildings and at different levels of the interior
urbanization, there will be different ornamental fountains and
several swimming pools. Additionally, it will have also a heated indoor
swimming pool.
www.delfinnatura.com
Email: info@delfinnatura.com
Phone No. 608 348 632
Camino de la cantera 1,
03581 playa del Albir,
Alfaz del Pi
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
9

COSTA BLANCA –
A coast of two parts
10 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

Though the 200-kilometre coastline of Alicante province known as
the Costa Blanca is officially a single entity, in practice it is made
up of two distinctive areas, each with its own characteristics,
scenery, prices and residential markets.
Defining the coastal area between the Costa
del Azahar in the north, on Valencia’s shoreline,
and the Costa Cálida to the south, The Costa
Blanca is one of Spain’s most famous ‘costas’,
and one of the country’s top tourist destinations.
Particularly popular with tourists, homeowners and
residents from Germany, the British Isles, the Benelux,
Scandinavia and also France, it is perhaps the
leading costa in terms of visitor numbers, and muchloved
by families and retirees alike for its warm, dry
climate and world of leisure opportunities.
For many, the Costa Blanca is the very embodiment
of a Mediterranean culture and the classic summer
holiday in Spain, and indeed, the variety of its offer
ranges from large-scale resorts such as Benidorm
to historic cities such as Alicante and Elche, where
you don’t have to dig deep to come across
archaeological findings dating back to the Romans,
Greeks, Phoenicians, Moors and the Iberians – the
indigenous people of Spain and Portugal. From
country villages and cultural centres to sandy
beaches and lively resorts, its all there to explore.
LANDSCAPES
Though it is part of the Autonomous Region of
Valencia, the southern part of the Costa Blanca is
in geographical and climatic terms a continuation
of the semi-arid region of Almería, to which the
Costa Cálida also belongs. The terrain is mostly flat
to undulating, with limestone ridges dotted with pine
trees adding to the topography, while the coastline
up from Pilar de la Horadada is largely made up
of extensive beaches and occasional sandy bluffs.
At Torrevieja and Santa Pola – two of the most
important seaside resorts of the ‘lower Costa Blanca’
– we also see the large lagoons and saltwater lakes
so characteristic of the Costa Cálida.
Among them are the uniquely pink Laguna Salada of
Torrevieja, a sight not to be missed, while Guardamar
del Segura – a little north of Torrevieja – is known for
its long sandy beaches and lofty dunes. This is a
beach lover’s paradise, home of the classic Spanish
summer holiday, and as iconic of it as paella and
sangria. The area around the provincial capital,
Alicante, is particularly dry, but this is of little worry in
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
11

an area where the main focus is on those fabulous sandy
bays, the Mediterranean Sea and its glorious blue skies.
North of Alicante, the coastal resorts dotting their way
up to the wonderfully pretty town of Villajoyosa – an apt
name if ever there was one – mark a change.
Here the shoreline grows a little more varied, with cliff
forming charming little coves and more green vegetation
in the form of pine groves adding to the cream and blue
tones that have so far dominated the Costa Blanca.
Villajoyosa adds to this array with its brightly coloured
houses, making it one of the most attractive towns in all
of Spain. It also marks the imaginary boundary between
the northern and southern parts of the Costa del Sol, for
next is Benidorm – the region’s largest tourist resort town –
and now cliffs, mountain ranges, pine forests and coves
begin to dominate the landscape.
TOWNS AND RESORTS
If the southern part of the Costa Blanca is all about a
succession of classic holiday resorts such as El Mojon,
Torre de la Horadada, Dehesa de Campoamor, Cabo
Roig, La Zenia, Torrevieja, Guardamar del Segura, Santa
Pola, Arenals del Sol, Alicante itself and also the likes of
El Campello, then the north has a somewhat different
feel. Sure, Benidorm and even Calpe are classic tourist
towns, but with a change in the physical scenery – Calpe
is dominated by a spectacular Gibraltar-like rock that juts
out into the sky – comes a gradual change in ambience
too. By the time you get to Les Bassetes, Moraira, Jávea
and Dénia, you could think you’ve landed in nearby
Mallorca.
It is a dramatic shoreline of rocky cliffs plunging into clear
blue waters and creating intimate little coves, such as
the famous one at Platja de la Granadella. It is a world
of colours and sensations; aquamarine water, the deep
green of endless pine forests and those blue skies, with
the sound of waves, seagulls and the distant murmur of
people blurred by the bell-like acoustic qualities of the
sea. This is Mediterranean paradise personified, and not
surprisingly the area has a more exclusive look and feel
that is reminiscent of the Balearic Islands and the Costa
del Sol – complete with elegant marinas, spa resort hotels,
golf courses and luxurious residential areas.
These extend inland beyond rustic towns such as Ondara
and Pedreguer, situated in orchard valleys surrounded
by mountain ranges, nature reserves and views of the
sea. The pull to own a property and live here is almost
as strong as it is in places such as Jávea and Dénia,
though larger inland towns such as Benissa, Alcoi and
in the southern Costa Blanca Crevillent and Orihuela
are also popular among foreign property buyers and
visitors. Not surprisingly, all these various north/south and
coastal/inland areas have developed their
own real estate markets, each with its own set
Continued
on page 20
12 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

(+34) 965 791 035
rimontgo@rimontgo.es
https://www.rimontgo.com
Partida Montgo, Jávea l 5,700,000€
Dénia
l Price on Request
RMG6126
RMG3238
Spectacular villa built to the highest standards, a unique style,
beautiful views and a perfect enclave in the Montgó area in Jávea.
This majestic villa is surrounded by a well-preserved garden. The property
is organised into three levels, each of them with spacious rooms and a topquality
equipment. The main floor fuses with the terrace, the pool area and
a fantastic patio partially covered. All of it with beautiful views of the valley.
Property with private pool and panoramic views of the golf, sea and
the city in Dénia.
Exceptional, 5 bedroomed modern architect- designed avant-garde villa, set
within the privacy of the exclusive Golf Resort La Sella and Marriot Hotel,
with magnificent panoramic views to Montgó mountain, the 27 hole golf
course and the Mediterranean Sea.
La Plana, Jávea l 895,000€
Bocairent, Valencia l 1,930,000 €
RMG6303
Villa set on a plot of 13,000m2 in La Plana, a well-known area surrounded
by the Montgó Natural Park in Jávea. Includes guest accommodation.
The villa is comprised of the main residence and a guest apartment. The
main property is arranged on a single floor consisting of a large fitted
kitchen, living-dining room with fireplace, the master bedroom with an ensuite
bathroom, guest toilet and a bedroom.
RMGV1980
Unique rural home, very integrated into the surroundings with open
views of the valley and the spectacular swimming pool.
Located in the middle of the Sierra Mariola natural park, this villa sits on a huge
75,000m2 plot on top of a mountain. The house itself covers an area of 350m2
and comprises four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a magnificent living/dining
room with double-height ceilings, completed with a large kitchen.
Vall d’Albaida, Valencia
l Price on Request
El Bosque, Chiva, Valencia l 620,000€
RMGV2822
RMGV4241
Spacious country property surrounded by olive trees and vineyards in
one of the most beautiful locations of the Valencian Community.
Opportunity. Reduced price. Rimontgó guarantees that this property
features an extremely good price in its competitive market set. For more
information visit our Best opportunities section where you will find an
assortment of the very best buying opportunities in rimontgo.com.
Exclusive villa facing the golf in El Bosque, Valencia. Combination of modern
and Mediterranean style, bright with a large plot, garden and private pool.
Facing the prestigious golf course El Bosque, set on a plot of more than 1,200m2
with a well-established garden and a large swimming pool. The outdoor design
is Mediterranean with Ibiza-style touches and the indoor area benefits from a
modern design also combined with Mediterranean classic details.
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
13

COSTA BLANCA NORTH
BUYING IN SPAIN?
from our Extensive Northern Costa Blanca North Portfolio
we’ll get you moving...
Moraira 275,000 €
Villa
Ref: HO473758
Altea 175,000 €
Apartment Ref: HO354096
Javea 1,095,000 €
Modern Villa Ref: HO232889
168m2
Build
828m 2
Plot
3 2
Bedrooms Bathrooms
Private
Pool
85m2
Build
NA
Plot
2 2 Community
Bedrooms Bathrooms Pool
374m2
Build
1000m 2
Plot
3 3
Bedrooms Bathrooms
Private
Pool
Denia 179,999 €
Apartment Ref: HO593564
Jalon 159,000 €
Townhouse Ref: HO121316
Calpe 575,000 €
Villa
Ref: HO350095
105m2
Build
NA
Plot
3 2 Community
Bedrooms Bathrooms Pool
165m2
Build
NA
Plot
3 2
Bedrooms Bathrooms
350m2
Build
1600m 2
Plot
6 5
Bedrooms Bathrooms
Private
Pool
Moraira • Javea • Jalon • Calpe • Denia
With 5 office located strategically throughout the
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(+34) 96 649 1883
moraira@moraira-hamiltons.net
www.moraira-hamiltons.net
14 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

