All About Spain

The small village of Frigiliana located to the east of the Malaga region in Axaquia has a population of around 2,690 people and sits 435m above sea level in the area between the Montes de Malaga and the Mediterranean Sea. It is just a short, 56km drive from the main airport of the region in Malaga and can be found on the southern side of the Alimjara Mountain. The proximity to the mountain and the water which flows from it, such as the river Chillar that passes through the village, make the lands around this region very fertile.

Megalithic monuments and the remains of a necropolis have been discovered in the village, which serve as evidence that the area was occupied as far back in history as the prehistoric period. The name of the village is thought to have originated from the Latin Frexinius, as the Romans and Arabs were one-time occupiers of the area as can be seen by the Moorish fortress dating from the 11th century but now laying in ruins, which once safeguarded the security of the inhabitants.

History books describe Frigiliana as a rocky and mountainous place that could be defended from an entire army of invaders by a relatively small number of well armed people, due mainly to the difficulty they would have in gaining access. One such historical story goes that when the village was surrounded by the Catholic troops of Arevalo de Suazo and a further twelve infantry units returning from battles in Italy, over two thousand of the four thousand Moriscos living in the village died during their attempts to protect it.

During the battle many of the village’s women, who had fought bravely beside the men, chose to jump from the cliffs with their children in preference to becoming captured by the Catholic troops. Some of them did manage to escape into the Alpujarras Mountains, but as many of them had been badly injured during battle, they died before reaching safety. The Catholics eventually drove out the Moriscos in 1609 and subsequently divided up their possessions between them.

The fertile lands surrounding the village make this an ideal place to cultivate crops and this makes agriculture the main source of income for the village particularly vines and olive trees and in more recent times subtropical fruits too.

The streets of Frigiliana run parallel and perpendicular to the central square and the village is regarded as having the finest Arab constructions in the province with Moorish architecture in the form of passageways, steps and gates in evidence.

The sugar cane factory, which was the palace of the Count of Frigiliana during the sixteenth century, and the remains of a silo dating from 1767 are preserved for modern day visitors. Ceramic panels by Amparo Ruiz de Luna describing the battle of Frigiliana are one of the more famed monuments in the village. Blankets, carpets and all other sorts of loom work are also industries that make the village famous.

As is the norm with many Spanish villages, fiestas are part of the way of life and Frigiliana is no different, enjoying the festival honouring San Sebastian and the San Antonio pilgrimage occurring on June 13th each year with the May and Easter processions also being noteworthy events.

Cuisine of the village has many traditional recipes, which include baby goat in either almond or garlic sauce, fennel, cabbage and the famous Easter stew (made with cod, egg and flour all soaked in sugar cane honey). Black pudding and chorizo are some other popular dishes of the village and honey made from sugar cane is used in a wide variety of sweets including arropia and marcocha in which the honey is left to solidify and in other products such as flans, yoghurts, etc. The local wine is also well known and much esteemed.

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Cantabria is an autonomous community of Spain, containing one province (also called Cantabria) with Santander functioning as its capital city.

It borders the Basque Country on the east, Castile and León to the south, Asturias to the west and the Cantabrian Sea to the north.

Cantabria has a surface area of 5.300 km² and shares the National Park Picos de Europa (in the Cantabrian Mountains) with Asturias and León giving the region an extremely varied landscape and climate.

In the mountain ranges of Picos de Europa and the nature reserve of Saja, bears, wolves and eagles still live and the rivers are full of salmon and trout. The Pico de tres Mares (“peak of the three seas”) is a real oddity in that a drop of rainwater that falls there is quite likely to arrive at the Atlantic Ocean (via the Duero river), the Cantabric Sea (via the Nansa river), or the Mediterranean Sea (via the Ebro river).

Beyond the green valleys and hills at the foot of the mountains there is, in total contrast, the coast with its beautiful bays and romantic fishing villages.

