Spain is famous for its traditional beauty, its culture, history, unique cuisine and in particular for its picturesque white washed mountain villages. Andalucia and the South of Spain have many to offer, making for an ideal trip and a short drive from Marbella to discover each villages unique charm, still very close to the coast.
Marbella Unique Properties is pleased to give a brief introduction to each village, its distance to Marbella, property in the area, and what you may expect to find. Starting from Marbella, the neighbouring white washed villages are; Benahavis, Istan, Ojen and Monda.
BENAHAVIS
Set 22kms from Marbella town center, this is possibly one of the most famous and popular white washed villages on the Costa Del Sol. Benahavis is an artists heaven and synonymous with the locals and expatriates for its high concentration of top quality restaurants and cuisine. Less than an 10 minutes drive to the beach, set 7kms inland from San Pedro De Alcantara and Guadalmina Golf, adjacent to the Guadalmina river and gorge. With a strong Moorish heritage, the village has remained surprisingly unspoilt, including narrow winding streets and views down to the coast from its highest points. Antique doors, marble fountains, a traditional Spanish town center with main square and many architectural details to enjoy. Traditional property in the old town itself is highly sought after, many with unique original features and comes with a price tag, saying that multiple new developments continue to be built at the lower part of the town, making for modern property, with apartment and townhouse complexes that are in high demand.
ISTAN
Just under 20kms from Marbella town center, less than 15kms to the coast and beach. Istan lies in the Rio Verde valley, and adjacent to the large reservoir of La Concepcion dam built in 1972 to provide drinking water to the towns along the Costa Del Sol. Originally also a Moorish settlement and one of the few Moorish mountain villages remaining today, with a famous Acequia del Chorro, a water channel built by the moors that still can be seen in the town. This village, and the road up to Istan offers a large variety of property types to choose from, with affordable prices. The road to Istan typically offers villas some with a lot of land, as well as townhouses and apartments in gated communities. The beauty of property here are the views that can be enjoyed, surrounded by nature, views to the reservoir, the natural forest surroundings and down to the sea. An ideal location for hikers and popular with cyclist too. There are some historical buildings to see, best visited on foot.
OJEN
9kms going North from Marbellas town center. This rural village is set in the middle of two sierras, the Sierra Blanca and Alpujata. Traditional cobbled narrow streets in the old town with water drinking fountains all around. Ojen was famous for its production of the anise liqueur, “Aguardiente”, a strong alcohol that many spaniards add to their morning coffee or have as a digestive after dinner. Ojen also famous for its wine boasts a Wine Museum which is highly recommended when visiting the village. Ojen is popular as a residential area close to Marbella town, surrounded by nature and with spectacular views down to the coast. A brand new development, currently under construction, is taking place close to the town, designed by 2 renowned Marbella architects, to be built over 50 hectares of land, of which 20 hectares are green area. Luxury modern apartments with stunning panoramic views over Marbella town and down to the beach, and boasting luxury finishes as well as top quality facilities. Please contact Marbella Unique Properties for full information on the off plan properties available for sale.
MONDA
18kms from Marbella town center, this village is one of the most beautiful in the area, with a dominant feature that can be seen for miles. A large stone building surrounded by trees, above the village, built on the site of the Moorish Castillo de Al-Mundat, the Castillo de Monda hotel. A boutique hotel, with modern facilities, stylish decor and fine dining, a unique building also well kwon for celebrations and events. Monda has a small village square with a statue of The Miner and a charming Fuente Lavadero de la Jaula. Outside the village is the Calvario, Roman road and olive oil mill. In fact the drive up to Monda and its surrounding countryside is full of olive groves. Property in Monda is in demand year round, with large plots and fincas for sale in the nearby areas and townhouses and village homes in the center.
Marbella Unique Properties are on hand to assist with all your property needs, whether looking to buy, sell or rent a property in one of these charming villages, we look forward to hearing from you and helping you further