@
@
@
+34 96 5744179 Avenida Madrid, 03724 Moraira
info@tabairarealestate.com
www.tabairarealestate.com
CUMBRE DEL SOL 109.500€
MORAIRA 699.000€
3
m 2 m 2
m 2
m 2
2 1
320m 2 845m 2 4 2 Pool
m 2 m 2
m 2
m 2 m 2
86m 2 Terrace Pool
Ref: 30.332E
m 2
Ref: 20.3314E
BENISSA 235.000€
BENISSA COSTA 550.000€
m 2
137m 2 Terrace Pool
m 2
3 2
m 2 m 2
Ref: 10.268E
MORAIRA 600.000€
m 2
m 2 Ref: 20.3177E
203m 2 704m 2 3 3 Pool
m 2
m 2 m 2
m 2
JAVEA 1.250.000€
m 2
178m 2 897m 2 Pool
m 2
3 2
m 2 m 2
Ref: 20.3277E
m 2
m 2 Ref: 70.427
393m 2 1.000m 2 3 2 Pool
m 2
m 2 m 2
m 2
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
15

FEATURED
PROPERTY
016 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

HIGH QUALITY
FINCA IN MORAIRA,
COSTA BLANCA
This stunning country house in Moraira boasts an open
feel plot with a gorgeous pool area and traditional
exterior architecture with stunning modern interiors.
@
@
@
+34 96 5744179
info@tabairarealestate.com
www.tabairarealestate.com
• Bedrooms: 4
• Bathrooms: 3
• constructed: 425m2
• Plot: 6.000m2
• Pool
• Central heating
• Close to the sea
• Close to town
• Open views
• Garage
• Parking - covered
• Close to the beach
• Parking
• Exterior shower
• Garden
• Landscaped gardens
• Kitchen appliances
• Built-in wardrobes
• Heating
• Laundry room
• Barbecue
• Covered terrace
• Enclosed garden
750,000€
m 2 Ref: 20.3178
425m 2
6,000m 2 4 3 Pool
m 2
m 2 m 2
m 2
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
017

COSTA
LANCA
18 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM
Named ‘the White Coast’ for its
cliffs and beaches, the Costa
Blanca is a world of sand-toned
hues contrasting with the azure-blue of
the Mediterranean and the generally
deep blue of its skies. This is essential
Mediterranea, a region imbued by this
ancient sea and its cultures.
Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Moors
and Franks, they were all here, moulding
today with the indigenous population
with a culture that is Spanish, but also
has its own distinct identity. Spanish is the
main language, with English, German,
Dutch and French also frequently
heard, but the other official language is
Valenciano, which can be considered
to be a derivative of Catalan and also
closely related to the local vernaculars of
the Balearic Islands.
As a tourist and residential region, the
200 kilometres of the Costa Blanca
can be divided into a northern and a
southern section, which border Valencia’s
Costa del Azahar and the Costa Cálida
respectively. Though the regional capital
of Valencia – a jewel of a city, and
second only to Madrid and Barcelona
within Spain – is about an hour’s drive
away, the nearest point of reference is
the Mediterranean port of Alicante, itself
a popular tourist destination.
COSTA BLANCA SOUTH
Moving up along the coast from the

SOUTH
Alicante
marina
Costa Cálida, the Southern Costa Blanca is
characterised by beachside resorts such as the
chilled atmosphere of La Zenia, the amenities of
Torrevieja – one of the icons of this coastline – and
the smaller but equally popular Guardamar del
Segura. This is a mostly sandy shoreline perfect for
tourism but it offers a diversity of resorts, including
the small-scale innocence of El Pinet la Marina, at
the entrance to a large area of marshes.
At its north end, in Bras del Port, high quality salt is
produced close to the famous resort town of Santa
Pola. Rounding the coast, one reaches the final
part of the southern Costa Blanca, as it approaches
the city of Alicante, which marks the dividing line.
Here Monte Faro is a pretty coastal town set amid
spectacular cliffs, and though Arenals del Sol and
Urbanova are a little bigger, they too invoke a sense
of endless beaches and classic summer holidays.
Elche
Rojales
Orihuela
Villa Martin
Alicante
Santa Pola
Guardamar
de Segura
Torrevieja
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
Denia
Ja
Benissa Mo
Altea Calpe
Albir
Benidorm
Villa Joyosa
19

20 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

of property types, lifestyle amenities, characteristics and
price levels.
PROPERTY MARKET
Just as their scenery and character varies, so do the
property markets of the northern and southern Costa
Blanca. You will, for instance, find a greater emphasis on
beachside apartments in the south and villa suburb or
golf country club villas in the north, though naturally both
can be found across the region. Apartments start at just
below €100.000, and it is possible to own a townhouse
or bungalow from around €150.000 onwards, as well as
spacious private homes from little over €200.000. The
southern Costa Blanca offers classic coastal Spain at
highly attractive prices, and the cost of living is also a little
lower than further up north.
Modern apartments are already available from little over
€125.000 and newly built or off-plan bungalow houses and
townhouses from around €160.000, underpinning the fact
that this well-established destination is very accessible,
and more so than the somewhat more luxurious and
smaller-scaled towns and resort of the northern Costa
Blanca. From Villajoyosa upwards, apartments start more
typically at €150.000 but can surpass the €1 million mark
in the case of the most luxurious penthouses. Townhouses
and bungalows also typically range upwards from
€200.000 and villas from €300.000.
Each of these regions has its own buying public, as is also
the case for the inland hinterland of the Costa Blanca,
and where the southern region appeals greatly to
families and retirees, the northern area is popular with the
kind of buying public also seen in the Balearic Islands and
the Costa del Sol. Here, the importance of beaches and
Spanish charm is shared with golf, yachting, fine dining,
wellness retreats and similar five-star amenities, and it
finds itself reflected in exclusive residential areas lined
with luxurious modern and existing Mediterranean style
villas, and beachfront penthouse apartments.
In terms of real estate as well as landscape, ambience
and lifestyle amenities, the Costa Blanca is a coast of two
parts.
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
21

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We speak:
Office: +34 965 020 204 UK: 01273 900966 Email: info@welcome-estates.com Web: www.welcome-estates.com
LA FINCA Ref: 658154 474,000€
11 modern villas which are over three levels and are the only purpose-built 4 -bedroom villas on the whole of La Finca golf resort. The landscaped gardens, breathtaking views across the golf course,
8 x 4 private pool, and 3 bathrooms are just some of the features this fantastic property opportunity offers and is part of Welcome Estates Premier Collection. Located only a short walk to the local
restaurants, bars, and shops on La Finca and the well establish five-star La Finca Hotel and Spa resort.
Internal build size of 150m2 * Plot size from 317m2 up to 620m2 * Basement 61m2 * Terrace 59m2 * Ducted air-conditioning * White goods included * Completion time June 2022
LA FINCA
REF: 410488
Beautiful detached Canela
style villa situated within the
golf resort and has a frontline
position with stunning
views over the 7th fairway.
The villa comprises of 3
bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
with a private pool. Build size
of 118 m2 and sits on a plot
of 400 m2
339,950€
GUARDAMAR DEL SEGURA
REF: 658081
Modern new-build 3 bed &
3-bathroom townhouse situated
just a short walk away from
the beach and close to local
amenities. A large open plan
design living area, and spacious
rooms with a private garage. The
complex itself flows really well,
plus there is a communal garden
and pool to relax any time of the
year. Build size of 126 m2
219,000€
LA FINCA
REF: 658229
24 beautiful apartments, 2
bedrooms and 2 bathrooms,
fully air-conditioned with private
garden or solarium and communal
pool. Located within the Grecia
Residential Complex on the wellknown
La Finca Golf Resort, Algorfa.
These apartments are a new release
and benefit from a modern open
plan approach, providing you with a
unique way of living.
169,000€
ALGORFA
REF: 410477
Great opportunity 2 bedroom
apartment situated within the
gated community of the Fontana 3
complex. Well designed and high
standard with modern kitchen, utility
room, south facing with a covered
terrace and a communal pool. Also
with underground car parking and
is located about a 5-minute walk
to all the local amenities, such as
restaurants, shops, and bars.
87,000€
CIUDAD QUESADA
REF: 658184
New build key ready
apartment in a prime location,
2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.
Ground floor apartment with
glass sliding doors that take
you out to the terrace and
garden, which overlooks the
central community area and
pool. Close to all amenities.
Build Sizes from 79m2
upwards
189,000€
LOS ALTOS
REF: 410490
Stunning modern ground floor
apartment, 2 bedrooms and 2
bathrooms with private pool,
located in Los Altos, in the
Orihuela Costa area, close to
local amenities. South facing,
air-conditioned with an open plan
living space. The build size of
approximately 70m2 and has an
outside area of 70m2 at the front
plus a small back terrace of 15m2.
129,950€
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
23

