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Property of the Week: Hidden Cottage, traditional 2 bedroom converted farmers cottage
Set in an olive grove with spectacular views, which can be enjoyed from the pool area or whilst having a BBQ on the patio. Situated near the local village of Colmenar, only a simple 45 minute drive from Malaga airport. The cottage is quaint and full of character, with an indoor working fireplace, traditional Spanish kitchen and beamed ceilings. For families with children it offers a secure gated swimming pool area, a travel cot and a travel stair gate. Ideal also for couples wanting the peace and tranquility which the countryside has to offer along with great scenic walks along the mountain side. A 10 minute drive from 3 different villages including the most picturesque village of Comares and 5 minutes walk from the local bar/restaurant. Only 45 minutes drive from the beaches and attractions on the coast or a 2 hour drive from the skiing in the Sierra Nevada. This really is a holiday property which offers plenty of variety!
Secluded swimming pool area with sun loungers, parasols and spectacular mountain views
Set in a 2000sqm olive grove, the land also has a variety of almond, pomegranate and other fruit treas, which guests can help themselves to! Plums are available in May/June, figs around August/September, grapes in August, pomegranates in October, almonds in the summer and prickly pears in August/September. There is an attractive 8x4m swimming pool and sunbathing area with spectacular mountain views. Outside the front of the cottage is a tiled patio area with built in BBQ, bread oven, partially covered pergola and an outside table big enough for 6 people to use as an outside dining area. Enjoy evening meals sat outside overlooking the breathtaking unspoilt Spanish countryside.
Traditional Spanish kitchen and outside shaded patio area with BBQ and bread oven.
This property is available to rent on SpainAgain.co.uk from only £240 per week! Click here to see more photos and to contact the owner direct about availability.
SPECIAL OFFER - Direct From The Owner - Book any week in October 2012 and receive a 10% discount off the advertised price.
Aug 30, 2012La Tomatina – The World’s Biggest Food Fight!
Spain prepares itself for one of the weirdest, craziest and most exciting festivals – La Tomatina, the biggest tomato fight on the planet. Thousands of people from all corners of the world are expected to head to the small town of Bunol close to Valencia on Wednesday 29th August to play with over 100 tons of over-ripe tomatoes.
Held each year, on the last Wednesday of August in Bunol near Valencia, La Tomatina follows a tradition of over 60 years, being considered one of the most bizarre festivals on the planet. Celebrating Bunol’s patron saints – Luis Bertran and Mother of God of the Defenseless (Virgin Mary), the event actually consists of a week-long fiesta of fun. Bunol’s normal population is approx. 9,000 but on this day anywhere between 20,000 to 40,000 people fill the streets to participate.
The celebrations begin in the week leading up to La Tomatina with street parades, concerts, music, dancing and fireworks in Bunol. In the evening before the battle, a paella cooking contest takes place heating up the atmosphere and energising the partakers for the main event the next day.
Come Dressed to Wear Tomato Juice!
Photo by: Dahon
La Tomatina starts at around 11am after trucks full of tomatoes from the province of Extremadura throw the over-ripe vegetables into the center of the city in Plaza del Pueblo. Technically the festival does not begin until one brave soul has climbed to the top of a tall wooden greased pole and reached the coveted ham at the top. This event is called the Palojabón and often takes a long time and the festival often starts despite no one reaching the meaty prize. If you do reach the ham however, you get to keep it. The firing of water cannons signals the start of the tomato fight and the chaos and carnage begins!
Both Spaniards and tourists wearing goggles, old shoes and old clothes take to the streets in the main square of Bunol in order to participate in this harmless battle. The soft over-ripe tomatoes fly in all directions and everyone gets covered from head to toe in tomato juice and peel. The entire atmosphere is alive with plenty of laughter and enthusiasm, turning this crazy event into the world’s biggest and most interesting food fight, where it’s pretty much every man and woman for themself! If you want to take some fun photos of the event a waterproof camera is essential!
Useful Tips
- Wear clothes that you can throw away afterwards - you will never get them clean Again!
- Make sure you take a change of clothes for the return journey home – there are some public showers in Bunol near the river. You will not be allowed on the public transport with dirty and wet juicy clothes!
- Wear goggles (or protect your eyes but don´t wear glasses) - the acid in the tomatoes can really sting your eyes!
- Wear shoes that have a decent grip - don't wear flipflops!
- You must not take any bottles (glass or plastic) or any kind of object that could cause injury.
- You must not tear peoples T-shirts or clothes.
- Tomatoes must be squashed before being thrown in order not to hurt anyone - this is a war with no winners, just grab those red over-ripe tomatoes and throw them at anyone that moves, runs, bends down, turns around or even just stands still!
- Be observant and careful of the tomato laden lorries driving through the streets.
- When the second cannon is fired/sounded you MUST stop throwing tomatoes.
- Enjoy yourself! Be prepared to get very messy but observe the rules and respect all participants. There has not been any serious injury during the entire history of La Tomatina.
After exactly one hour the water cannons are fired again to signal the end, which means no more tomatoes must be thrown. The majority of participants go down to the River Jarra to wash while some of them prefer to use the communal showers especially designed for the event. Some kind local residents will also hose down passers-by to assist the cleaning up process. In the meantime, dozens of fire trucks begin to wash-down the red rivers of tomatoes flowing over the streets of Bunol. After a couple of hours the streets of the city look cleaner than ever due to the acidity of the tomatoes. Participants, once washed and clean, continue the celebration with drinks and music into the early hours of the following morning.
Watch the Video!
There is limited accommodation in the town of Bunol for people who come to La Tomatina, so many people take the easier option of staying in nearby Valencia just 38km away and travel in by car, train or bus.
Click Here - View Holiday Rentals Near Bunol With Showers!
