(To return to previous page, please close this window) The house is in the village of Melegís which is about 20 minutes drive South of Granada in Spain. The village is almost halfway between Granada and the coast (Costa Tropical) and located about 10 minutes drive through the hills, to the West of the main arterial dual carriageway that connects Granada with the coast. Melegís nestles beside the Rio Torrente at an altitude of 500 metres halfway between Granada and the beaches of the Costa Tropical. It is cooler than the coastal regions in the summer and yet frost free in the winter. The cultivated huertos and terraces are crossed by many tracks for superb pre or after dinner strolls. Melegís has its roots in Moorish Spain and its wider streets and scattering of large properties indicates its wealthy origins. Like all local villages, houses are hidden behind plain white walled facades, offering only tantalizing glimpses of courtyards and interiors. In the cool of the evening, families walk the orange groves, children play in the streets and the village comes alive. And of course there are the fiestas! Granada and the historic Alhambra palace-citadel (booking essential) is just a 30 minute drive away. There are many more architectural jewels and specialist shops to be found throughout the city and in the old Moorish quarter, the Albaycín. How many people can stay there in comfort? Casa Larga sleeps 5 adults and 2 children; Larguita next door sleeps 4 adults and 2 children. Casa Larga has a family bathroom & 2 shower rooms (both en suite). Larguita has 2 shower rooms (1 en suite). Both houses have and a downstairs cloakrooms with with w.c. Casa Larga Approached from the street and a shared entrance hall with Larguita, Casa Larga is an extensive house and garden that slowly reveals its spaces as you walk through. The entrance hall leads past the dining room to a family area, kitchen and small central courtyard. At the rear of the house is a large sitting room with an impressive open fireplace.Running the full length of the sitting room is a large veranda overlooking the walled garden and the pool area. The garden is a mixture of lawn, shrubs and fruit orchard growing oranges, lemons, pears, persimmon, loquat, walnut, fig and pomegranate. T There is plenty of space for sitting out in sun or in shade. Whilst the garden is walled and safe for children, the pool is unfenced and small children will need supervision whilst playing outside. The location of the house is very convenient for car parking and there is good access from the car parking areas. Larguita Once the home of the grandparents, Larguita shares with Casa Larga the entrance hall from the street. The house is self-contained with its own private walled courtyard and roof terrace. Larguita retains the original layout with the 2 main bedrooms each having their own staircases and shower rooms. The bunk bedroom is accessed from landing of the front bedroom. On the ground floor, there are 2 sitting rooms joined by a modern kitchen that links both ends of the house. Larguita is an intriguing and charming house with original features and decor. The external courtyard has large double doors that lead to the garden and huerto of Casa Larga should the 2 properties be rented as one unit. The staircases are original and consequently, they are steep and may be unsuitable for people with restricted mobility. The tiled pool is a curved, organic shape, 8 by 5 metres. The pool is 1.4 metres deep across the whole pool. A set of large, curved steps lead into the pool. The water is filtered and cleaned twice per day and the pool itself is maintained once per week by our pool maintenance contractor. The pool is located in the orchard, surrounded by trees. The surrounds of the pool lead to the main patio with a built-in barbecue nearby. The pool area is not fenced off and this may make the house unsuitable for families with small children. Casa Larga has a large garden that can be accessed from Larguita if the houses are rented together. Larguita has an outside, walled courtyard. Casa Larga Garden Leading from the veranda, there is a walled 'huerto' or orchard, planted with mainly citrus trees. The part nearest the house is grassed and irrigated with sprinklers. In this area there are plants and shrubs. The remainder of the orchard is kept tidy, but not cultivated. The garden reflects the local environment, so do not expect manicured lawns, flower-beds and neat paths. What works well here are the plants that can survive the Summer heat and the Winter cool. Also, the approach to gardening tends to be 'either cut it down or let it grow'. So, we do the best we can and the effect is (we think!) good. In the Winter (2007), we put in over 40 new plants as well as creating a 'dry garden' area in the middle. The orchard trees have become over-mature and during the last 3 years, they have been pruned in sequence. This means that we now have trees that are growing well, but not yet back to their former shape and bulk. In the Spring and Autumn, there are many migratory birds to be seen in the orchard. Facilities when we have inclement weather? Casa Larga If the weather is warm and it rains, there is ample seating on the veranda that overlooks the garden. The sitting room can be opened up to give vistas through the orange trees. In cold weather, the sitting room has a large, open fireplace and there are storage heaters that can be turned on (these are included with rental in the cold season). The dining room is heated and provides an alternative to outdoors for meals. Larguita Larguita has wood-burning stoves in the 2 sitting rooms in addition to storage heaters in all the main rooms. The sitting room at the back of the house has double doors onto a porch that opens out into the courtyard. Both houses have TV (local programs only), DVD players and hi-fi with CD players. TV is via 'Astra' satellite. English channels are limited to BBC World and news channels; Spanish TV includes Andalucia plus several others. Casa Larga has a selection of films on DVD as well as some music CDs. Around both houses, there is a substantial collection of books. Access to the house is from the street and a car can be driven up to the door. Parking is usually available outside the front of the house. Parking is also available in the church square (2 minutes walk away. Larguita - the staircases are original and