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH
THE CASAS
MANUEL
FAMILY
Benefiting from two strategically
placed sales offices in Benijófar (Sales
office, and a dedicated aftersales
office) and La Zenia, Casas Manuel is a
professional, family-run company which
has been selling property throughout the
Costa Blanca since 2001 offering both
buyer and seller an exceptional strength
of service.
Since 2001, our reliable and professional
approach to business has created for
us many strong relationships throughout
Spain, UK, Belgium, France, Iceland,
Sweden, Russia, Norway, Czech Republic
and Holland. We pride ourselves on our
very personal and professional service that
we deliver to ALL clients.
As shown by our Testimonials page
– Trust is earned though our collective
Honesty, Hard Work, Transparency,
Knowledge and Ethics.
Our reputation for Values such as
these has enabled us to provide serious
property buyers the benefit of always
Whether you are buying
or selling, our approach to
business is simple - To provide
the best service possible to
every client we meet.
having a wide variety of well-priced
properties to offer for sale on the Costa
Blanca South. So, whatever budget range
stipulated… whether from small beachside
apartments, semi-coastal townhouses,
traditional Fincas, right through to luxury
villas – we will help you!
When you consult our specialist advisors
you will find we take your requirements
very seriously indeed and because we
listen to you we apply our extensive
knowledge and capacity within Casas
Manuel to diligently find you the perfect
property in your ideal location.
In simple: Our team is here to make your
Spanish buying process as easy as possible
and will be assisting you through every
step of the buying process...
If you are looking for something that we
do not have in our portfolio then not to
worry, you simply tell us what it is you want,
and our team of dedicated agents will
find it for you.
In 2016 Casas Manuel were honoured
to take part in a new Channel 4 property
series “Sun, Sea and Selling Houses”. The
success of the 1st show resulted in the
series being re-commissioned by channel
4 and was followed up by a further three
series!
FEATURED PROPERTY
FEATURED PROPERTY
Benijófar
Stunning new build villas on the
outskirts of the popular village of
Benijofar. These villas are built over
two floors boasting a open plan
living/dining area on the ground
floor along with a shower room.
The first floor holds the two double
bedrooms along with a family
bathroom along with a roof top
solarium.
24 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM
€224,900 Cabo Roig
KEY FEATURES
• Beds: 2
• Baths: 2
• Plot size: 134m2
• Build size: 90m2
• Pool: Private
• Parking: Off-road
• Full furnished
Ref CM6810
New Build Villas located in Lomas de
Cabo Roig, within walking distance
to all the local amenities that Lomas
de Cabo Roig has to offer. The
properties offer 3 double bedrooms,
3 bathrooms, spacious living and
dining area with an American style
kitchen. The property is sat on a
spacious plot which has a private
swimming pool, plus a roof solarium.
€349,900
KEY FEATURES
• Beds: 3
• Baths: 3
• Plot size: 199m2
• Build size: 131m2
• Pool: Private
• Parking: Off-road
Ref CM7870

Benijofar
Av. Federico Garcia
Lorca, 15, Benijofar,
03178, Alicante
+34 966 714 719
La Zenia
C. Maestro Torralba, 2
La Zenia,
03189
+34 966 714 719
FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA 265.000€
LOS ALTOS 139,750€
110m 2
m 2
603m 2
m 2 Pool
m 2
m 2
m 2
3 2 Pool 66m 2 Parking 2 2
m 2 m 2 m 2 m 2
m 2
Ref: CM7747
Ref: CM7872
EL CHAPARRAL 49,950€ VILLAMARTIN 145,000€
m 2
41m 2 Parking Pool
m 2
1 1
m 2 m 2
Ref: CM7851
DAYA VIEJA 124,999€
m 2
m 2
105m 2 140m 2 3 2 Pool
Ref: CM7479
m 2
m 2 m 2
m 2
CABO ROIG 88,000€
m 2
90m 2 133m 2 Pool
m 2
3 2
m 2 m 2
Ref: CM7868
@ info@casasmanuel.com @
m 2
m 2
71m 2 Parking 2 1 Pool
Ref: CM7422
m 2
m 2 m 2
m 2
www.casasmanuel.com
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
25

OSTA C
Less famous by name than some of Spain’s other costas, the
Costa Cálida extends from the Costa Blanca southwards to
the border of Almería province, covering a 250-kilometre
stretch of shoreline within the province of Murcia.
It’s a classic Mediterranean region of blue seas, rocky cliffs,
secluded bays and coves, and golden beaches dotted
with holiday resorts and traditional fishing towns. As its name
indicates, this is a warm coast, with warm summers and very
comfortable winters, and as rainfall is low the region also
offers a healthy climate to visitors and residents, making it
much-loved with families and especially retired tourists and
homebuyers from northern countries.
Formerly – and still – a rural area sprinkled with little country
towns, this is now a major holiday and retirement destination
that is marked by two distinct areas:
MAR MENOR
At its northernmost point, in El Mojón, the Costa Cálida
touches the Costa Blanca. South from here is the Parque
Regional de Las Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar, a
coastal marshland protectorate named for the nearby town
of San Pedro del Pinatar. The centre of town is surrounded by
extensive residential and holiday resorts in suburbs such as
Las Esperanzas, Los Imbernones, El Salero, Las Pachecas, Los
Antolinos, Las Beatas, Los Sáez, Lo Pagán, Molino del Chirrete
and Los Cuarteros, which front the main feature of this part of
the Costa Cálida: the Mar Menor.
Where the more inland resorts offer residential golf living
complete with extensive on-site amenities and leisure facilities,
the beachside area that extends southwards towards
Santiago de la Ribera and fronts the western shoreline of the
Mar Menor up to a military airbase provides a more classic
beachside ambience. Though this is not the Mediterranean
but a saltwater lagoon – at 170km2 Europe’s largest – known
for its warm, shallow waters and delicious sweet fish. The lower
section is dotted with smaller resorts and towns such as La
Roda, Playa de Los Narejos, Los Alcázares, Bahía Bella, Punta
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ALIDA
San Javier
Murcia
Santiago de
la Ribera
La Manga
La Azohia
Cartegena
Mazarron Isla Plana
Aguilas
Brava, Los Urrutias, Estrella De Mar, Los Nietos and Mar de
Cristal.
LA MANGA
The saltwater lagoon conditions of the wonderful Mar
Menor are created by a dry climate and the 22-kilometere
long sand bar that extends from the protected Playas de
La Llana down to the La Manga resort at its southern end,
where the land spit joins the mainland at Cabo Palos and
Playa Honda. Among the famous golf courses in this area
are the Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort, Hacienda del
Alamo, El Valle and of course La Manga itself.
COASTLINE
If the northern areas surrounding the Mar Menor are where
most of the tourist and residential resorts are located,
then the coastline of rocky cliffs and bays extending from
La Manga down to Aguilas is rather more natural and
authentic. Here you will find a succession of fishing towns
such as
Puerto de Mazarrón and natural coastal reserves – as well as
the historic port of Cartagena, a cultural gem first founded
by Carthaginian traders more than 2000 years ago.
In the later years of Franco’s rule, a US aeroplane
accidently dropped bombs during naval exercises not far
from the coast. It sparked a massive ‘search and rescue’
operation on the part of the American forces, who much to
their embarrassment could not locate the errant devices.
Fortunately, some locals managed to do just that several
weeks later, and the potentially dangerous of equipment
was returned to its red-faced owners. Ever since, the Costa
Cálida has become not only one of the favourite tourist
destinations in Europe, but thanks to its climate, scenery
and good value for money, also a popular focus for yearround
residence and retirement.
The beach at
Mazarron
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
27

Costa Cálida
Market Review
Known as the ‘warm coast’,
the Costa Cálida extends over
250 kilometres of dramatically
changing shoreline within the
province of Murcia. Thanks
to its scenery, amenities
and healthy climate, it has
become one of the most
popular places to live and
own a property.
The Costa Cálida is sometimes mistaken for the Costa
Blanca, which in truth begins just after Murcia’s most
northerly coastal resort town, San Pedro del Pinatar.
Few of Spain’s littoral regions and holiday destinations
can boast such variety of scenery as the Costa Cálida,
and this, coupled with its dry, healthy climate and
extensive leisure facilities makes it one of the most
in-demand places to visit and live among foreign
homebuyers.
If the dream of owning a summer home on Spanish soil
first began in locations such as the Costa Brava and
the Balearic Islands, and later spread to the likes of the
Canaries, the Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol, then
the Costa Cálida is a relatively newer but already very
well-established destination in its own right, with a broad
offer of inland and seaside locations to choose from – a
factor that is given added depth by the scenic diversity
of this fascinating region.
VARIETY OF CHOICE
In a region where you’re never more than half an hour’s
drive from two international airports and can similarly
choose from the cultural attractions of historic cities such
as the regional capital of Murcia and the ancient port
city of Cartagena, variety is the name of the game. The
most famous of the many golf courses are Hacienda
Riquelme Golf Resort, El Valle, Hacienda del Alamo and
the famous La Manga Club, which enjoy one of the
longest playing seasons in Europe.
The same is true of a summer beach season that offers
28 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

a wide variety of settings and resort towns, not to mention
one of the most unique features in Europe – the 170km2
Mar Menor, a saltwater lagoon whose relatively shallow
waters are ideal for water sports. Another stunning natural
phenomenon in the area is the 22-kilometre long La
Manga sandbar, which divides the Mar Menor from the
Mediterranean Sea, while the southern Costa Cálida is
marked by dramatic coves.
PROPERTY MARKET
If you choose to own a holiday home or live in the
Costa Cálida year-round, choice once again becomes
a notable factor, as there is the option of buying in a
Spanish town or village, a coastal resort, a golf country
club or also smaller purpose-built communities, many of
which are gated and offer amenities such as restaurants,
cafes, sports clubs and shops. The most popular of these
are Tore-Pacheco, Los Alcazares, Villamartin, San Pedro
del Pinatar, Roda, Sucina, Fuente Alamo, Corvera and La
Palma.
Here, and elsewhere, you will find apartments ranging
from €75.000 upwards, townhouses and bungalows from
under €100.000 upwards and private villas from as little
as €200.000. Some require a little renovation, while others
are perfectly maintained, and there are also newly-built
modern projects from as little as €120.000 to multi-million
modern mansions. The combination of sun, setting and
value for money ensures the Costa Cálida remains a
popular destination with strong demand for its lifestyle and
properties.
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
29

