Spain provides another typically Mediterranean destination, filled with sun, peaceful countryside and lively towns and seaside resorts. Here we concentrate on two attractive regions.
With sumptuous sunshine, peaceful countryside and lively seaside resorts and towns, Spain is just the place for a memorable European holiday. Better still, a European villa vacation can be an ideal retreat for a small family getaway or a celebration for a large group of family or friends. A&K has two luxury villas in Spain: Ca L’Amiral on the Costa Brava and Villa Moana on the Costa del Sol. Each villa’s services, staffing and amenities can be customized according to your needs.
From the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean, the Costa Brava seduces European villa vacationers with Catalan charm. Sheltered coves are protected by rocky gorges, and the shores blush with prolific flora. Quiet fishing villages meet vibrant towns teeming with nightlife and restaurants. Costa Brava is effortlessly passionate, diverse and intriguing.
For true diversity within just 30 minutes of Ca L’Amiral, leave your luxury villa to explore Barcelona. Its Mediterranean coastal location provides ample opportunities for fishing and boating, and the city center is a cultural mecca with theaters, museums and parks. Walk through the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), the center of the old city, to see buildings that date from medieval times and some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona.
Among Barcelona’s legacies is its Catalonian modernism architecture — a highlight of any European villa vacation. Architect Antoni Gaudí developed a sensuous, curving, almost surreal design style that established him as the innovative leader of the Spanish Art Nouveau movement. An easy day out from your private villa is a visit to see the wave-like façade of the Casa Mila and the impressive but unfinished Sagrada Familia Basilica. Then enter the Parc Güell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and pass Gaudí’s famous dragon fountain of multi-colored tiles. Traverse a walkway supported by twisting rock pillars that seem to grow like tree trunks out of the ground — another Gaudí masterpiece.
Another exciting day out from your luxury villa entails a visit to Sitges, a small city about 30 miles southwest of Barcelona and renowned for its film festival and carnival. Its enviable location between the hills and the sea has given rise to popular beaches and nightspots. Spend the day on one of the 17 sand beaches and stop for a typical Catalan meal before you return to your private villa. Perhaps sample xató, Sitges’ most typical dish. Shop for the main ingredients — escarole, cod, tuna, anchovies, and arbequine and black olives — in the local village. Then come back and prepare it in your villa’s gourmet kitchen. Don’t forget a bottle or two of Penedès black wine to wash it down.
At the other end of the spectrum — and the country — is the Costa del Sol in Andalusia. What the Côte d’Azur is to France, the Costa del Sol is to Spain. Miles of beaches invite sun worshippers to soak up the Mediterranean rays. The dry, sunny climate of this region has sprouted resort towns featuring some of the best restaurants, shops and nightlife — a perfect hub for a European vacation rental. Traditional Andalusian culture remains in whitewashed villages clustered around castles in pastoral landscapes, all within a short trip of your holiday home.
A&K’s Villa Moana is located in the heart of the Costa del Sol, an ideal location for both sports and nature enthusiasts. In the resort towns of Malaga and Marbella yachting and water sports thrive. Play 18 holes on a Costa del Sol course or hike ancient trails down to secluded beaches.
Drive to Marbella, slightly west of your private villa, to the beach or to visit the shady town squares filled with orange trees and the scent of jasmine. The town hall and Plaza de Los Naranjos, the main square, both date to the beginning of the 16th century. As you stroll, you’ll see the city’s main church, the baroque Our Lady of the Incarnation with exterior stone walls in Rococo style. Visit Spain’s only Bonsai Museum (one of the world’s best), located in the Park Arroyo de la Represa.
Venture out of your luxury Spanish villa for a day to Seville, a city steeped in Arab culture. Walk down narrow streets to the Gothic cathedral; the Giralda, the majestic tower of an ancient Romanesque mosque; or the 14th-century Alcázar fortress, built by the Moors for a Christian king. Enter the high, fortified walls of the Puerta del León (Lion's Gate) and find yourself in a garden courtyard next to the intimate Patio del León (Courtyard of the Lion), the only remains of the 12th-century Almohad Alcázar. Cross more garden courtyards to the beautiful Patio de las Doncellas (Court of the Damsels), beaming with delicately carved stuccos, and to the multi-colored cedar cupola of the sumptuous Salón de Embajadores (Hall of the Ambassadors).
Whether you choose the Costa Brava (Wild Coast) or Costa del Sol (Sun Coast), a Spanish villa rental is certain to be an enjoyable, carefree and memorable experience. Drive into town for a simple tapas meal and a glass of sherry in a local café … but just know that it may turn into a fiesta that lasts all night.
