Villa Florencia - Browsing Casa Rural
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January Guests!
Following a hectic Christmas and New Year period, when the house was full to capacity pretty much all the time, the usual quiet January looked like being a sharp contrast. However, we were pleased to welcome back Claude (not only once, but twice), who had visited us in December with his wife on a property hunting expedition. The property hunting that they had done together in early December had proved a success, and he was returning to verify a few points and also to obtain his NIE number – basically a foreigner’s identity number, which fulfils the same purpose as the identity card and number that every Spanish national is required to carry.
Claude stayed with us one night, then went to the area where his proposed property is located, and then returned to us for his final night in Spain before travelling back to Belgium from Valencia airport. However, he is planning to visit us again next month, this time along with his wife – and thereafter we look forward to seeing their plans come to fruition as they put the wheels in motion to buy their home here in Spain.
Also coming to visit us in January were two people from Germany, Sabrina and Daniel, who rented the self-catering apartment for a week. However, the purpose for their visit was slightly different from the usual holidaymaker or property-hunter. They were both dedicated animal lovers, and had decided to come to Gandía in order to help out at the animal rescue centre in the town. Their intention was to help there as much as they could and also to take some dogs back with them to Germany for re-homing. In the end, however, their visit to us proved to be somewhat more significant than that. Not only did they take 5 dogs to Germany (one was being adopted by Daniel himself), but they also brought to our attention that fact that a young Spanish mastiff had arrived at the shelter a couple of weeks previously, and they thought we might be interested in adopting her. To cut a long story short, this is exactly what we did, and we are now the happy owners of "Lola" – a beautiful gentle giant of a dog who has settled in wonderfully well with our other two dogs and the cats as well. She is a credit to her breed, and has all the calm, gentle characteristics that make the Spanish mastiff the exceptional dogs they are.
Another guest who visited us for the first time this month was a lady living in London, but originally from Turkey – and she, like Claude, was also on a property hunting exercise. Her intention was to have a look around the area and see what sort of properties were available – and if indeed the area was to her liking. Ayfer spent four days with us and came to realise that although this part of Spain is less well-known to the foreign tourist, it is nevertheless a beautiful part of the country and almost unique in that a coastal town the size of Gandía has remained almost untouched by the less desirable aspects of overseas tourism and settlement. She loved the area and, although she was not able to find a property that suited her requirements on this trip, she felt that she would return in the near future in order to continue her search. We will certainly look forward to her visiting us again, and hopefully she will be able to refine her property search now that she knows the area and what there is on offer here.
Finally, we were also delighted to have more new guests visit us for the first time – this time driving down from northern France in search of some warmer weather compared to what they left behind at home. Richard and Marie-Noelle were travelling to Malaga for a few days break from the cold weather of northern Europe and stayed with us for one night’s bed and breakfast along the way. However, they almost wished they could stay longer once they realised the lovely surroundings in which they found themselves. They arrived after dark, so were only aware of the beautiful scenery of the La Safor region on the following morning – when regretfully they had to depart. However, they felt that they might well return to us on another occasion – maybe in the summer – and then they would be able to appreciate all that the area has to offer, rather than having to leave in haste for another destination.
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More Canadians Arrive!
Last Wednesday we were pleased to welcome some unexpected guests – again from Canada – who were touring around Spain with a possible long-term view to settling here. They called on us to see if they could stay here as they wanted to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation as opposed to conventional hotels wherever possible. They had in mind also that the bed and breakfast industry might suit them if they were to settle here, and were eager to hear our experiences.
Brian and Lonnie come from Alberta and were travelling around Spain in the opposite direction from our last Canadian guests – they had started in Seville and were ultimately destined for Barcelona – whereas Neil and Debra had started in Barcelona and were heading south and round to Portugal. Both couples wanted to stay away from big cities for most of their time in Spain, and therefore felt that bed and breakfast accommodation would suit them better, as well as allowing them to get a better feel for what everyday life is like for people living here already.
Brian and Lonnie spent three nights with us and during the day would explore the area and seek out towns, villages and even some properties that they had already seen on various websites. Their plan is one that is very much for the future, however, so this trip was purely exploratory to see which areas of the country might suit them when the time comes to think about making the big move. They were very impressed with the La Safor region, however, and had already determined that it is a very healthy as well as a very pleasant part of the country in which to live due to the microclimate to be found here. They took trips up into the mountains to check out some of the smaller villages there, as well as spending time one day in Xátiva – a town that appealed to them very much. Being near the coast is not of great importance to them, so the inland area around Xátiva was of considerable interest, as well as being a potential base for a bed and breakfast business in the future. Further down the coast they discovered Oliva and its Friday market and from there they fell a little bit in love with the beautiful village of Forna that lies inland through the orange groves behind Oliva.