LEGAL ADVICE
Living in Spain
If you intend to live in Spain for more than 90 days
in every 180 days then as you may already knowthe
rules for non EU citizens have changed since
January 31st 2001.
We all love the weather in Spain the wonderful
beaches and most of all the outdoors and lifestyle
that is on the wish list for most UK citizens especially
those who plan to retire.
Therefore if you intend to spend any considerable
amount of time in Spain and if you want to remain
longer then 90 days in every six month period then
it is required to apply for your Spanish non-lucrative
visa. This must be done form you home country by
application to the Spanish consul. It is also advisable
to apply for an NIE number for things like opening
a bank account, registeration of a Spansih mobile
phome and also to buy a car. Infact the Spanish
NIE number is used for most things so even if you
intend to stay for shorter periods but live in Spain
part time you will find that life without a NIE is almost
impossible.
For both the NIE number and the Spansih residency
visa (non-lucrative visa) you will need to fill in forms
in Spanish, also you will need to present the required
documents, some of the documents would need to be
translated and certified together with your passport,
utility bills and bank statements all with multiple
copies.
This process can be discouraging for those who
are considering a move to Spain, and expectadly
difficulties with the language, as well as which
documents to produce. Legal advice and support
is recommended to the simplify the process and
lead the way to a straight forward and stress free
application process. The timing which is most
important for those people wanting to buy a property
at the same time as selling a property and then move
to Spain as there are time restrictions on visas once
granted and necessary to apply for the residency TIE
card.
30 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM

The
Spanish
power of
attorney
THERE IS AN EASIER WAY!
By Michel Cruz
Legal Services in Spain has produced a simple easy to follow guide
under their website https://www.getspanishresidency.com/
You can apply for your Spanish residency online or simply
arrange a free no obligation 30 minute telephone consultation,
that will save you time and headaches. Legal services in Spain will
help you every step of the way to becoming a resident in Spain.
· Assurance of the correct paperwork completed prior to visiting
the authorities
· An appointment made for you at a mutually convenient time at
the Police station and the Health centre
· Support of English speaking legal professionals on hand to
answer any questions you may have and provide the advice you
will need
· Assistance to find insurance companies for you to choose the
health insurance package that best suits your needs
· Help with your health insurance agent to ensure all documents
are issued correctly prior to presentation to the Spanish
authorities.
In Spain the power of attorney is known
as poder notarial the document must be
drawn in front of a public notary and it
must clearly stipulate the types of activities
that are granted to another person who can
be a family member or a Spanish abogado
(lawyer).
To grant someone the power to act on
your behalf must be carefully considered as
well as the powers you are granting to that
person.
These powers are usually used when
overseas property buyers instruct a lawyer
to act for them. Simple actions such as
opening a bank account and registering for a
NIE number are amongst the common uses,
they would normally include the power to sign
deeds on your behalf to buy, sell or inherit
property, or to issue legal proceedings.
A power of attorney is a powerful document
which authorises the appointed attorneys,
and must be only be used for trusted people,
to carry out wide ranging powers on your
behalf.
In Spain we have general powers of
attorney and special powers of attorney. A
general power of attorney is by its nature
wide ranging with general powers to carry
out a number of tasks. A special power of
attorney is used for a specific purpose, for
example to issue legal proceedings or to
incorporate a company.
If you want to get further advice and
consultation with a lawyer contact Alex
Radford legal abogado in Spain.
Sponsored by
a.radford@legalservicesinspain.com
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
31

Spain – Europe’s sports
and leisure paradise
With excellent natural and manmade
facilities and a warm climate with over 300
days of sun in many parts, Spain is the ideal
country for a sporty, outdoor way of life.
32 l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM
From the Mediterranean shoreline to the Balearic and
Canary Islands all the way up to Madrid and beyond,
the greater part of Spain’s territory is warm and sunny
enough to make a healthy outdoor lifestyle possible. Warm
and lacking the high levels of humidity prevalent in many
other parts of Europe and the world, it is a place where sun,
sea, skies and scenes of greenery draw you out and make
you feel active. This outdoor way of life manifests itself on
the social level, where café society and al fresco dining
are popular, but also in one of the highest per capita levels
of participation in swimming, water sports, tennis, golf,
cycling, jogging, beach yoga and hiking – just a few of the
activities these region is known for.
GOLF
Any discussion of active sports in Spain cannot miss
golf, as with over 70 fantastic courses the Costa del Sol
alone is regarded as the ‘Costa del Golf’ – or, the largest
concentration of the sport in Europe, and indeed one
of the greatest in the world. Hundreds of thousands of
golfers enjoy the game’s longest playing season in Europe
under Spanish skies here and in other locations such as
Tenerife, Mallorca, the Costa Cálida, Costa Blanca, Valencia,
Madrid and Catalunya, to name just a few. Perhaps the
most famous of all is Valderrama in the beautiful upmarket
resort of Sotogrande, which hosted the legendary 1997
Ryder Cup.
TENNIS AND…
Racquet clubs have been popular in Spain ever since
people first began visiting its sunny shores, in locations
such as Marbella, Mallorca, Ibiza, Denia and Roquetas.
The likes of Bjorn Borg have managed tennis clubs here
and encouraged a growing number of top international
tournaments, all of which have resulted in a strong crop of
local stars – and while you enjoy a game in one of the many
great clubs you may also be tempted to try out that other

popular racket sport that Spain is famous for – Paddle Tennis.
It can be described as roughly a mix of tennis and squash, is
easy to learn, play in doubles and an excellent way to socialise
and stay fit at the same time.
WATER SPORTS
With temperatures especially in summer driving many to the
sea and swimming pools, water sports are naturally a popular
diversion along Spain’s long coastline. They vary from sailing
and power-boating to jetski, parasailing, waterski, snorkelling
and scuba diving, as well as paddle boarding, surfing and
kite-surfing, the latter in Europe surf capital, Tarifa. Situated
an hour west of Marbella, this quirky resort town with the
ancient roots occupies a gorgeous stretch of coast with a
uniquely attractive form of hippy chic, while the country’s
many excellent marinas offer shopping, dining and nightlife as
well as professional yacht harbour facilities.
CYCLING
If you follow the Tour de France or Vuelta a España you
will have noticed that Spain is one of the leading countries
in the sport, a fact that isn’t surprising when you realise just
how many enthusiasts take to the roads on a daily basis. It’s
a fantastic way to stay fit in the outdoors, and Spain offers
a great many scenic routes depending on your preference
for mountain biking, cross-country or road cycling. There are
even professional velodromes in some of the large cities, but
most sports cyclists follow roads into the hills, forests and
along scenic coastal routes – either enjoying the solitude of
the experience, heading out with family and friends, or as part
of large pelotons of enthusiasts.
FROM SURF TO SKI
If surfing is your thing in the summer, then there’s a chance
you enjoy skiing and/or snowboarding too. Within a threehour
ride of surfing capital Tarifa are the ski slopes of the
Sierra Nevada, which not only enjoys excellent facilities and
runs but also one of the longest winter sports seasons in
Europe – running in a good year from November right through
to May. Not only that, but you’ll love the scenery, the bustling
atmosphere and also wonderfully ambient retreats that offer
luxury accommodation, fine dining and spa facilities.
HIKING
Few countries offer such a strong combination of hiking
and walking trails, scenic landscapes and attractive climate.
Summer is more of a time for leisurely coastal or forest walks
and evening strolls, but for the rest of the year the climate
encourages you to get out and explore anything from parks
and city walks to more exerting hikes through forests, fields
and mountains. From strolling along scenic coastal pathways
to scaling mountains, or for that matter watching top
international stars at tennis championships or the Spanish
football league, there are few places that offer such a variety
of first-class sports experiences as Spain.
FIND YOUR PERFECT HOME WITH US -
multilingual property experts for 25 years on the Costa
Email:
Web:
info@welcome-estates.com
www.welcome-estates.com
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
33

ALMERIA
COSTA
It seems most Spanish costas are around 200
kilometres long, and the Costa de Almería is
exception, measuring 217 kilometres in length. In
essence, it is a continuation of the dry, warm, rugged
terrain of the Costa Cálida, but as you head south
towards the Cabo de Gata nature reserve the
landscape becomes increasingly ‘Martian’.
The sleepy little resort community of San Juan de los
Terreros marks the northern edge. At Pozo del Esparto
there is a delicious sense beachside seclusion in the
midst of a perhaps more lunar landscape, sure to
delight nature lovers. This part of the coast is made
for people yearning to get away from the madding
crowd, and even at the little marina and resort of
Villaricos there is no sense of a major high-rise town.
It was in nearby Palomares that locals discovered
missing bombs that the US Navy had waylaid but
had not been able to relocate, despite large-scale
searches.
A NATURAL AND NUDIST PARADISE
This open-spaced, thinly populated coastline has
attracted such a concentration of nudists that a
resort dedicated to this kind of tourism sprang up in
Vera, where the Playas de Vera is now one of the
largest nudist resort areas in the world. Residents
of the nearby inland town of Vera are not always
pleased with the epithet, but it has put this part of the
coast on the map and creates many jobs in the area.
Just south of here are the resorts of Puerto Rey
and Las Marinas, which are marked by low-rise
development, Further along, at the marina resort
town of Garrucha, this culminates in a bit more of
a town feeling, complete with larger buildings and
a historic centre. One of the highlights of the Costa
de Almería is Mojácar, which is curiously divided into
the original hillside town – a pretty collection of whiteplastered
houses – and the charming beachside
resort of Mojácar Playa.
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View over
Almeria
Here too, the quaint Mediterranean ambience has been
remarkably well maintained. Some more small resorts
follow, before one enters a vast space of protected open
coastal scenery en route to Carboneras, another pretty
Andalusian style beachside resort village. At Aqura de
Emedio, midway between Carboneras and Mojácar, the
dramatic white cliffs and grey-white beaches stand out
against a world of blue skies and water.
It continues this way almost all the way to Almería city,
marking this as one of the most rugged, secluded and
natural of costas in all of Spain. For those who lament the
authenticity of earlier years, before tourism became so
large-scaled, the Costa de Almería is the perfect answer.
Dazzling the eye and the senses with its roughhewn beauty,
this is a place of small, intimate coastal resort and fishing
towns, where you can sip a cold beer at a bohemian
beach car or enjoy fresh fish to the uninterrupted sound of
the waves. Not for everyone, but paradise who those who
enjoy peace and natural pleasures.
Almeria
Aguadulce Retamar
Belerma Cabo de
Adra
Gata
Almerimar
Villaricos
Vera
Garrucha
Mojacar
Agua Amarga
Las Negras
San Jose
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
35

