Casa-andalucia: local information
A lovely sunny house in unspoilt rural Andalucía – the coast (eastern Costa del Sol) is 20 minutes and beautiful Nerja is 40 minutes. Our village, Salto del Negro is near Velez Malaga and Benamargosa.
Contact: manitara@globalnet.co.uk
Salto del Negro – the village in which ‘Casa Andalucía’ is situated is a rural hamlet with one shop, and is known locally as the ‘Isle of Tranquillity’, as once it was only accessible by crossing the river. Now the main road skirts the village behind the hill so that it still retains this quality. This effect is further enhanced by the soothing effect of exotic neroli scent in the orange and lemon blossoms, drifting up from the orchards below.
You may well meet
Juan, Paci, Francesca and Candida who live just down the lane. Part of our reason for loving the place is the warmth and active interest of the local villagers - active without being intrusive in anyway, as are many of the locals, with whom we have developed very affectionate relationships.
Benamargosa
Nearby, 4 minutes by car (½ hour on foot) is Benamargosa, an active large village the lively central hub of this agricultural valley. Here is where our new windows were made and the traditional caste iron doors forged by Miguel, who gave us free rein on the design. The town has a first class clinic and emergency centre. There is a wonderful swimming pool surrounded by tufted ‘
flat grass’ lawns and verdant trees and gardens which is open in the summer months and is often not so crowded.
Arabic villages
Further a field are the lovely Moorish mountain side villages, perched on the brow ridges where springs surface, offering amazing views over this abundant area to the large mountain ranges beyond. The 600 years of Moorish history is ever present and annual festivals celebrate this heritage – Cutar, nearby, has a ‘Festival del Monfi’ in which everyone dresses in Arabic costume and stalls, music and events are recreated from this rich era. Higher still is the famous town of Comares, which was established and presided over by a Moorish prince/ prelate, who had a dedicated chamber at the Alhambra in Granada. From this elevated town there are magnificent views towards the Mediterranean and the deeper mountain ranges inland.
Salto del Negro local Village: 
Village shop
Delivery vans most days with fish, some fresh, bread, fruit, vegetables and cheeses most days.
IT access in village community buildings near church
Tues and Fri mornings (10-2)
Wed and Thurs afternoons (4-8)
Benamargosa
Local larger village - very attractive rambling working and agricultural village with white houses and cobbled labyrinth streets and alleys (3 minutes by car and ½ hour on foot)
Market on Wed mornings
Farmacia (Ignacio Marcos Carmonia – 952517032)
Doctors and health clinic
3 Banks
6 cafes and restaurants
2 supermakets
Sports and Leisure activities
La Zubia (3 mins by car north of Salto) gym and exercise classes
Benamargosa gym and a variety of exercise classes. 661765677
Comares (10 minutes West of Salto) yoga classes Weds and Sat mornings at 10
Benamargosa and Comares swimming pools in summer months (Jul to Sept)
Velez Malaga
This is the large main town 15 minutes away and thought to be sited and settled by the Greeks originally and then by the many various forces over the centuries – Phoenicians, Romans etc. It has a very old Arab quarter and a more modern one. It has a stunning avenue of very broad circumferenced ancient Carob trees of gigantic proportions. These trees, ‘Algarrobas’, in Spanish, have conservation orders and host a great variety of birds and wildlife.
Velez has all the facilities you might expect in a busy city/town A new tram line connects the town to the coast to the seaside town of Torre del Mar with a very pleasant seafront esplanade and restaurants and cafes, most of which stay open all winter for the many residents there. To the Western side of Torre is a lovely, long wild stretch of beach backed by shrubs and bamboo and agricultural fields behind and is devoid of the usual seaside paraphernalia.
Cities to visit: Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba and Malaga
You can explore the Alhambra (www.alhambradegranada.org) (to return to our web site, simply close their window) and the metropolitan delights of the vibrant city of Granada on one day.
Activities further afield
Caves at Nerja -
Wolf park –
Water parks - Velez Malaga
Montagnes de Malaga - large national park.
La Maroma –
Lake Vinuela
Allama de Granada spa and hot springs
Aqua parks near and around Malaga
Torremolinos Malaga (until the middle of Sept)
Aqua Velis Water Park at Velez Malaga (until the middle of Sept)
An Oasis for Fun at Fuengirola (until the end of Sept -2nd Oct)