The region is similar to Asturias in both its maritime and mountainous climates and in its figures for rainfall. Cantabria is, together with the Basque Country, the least sunny region of Spain. Santender for example gets just 1638 hours of sun a year compared with in excess of 3000 hours in parts of Andalusia and has just 74 hours on average in December.

Temperatures along the coast are mild throughout the year with averages of around 13-15ºC, although inland the winters are very cold. Whilst most of Cantabia has around 1.5m of rainfall a year, inland a few areas are below 1m with others in excess of 2m. Cantabria is famous for the suradas, a sharp rise in temperatures due to the föhn effect when winds blow across the Cordillera Cantabrica and arrive to the coast reheated, causing temperatures in places such as Santender to reach 40ºC when the average in August is only 20ºC.

Places to visit

The capital, Santander, is located in a natural, beautiful bay. It is an extremely active city with an important port and a wealth of cultural offerings, such as the Menendez y Pelayo International Summer University and the International Festival. Santander’s great sports facilities make it an ideal place for leisure.

The 6th century Sanctuary of St Toribio near to the enchanting ancient village of Potes. This is the reputed home of the largest remnant of the cross on which Jesus died.

‘El Capricho’, now a top class restaurant in the town of Comillas, was a former summer residence of the Spanish royals. The beautifully decorated building is one of only a handful outside of Catalonia which were designed by Antoni Gaudi, the great Spanish architect.

Santillana del Mar – one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Spain. The prehistoric Caves of Altamira that feature drawings and polychrome rock paintings of wild mammals and human hands. Some other attractions in the vicinity of Santander are the church of Santa Maria de Valverde and the nature park of Cabarceno with its safari park, which is home to animals roaming semi-wild in a spectacular landscape, from all five continents.

The Spanish golfer Severiano Ballesteros (from Pedreña) and Miguel Indurain (of Pamplona), five time Tour de France winner were both born in this region.

Cantabria’s colourful popular customs, its artisany and gastronomy make it a holiday destination that will certainly not disappoint.

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Villa in Islantilla

Relaxing Villa on Southern Spain’s Islantilla Golf Resort.

Villa Limon is situated on the magnificent Islantilla Golf Complex on Southern Spain’s Costa de la Luz. Islantilla Golf is a series of private developments that have grown up around a magnificent 27-hole golf course within walking distance of the sea.

The Villa is ideal for a golfing week or an extended holiday: Islantilla is set on Spain’s Atlantic coast and it is just 20 minutes drive from Portugal, giving you the option to enjoy the delights of both the Spanish and Portuguese Algarves.

Villa Limon is a 2 floor 2 bedroom terraced house (sleeps 5). It has a lovely back garden which overlooks the lakes of the golf course and enjoys the sun for most of the day and early evening.

Wonderful beaches, set amongst pine forests and sand dunes. Unspoilt and offers a chance to relax . Outdoor activities: tennis, waterskiing, wind surfing and walking in the Donana National Park. Easy motorway access to Seville, Huelva and Portugal.

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Casa Jasmin - House in Andalucia

Located in the heart of a typical Andalucian white village, Casa Jasmin is the perfect base for a peaceful holiday with walks straight from the village into the mountains behind (Sierra Tejeda National Park).

Only 50 minutes from Malaga airport, 20 minutes to the coast, and 30 minutes to the pretty resort of Nerja.

The terrace offers spectacular views of the countryside, sea and mountains.

The house is over 200 years old with original beams, decorated in typical Andalucian style with antique furniture and a traditional Spanish kitchen.

The courtyard in front of the house is very beautiful and full of scented flowers.

Athough the village is not large there are several bars, the nearest of which serves great tapas. Also 2 restaurants and local shops.

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Aragon is an autonomous community of north-eastern Spain comprised of the provinces of Zaragoza Huesca, and Teruel which together cover an area of 47,719 km². Aragon’s population of 1.2M is of a low density and therefore there are large, almost deserted spaces. More than half the population live in the capital, Zaragoza (or in English: Saragossa).

