Rural Holiday Villa Costa del Luz (Coast of Light) Huelva
Rural Villa near Seville, Huelva, Faro and Costa de la Luz
Sea, Golf, Walking, Birdswatching, Bars, Restaurant,
Cycling, Beach, Shops..... all within four tot 40 minutes
We decided that Huelva in Andalucia was the part of Spain we wanted to set up the property for our adventure in our new life. We gave it much thought based on our preference to live with and be part of the Spanish community enjoying their celebrations, fiestas, parties and traditions.
What we didn’t realise was that the Spanish people would take us so readily to their hearts and treat us as part of their families. We are often overwhelmed by their kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness.
Our villa is located on the Costa de Luz in the province of Huelva Andalucia. It is set in a tranquil woodland area with lovely views in three and a half acres of gardens with its own tennis court and private swimming pool. We also have a bungalow on the land available to let for smaller groups.
Access to Sevilla, Faro and Jerez airports are easy.
The attractive beaches along the Costa del Luz and the Algarve are within easy reach.
The famous caves of Aracena, the mountains of Picos De Aroche and Donana National Parque are also close.
Sporting and leisure facilities are readily accessible.
The area is very popular and it attracts Spanish families from the towns and cities for weekends and holidays.
Paraje Puente
The name of the woodland is Paraje Puente. It consists of Eucalyptus and a variety of pine trees. The ground cover consists of many species of wild herbs, flowers, ferns and fungi.
The landscape changes colour from golden yellow of sunflowers to deep purple of the olive groves and the texture from carpets of multi coloured spring flowers to the deep greens and browns of the woodland
Throughout the year these changes brings a range of birds, butterflies, insects and animals. Sun rise and sunsets occur almost daily. The sky at night is unbelievably clear and many galaxies can be seen and studied from the terraces.
Weather
The average temperature is from 16 degrees C in January to 32 degrees in July and August easing back to 17 degrees in December. The average number of hours of sunlight per year is 2984 in the Huelva province.
The Villa
The swimming pool
The swimming pool is enclosed and private with lawns all around and views out over the woodland. It is used exclusively by our selves or villa and bungalow guests only.
Cooking facilities
A log oven is located in the pool area so the more ambitious cooks can experiment with this facility to produce some exotic or traditional dishes. Logs are free of charge.
The covered terrace has a gas BBQ, a small charcoal BBQ and paella cooking facilities.
Inside cooking facilities
The villa kitchen is large and has an electric hob and oven, microwave, fridge freezer, utensils and all necessary equipment for ten people. Gas and Electricity are provided free of charge.
Dining areas
There area choice of eating areas, in the lounge diner, on the adjacent covered terraces or on the two outside terraces.
Bathrooms
There are two bathrooms which contain bath, with shower over, WC, bidet and large mirrors for makeovers! All towels except for beach towels are provided.
The lounge diner is large, 10mtrs x 5mtrs, it has a bed settee for two to sleep comfortably as well as armchairs for a further eight people.
Sleeping arrangements
There are four attractively furnished bedrooms of a good size.
All floors are terracotta tiles throughout the villa and the walls are white making the accommodation typically Spanish.
Services
There is wheelchair access to the villa and to the swimming pool and to some but not all the gardens.
Water is suitable for washing, cleaning teeth and boiling for making drinks. Bottled water is recommended for drinking. The property is serviced with electricity and gas and we have telephone and internet connections which may be used at our discretion..
The gardens
The previous owners had planted many different trees and bushes all around the property much of the gardens need refurbishment, which we are doing gradually. We are rediscovering the trees and bushes and adding more to make the garden interesting and bring it back to its former glory
Things to do on site
Tennis: we have a full size tennis court and rackets are available free of charge.
We have a full size table tennis, boules ,croquet , darts, chess and many other board games as well as a selection of books videos, DVD’s and CD’s.
Things to do and see
Walking
On one of the many walkways or tracks around particularly during the early fresh morning sunrise is an experience not to be missed. Many Spanish people enjoy this activity so you are not usually alone.
Fishing
You will need to bring you licence with you there is fresh water or sea fishing within 30 mins drive,
Cycling,
We have two adult bikes which can be hired for a small fee.
Golf, sailing, horse riding, surfing, boating carting are all available in the area.
Birdwatching is a must. There are so many different birds to see locally and within a 45 minute drive you are spoilt for choice. Bird tours can be arranged through local contacts who are very well informed on the bird population of Huelva province.