Costa de Almería
Market Review
Situated in the south-eastern
part of Spain between the Costa
Cálida in the region of Murcia and
the Costa Tropical in Andalucía’s
Granada Province, the Costa
de Almería extends over 200
kilometres of coastline and some
of the sunniest climes in Europe.
Like the Costa Cálida, the Costa de Almería
is a relatively newer tourist and residential
destination when compared with older ones such
as Mallorca, Ibiza, the Costa Brava and the Costa
del Sol. Like its northern neighbour in the region of
Murcía, though, the warm, sunny and dry climate of
coastal Almería have made it a favourite in its own
right. One important distinction with most of the other
costas, however, is the fact that this coastal stretch
is less built up and therefore more natural and more
authentically Spanish – a key factor for many who
decide to visit and buy properties here.
Beside the space, healthy climate and authenticity
of this region, people are also drawn by the value
for money it offers, as both holidays and properties
are cheaper than in locations such as the Costa del
Sol, the Costa Brava, the Balearic Islands, the Costa
Tropical and also the Costa Blanca. More comparable
in price to the Costa Cálida, the Costa de Almería
provides an offering that is sufficiently different to
give it a distinct character and appeal – one marked
by expanses of unspoiled, rugged nature, traditional
Andalusian villages and towns, and small resort
towns.
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SPACE AND NATIONAL PARKS
The most popular resort towns and destinations for
foreign homebuyers are Mojácar and Vera on the eastern
side, and Almerimar and Roquetas de Mar on the southern
coast. Set between them is the provincial capital of
Almería and a series of national parks and reserves such
as Cabo de Gata-Nijar and Punta Entinas-Sabinar. Here
you will find an almost lunar landscape of rocks and sand
in places, dry but strikingly beautiful in its raw, rugged
impact.
Long, sandy beaches and private coves with crystalline
water make it a much sought-after area among visitors
who love open spaces. At Vera, a specialised tourist
segment catering to naturists has grown up, while
Roquetas de Mar and Almerimar offer classic beachside
resort pleasures coupled with water sports and golf.
Where the latter are especially popular among Spanish
tourists and second home buyers, the delightful village of
Mojácar has become a favourite of British, German and
other Northern European visitors and residents.
PROPERTY MARKET
For foreigners, therefore, the area around Mojácar is
therefore the hub for property buying. Some has settled in
mountain and fishing villages where rustic homes can be
snapped up for under €50.000 and fixed up, but Mojácar
remains the main focus and consists of a pretty white
mountain village set upon a prominent hill overlooking the
sea, and a more recent beachside resort called Mojacar
Playa.
Attractive apartments can be found here from under
€100.000 upwards, townhouses from little more and
smaller bungalow villas from as little as €150.000. Larger
villas start at €250.000 and can surpass €1 million, while
there are also modern new-build apartments and semidetached
homes for sale from €100.000 and €200.000
respectively, with contemporary villas starting at around
€300.000. Similar figures apply to Vera Playa and smaller
coastal resort areas such as Turre and Villaricos, as well
as Roquetas de Mar, and it is this accessibility along with
its natural appeal that marks the Costa de Almería out as
a vibrant sub-market within the Spanish costas, ensuring
it a gradual growing following of visitors, homeowners and
residents who seek space, nature and warm climes at
affordable prices.
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LEGAL ADVICE
Buying a
property
in Spain
THE PROCESS
In Spain the buying process has been simplified to become
easier and quicker since it was known to be complicated and
lengthy, now the sale or purchase of a home in Spain has not
only become easier, but also quicker.
The dual system involved joint documentation, the Land Registry
with a written description of a property while the Cadastre had
graphic representation in the form of a map or plan. There were
sometimes errors where the two did not match, this led to legal
disputes regarding boundaries. The Cadastre was not routinely
cross-referenced with the Land Registry, details that showed
alterations and extensions built that would not necessarily appear
on the Cadastre, again leading to legal complications.
The Spanish government took action to update the
conveyancing process and ensure the two registries were
consistent when describing a property. Amongst the changes is
the requirement that Land Registry descriptions must include a
‘graphic representation’ of the property in the form of a copy of the
map or plan held by the Cadastre.
This will ensure buyers know exactly what they are purchasing
and the Cadastre will have to make note of any alterations to
a building marked on the Land Registry records, and the two
institutions will also have to use the same reference code for each
property in order to avoid confusion and make the comparison of
data between the bodies easier.
Government officials estimate it will avoid the need for
some 22,000 personal declarations a year, saving €1.8million.
More importantly, it will provide greater security, clarity and
transparency for people buying a property, and should speed up
the process greatly.
THE STEPS
PLANNING
· Review your desire and essential
requirements
· Set your budget
· Choose the location/s
· Arrange the finance
· Allow for additional costs
· Arrange legal representative
· Plan your travel date
· Arrange viewings
· Research getting to know the
areas of your choice
Contact aradford@mylawyerinspain.com
www.mylawyerinspain.com
l SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM
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ACTION
· Get your NIE - Spanish tax
identification
· Open a Spanish bank account
· Agent’s property brief and
information pack
· Viewings
· Make an offer
· Negotiations
· Pay a reservation deposit
THE NEXT STEPS
· Review of property details
· Survey – Advice
· Legal documentation - Planning
checks – Land Registry Checks
· Draft of the reservation agreement
· Review any conditions
· Fixtures and fittings inventory
· Signing of the pre-purchase
contract
· Pay the deposit 10% of the
purchase price less any
reservation deposit
FINAL STEPS
· Establishment of liquidation
settlement including taxes
· The resolution of mortgage/loan
· The Notary Sign the deeds
· Payment – banker’s draft
· Registration and transfer of
property documents and utility
supplies
· Key handover – once the title
deeds have been signed and final
payment made you receive the
keys to your new home.
POST COMPLETION
· Quality monitoring
· Agents support and advice
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COSTAEL SOL
Without doubt the Costa del Sol is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
Stretching from Almeria to Tarifa, it caters for all tastes, ages and nationalities; with such a
wide range of facilities and attractions, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Miles of sandy beaches, fantastic all year round warm climate and modern facilities keep tourists
flocking back year after year to resorts such as Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Marbella and
Estepona.
East of Malaga is less popular than west, but no less appealing, from Rincon de la Victoria, Torre del
Mar and Velez Malaga, to Nerja; the area combines beautiful coastline, with white- washed villages
and some of the most spectacular inland scenery of the Axarquía.
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Sunrise in
Nerja
History & Culture
The area’s history dates back to the Phoenicians
and has since been inhabited by Greeks, Romans
and Moors, all of whom have left their mark on the
architecture and culture of the region. The Costa
del Sol is as much steeped in culture as any other
region of Andalucia; from Picasso, to bullfighting,
flamenco to the colourful ferias, the region has an
immense cultural offering.
Malaga
Nerja
Marbella Mijas
Torrox
Torremolinos
Benalmadena
San Pedro Fuengirola
de Alcantara
Estepona
Gibraltar
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
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WHY ENGEL & VÖLKERS
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THE LUXURY OF BEING CLOSE TO ALL
AMENITIES
La Fuente has been inspired by four basic
concepts: Architectural beauty, location,
safety and privacy. The private community
offers a hassle-free lifestyle with a security
guard and concierge at the elegant entrance
for the safety and convenience of its
residents. All of the villas have a South-West
orientation, are situated on private plots
of different sizes and are surrounded by
mature trees and greenery. Each villa has a
private infinity pool and both, the gardens and
swimming pools are centrally maintained by
the community.
LUXURY LIVING IN THE BEST
LOCATION
The 15 four bedroom villas of approx. 500 m2
of interior space are uniquely designed for a
comfortable yet luxurious lifestyle. Wood and
stone elements throughout the villas, as well
as a fountain at the entrance convey a very
special flair and ambience to these modern
homes. There are three different villa types,
maintaining a consistency in design and
finishing, but provide a range of options in
terms of orientation, size, layout and details
that can be further customised to produce
unique homes that are a reflection of your
taste and preferred lifestyle.
The living area is seamlessly integrated with
the large outdoor terraces creating one large,
open-plan living space with a top quality,
minimalistic designed kitchen and a stone
wall with fireplace.
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MODERN HOUSES WITH A
BEAUTIFULE ANDALUSIAN FLAIR
towards the sea.
www.lafuentemarbella.com
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All of the different villa types are created
for a modern, luxurious yet functional
living experience with a thoughtful
space distribution. The bedroom suites
are designed to offer a personal domain
of comfort and peace, complete with
stunning bathrooms, dressing rooms
and terraces. The villas can also be
customised further to offer you exactly
what you wish for – be it a private gym,
spa, cinema and entertainment area. All
of the villas are equipped with a private
lift connecting each level of the property
and feature a rooftop solarium with
lovely views overlooking the community