The region is bordered on the north by France, on the east by Catalonia, on the south by Valencia and on the west by Castile-La Mancha, Castile-Leon, La Rioja and Navarre.

In the outstanding mountainous landscapes of this region, with their glacier lakes and several nature reserves, you can still see animals long since extinct in other areas of Europe. In total contrast is the plain Ebro valley, which is limited by the mountain range Moncayo, in the east.

The mountain ranges offer great possibilities for winter sports and during the warmer seasons you can explore this almost unspoiled beauty as well as the region’s celebrated gastronomy, artisany and folklore.

When you are crossing any of Aragon’s three provinces (Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel), with their many monumental towns, the splendour of the old Kingdom of Aragon, one of the centres of Spanish culture in medieval times, comes alive again.

Major Attractions in Aragon

Zaragoza

The region’s capital, located beside the Ebro River, is one of the great monumental cities of Spain. Its historic heritage of Romans and Moors is documented in its many museums and galleries with paintings ranging from Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Velazquez and Goya to Renoir, Manet and Sorolla.

Teruel

Most notable are the city’s great Mudejar style monuments and buildings, which are a consequence of a long Moorish dominance. Highlights include the cathedral with its beautiful bell towers and the churches of San Martin, San Pedro and El Salvador. On the outskirts of Teruel is Dinópolis Teruel, a combined theme park and museum centred around dinosaurs. Promoted as a ‘Parque paleontológico’ (paleontological park), it includes a life-size robotic model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Huesca

Huesca, located at the foot of the Pyrenees mountain range, offers landscapes of incredible beauty and celebrates its main annual festival in San Lorenzo (Laurence), on August 10, in honour of San Lorenzo who was bishop of Roma and martyrized by the Romans.

Climate of Aragon

Aragon is noted for its Mediterranean – Continental dry climate with irregular rainfall, large temperature ranges and strong winds, particularly along the Ebro Valley. The region also has some of the most extremes of temperature in Spain as a result of its continental position, far away from the effects of the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

The valley of Jiloca in Teruel is said to be the most consistently cold corner of the Iberian Peninsula (apart from the mountains) with record temperatures of -28/-30ºC in Calamocha. Much of southern Aragon suffers from 120 days of frost a year, often more than the Aragonse Pyrenees, whose cloudiness stops temperatures hitting zero so often.

Aragonese Cuisine

The typical dishes and ingredients used in the cuisine of the Aragon region of Spain include roast lamb (especially ewes); ham (jamón) from Teruel; olive oil from Empeltre and Arbequina and wines from Cariñena, Somontano (Huesca), Calatayud and Campo de Borja. There are also several interesting dishes of seafood, including several kinds of crab paste (due to the superstition that crabs help prevent illness) and steamed, but commonly undercooked sea fish, steamed in the very saltwater they were taken from.

Verdimar 3 Villamartin Apartment

Apartment for sale direct from the owner.

Two bedroom, one bathroom apartment in a very peaceful location, there are views to the sea and the 17th hole of Villamartin golf course from the large roof terrace which is totally private. There is a sunny south facing balcony off the lounge/dining room where you can enjoy sunny breakfasts and evening drinks whilst overlooking a grassy square to the front with beautiful plants and trees.

The apartment is situated in a peaceful location but within walking distance to all amenities. Verdemar 3 is a very established area with no building work and lots of plants and trees around . There are two beautiful communal pools, both with childrens areas, and walkways with streams and bridges where you will find lots of wildlife. Within walking distance you will find supermarkets, banks, a new commercial centre very tastefully done with a tapas bar, a couple of really excellent restaurants and an upmarket deli and shops.

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Apartment in Alicante

If you’re looking for a tranquil holiday or fun for all the family Casa Sol is the place for you!

In a lovely location with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and La Manga is this newly built 2 bedroom, penthouse apartment which sleeps 4 to 6 people in comfort (twin beds in one room and bunk beds in another with a sofa bed in the lounge). Set in a private garden with small pool (which is perfect for the kids to splash around in), where you can relax and enjoy the sun.