After each day’s exploring they would return to us and take advantage of our evening meal service and tell us of their discoveries and impressions that day. It certainly seemed that our part of the Costa Blanca was going to be fairly far up their list of possible locations to consider in the future, as they preferred an area which was not too over-populated with non-Spanish residents and was a little different from the mainstream tourist destinations. However, after a three night stay with us they felt that they had acquainted themselves with the area sufficiently and it was time to move on. They had managed to reserve accommodation in another bed and breakfast establishment to the north of Valencia where they planned to spend a couple of nights before heading up to their final destination of Barcelona where they were to catch their flight back to Canada. Hopefully we will see them back with us in the future when they feel the time is right to look at a move to Spain and they will consider our area as a place to start their search in earnest.
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Canadians Walkers on a Sabbatical
Walking holidays in Spain
We were pleased to welcome Neil and Debs to Villa Florencia at the end of last week, with the added dimension that they are from Canada, taking five weeks to tour through Spain and Portugal, and doing the whole thing by public transport – mainly bus. We collected them from Gandía bus station and brought them to our home, and the emphasis of their trip was to stay away from large cities and towns, and to spend time walking and hiking in the hills and mountains that this country has to offer away from the better known tourist destinations.
Their aim was to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation along the way, planning their route a week or so in advance and staying at each place for three or four nights at a time, which would give them the opportunity to get a feel for each area and explore the natural environment. They are keen outdoor explorers and walkers in Canada, but were taking a six month sabbatical from work to enjoy life without pressure for a change and had decided to take advantage of some European late summer sunshine, as the weather in Canada is beginning to cool considerably by this time of year. They had flown in to Barcelona and spent a few days in Tarragona to recover from the inevitable jet lag, and then made their way down to Gandía in order to explore the La Safor mountains and the wonderful scenery of the northern Costa Blanca.
They stayed with us for four nights, and each day they would explore the surrounding mountains and valleys, either on foot direct from the house or we would give them a lift to a start point. They took a packed lunch with them each day, and made the best possible use of the marked out hiking and walking routes around the mountain of Mondúber. They visited the Parpalló-Borrell natural park area and information centre there to get guidance and ideas, and were impressed that Gandía was now trying to publicise the beauty of the surrounding area to the foreign traveller. Sometimes they would do a round route and return to the house, or sometimes they would contact us from a pre-arranged point and we would then collect them and drive them home. They loved the fact that they could hike in such beautiful surroundings and in superb weather, and that they could do so without having to hire a car to drive a considerable distance before setting off on their day’s walk.
At some point during the afternoon they would return to us and spend the last hour or so of sunshine in the garden, taking advantage of the warmth that they would miss so much upon their return to Canada. Each evening they dined with us, and found the whole concept of being able to have a holiday such as this based around Villa Florencia most appealing, without having to venture into larger centres and towns other that to travel on to their next port of call. And all too soon it was indeed time to leave – even though they had extended their visit to us by one night – so after consulting bus timetables they left heading in the direction of Alicante and their next rural accommodation that they had already reserved. It had been a very great pleasure to have Neil and Debs stay with us, and gratifying to find that they could spend time in the immediate surroundings of our home pursuing their outdoor walking and hiking pastimes and that they felt it compared with the fantastic scenery and surroundings of their home country.
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Spanish Walking Holidays
Is There a Doctor in the House? (Well – two, actually!)
Last week we were pleased to welcome a couple from Edinburgh who had booked to stay with us for a week of late summer sunshine. Brian and Ruth are keen hill walkers and hikers, and wanted to spend some time in nice weather preparing themselves for a walking challenge that awaited them after their return to Scotland.
During conversation, it emerged that both Brian and Ruth are doctors back home in Scotland and were both feeling the need for some well earned rest and relaxation – as well as pleasant walking in the sunshine. This part of the Costa Blanca has some magnificent walks, and it is fast becoming a recognised destination for hikers and hill walkers as well as more serious climbers. Routes are for the most part well signposted and marked out, and lead participants through beautiful scenery and tranquil surroundings. Estimated times are displayed as well as the level of difficulty involved, so there is something suitable for everyone in the area around here.