@
@
info@marbella-estates.com
www.marbella-estates.com
MARBELLA 660.000€
SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA 2.485.000€
m 2 m 2 m 2 m 2
m 2
m 2
m 2 R3829483
110m 2 45m 2 2 2 Pool
NUEVA ANDALUCÍA 2.400.000€
m 2
m 2
286m 2 956m 2 4 4 Pool
m 2
R3628811
LOS FLAMINGOS 5,450,000€
m 2
m 2
m 2
m 2 R3601088
509m 2 163m 2 4 4 Pool
SIERRA BLANCA 6.950.000€
m 2
m 2
770m 2 1.571m 2 6 6 Pool
R3744535
m 2
m 2 m 2
m 2
PUERTO BANÚS 1,495.000€
m 2
m 2
m 2 R3451840
1073m 2 18.785m 2 10 10 Pool
m 2
m 2
m 2
167m 2 27m 2 2 2
m 2
m 2 m 2
R3693959
+34 952 904 244 • Urb. Monte Biarritz. Avenida Picos de Europa, nº8 29688 Estepona
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Andalusian
getaways
and
retreats
The enticing Andalusian interior, land of natural beauty
and cultural fascination, beckons just beyond the
coastal mountain ranges. Now, more than ever, this
region of endless vistas, ancient agricultural traditions, fine
food and open spaces appeals to those confined in urban
spaces.
Andalucía is a land of rocky peaks, wooded hills and green
valleys, where rivers cascade through the landscape creating
natural rock pools and marshy breeding grounds for thousands
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Hotel Hacienda San Rafael,
Jerez-Sevilla
Once a classic olive-growing estate, this iconic example of Andalusian
culture has been meticulously restored and converted into not so much a
hotel, as a privately-owned retreat in the rolling countryside between Sevilla
and Jerez de la Frontera. This is a land of ancient agricultural traditions
where the nearby Guadalquivir River saw Roman barges carry produce to
the far ends of the empire.
This location, so private and intimate but surrounded by countryside,
farmland and Andalusian villages, is an ideal point from which to explore the
region, from its beaches and mountain ranges to the nearby natural wetland
reserve of Doñana, one of the largest in Europe. But you’ll struggle to leave,
for this is a spot so beautiful you’ll want to linger and enjoy the tastefully
styled accommodation, the stylishly authentic décor, gorgeously prepared
meals enjoyed in inspiring outdoor setting, and the amenities that make this
a personal resort.
Seven acres of cared-for gardens combine with intimate terraces and
swimming pools, deluxe rooms and casitas, as well as a restaurant and
wine cellar to indulge in. All the modern comforts are of course in place,
but here you will reconnect with peace, refinement and the finest elements
of Andalucía. The retreat caters to romantic getaways and groups, as well
as offering an unforgettable spot for a wedding, complete with airport
collection, massage, yoga and personalised activities and excursions such
river cruises and balloon rides. The ultimate Andalusian experience.

Words by Michel Cruz
Photography by
A private mountain
retreat in Ronda
of visiting birds. It is a land of lakes, deserts, forests, pastures
and seas of wheat, vineyards, olive groves and orchards.
Andalucía is rich in nature and manmade heritage, and
when the two come together it creates an intoxicating mix
of ingredients that memories are made of. In other words,
venturing into the hinterland beyond the mountain ranges of
the Costa del Sol opens up a world of unforgettable getaways
and retreats that rank among the most romantic gems in all
of Europe. Here is a sample of some of the finest.
Set in the gorgeous green countryside near Ronda, this
five-star getaway offers the luxury and service of a resort
hotel combined with the privacy of a personal villa. Like a
landed estate, it stands in the midst of a gorgeous valley,
surrounded by imposing mountain peaks and views of the
verdant landscape of what has become one of the exciting
new winegrowing regions of Spain – at less than an hour
from Marbella yet far removed, in a world of natural beauty
and tranquillity.
It is here that the Ronda Mountain Resort caters to select
private groups with luxurious accommodation in the main
villa and private casita. The personal service offers a sense
of one-to-one concierge in a country retreat environment
where the facilities are at your disposal and the range of
activities and excursions tailor-made. From fine dining to
guided tours, helicopter service and group events, it’s a
touch of paradise right on our doorstep.
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El Carligto,
Málaga Hills
In the hills beyond Málaga there is a private domain that sprawls
elegantly across a manicured country garden. The terraces and
open air dining areas are intimate and inviting, the lawns and
pool decks appear to spill out into a valley full of views, while
the lush surrounding greenery provides a sense of privacy from
which to survey the mountain ranges and deep blue skies. This is
pure Andalucía, from the white-plastered walls of the estate and
vines overhanging perfect vantage points to the setting, climate
and abundance of fine food.
Just a short distance from Málaga and Marbella, El Carligto
offers the authentic ambience of a hunting lodge close to lakes,
hiking trails, forests and white mountain villages. It’s popular with
wedding parties, family groups and romantic couples, offering
the best of rustic delights in a valley of flowers and fragrant
herbs. For small and larger groups alike, it offers the kind of spot
in which to truly connect with Andalucía.
Casa Olea,
Córdoba
Venture a little further into the Andalusian countryside, a little over two
hours’ drive from Marbella, and you enter undulating scenery where a
sea of olive groves extends beyond the horizon flanked by wooded hills.
Once popular with game hunters, it is now a natural paradise within
short distance of the historic city of Córdoba. A working farm, Casa
Olea provides the Boutique B&B experience in the midst of natural,
rural Andalucía, where gentle sophistication meets the great outdoors.
Peace and open spaces rule, along with unadulterated relaxation or
high-octane mountain biking, hiking or related activities. The food, so
lovingly prepared, tastes better than you seem to remember possible,
as you enjoy pure, fresh produce in a convivial outdoor setting. For
those who wish to recharge their batteries – be it languidly or actively –
this wonderful getaway in olive country is the real thing.
Hotel La Bobadilla
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Casa La Siesta,
Vejer de la Frontera
This almost legendary luxury hotel with the feeling of a large
country estate ranks among the best resorts in Andalucía. A
little over an hour from Marbella, in the direction of Granada,
it occupies an entire valley near the little town of Loja. It has
famously welcomed celebrities and royalty, including guests
such as Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, and indeed, you do feel
rather special as you follow the long driveway to the impressive
forecourt, or better still, land at the private heliport.
The classic white-plastered hotel with Mediterranean lines
looks and feels like a rustic palace inside and out, surrounded by
flowing Andalusian terrain but offering the latest in cuisine, luxury
and amenities. This includes a dreamy spa where the health and
beauty treatments set the tone for fine dining, luxurious suites
and a very long list of possible activities tailored to your personal
taste. These can range from horse riding and quad biking through
the lovely surroundings to visiting nearby sites, lazing by the pool
or mountaineering.
Wedding parties come all the way from Japan to enjoy the
facilities, service and the private chapel, but this exquisite retreat
is also used for conferences and other events. However, it remains
best suited as one of the ultimate country retreats in Andalucía,
with service and restaurants in keeping with its standing as a
reference point of refinement between Málaga and Granada.
Tastefully restored and made into an inland resort not far
from the Atlantic beaches of the Costa de La Luz, Casa
La Siesta finds itself in the beautiful wooded environs
of Vejer de la Frontera, a white mountain village just
beyond the wetlands near the coastal village of Zahara
de los Atunes, famous for its tuna. The finest Japanese
restaurants send their chefs here to buy some of the
very best blue tuna available anywhere in the world, and
it shows in the cuisine available at the retreat.
Stylish, relaxed and exuding that effortless sense of
refinement, Casa La Siesta is both sophisticated and
natural. For romantic couples, groups, events and
weddings, it’s a spot that offers space, tranquillity,
service, fine amenities and beautiful surroundings –
celebrating the best in Andalucía’s natural and cultural
environment, cuisine and service while providing the
ultimate getaway experience right on your doorstep.
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Golden View I
Manilva - Málaga
From 355.000€
Life is built on small pleasures and intense sensations at GOLDEN VIEW I.
Golden View I is the first phase of a fabulous Residential Development by It
comprises 33 townhouses of 3 and 4 bedrooms and is located in Urbanización
de Bahía de Las Rocas en Manilva, on the Costa del Sol, Málaga.
What you can find at Golden View
At Golden View I you will enjoy the best and most spectacular sea views,
stretching to Gibraltar and the Moroccan coastline with the best orientation,
south and south west. The ideal setting to enjoy the authentic Mediterranean
lifestyle.
The homes have a total built area ranging from 139m2 to 145m2 with
basements of 59.40m2, terraces from 45m2 to 79m2, solarium of 46m2 and
private gardens. Private garages offer parking space for two cars and the
communal areas offer swimming pools, padel tennis court and children’s play
area.
www.tuscanygroup.es
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Soul Marbella Sunset
In Phase 01 of Soul Marbella you
have the choice of detached or semidetached
villas with 4 bedrooms
each with their own garden and
apartments with a garage. In the
case of the latter, you have a choice
of spectacular penthouses with a
private pool.
Exteriors
Soul Marbella has been conceived as
a global project in which every line
and every angle has been carefully
designed to achieve a well-balanced
effect.
The stunning plant life in the gardens,
as well as the water in the pools and
the rocks along the walls, provide a
natural touch that helps integrate the
whole complex into its surroundings.
Interiors
Soul Marbella makes the most of the
ever present Mediterranean light
which floods into every room through
the glass doors and windows, forming
an integral part of your new home.
E: soulmarbella@aedashomes.com
P: +34 951 560 281