There are a wide range of superb bars and restaurants (offering many styles of cuisine), shops and banks along with horse-riding and lovely countryside all within 5-10 mins walk.

A little further afield, in Torrevieja, you can find many fashionable shops and boutiques.

You have the choice of 4 to 6 lovely beaches to enjoy, all within 15/20 mins drive where you can enjoy an array of different types of water sports such as diving, sailing or simply snorkelling in the warm, clear waters of the Med.

A perfect place for your Spanish holiday.

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Madrid is one of Spain’s seventeen autonomous communities, located in the centre of the country. It contains the province of Madrid, and also the city of Madrid, which is the capital of the community, the province, and the country.

Madrid is bordered by the autonomous communities of Castile – Leon and Castile – La Mancha with over half of its population living in the capital, but despite the existence of this great city of 5 million people, the Community of Madrid still retains some remarkably unspoilt and diverse habitats and landscapes.

Other historically or commercially important cities in this region include Alcalá de Henares, Coslada, Torrejon de Ardoz, Getafe, Móstoles, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Navalcarnero and Aranjuez.

Madrid is home to mountain peaks rising above 2,000m, Holm oak dehesas and low lying plains. To the west, and close to the capital, the region rises steeply into the Sierra de Guadarrama of the Sistema Central, with Peñalara, the highest mountain in Madrid, reaching 2428m whereas the rest of Madrid is relatively flat with an altitude of around 650m.

The slopes of Guadarrama are cloaked in dense forests of Scot’s pine and Pyrenean oak. The Valle de Lozoya supports a large black (monk) vulture colony, and one of the last bastions of the Spanish Imperial Eagle in the world is found in the Park Regional del Suroeste in dehesa hills between the Gredos and Guadarrama ranges.

Climate of Madrid

The climate of the region of Madrid is typically continental Mediterranean, and is very similar to that of Castilla-La Mancha, but the presence of a large city, and all its heat island effects, are more pronounced here than around any other Spanish city.

For example the city’s lights can be seen on clear night as far as 200km away. Rainfall in the capital is around 436mm a year. Winters are cool across the region (average below 8ºC), and there are frequent frosts and occasional snowfalls. Summers are hot (above 24ºC in July and August).

Temperatures are much lower in Sierra de Guadarrama, which sees abundant rain and snow. For example, Navacerrada at 1890m receives 1.3m a year, much of it in the form of snow.

Cuisine of Catalan

Numerous recipes and influences from all the regions of the country entered into Madrids’ kitchens. Today it is practically impossible to say which dishes are original, and which are imported so you could say that Madrid’s cuisine is more Spanish than regional.

The dishes that are called Madrileño in Spain are mainly hotpots, such as the well-known Cocido Madrileño with chickpeas. Among regional specialities are the delicious asparagus from Aranjuez and the very typical Sopa de Ajo, a soup of garlic.

There are many lamb and veal dishes, but – considering its location – Madrid is a paradise for lovers of any kind of fish. It has the second biggest fish market in the world (behind Tokyo), and in the shops and restaurants of the region you will find an ample selection and outstanding quality.

The young and aromatic wines from the region such as Vinos de Madrid are ideal for such a meal. To finish your dinner in a very typical way, try a cup of Anisado de Chinchón, anisette schnapps.

Traditional sweets are the Roscos de Santo, which are made especially for the Festival of San Isidro.

Festivals and Fiestas

La Villa, the “village”, is how the inhabitants of Madrid call their city, and in many quarters there are still traditions of a time before all those villages melted together into Spain’s capital.

The celebrations of New Year are spectacular. Thousands of people flock together at Puerta del Sol. In the rhythm of the beats of the big clock at midnight, everybody tries to eat twelve grapes. That shall bring good luck for the coming year, and all the Spaniards who are not there, watch the event on TV. After midnight, the entire city becomes the scene of a huge party.

On 5th of January, as in many Spanish towns, the procession of the three Magi takes place.