Sponsored Link -
ThisisValencia's La Tomatina Tour Coach Trip 2012 - A full day of fun that includes a return journey on a lovely cool air conditioned coach, the whole Tomatina in Buñol, a shower to clean up after & a swim to cool off! As well as a traditional and delightful lunch of tapas and paella (and loads of beer and sangria!) before heading back to Valencia for around 6pm.
ALL THIS FOR INCREDIBLY LOW PRICE PRICE OF JUST 70 EUROS A HEAD!
Click here to visit thisisValencia.com for more details and to book your place on the coach, but hurry, places are running out fast!
Ketchup with all the latest news and goings on in Valencia with thisisValencia.com (sorry, couldn't resist the pun)!
La Feria de Malaga - It's Fiesta Time in Malaga!
From the 10th to 19th August the beautiful capital of the Costa del Sol puts on its celebration outfit in order to host the summer’s greatest fiesta – La Feria de Malaga, also known as Feria de Agosto. Full of color, music, traditions, parades and merriment, the 10 day party is attended each year by millions of people, both locals, as well as travellers from all over the world.
Located in the picturesque region of Andalusia, the Spanish city of Malaga rejoices its integration into the Crown of Castile by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, an event that took place on August 18, 1487. On this occasion, the streets of Malaga are brought to life by eye-catching flamenco dresses, malaguenas and verdiales (traditional Andalusian music), incredible fireworks dancing in the skies to sweet rhythms of classical music, elegant horse parades, bullfighting demonstrations and various shows, all of them rolled into a spectacle for all tastes and senses.
Photo by: Sara Patricelli
The Feria de Malaga is divided in two distinctive festivals: La Feria de dia (Day Fair) and La Feria de noche (Night Fair), both of them embodying an excellent experience for partakers.
The day festival takes place mainly in the historic center of Malaga, from where the flamboyant atmosphere starts to spread all over the city’s squares and lovely streets, crafting a charming back-in-time feeling. Therefore, everyone is invited to soak up the Andalusian long-lasting traditions, to indulge in the local delightful cuisine and to party, no matter what age, skin colour, gender or nationality.
From the vivid daytime fiesta, visitors are led to various fairgrounds over the city, such as El Real or Plaza de la Marina, where the party continues till dawn with plenty of music, dance, food and drink. Moreover, for those who enjoy bullfighting, Malaga’s main bullring, La Malagueta will host spectacles each evening.
Nevertheless, we recommend those who attend the lively Fair of Malaga, to visit the beautiful Spanish city and its remarkable attractions that are definitely worth a stopover whilst in town. Some of the most famous spots include Malaga’s Cathedral, Alcazaba, Picasso Museum, Bishop’s Palace, the Old Town, Malaga’s beaches and the swanky Larios street.
Combine the Fiesta experience with a sunshine holiday along the sunny Spanish sunshine coast and enjoy the famous nearby resorts of Marbella, Benalmadena or Fuengirola. Whatever your choice of resort, we are at your disposal with a great range of private holiday lettings on the beautiful Costa del Sol.
Photo by: Toni Molero
The International Music Festival of Trujillo – A Pleasure For All Senses
Taking place in the picturesque province of Extremadura between July 26 and July 29, The International Music Festival of Trujillo brings together some of the world’s finest classical musicians to perform on the charming stage of El Palacio de los Duques de San Carlos.
Already in its second edition, the annual event is hosted by prestigious ensembles such as The Soloists of London, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Academy of St Martins-in-the-fields and The English Chamber Orchestra.
This year's program is divided into four magical nights, starting with the Orquesta Joven del Bicentenario, a group of young talented musicians from Cadiz and the province of Andalucía. Being under the tutelage of The Soloists of London, this Spanish orchestra will kick off the show with music from the period of “La Pepa”, 1812, performing two free concerts along the event.
After a delightful entrance, The International Festival of Trujillo continues with a baroque sequence, sustained by The Soloists of London playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by candlelight. The following evenings include the amazing performance of famous soprano Pilar Jurado in the course of Gala lirica as well as the concert of young violinist, Leticia Moreno playing “Mozart through the ages”. For a grand finale, the festival’s last evening will be filled with special acts performed by Orchestra of the International Music Festival of Trujillo. Tickets range from 20 to 25 Euros, except for the free concerts.
Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy four incredible evenings of the world’s finest classical music. The festival’s magnitude is given by both the historical setting of Trujillo, as well as by the irrefutable value of the participating artists, whose enactments have been appreciated by the entire world in Oscar-winning soundtracks such as “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter”. Moreover, the musicians attending the festival are famous for holding concerts in front of a select audience including Pope John Paul II, Queen Sofia of Spain and Queen Elizabeth II.
Tickets for the festival can be bought from the official website here: www.fimtrujillo.com
The fascinating medieval town of Trujillo with its lovely 15th - 16th century architecture and the narrow windy streets stepped in history seems to be a perfect setting for the festival, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy a unique experience. The walled hilltop town has always been famous as the home of Conquistadors, a major historical venue and a melting pot of cultures, so visitors will not only be captured by the sensational music at the festival, but also by the elegant atmosphere and the magical décor.
To enrich your experience in Trujillo, we recommend you to visit the beautiful Plaza Mayor, the impressive Iglesia de San Martin, the Palacio de la Conquista, the Costume Museum and of course, the surrounding countryside, which completes the charm of Trujillo. For an even greater and authentic experience in this lovely province of Extremadura, nothing will suit you better than to stay in a traditional finca surrounded by unspoilt scenery, where you can relax and soak up the delightful atmosphere of Spain’s rural side. After this amazing experience you will definitely want to visit - Spain Again!
Photo By: Nigel Swales
Jul 20, 2012
