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Spain: Andalusia (Andalucía)

Overview

Andalusia (from Al Andalus, the Arabic name for the region) is the second-largest region (after Castile and Leon), covering an area of 87,268km2 (33,694mi2) and contains the provinces of Almería, Cadiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Malaga and Seville. It’s Spain’s most populated region (population 7.7 million), the most southerly and is just 16km/10mi from Africa (across the Straits of Gibraltar), where Spain has two North African enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla (both separate autonomous regions). The historic British colony of Gibraltar guards the Straits of Gibraltar and the entrance to the Mediterranean, the ownership of which is a source of constant friction between Spain and the UK.

Andalusia’s major towns include Algeciras, Almería, Antequera, Cadiz (the oldest city in western Europe), Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Jerez, Malaga (birthplace of Picasso and one of Spain’s most under-rated cities), Ronda (straddling a spectacular gorge) and Seville. Seville (the region’s capital) is Spain’s fourth-largest city and its only inland port. Host of the 1992 Expo World Fair, it’s a fascinating, exciting city with a rich history, where the Alcázar bears witness to the city’s eminence during the Moors’ occupation of Spain. The region contains many popular coastal resorts, including Almuñécar, Benalmádena (with an attractive marina), Estepona, Fuengirola, Malaga, Marbella (the region’s most fashionable resort), Nerja (stunning caves), Torre del Mar and Torremolinos. Andalusia is also renowned for its picturesque whitewashed villages (pueblos blancos), which include Arcos de la Frontera, Benahavís, Casares, Cómpeta, Frigiliana, Gaucín, Istán, Mijas, Mojácar and Ojén.

Andalusia is Spain’s most colourful region and the one that most represents the foreigners’ stereotypical image of the ‘real’ Spain of bullfights, flamenco, gypsies, whitewashed hilltop villages, snow-capped sierras, sandy beaches, fiestas, fishing villages, Moorish architecture, horses, guitars and ancient traditions. The region encompasses the Costa del Sol (the sunny coast), Spain’s most famous coastline (160km/99mi), which roughly equates to the coastline of the province of Malaga, extending from Nerja in the east almost to Gibraltar in the south. In eastern Andalusia, the coastal area of the province of Granada is named the Costa Tropical (or Costa de Granada) and the Almería coast is the Costa de Almería. In the west, the Atlantic coast of Cadiz and Huelva provinces (from Tarifa at the southern tip of Spain to the Portuguese border) is called the Costa de la Luz (coast of light), which, along with the Costa de Almería, is the region’s most authentic coastline, unspoilt by mass tourism. It’s noted for its magnificent dunes, windswept marshes, sleepy villages and delicious seafood.

Despite its overdeveloped coastline, Andalusia contains a wealth of natural beauty, including 22 nature parks and Europe’s largest nature reserve (15,000ha/37,000 acres), the Doñana National Park (Coto de Doñana) near Cadiz in the delta of the Guadalquivir River. The park is a stopover between Europe and Africa for millions of migrating bird colonies and is one of the most highly-protected areas in the world. Andalusia also has an abundance of spectacular hiking areas, including the Alpujarras and the Sierra Nevada in Granada, the Sierra de Grazalema, extending from Cadiz to Malaga, and the Serranía de Ronda. The highest peak on the Iberian peninsula is the Pico de Mulhacén in the Sierra Nevada range (3,482m/11,423ft). Andalusia has little industry and the main sources of income are tourism and farming, notably olives (it produces 20 per cent of the world’s crop), almonds, grapes, vegetables and fruit. The warm fertile Guadalquivir Valley near Cadiz is one of the richest agricultural areas and Almería is noted for its numerous market gardens where early vegetables are grown. A wide variety of wines are produced in the region, including sweet dessert wines in Malaga and Córdoba, dry wines from Montilla, white fruity table wines in Cadiz, and Spain’s most famous wine, sherry, which is produced in Jérez.

Andalusia has an abundance of fine beaches and sports facilities such as golf courses (over 60), which has led the Costa del Sol, where there are over 40, to being dubbed the ‘Costa del Golf’, and offers a huge variety of restaurants, bars, entertainment and other attractions. Not surprisingly, it’s one of Spain’s most popular regions with foreign homebuyers (over half buy there), both for holiday and permanent homes, and it offers the widest choice of homes (from around €60,000 to millions of euros). Although most of the coastline has been spoilt by development and mass tourism (it’s the most widely developed coast), there are still a few pretty coastal villages, and inland there’s a wealth of charming original villages and unspoilt countryside. Although house prices fell by up to 50 per cent during the recession in the early ’90s, there has been a strong recovery, particularly in popular coastal areas where prices have risen considerably (by nearly 100 per cent in some areas).

Andalusia enjoys an average of 320 days sunshine a year and, with the exception of the Canaries, is the sunniest region, where even in mid-winter the daytime temperature averages around 16ºC (64ºF). Due to the low level of industry, atmospheric pollution is among the lowest in Europe. The region has good road (although few motorways) and rail connections, with the Spanish high speed train (AVE) running from Madrid to Seville via Córdoba (it will be extended to Malaga by 2007). There are major airports at Malaga and Seville, smaller airports at Almería and Jerez, and those travelling to southern Andalusia can also fly via Gibraltar.

The most popular areas with foreign property buyers in Andalusia are listed below.

Costa del Sol

The heart of the Costa del Sol (population around 1.2 million) is in the province of Malaga, between Estepona and Nerja, where tourism is highly developed and the area’s principal industry (over 8 million tourists visited in 2004). The area is also the second most popular with British property buyers after Majorca. The scenery is dramatic, the coastline is ringed by high mountain ranges along most of its length, including the Sierra Bermeja behind Estepona, the Sierra de las Nieves – with peaks rising to 3,000m (9,900ft) – which forms the backdrop to Marbella, and the high mountains of the Axarquía range, which flank much of the eastern Costa del Sol.