Brian and Ruth were to be staying with us for six nights, so they had time to combine plenty of walking and exploring with some relaxation in and around the pool, as well as one day’s sightseeing in Valencia City. Typically, they would take advantage of the designated walking routes in the mornings, often have lunch in a restaurant at the end of the walk (maybe sampling the local specialities of paella and fideua), and then later in the day return to Villa Florencia for some afternoon sunshine. The weather on the Costa Blanca has been especially good this year and remained so for the duration of their stay, without the sometimes erratic changes that can take place in September. Days have been pleasantly warm and even night time temperatures have been staying much milder than usual.
Their excursion to Valencia was planned for the Sunday of their stay, as they wanted to get a feel for the place, without necessarily visiting every tourist sight in the guidebook! They went up by train and walked around the historic area, and were able to do so without the crowds of people that might have been around on a weekday. A trip on the tourist bus completed their visit and gave them a good impression of what a lovely city Valencia is.
Brian and Ruth were delighted that their time with us was a perfect opportunity to get a late summer sunshine break and prepare themselves for the chill that would probably await them on their return to Scotland. They were more than pleased with the variety of walking routes to be found near our guest house, and feel that they would like to come back in the future to do more of the same. It was an absolute pleasure to have them visit us, and we would certainly hope to see them with us again in the not too distant future.
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A Break from the City!
We had a booking during the course of last week from a man from Madrid, who had stayed with us last year as well. We are always pleased when a past guest wants to return to us, and this time Nacho wanted to bring three of his friends along with him, to show them where he had had such a good time the previous year.
Because they were going to be a group of four, our self-catering apartment was the ideal solution for them, as it would give them the space and independence they wanted, but still with all the other facilities of the main house at their disposal. What they wanted most of all, however, was a short break away from the stresses and strains of their city jobs and some time to relax and unwind around our pool and of course at the nearby award-winning beaches that Playa de Gandía has to offer. They decided that the best way to avoid the worst of the traffic was to stay with us from Saturday until Monday instead of the usual weekend break, and so it was that they arrived around 5 o’clock on the Saturday afternoon. That left them plenty of time to settle in to the self-catering apartment before heading off to the nudist beach that lies to the north of Playa de Gandía to catch the late afternoon sunshine.
They stayed down at the playa area for dinner at one of the many restaurants to be found there, before returning to Villa Florencia later in the evening for a drink around the pool and then a good night’s sleep in the peace of the countryside – a sharp contrast, they said, to the constant background noise of the city! Sunday morning was spent having a swim in the pool before another trip to the beach, where they spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon, before enjoying a paella lunch that they had already booked in advance in the local area. More beach time was followed by a return to Villa Florencia around 9 o’clock for a barbecue in the garden under the stars – again with much commenting about the peace and quiet of a rural break from the hustle and bustle of Madrid.
Their plans for Monday were to spend more time down at the blue-flag beaches of Gandía, before returning to Villa Florencia in the middle of the afternoon. They still had time to prepare themselves a meal in the apartment and have one last swim in the pool before it was time to leave and return to the city once more. They reluctantly departed around 6 o’clock, and they all agreed that it had been a very welcome break that combined some beautiful mountain scenery around the villa along with some spectacular beaches within very easy reach – less that 15 minutes drive, in fact! It is always a pleasure when past guests return, and even better when they bring some friends along with them. We certainly look forward to seeing them again and are only too pleased that they felt they had had a relaxing break from the rigours of city life. Villa Florencia and Gandía once again show themselves to be a haven of peace and relaxation for frazzled city-dwellers!
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Property Hunters from Malaysia
Malaysia or Spain?
We recently accepted a reservation for our self-catering apartment from a British couple currently living in Malaysia with their three sons. They were thinking about purchasing a property in the area, and wanted to spend some time not only viewing the house that they had in mind, but also getting a feel for the area generally.
The house was not intended to be a full-time move from Malaysia, since that is where employment obligations currently lie, but they were thinking that it would be a good opportunity to purchase a family home that could be used increasingly in the future as their lifestyle changes.
Carmel and Fergus arrived with two of their sons (the middle one remaining in Malaysia), and immediately felt at home with us. Although they were staying in our self-catering apartment, they also made frequent use of our evening meal service, which they found particularly convenient as Carmel is vegetarian – a preference not always catered for as readily in Spanish restaurants as it is in the UK. The house that they had in mind for their big move did indeed turn out to be very much to their taste, although they took no final decision during their week here regarding a definite purchase.