ONE WAY SELF DRIVE
VAN HIRE
CHAUFFEUR SERVICE
PACKING MATERIALS & BOXES
LEGAL AND FULLY INSURED
Pets welcome
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SPAIN 965 794 682 UK 0208 090 4292

YOUR
FIRST
CLASS
TICKET
TO SPAIN
Spain implemented the Golden Visa
Scheme which actually it is called the
visa for investors, in September 2013
this was in order to support entrepreneurs
and internationalisation.
The golden visa program provides a great
opportunity to make an investment in Spain and
make it your home or residency, especially if
you want to invest in property. This type of visa
is especially suitable now for UK nationals and
citizens of USA, India and China.
The reason that the golden visa was
introduced was to promote the economy in
Spain and to create new jobs because the visa
for investors makes it easier to gain a residency
permit through making an investment, more
common with the purchase of a property but it
can also be in different types of investments in
Spain here are the options available.
· Property investment of a minimum of
500.000€ free of any mortgage this
investment can be made in more than one
property purchase.
· Invest 1 million euros in Spanish company
shares.
· Deposit 1 million euros into a Spanish bank
account.
· Invest 2 million euros in Spanish public debts.
· Invest in a new business project in Spain of
general interest, which creates employment,
contributes to technological and/or scientific
innovation or has a socio-economic impact on
the local area.
The requirements to obtain a Spanish Golden
Visa
· The main applicant must be 18 years old.
· You must have current private health insurance
by a company authorised to operate in Spain.
· Proof of sufficient financial means, covering
personal and family living expenses, in Spain.
· Not having been refused entry into any of the
Schengen countries.
· Not having entered or stayed illegally on
Spanish territory.
· No existing criminal record in Spain, nor in the
country of residency of the last 5 years.
aradford@legalservicesinspain.com
Sponsored by
SPAINPROPERTYGUIDE.COM l
https://www.getspanishresidency.com/
spain: (+34) 951 820 099 uk: +44(0) 203 807 4044
55

The evolution
of home cool
What was de rigueur just a short while ago can
change almost overnight. Not so long ago the
dominant home styles were more traditional and
organic, interiors darker and the must-have accessory a
home cinema or automated lights and shutters. As we move
further into the 21st century, the picture is changing…
In many parts of the world the financial crisis and ensuing
‘Great Recession’ formed a watershed in architecture. Gone
were the more faux traditional styles that had been dominant
since the 1980s and in came a whole new wave of ‘modern’
styles that saw a return to white as the fresh, sleek tone of
the future. It’s back to the future because we’ve been here
before, through early experiments in the 1920s and 30s, and
the Modernism of the post-war era, but while there is a direct
link of inspiration and a ‘picking up of the thread’ it wouldn’t
be fair to label this latest outpouring of creativity a mere
chapter in a book already begun. Today’s design movement
may search for references in the past but its materials,
relevance and urban context are entirely of our age.
At any rate, it feels very different showing homes now
that are open-plan, full of panoramic glass, sliding doors
that disappear into the wall at the touch of a finger and
architectural forms that can vary from rigidly geometrical
to sculpted and rounded. It’s a process that is in continuous
motion, already evolving away from white minimalism to
the inclusion of more natural materials and more playful
elements, all the while building on a great new era of
technology that provides novel materials, engineering
techniques and software technologies that reside under the
skin of your house.
Water features, floor to ceiling windows, large open-flowing
living areas and kitchens where you can cook up a storm
and then hide the evidence, add a sense of drama to today’s
luxury home. The kitchen, once a functional room hidden
away amid cooking fumes, is now a crisp, clean design
feature of your home, where state-of-the-art extractors
enable you to lounge around your breakfast bar with a coffee
or glass of wine, while various gadgets pop up and down at
the touch of a button, espresso machines make a delicious
macchiato and your double-door American spec fridge
dispenses ice cubes.
Speaking of American influences, the open kitchen concept
is attributed to the USA, and is therefore sometimes also
called an American kitchen, and of course it’s a classic
element of the now-iconic loft renovation home. Aided by
modern technology, the modern kitchen and open-plan
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layout uses space more efficiently and does away with socalled
‘dead areas’ such as corridors and walls. The result is
a more integrated home where you can feel more connected
with the property and its occupants without having to be in
the same room. Villas, in particular, also offer sliding doors
and latticed wooden screens that add privacy and intimacy
to a larger open-plan interior, and there is no reason why
this can’t also be applied to apartments and penthouses, for
they too assist in the efficient use of space and take over the
role that was previously played by walls and doors.
With the cubicle effect of small rooms gone, we’re left
with spacious, open-plan living that flow into one another.
Combined with tall ceilings and natural light and views
coming in from tall, floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors,
it makes for a finer architecture and more pleasant and
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stylish living environment in which we are seduced by soft
LED lighting, white acrylic furniture and brushed steel, but
also by ingenious blends of such materials with richly veined
mat wood, earthy stone and darker iron, not to mention an
array of potentially brightly coloured synthetic materials.
New trends
Today’s homes have become more compact and efficient
than before, attempting to do away with dead spaces such
as long corridors through innovative design concepts, and
the technology now available makes early home automation
systems positively archaic. Just as you can ‘hook up’ your
car to the internet of things, you can now do the same with
your home, enabling it to fulfil a range of duties that leave
mere shelter far behind and turn it into an energy-efficient
entertainment centre, state-of-the-art workplace or a wellsecured
private home.
Living areas are now open-plan, bathrooms sleeker and
simpler in a Zen kind of way, and split levels are also making
a comeback, indoors as well as in the garden. The latter is
more geometrical than before, less subtropical paradise
and more Japanese garden, with large terrace areas that
extend the indoor comforts outdoors and an inviting splash
pool that perfectly frames the horizon. In regions with a
Mediterranean climate such as Marbella, but also California,
West Australia and the Cape, the tendency is towards
using beautiful yet water-efficient indigenous species in
landscaping. This is not only good for the environment, but
also cuts down on irrigation bills and maintenance, all of
which are increasingly important to buyers today.
Home cinemas, traditional wine cellars, gyms and early
home spas used to be separate entities, often occupying the
basement floor of a villa, but here too an integrated openplan
approach is taking over that also brings natural light
and direct garden access to what were once dark spaces.
The chill-out zones found as an extension of your terrace
are also in evidence indoors, where one great interactive
entertainment area brings spa, gym, home cinema, games
room and sometimes even bowling alley together in great
style. Many a wine cellar has migrated up to the kitchen and
shed its traditional brickwork to become a design feature
made of LED-lit glass and your personal collection of wines.
Even garages, once the musty home of your prized luxury
cars, are now celebrating the automotive works of art in
what looks like a gallery complete with panoramic windows
and lighting that highlights your collection.
Add a fireplace, comfortable sofas, an industrial style
kitchen and bar, and it becomes an entertainment area with
a touch of art gallery and car showroom thrown in – quite the
place to relax and entertain, as long as you’re fairly confident
the guests won’t damage either the art on the wall or the art
on wheels! While most of us focus on the return to modern
architectural styling, the changes going on inside the home
are more revolutionary by far as they open the door to a
whole new lifestyle experience.
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Alcazar baths of
rain water.
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BALEARIC
ISLANDS
For those who haven’t travelled there yet, the Balearic
Islands are an archipelago in the Mediterranean off the
Spanish east coast. The four main islands are Mallorca,
Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera – and though they share a
common history, culture and local dialect of Catalan that
is also closely related to Valenciano, Provencal, Ligurian,
Corsican and Sardo (Sardinian) – each has a character
and ambience of its town.
PALMA DE MALLORCA
By far the largest and dominant island is Mallorca, where the
capital Palma de Mallorca is the main cultural, economic
and metropolitan centre of the Balearics. This historic city
is a treasure trove of imposing architecture, with cultural
layers that date back to pre-Roman, Byzantine, Moorish
and later periods, influencing the local cuisine, traditions,
art and people. In addition to the many cathedrals,
fortresses and elegant streets and plazas to enjoy are the
picturesque old city, the harbour area with its old towers
and of course the white sandy beaches within a stroll of
town.
MALLORCA
If you avoid the built-up tourist town of Magaluf, which not
long ago catered mostly to British package tourism but is
now being upgraded, skirting the southwest cape will take
you through a series of rather stylish beach resorts such
as Santa Ponça overlooking idyllic bays. Head inland to
the pastel-coloured charm of Andratx or Valdemossa, a
quaint mountain village reminiscent of the prettiest ones in
Provence or Tuscany. The whole western mountain range
and rocky coastline is a spectacle of pretty little towns
overlooking spectacular cliff-side scenery.
Round this region and you reach the Bay of Alcudia,
where mountains give way to plains and expansive,
white sandy beaches. This too is a visitor’s paradise
complete with stylish coastal resorts, and as you trace
the eastern shoreline you’ll be rewarded with elegant
little towns and in places gorgeous beaches that have
a very natural and untouched fell. Round yet another
spectacular cape and you approach some of the most
spectacularly beautiful Mallorca coastal scenery in
places such as Cala Pi, whose iconic aquamarine water
pretty much sums up the island.
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Early evening in
Menorca
Ciutadella
Andratx
Pollenca
Palma
Inca
Alcudia
Cala Ratjada
Maó
MENORCA
IBIZA
San
Antonio
Santa Eulária
des Ríu
Ibiza
City
Cala d’Or
MALLORCA
FORMENTERA
IBIZA
If Mallorca has captured the hearts of tourists and jet-set visitors
such as Claudia Schiffer and Michael Douglas, then Ibiza will
forever be associated with heady summer holidays and the birth
of the beachside club scene. Many of the most famous DJs,
such as David Guetta, cut their teeth here and the likes of Calvin
Harris, continue to feature on a regular basis at landmark venues
like Pasha, which turn partying into a resort occupation. There is,
of course, also another side to this famous party island, as seen in
the historic charm of its towns and country villages, as well as the
natural beauty of much of its coastline, where areas such as Es
Cubells are popular with high-end visitors and celebrities seeking
privacy, luxury and seclusion.
MENORCA AND FORMENTERA
For more of that iconic beachside beauty in the form of green
Mediterranean pine groves that grow right up to white sand
beaches washed by azure waters, Menorca is the place to visit.
More intimate and natural than the larger islands, it is a scenic
paradise where the land feels like it spills into the ever-present
Mediterranean Sea. Even smaller and more sauvage, Formentera
is where lovers of nature, sea, sky and sandy dunes will feel at
home – on land as well as snorkelling in its clear blue waters.
POPULAR RESIDENTIAL AREAS
MALLORCA
When it comes to quality real estate,
Mallorca is not a place of large
concentrations, but rather of many little
treasures dotted around the island. That
said, you’ll see names such as Pollensa,
Alcúdia, Port Adriano and Puerto Andratx
appear frequently as they are among
the finest, most popular residential areas
overlooking gorgeous coastal scenery
near all amenities.
IBIZA
The same is true of Ibiza, but those in the
know look for homes in Sant Josep De
Sa Talaia, Santa Eulalia Des Ríu and also
Sant Antoni De Portmany – all perfect
examples of privileged living on this
golden isle.
MENORCA AND FORMENTERA
In Menorca, it will be hard to resists the
atmosphere and scenic charm of the
Ciudadela de Menorca, though others
head to the coastal pleasures of Maó
and Es Mercadal, while in Formentera
Cala Envaster is a perfect spot on a bay
in an island otherwise made up of small
communities and country properties.
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Ibiza
Shabby Chic
and much more!
“Shabby chic” a word that has come to characterise Ibiza
a style that is considered by many to be the ultimate in
trendiness. Ibiza is about summer, beaches, open-air parties
and late-night clubbing. The capital of Europe’s summer
clubbing scene has spawned its own genres of music,
as well as numerous world-famous clubs, but aside from
techno, trance and chillout music – not to mention throngs
of swaying, sweating bodies – there is another, more
cultural side to this tourist isle that is being cultivated.
Those in the know, like Richard Branson and other wellheeled
latter day flower power children, have long since
been enjoying its pleasures. Together with the creative
types who helped develop the iconic Ibiza style, they
are turning this super cool spot in the sun into one of the
most must-experience places of the moment. If there
were a colour to represent the island and encapsulate its
ambience it would be azure; the deep aquamarine blue of
its coastal waters, the intense blue of its skies and the liquid
freshness of sea air. Or perhaps the pure, stark white of its
plastered walls, the sails that play against the horizon or the
white linen that seems to become an inadvertent uniform
for sophisticated urban types seeking summer epiphanies
in the Med. Such descriptions are not unlike the islands of
Greece, complete with pretty white-plastered windmills,
and indeed, the quintessentially Mediterranean island of
Ibiza is in many ways a reflection of its cousins on the other
side of the vast sea.
Ibiza modern and trendy yet ancient and mysterious
with a host of modern and rustic private villas, secluded
low-rise boutique hotels and other hot spots overlooking
paradisiacal coves or white yachts bobbing quietly on the
turquoise water.
The old walled town is so pretty that the entire area has
been declared a world heritage site by Unesco, complete
with castle, churches and the quaint houses and little
plazas. Here you will almost stumble over the history of
the island, or simply drink in the atmosphere, while on the
other side of the bay luxury yachts lie in the trendy marina
fronted by luxury boutiques, eateries and lounge bars.
Much of the nightlife continues to be concentrated around
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calle Barcelona, while the town is also home to some of the
most popular clubs, among them the famous Café del Mar,
where revellers come to chillout and watch the sun set.
More than 40 clubs and trendy bars that dominate the
summer clubbing scene, and though the island has tried to
become more upmarket the popularity of nightlife tourism
shows no signs of diminishing. New hotels, however, have
all been five-star in recent years, and the overall trend has
been towards smaller scale and greater character. The
result has been that Ibiza has been tapping into the cool
chic scene that is so strongly associated with it, catering in
the process not only to young revellers and cultural tourists
but also the well-heeled visitor wishing to remain young at
heart.
The more rustic destinations just inland are also very
popular, and while this new international jet set likes to dip
its toe into the feverish partying of the main tourist areas
you sense that they are more at home enjoying freshly
caught fish or organically grown vegetables at a quaint
– but stylish – seaside venue. It is at unassuming locations
like this where, on a good day, you could find yourself
surrounded by Liam Gallagher, Kate Moss and Mark
Ronson, if you care for that sort of thing.
Besides crystal clear waters inviting the visitor to swim, sail
and scuba dive, Ibiza offers a surprising amount of beautiful
nature for so small an island. From the cliffs and coves rises
the pine cover that the island is famous for, converting into
maquis heather in the hardiest of spots before opening
up into idyllic valleys covered in green fields, blankets of
wild flowers and almond trees. This is rustic Ibiza, a place
of goats, donkeys, quaint villages and old rural traditions. It
is also home to an amazingly stylish form of rural tourism in
which easy elegance and comfort have been raised to an
art form.
A popular natural area is the Ses Feixes wetlands,
a swampy lowland area bordering Ibiza Bay that is a
wintering ground for countless species of bird. You will also
find bats and reptiles where the Moors once cultivated
land using a complex irrigation system of canals and
water deposits. Here, where intense agriculture flourished

