ANDALUCIA ESPANA
A truly special holiday destination
If you are happy to drive around sightseeing, there are several well-known Spanish towns to visit within an hour or two, including Malaga with its modern shops, historic old town and new Picasso Museum (one hour), Granada (one hour), Cordoba (one hour) and Seville (two hours).
The popular bridge across the river in the centre of Cordoba.
The Alhambra in Granada is overlooked by snow covered mountains in the Sierra Nevada.
Bull ring and port in Malaga.
One of many connecting courtyards in the Alhambra Palace in Granada.
The gorge that runs right through Ronda has a splendid bridge across.
The vast Mesquite mosque in Cordoba has a huge ornate Catholic cathedral built inside!
These arches in the Mesquite mosque in Cordoba create a seemingly endless cool forest.
A place to put on your 'must see' bucket list is the Alahambra in Granada.
CORDOBA, RONDA, MALAGA and GRANADA
The ancient town of Cordoba is one of the many jewels of Andalucia and is well worth a visit. Have a look inside the Mosque turned Cathedral in Cordoba, once the largest city in Europe. Nearby is the ancient Jewish quarter with narrow streets hanging baskets of flowers and cool courtyards. In the 11th century it was one of the most important capitals in Europe. It was a mecca for free thinking and was where people of many cultures and religions chose to live in harmony.
There are monuments aplenty such as the world famous Mezquita, the Moorish mosque and museums. Bullfighting and Flamenco are steeped in the traditions of this Andalucian city.
It comes to life at night with nightclubs, Flamenco, tapas, many restaurants and bars and is a must during one of the many Spanish festivals. This city remains unspoilt and is a popular destination for the Spanish. All this and only one hour from Casa Ava.
Granada is one of the most picturesque cities in Spain. It was the long-time capital of Moorish Andalucia and home to the Alhambra gardens.
Walk through these beautiful gardens, charming narrow streets, sit down and eat in one of the local taverns and sample some Trevelez ham and local wine. There are gypsies scattered about singing Flamenco thus transporting you back in time to a different era.
Not only is the city located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Spain's highest mountain range where winter sports in Andalucia are not in short supply, but also not far from the Med, so pack a swimsuit and a sense of adventure. The many Spanish festivals and nightlife make Granada a great place to visit anytime.
Ronda is another popular destination for a trip out from Casa Ava. The drive through the mountains is full of spectacular vistas. When you arrive you can walk down into the gorge to the river below. The bridge houses a small prison cell overlooking the chasm.
Malaga on the coast is a much bigger city with major airport and ferry connections. It is great for a visit to big shops, and the Picasso Museum, housed here because Malaga is where Pablo came from. The coast to the west and south of Malaga is built up, full of hotels, and the sandy beaches are very very popular with international holiday makers. If you miss fish and chips and a pint of Guinness this where to go. But for a great day out driving and sightseeing follow the coast to the east with a return over the mountains back home to Casa Ava for a quiet relaxing poolside evening.
"We wanted a villa with a pool. The views from the poolside are wonderful. And we did enjoy the barbeque, and the big big fridge, thank you."
Leila from London said "I would definitely recommend Casa Ava to anyone wanting a peaceful break in a beautiful villa in a very Spanish part of Andalusia. The bedrooms are large and very clean, the pool and patio are great for relaxing and dining al fresco, and we loved the fact we weren't overlooked and really felt we could relax away from it all!"