On May 15th there is the Fiesta de San Isidro in honour of Madrid’s patron, one of the most spectacular events in all the year with numerous concerts and other kinds of public performances, and the best bullfights of the season.

During July and August the town hall organizes a series of cultural events for what they call Veranos de la Villa, “Summer in the Village”.

The festival Verbena de la Paloma, from 6th to 15th of August, shows best the popular traditions of Madrid, with regional costumes and dances, the so-called Chotis.

During September the concert-houses and theatres have their best performances, while in November you may visit Madrid’s International Jazz-Festival. At the same time there are also the traditional Fiestas de la Almudena.

In December there is an exposition of Christmas cribs at Plaza Mayor.

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The Canary Islands are an archipelago consisting of seven islands in the Atlantic Ocean. They are located 108 km off the north-western coast of Africa (Morocco and the Western Sahara) and form an autonomous community of Spain consisting of two provinces, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The Greeks and Romans reported on this volcanic archipelago, and called it the Happy Islands, Garden of the Hesperides, Atlantida; some historians suppose that the legendary continent Atlantis was located here.

In 1496 the islands became part of the Spanish kingdom and the ships of Christopher Columbus stopped here on their journeys to discover the New World.

The islands, with their steady climate, constant temperature all year, and magnificent beaches of fine sand form the Macaronesia eco-region with the Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira and the Savage Isles. The Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain and the third largest volcano on Earth. Due to the position of the islands with respect to the trade winds, the climate can be mild and wet or very dry. Surprisingly, the landscape of each island is radically different to the others.

Hacha Grande, a mountain in the south of Lanzarote, viewed from the road to the Playa de Papagayo.

Four of Spain’s thirteen national parks are located in the Canary Islands, more than any other autonomous community: They are: Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente (on La Palma), Garajonay National Park (on La Gomera), Teide National Park (on Tenerife), Timanfaya National Park (on Lanzarote).

The combination of high mountains, proximity to Europe, and clean air has made the Roque de los Muchachos peak (on La Palma island) a leading location for telescopes like the Grantecan.

The islands are outside European Union customs territory, though politically within the EU. Goods subject to Spanish customs and excise duties and Value Added Tax (VAT), such as tobacco or electronic goods, are, therefore, significantly cheaper in the Canaries. The currency is the euro.

Canarian time is GMT, in summer one hour ahead of GMT, so one hour behind that of mainland Spain and the same as that of London all year round.

Canarian Cuisine

Typical dishes and ingredients in the cuisine of the Canary Islands include Papas Arrugás (a potato dish), Mojos (such as mojo picón) and wine from the malvasia grape.

Mojo (pronounced mo-ho) is a sauce which may be orange, red, or green depending on its ingredients. Mojo is heavy in garlic and can be moderately spicy, referred to as mojo picón.

Papas Arrugás are small potatoes which have been boiled in salt water and are usually served with chicken and topped with mojo. Their name in Spanish means “wrinkled potatoes” and refers to their condition after being boiled.

One very typical Canarian product is gofio, a flour created by grinding roasted sweetcorn. Gofio is produced locally and is added to many foods and also to warm milk as a drink.

The use of oil is prevalent in many Canarian dishes, which are often prepared from scratch.

Other typical Canarian foods include ropa vieja (“old clothes”), a dish of different meats mixed with potatoes and garbanzo beans, and potaje, a generic name for one of many stews. Canarians often use a local azafran (saffron) in preparing their dishes and also frequently dye the food yellow with food colouring.

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Villa in Javea

Beautiful villa located in the most exclusive, tranquil neighborhood in Javea, called Castellans. Five minutes walking distance from the old town and five minutes by car from the Port, the Arenal beach and the Montgo national park.

Spanish-tiled, two-story villa with 4 bedrooms (sleeps 7), walk-in closets, 2 bathrooms, 2 fireplaces, living room, dining room and kitchen. Views impressive in all directions, whether onto the garden, towards the adjacent natural park or up towards the Montgo peaks.

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