3 Bedroom House in Las Alpujarras

La Golondrina was built in traditional style in 2006, on the site of an old ruined home, parts of which have been retained in the new building. There are three bedrooms (two doubles and a single), two bathrooms, and on the top floor, a big open plan area with kitchen, breakfast bar, dining and living areas, a wood-burning fire and French doors leading onto the roof terrace. The views across the village and the valley beyond are magnificent.  
 
Fewer than two hundred people live permanently in Juviles, and the only regular traffic we get along our narrow lane is a couple of mules and a small flock of goats passing by on the way to pasture. Although it is very quiet for most of the year, Juviles has three bars - all of which serve tapas and meals - a pharmacy, a bank, a small supermarket, and a new village swimming pool which is open during the summer months. There are some interesting sites in and around Juviles, including the sixteenth-century village church and the remains of a Moorish fortress, but the main attraction is the lovely countryside and its rich flora and fauna. The GR7 walking route passes right through the village, and there are hundreds of excellent day walks around and about. Above the village there is some more serious climbing and hill-walking country in the Sierra Nevada itself. The bigger villages of Trevelez and Berchules are a few minutes away by car and the town of Cadiar, where you will find all main services and a sizeable English-speaking community, is twenty minutes. 
 
The Alpujarra is brilliant walking country. Other things to do around here include horse-riding, mountain-biking and bird-watching, and you'll find details of activities and contacts such as stables and hire businesses in our house. In winter the ski-slopes of the Sierra Nevada are within an hour's drive, while in summertime you can be at the beach in about forty-five minutes. 
 
The area is studded with white-washed villages featuring the characteristic architecture that has hardly changed since the Muslims were expelled in the 16th century. This really is an unspoiled corner of Spain, and few local people speak any English. Granada province is one of the last places in Spain where tapas are generally still given free, and in the bars here you will often get quite substantial free food when you order beer or wine. The nearest airports to the Alpujarra are Granada (flights from London, Liverpool, Nottingham, Milan, Frankfurt, Madrid, Barcelona) and Almeria (flights from London, Manchester, Munich and Dusseldorf, amongst others). Each is less than ninety minutes away. Malaga airport has many more services and is about 3 hours away (the new motorway should lessen this journey time considerably). Airports at Murcia, Seville, Jerez and Gibraltar (each around 5 hours) are not out of the question if you get a good flight deal. At this altitude it can get very cold in winter, but Spring comes early, and for most of the year you can expect bright sunshine, hot days and warm nights.

The house is built in traditional style with whitewashed walls, wooden shutters and ceramic floor tiles. There are two entrance doors - on the ground floor and on the second floor, leading straight into the kitchen. Furniture and appliances are all of a high-quality and new in 2006. You'll find plenty of bedding for the two double and one single beds, and there are lots of towels for you to use. The kitchen is very well equipped with everything you'd need to cook quite elaborate meals, and to serve them to at least five people. There is a small library of walking guides, novels and other books in English and Spanish, and a selection of DVDs. There is also a book of detailed information on the area which we have compiled, with recommended restaurants, walks, contacts, driving instructions and more. Our English-speaking local manager will be able to help with enquiries. See casasierra.co.uk for more details and pictures.

The main attraction in the Alpujarra is the natural environment, and our village is on the edge of the Sierra Nevada Parque Natural, a strictly protected area of outstanding beauty and importance for the diversity of its flora and fauna. Typical activities are walking (we're right on the GR7 walking route), climbing, horse-riding, skiing in winter, bird-watching and astronomy (the air is very clear). The villages are also interesting from a historical perspective, being the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain. Although Juviles is quite remote and extremely peaceful, you can be at a good beach within an hour's drive, and there are golf-courses, watersports and other activities at about the same distance. The exquisite city of Granada, with the Alhambra, is about 1 hour and 15 minutes away - a perfect day trip through stunning scenery.