The Spanish property market is in a constant state of change at the moment, and they wanted to be certain that the asking price was a fair and reasonable one in the current climate. They met with a lawyer and arranged for a professional valuation to be carried out in the near future, and any final purchasing decision will be made in the light of the reliable professional advice that they have enlisted. For the rest of their time with us they took the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the area in general – or in Fergus’s case to re-acquaint himself.
He had in fact spent some time here approximately twenty years ago as a geology student examining the rock formations in the region, but soon realised that many changes had taken place in the intervening time. However, his verdict was that the changes were good ones, and that this part of the Costa Blanca still retained its charm and character, whilst having benefited from huge improvements to the overall infrastructure.
The rest of the family were soon won over by the delights of the La Safor region and the beauty of the mountains and the greenery of the orchards in the valleys between, as well as by all the amenities that Gandia itself has to offer. They will almost certainly be returning to us – probably in October – and by then no doubt they will have much more information available to them to make a balanced decision about the particular house that they had seen.
Whatever their decision, however, they felt that this part of the country could well be the place they choose to buy a family home for their long-term future. We certainly look forward to welcoming them back at Gandia Casa Rural in the autumn, if not before!
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Australian Property Hunters in Spain
We received a booking request back in 2010 for a 5 week stay in May and June this year from an Australian couple wishing to relocate to Spain. Not a common background for a property hunter in Spain, you might think, although we have had other Australians staying with us in the past on a similar quest. At present, the Australian dollar is strong, as is their property market, so Australians are well placed to be able to sell their own homes more readily than many Europeans, and then be in a strong position to purchase over here with a currency that has not been adversely affected by exchange rate variations in the way that the British pound has been.
Jane and Sean duly arrived towards the beginning of May, and it soon emerged that Jane was in fact from the UK originally. They were wanting to move closer to her relatives, but not willing to endure the British climate – so Spain seemed a good and logical compromise. They had lived in Spain for a period many years previously, so felt that they were in some way on familiar territory too. They had carried out extensive research on the internet to narrow down their search in Spain, and as a result had focussed on Gandía and the surrounding area as being suitable for their needs. They wanted to live in an area that was not any sort of ex-pat enclave and still retained an authentic Spanish character, and this area of the Costa Blanca seemed to fit the bill. Each day they went on exploratory trips around the region and were able to eliminate many places from their list of possible future home locations.
They found that most of their internet research had been accurate regarding whether a particular town would suit their needs and although they did not complete on the purchase of a property during their time with us, they did find a couple of homes that might be what they were seeking. As Jane so rightly said, it did not matter if they did not buy a house on this trip to the Costa Blanca – at least they knew places to exclude and places to include, so could watch the availability of properties in the relevant places. It seems it was never on their plan to buy a property on this trip unless a not-to-be-missed opportunity presented itself, so when the time came for them to return they were not in the least downhearted that they had not made more concrete progress. They fully intend to monitor the property market in their preferred locations and then return to us – probably towards the end of the year – when they feel they will be able to make more progress. Another option is to move here regardless of any property purchase, with the intention of renting for a fixed period of months initially, whilst seeking a home to buy as a permanent residence. Either way, we hope they found their visit to the Costa Blanca to have been of benefit, and hope to see them back with us before the year is out.
Spain, B&B, Casa Rural, Guest House, Costa Blanca, Gandia, Property Hunting by Villa Vacations
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Out latest Guests from the States
Americans on Tour!
We received a booking some time ago (via e-mail) requesting accommodation for a party of six people, who were coming to the area for a few days with the main intention of visiting the Lladró porcelain factory in Valencia. We had assumed this was a group of friends from the UK who were flying in for the weekend, so we were surprised and pleased when a mini-bus pulled into the car park and a group of American tourists disembarked!
They were a group of friends from Colorado Springs, and were on a tour of Spain for their vacation, and had flown first to Madrid, where they had spent a few days visiting the sights. After that, they travelled between Madrid and Barcelona, where again they spent some time seeing the famous landmarks and getting to know the Catalan capital.
Their next port of call was to stay with us at Villa Florencia, where they felt immediately at home and settled in to their rooms in the late afternoon. Pre-dinner drinks and tapas in the garden preceded a leisurely dinner, before an evening spent watching a DVD of Pride and Prejudice.