Centrally located for easy access to airports, activities and cultural visi
From Faro airport the Villa is one hour and 20 minutes. Follow the directions to Espana and the A49 towards Sevilla. As you pass Huelva take the N435 at the junction of San Juan del Porto/ Trigeros towards Badajos and Trigeros five kilometres past Beas you will find the country road/track to the Villa
From Sevilla airport you follow the signs for Huelva travelling along the A49 towards Portugal you will see the N435 junction. It takes an hour from Sevilla airport..
From Jerez airport follow signs for Sevilla and as you approach Sevilla take the direction to Huelva along the A49 to The N435 Junction. It takes an hour and 45 minutes using the toll road near Jerez.
The possibility of using these airports make it possible to take advantage of the cheap offers available from Easyjet, Ryanair, Monarch, Thompson Fly, etc and flexibility in which airports you fly from.
Shopping
You can shop for anything locally at Beas (10 mins), Valverde del Camino (15 mins), Huelva (25 mins), Sevilla (45 mins) or any of the many towns scattered along the Costa del Luz.. They all have local fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and meat markets on some days of the week. Only Spanish is spoken but it is usually possible to communicate some how!
Markets
All towns have general markets for clothes, shoes, bed linen, towels and many other items. They are on different days in different towns from 10am until two thirty. Shopping generally is from nine 30am until one thirty.
SIESTA
The shops and businesses close until about four thirty then they all open again until between eight and nine o’clock.
The exception is the big Supermacado (supermarkets) they are usually open from nine in the morning until nine or ten at night.
Eating out
This is real Spain so you will need your Spanish phrase book!
The speciality of the area is the famous Iberian pork and jamon. Olives grow in abundance and are served up at every meal. The seafood including salmon, trout, tuna, shark, Dorado, cuttle fish, clams, prawns, mussels, squid, sardines etc can be bought very fresh from the local markets. Most places serve good fish meals.
Breakfast
Early morning until about 12 o’clock the restaurants and bars serve coffee with various toasted bread with different toppings including Olive Oil
It is very cheap and very tasty.
Lunch
From twelve o’clock until about four o’clock bars and restaurants serve their menu de dia or meal of the day, tapas or the full menu. Leave plenty of time to enjoy the food and drink of the area. Meal of the day is usually between five and eight Euros. This includes a glass of beer or wine, a starter, main course and ‘postry’ (sweet/pudding/icecream), bread and olives are also included in many establishments. Vegetarians get by but the Spanish do not have such a wide choice of appropriate foods for them.
Dinner
The Spanish eat dinner late from 9pm onwards. Bars and restaurants are within five minutes drive from the villa. We have tried and tested many and can recommend them to visitors. There are many more in Valverde del Camino and Trigeros that are ten to fifteen minutes away and Niebla about 20 minutes drive. Huelva city is full of bars and restaurants including Chinese so any visitor is spoilt for choice.
Places of interest in the Huelva province such as:-
Valverde del Camino, which is just 12 kilometres up the N435 from our property, is regarded as being in the centre of the province of Huelva. The English settled here in the mid 19th century to mine copper. They set up railways and brought new technology to help the local Spanish people manufacture new shoes and footwear. The shoemaking industry of the Province is concentrated in this town.
Visits to the ‘English House’ and various workshops and craft centres reflect the history of the development of the town and the skills of the local people.
Beas is a smaller town just five kilometres in the opposite direction towards Huelva. It has many of its own characteristics including a cooperative that manufactures and sells some of the very best Extra Virgin Olive oil, wines, sherry and other produce.
Fiestas
Every Spanish town in this area celebrates Samana Santa at Easter with breathtaking processions,
Romeria Santa Maria de Espana in June involves a procession of many of the towns people dressed in traditional dress and walking, riding or being carried on carts pulled by horses or tractors making for a destination towards the mountains called Sotiel where they will celebrate for several days and nights eating, drinking, singing and playing guitars.
In August it is a month of festivities with week long parties. In Huelva there is a magnificent festival with all the fun of the fun fair. At Clarines a special place some three Kilometres into the country side from Beas there is a fiesta which lasts for three days and nights.
The local bull runs in the town have to be seen to be believed. The bulls, or as we suspect in some cases cows with long horns and udders, run up the streets with houses protected by ranch type railings erected by the towns people and into a square that is regarded as a bull ring.
Many local men show their courage by running with the bulls and dodging them in the bull ring. It doesn’t seem to hurt the animals and most people are in party spirit so the atmosphere is electric and very happy.