Casa Niveles - Quirky, old Moorish Cottage with stunning views
Cottage with 1 Bedroom, Sleeps 2
Casa Niveles is our much loved, quirky holiday home in the village of Albunuelas in rural Andalucia. A tiny, old Moorish cottage built over several levels in the Barrio Bajo (lower and oldest quarter) with glorious views over the gorge. We have tried to think of everything to make this a perfect holiday retreat, there are traditional beams and terracotta floor tiles throughout with colourful, local rugs, an abundance of pictures, pottery, English books and games.
Albunuelas is set at the head of the beautiful Lecrin Valley, which the Moors nicknamed the Valley of Happiness due to the fertile soil, abundant water and it's position protected by the natural fortifications of the surrounding Sierras. There are citrus groves, almond and olive plantations, deep ravines and cliffs. This is a wonderful spot to sample rural Spain and still have easy access to the Coast (40mins), skiing in the Sierra Nevada (55mins), The Alpujarra (20mins) and Granada with the magical Alhambra (35mins).
sitting room
kitchen
top terrace
bedroom
Barrio Bajo
GR7 walk Albunuelas to Saleres
You enter into a small sitting room, which stays blissfully cool even on the hottest days although there is a wood burning stove to turn it into a cosy haven in winter months. There is a DVD player for those nights when you roll home from the bar and need to collapse for an hour before heading to bed.
The first flight of stairs leads to a double bedroom with ample storage for your clothes and good lighting to enable you to read easily in bed. Six steps down lead to the bright and whacky bathroom. There is a half bath with overhead shower and screen and lots of space for all your lotions and potions on the shelves and in the cupboard under the handpainted basin. There is also a single room at the back and the cupboard here stores all the boring things such as the hoover, ironing board, electric fan etc.
Another flight up from the front bedroom takes you up to the kitchen/dining area which we deliberately moved to the top of the house to make eating al fresco easy. The kitchen is fully fitted with wooden units and dark blue tiles, there is a washing machine, fridge with small freezer compartment, CD player and an electric oven with ceramic hob. I have to confess to rarely using the last two but the kitchen is fully equipped for cooking if you should feel the urge.
Half a dozen steps from here lead straight up to the lower terrace with its mosaic shower to cool off under, a pull out washing line and BBQ. The final steps take you up to the top terrace with stunning views across the gorge. There are sunbeds along with a wooden table, chairs and parasol. A perfect place to sunbathe, eat a meal or just chill out with a glass of wine and watch the eagles soar above the gorge. The skies here are wonderfully clear at night and we can often be found on the terrace long after midnight.
Unusually for Barrio Bajo you can get the car to within feet of our door but parking is at a premium. However it is only 5 minutes walk up to the two free car parks at the top.
Facilities for this holiday cottage in Albunuelas, Granada/Costa Tropical
Property
Type:
Cottage
Nearest Airport:
Granada - 40 kms
Nearest Bar/Pub:
El Careto - 0.25 kms
Nearest Restaurant:
El Careto - 0.25 kms
Location Type:
Rural/Village
Bedrooms:
1 Double Bedroom.
Bathrooms:
1 Bathroom.
Kitchen:
Cooker, Hob, Fridge, Washing Machine, Iron.
General:
Real Fire, House Linen, Towels Provided. There is plenty of hot water, all electric so no need to worry about gas bottles. Electric heaters in all rooms keep the house warm in winter. Linen and towels (inc. beach towels) are provided.
Dining:
Seating for 4. Comfortable seating 4 people.
Entertainment:
DVD, CD System, Board Games. Most enjoyable evenings are spent in Bar El Careto where Pepe is endlessly patient with our slowly improving Spanish and Carmen cooks up a mean tortilla.
Outside:
Terrace, BBQ, Garden Furniture. Seating for 4 and 2 sunbeds.
Suitability:
Not Suitable For Children, Not Suitable For Wheelchairs, Not Suitable For Elderly, Sorry - No Pets Allowed, Smoking Allowed.
Local activities in and around Albunuelas, Granada/Costa Tropical
Albunuelas dates back to the 10th/11th Century during the Moorish era of the Nazrid dynasty and is still primarily an agricultural society so you will see the mules being lead through the village on their way to work. The terraced campos are filled with citrus, olive, almond, pomegranate, avocado, chirrimoya and persimmon trees along with a seemingly never ending supply of vegetables.
The famous GR7 walk following in the footsteps of Al Idrisi, the first Arab mapmaker, passes through Barrio Bajo and this is a superb area for walking whether you want a slow stroll through beautifull countryside or prefer an enegetic hike up to an Arab Castle or into the mountains.
Various traders call in Barrio Bajo every morning to ensure that you don't run out of bread etc. and there are two small, well stocked supermarkets, a bank, pharmacy and doctor's surgery in the upper part of the village. Last but not least there are several wonderful bars serving tapas and a couple where you can also get a meal.
You can choose to head for the beach at Salobrena on the Costa Tropical which has so far escaped the worst excesses of the other Costas. Visit Granada to see the Alhambra which is one of the world's greatest monuments and then indulge in some great retail therapy or try an Arab bath. Take a trip in a balloon across the mountains. For golfers there are courses at Granada or Motril.
Explore the beautiful Alpujarra or head for the Sierra Nevada which is home to Europe's most southerly ski slopes. These can be reached in under an hour and offers some of the best Spring snow conditions in Europe along with a wide variety of runs. On a clear day from the top you can see across to Africa.
This is one of the few places in the world where you can truly claim to ski in the morning and sit on the beach in the afternoon. Alternatively you can just enjoy being lazy lying on the terrace and soaking up the sun.
Rental rates for this cottage
Price Per Week
Quoted In
Approximately equivalent to
UK Pound
Euro
US Dollar
Low Season Rate From:
£200.00
€252.00
$324.00
High Season Rate From:
£275.00
€346.50
$445.50
Rental Notes: Changeover days are flexible.
We ask for a deposit of 25%, with the balance due 4 weeks before your arrival. Prices are quoted in £'s but we can accept cheques in Euros as well. A refundable security deposit of £50.00 to should be added to the final payment.
Friends of ours who live in the village look after the cottage and will be there to greet you. They can also supply a welcome pack - ask us for details.
Heating during the winter is electric and therefore included in the price.
Availability of Casa Niveles
This property is normally available
for rent between January
and December each year.
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