By Michel Cruz
for centuries in a man-made environment, nature began
to reclaim its marshes and return them to their wild
inhabitants from the 1960s onwards. Though threatened by
property development, the islanders are now beginning
to recognise the value of this natural spot with its deep
historic connection.
Much of what makes this island so haunting can be
traced to its ancient roots, which though planted in a very
distant and hazy past continue to produce fresh shoots.
While it shares much of its story and characteristics with
mainland Spain – Ibiza is just 79 kilometres east of Valencia
– this is above all a Mediterranean world. As a result, the
Pine Islands – the name for Ibiza and its smaller neighbour,
Formentera – have always been a little removed from their
mother nation. Claimed by the Catalan as their own, the
people speak a local dialect of that tongue, yet could
also communicate with the Corsicans and Sardinians with
whom they share an almost invisible yet ancient bond.
Beaten by the salty sea winds and the voyagers they
carried here, these tiny islands have been invaded,
sacked and pillaged more times than you’d care to
know, but the many stones have produced an interesting
mosaic. There must have been people on the islands
when the Phoenician traders from the other side of the
Mediterranean founded the town of Ibossim, but by the
time control passed to the Carthaginians the islands had a
strong Punic culture also touched by traders from Greece
and Rome, which would later come to rule the territory
under the name of Ebusus.
Most of the beautiful seaside that now draws so many
people were devoid of population, made uninhabitable
by fear. The seaside villages we see today date in the
main from the 19th century, before which you needed an
impregnable fortress to retire to when the raids came. The
town of Ibiza is a fine example of this. Though it now houses
almost half the island’s 125,000 people, it was for long
little more than a small port protected by the Almudaina
Castle. This large walled fortress, which stands at the top
of the picturesque Dalt Vila (Old Town), provided the
protection that made life here possible, but from the mid-
19th century onwards Ibiza’s capital developed quickly, a
process that was further boosted by the rise of the tourist
industry from the 1950s on.
What Ibiza offers visitors is therefore becoming
increasingly diverse in nature, but always based around
a strong sensory experience – from the release offered by
the clubs to the relaxing, almost spiritual atmosphere to be
found along the pretty little coves and secluded beaches.
Where the package vacationers follow the well-beaten
path to the 18 kilometres of large sandy beaches such as
those at Calls Bassa and La Salinas, those occupying the
private villas and low-slung boutique hotels will seek out
secluded spots far away from the madding crowds. Lying
ensconced within small pine-covered estates, the private
lodges they stay at offer peace and anonymity in what is
a typical Ibiza mix of laid-back hippy style complete with
Thai or Indian influences, yet suffused with comfort, luxury
and first-class service.
After all, a Richard Branson or Jean-Paul Gaulthier
may seek out hip venues where they can chill out and
get closer to nature, but they will not easily forsake the
subtle pleasures and comforts of life. As a result, the Ibiza
chic venue is earthy, designed in a way that appears to
be random and informal yet is actually demanding of
creative energies, and provides five-star services in an
ambience that seems to want to decry earthly luxury and
opulence in favour of a more ethereal way of being. Some
will even feature yoga classes and detox regimes amid the
fragrance of flowers and incense, while others are more
starkly minimalist in their avant-garde sophistication.
Either way, they combine with the shabby chic simplicity
of favoured seaside fish restaurants in pretty little coves
or villages, days spent lazing on secluded beaches,
watching the sun set on yachts and trekking into the
rustic countryside – as well as heading off to the most
exclusive of the lounge bars and clubs – to produce a
style of Ibiza-branded experience that is drawing more
and more visitors to the dramatic beauty of this coolest of
Mediterranean islands.
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