consequently, they are steep and may be unsuitable for people with restricted mobility Within walking distance there is a bakery and a 'Spar-type' shop named Coviran. Coviran sell everything from toiletries to whisky and from vegetables to olive oil. They are open daily but they close between 2 and 4 p.m. The shop and bakery are not open on Sundays or public holidays. In the next village (Talara/Lecrin) there are several shops including bank ATM facilities. Further afield in Durcal are larger stores and a big supermarket. In Granada are all the shops you could want including department stores and hypermarkets. Granada also has a famous spice market adjacent to the Cathedral as well as many art and craft stalls and shops. The main restaurant/bar (Los Naranjos) is a few minutes walk away and has a good local Spanish menu that is reasonably priced. Los Naranjos is an ideal place to have a very long lunch on a nice sunny day as they are never in any hurry for you to finish. Please note: Los Naranjos closes on Wednesdays and during September. In Durcal there are other restaurants including a good coffee bar (on the left, main street, going into Durcal from Melegís). Granada contains outstanding restaurants. The bars around the main square are good for people-watching, but they can be expensive compared with those in the side-streets. What 'consumables' are in the house? When we leave the house, the larder has a wide range of 'goodies' that can tide a family over until the shops are open - not a luxury banquet, but it will keep the wolf from the door. There are beers and wine also available. All we ask is for visitors to top up anything used so that it is there for the next visitors. You can get by without any Spanish at all. However, it helps in restaurants, bars and shops to be able to ask for things and say thank-you in Spanish. In villages, it is usual to greet people outside the house and say, at least 'hola'. In Spain it is bad form not to greet people. Even if your Spanish is marginal, please go ahead and use it, it will be appreciated. In the village, there is little English spoken. The large stores in Granada will have people who are fluent in English, but in the main, the Spanish are hesitant to use their English as they tend to be embarrassed if it is not very good - sounds familiar? If your Spanish is 'Castellano' then the local dialect will sound rather odd with its truncated words and flattened pronunciation. You may not understand them, but they will understand you. Can I get to the beach easily? You will need a car to get to the beach. The coast is about 30 minutes drive, South on the main trunk road. Weekends tend to be busy in the Summer, particularly at the end of the day on Saturday and Sunday. There are a range of beaches. If you like wide, open beaches, then the area immediately you get to the coast is fine. Otherwise, turn right towards the West and there are many small beaches just off the road. The maps in the house have beaches marked on them. If you like snorkelling, then Marina del Este is good. We have our favourites and they are marked on the maps. The beaches tend to be under-developed, but there are several very friendly ones with bars, showers and facilities such as sun-beds, umbrellas etc. Granada and the historic Alhambra palace-citadel is just a 30 minute drive away. There are many more architectural jewels and specialist shops to be found throughout the city and in the old Moorish quarter, the Albaycín. Booking is essential for the Alhambra, tickets are 11 Euros per person (30 Euros on Saturdays and holidays); advance bookings via Alhambra Web Site. From the house, there are several walks on village tracks that are scenic, interesting and not too strenuous. For the fitter people, there are many longer walks that go through the countryside and between villages; these are 'general purpose fitness' walks. Then there is the 'other stuff' for the very fit walkers. There is one walk locally that includes a medium scramble to the top of the highest peak in the local range. For the more adventurous walker on holiday in Andalusia, there are many footpaths in the Lecrin Valley from Melegis, Restabal, Saleres and Albuñuelas down into and across gorges, through fertile valleys and up mountainsides (i.e. Monte Giralda at 1,431 metres, the highest in the range to the south). Travelling by car the North East, there is trekking in the lower and high Sierras. To the East lies the much reported region of the Alpujarras; a long valley with scattered white villages strung out across the foothills of the towering Sierra Nevada mountains. The Alpujarran villages and towns offer endless days of exploration, sightseeing and walking and include busy towns like the spa town of Lanjaron as well as rustic villages off the beaten track. What about driving and road safety? The driving is quite OK by UK standards. However, a significant difference is that coaches & lorries can go over 50 mph. The secret is to drive carefully and not compete with the occasional road hog. The Granadinos quickly work out if you are a visitor and take advantage - let them, you are on holiday. The only other advice is not to overtake on the '3-lane' parts of the motorway (i.e. the middle lane is the overtaking lane for both directions. As far as security is concerned, no different that any other places. Do not leave things in the car on view; do not stop if you are flagged down by anyone other than Guardia Seville and in Supermarket car parks, park near the main area. Is the house suitable for young children? Casa Larga Whilst the garden is walled and safe for children, the pool is unfenced and small children will need supervision whilst playing outside. Children should be supervised at all times when on the roof terraces. Larguita The staircases are original and consequently, they are steep and small children may need to be supervised when using the stairs. How do I get more information?
How much does it cost to stay at Casa Larga? Depending on existing bookings, we will take bookings to suite your flights (in other words, outside of the usual 'Saturday to Saturday'). Prices from 550 Euros per week for Larguita and from 1,030 Euros per week for Larga; there is a discount for the 2 houses rented as one unit. Our holiday rental Rates (opens a new window) page has a schedule of the seasons. (To return to previous page, please close this window) |