Most of the coast is green and lush (mainly thanks to intensive watering), and there are large wooded areas, mostly of pine and cork oaks. The eastern region is a centre for tropical fruit farming, with vast areas planted with avocados, custard apples and mango trees. Intensive ‘hothouse’ farming is also becoming popular and some areas around the Axarquía are under plastic. The far west of the coast is the least developed part, where there are still large stretches of virgin countryside dotted with cork oaks and cattle. From Estepona eastwards, however, the area becomes ever more built-up, although gardens and green areas provide some relief from the urban sprawl.

The main towns and cities in the area are Estepona, a medium-sized and relatively unspoilt town and probably one of the coast’s most ‘Spanish’ tourist resorts; Marbella and its famous harbour, Puerto Banus, is one of the most fashionable areas and its famed coastal ‘golden mile’ contains some of the most expensive property in Europe; Sotogrande, competing with Marbella for the millionaire’s attention, an exclusive estate and marina development of luxury villas, townhouses and apartments, many with their own private moorings on man-made waterways; Fuengirola and Torremolinos, both traditionally package-tour destinations and lively cosmopolitan towns; Benalmadena, one of the fastest growing localities on the coast; Malaga, the Costa del Sol’s capital and main service centre, with its excellent amenities and facilities; Nerja, the main service centre for the eastern part of the Costa del Sol, is an attractive small town, which has managed to preserve much of its original character. The area is dotted with stunning white villages, some of which, such as Benahavís, Casares and Mijas, are expensive and you pay a premium for a home, although there are numerous other attractive white villages further inland where property is considerably cheaper.

Advantages of the Costa del Sol include a year-round pleasant climate, excellent communications (Malaga airport offers a comprehensive flight service to numerous destinations in the UK and Europe) and a wide range of leisure activities and facilities. There’s also a wide established expatriate community along much of the coast, which makes integration easier. Property prices have risen in the area steadily over the last six years and rose an average of 28 per cent in 2003 and 24 per cent in 2004. Prices vary tremendously depending on the location – a penthouse apartment costing €250,000 in Malaga city may cost e1m or more on the ‘golden mile’ – but start at €140,000 for a two bedroom apartment, at €160,000 for a three bedroom apartment and at €325,000 for a small villa. Prices on the west side of the coast are around 25 per cent higher than the east. The sky’s your limit for large villas, particularly in Sotogrande or on exclusive developments such as La Zagaleta near Marbella.

Comprehensive information about the Costa del Sol can be found in this book’s sister publication, Costa del Sol Lifeline by Joanna Styles (published by Survival Books).

Costa de Almería

The Costa de Almería (population around 500,000) lies in the south-eastern part of Andalusia and is one of contrasts, between busy tourist resorts and starkly beautiful, unspoilt land. It’s also one of Spain’s wealthiest regions, owing to the large agricultural industry: there are more than 10,000ha (24,000 acres) of vegetables and flowers under plastic greenhouses. The area includes the national park of Cabo de Gata, a unique marine reserve with beautiful virgin beaches and rocky coves. Inland, the landscape is practically uninhabited, comprising desert and sandstone rock formations, the setting for many Wild West movies. Main towns include Almería, a modern city and the main service centre for the region; Aquadulce, Almerimar and Roquetas del Mar are major holiday resorts with marina and holiday apartment blocks and Mojácar is an attractive white village perched in the mountains with a thriving summer resort on the coast. Inland are several villages such as Garrucha, Vícar and Enix set in the lower foothills of the Sierra de Gador.

The Costa de Almería enjoys an excellent climate and unspoilt countryside, which provides many leisure activities. Communications are improving and several flights are available to Almería airport from the UK. The area can be very quiet in the winter months. Property prices have risen in the last few years (17 per cent in 2004), but remain cheaper than the Costa del Sol, and the Costa de Almería is currently one of Spain’s main growth areas for property. A two bedroom apartment costs from €110,000 and a villa from €250,000.

Costa de la Luz

The Costa de la Luz is in south-western Andalusia on the Atlantic stretching from Tarifa, the southern tip of Spain, to the Portuguese border. The area has one of Spain’s most ‘authentic’ coastlines, virtually untouched by mass tourism, although the area is gradually increasing in popularity with foreign property buyers, particularly the British. The Costa de la Luz is noted for its magnificent sand dunes, windswept marshes, sleepy villages and delicious seafood. Main towns in the area include Tarifa, one of the world’s top windsurfing destinations; Conil, Chiclana and Zahara de los Atunes, all small towns, but rapidly expanding with the demand for new property and Cadiz, one of Spain’s great maritime cities with many fine monuments. Costa Esuri, the so-called ‘Spanish Algarve’ on the border with Portugal, includes the attractive towns of Ayamonte, Islantilla, Lepe, Punta Umbría and Villablanca, and is currently a growth area with foreign property buyers.

Advantages of the Costa de la Luz include a pleasant climate, although strong winds blow most of the year round, and peace and quiet. Communications are generally poor, although limited flights are available to the airports of Jerez and Seville from the UK and resorts on the Costa Esuri can be easily reached from Faro airport. Property here is considerably cheaper than the neighbouring Costa del Sol, although prices have risen markedly in the last three years (26 to 30 per cent in 2004). A two bedroom apartment costs from €125,000 and a villa from €300,000.

More pages

Page 1: Overview
Page 2: The Alpujarras (Las Alpujarras)

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