They were regarding their three night stay with us as something of a period for relaxation in a very busy sight-seeing schedule around the rest of the country, but the main attraction for them was the day they had planned for the Monday, visiting the Lladró porcelain factory in Valencia, then spending some time in the historic part of the city itself, as well as a look at the iconic City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias). Before that - on the Sunday - they set off in their mini-bus to see Playa de Gandía, and were most impressed with the standard of the blue flag awarded beach there. After a short stop and a walk along the promenade, they went a little further south down the Costa Blanca, and headed inland to visit the picturesque town of Guadalest, with its hill-top castle and stunning blue lake. They returned full of praise for the place, having also found a restaurant there that they all recommended most highly for lunch. Another leisurely dinner at Villa Florencia followed, and then they spent the evening playing cards – a pastime they often enjoy together in Colorado Springs.
Monday was an earlier start for them, as they had a fixed-time appointment for their tour and visit to the Lladró factory. Not only did they see round the factory, but as keen collectors they were also shown around the LLadró museum, which they found of great interest. After the morning there, they carried on to the centre of Valencia and spent time looking at the City of Arts and Sciences as well as the historic area and the Turia Gardens. They returned to us in the late afternoon, having had one of the most enjoyable days of their tour so far. Another evening was spent having dinner and playing cards in Villa Florencia, before an early night in preparation for a prompt departure in the morning.
Tuesday was to be a travelling day for them, as they were moving on to Granada for a few days to see the sights there and of course visit the Alhambra Palace in particular. After that, their schedule was to take them driving north back to Madrid, where they would catch a flight to Washington DC and then home to Colorado Springs. It was great having them visit us, and an unexpected pleasure too, as we had not known in advance that we were going to be looking after a tour group of American friends.
They did say that they still had places in Spain to see that they had not managed to take in on this trip, so who knows – maybe we shall see them again. If so, we will look forward to their return.
*Lladró :- The work of the Spanish company Lladró is the maximum expression of handcrafted porcelain. All Lladró pieces are made in Valencia following an artisan process that has earned them worldwide prestige. A wide variety of creations embracing all stylesCreated in Valencia in 1953 by Juan, José and Vicente Lladró, Lladró is the story of a dream come true. The vision of three brothers with a passion for porcelain who transformed their little workshop into a brand that now has followers all over the world.
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Pet Friendly Accommodation
Alice.....in the Iris Gardens!
Several weeks ago we were contacted by two British ladies living in Jaen province in the south of Spain, enquiring if we had pet-friendly accommodation available for a couple of nights in early May. They had two dogs – a long-haired dachshund named Humphrey and a springer spaniel called Alice – and they wanted to visit the famous iris gardens near here, and bring their dogs along too. Of course this was no problem at all, as we have often had guests visit us in the past with their own dogs, so we looked forward to their arrival on Sunday.
Angela and Myra arrived in the late afternoon, along with Alice and Humphrey, and they soon all settled in and made themselves at home. Our own dogs made friends with the guests (both human and canine) in no time, and Angela and Myra soon realised that they had made a good choice when they booked their pet-friendly holiday with us. Monday was the day of the excursion to the iris gardens – yet another attraction for visitors to the Costa Blanca. Situated near Benissa (about halfway between Valencia and Alicante), these gardens are a riot of colour at this time of year, and is an excellent place not only to see these wonderful flowers in bloom, but to buy them, and roses too. There are restaurants in the area for a leisurely lunch as well, so it makes a perfect excursion for the gardener, or indeed for anyone who enjoys the beauty of these lovely plants.
Angela and Myra returned during the afternoon, having had a thoroughly enjoyable day out with Alice and Humphrey – and even the weather helped make it a perfect day. They relaxed in our gardens for the rest of the afternoon until dinner time, took the dogs for a walk in the parks nearby, and then finally had dinner and a most convivial evening with ourselves and the other guests until it was time to get some sleep before returning all the way down to Jaen the following day. Alice and Humphrey had got along famously with our own dogs – and with the cats too – and even they seemed reluctant to leave on Tuesday morning.
However, Angela and Myra are eager to sample the delights of our pet-friendly accommodation again, and were most impressed with the area generally, so were already thinking about a return visit in September. It would be great to see them here again, and all our pets could renew their friendship too! Let’s hope they return to us later in the year!
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Valencia B&B Holidays
Family Holidays on the Costa Blanca
Stuart and Linda, along with their 10 month old daughter Katy, booked in to stay with us for 8 nights in our self-catering apartment over the Easter period. They wanted to have a combination holiday that took in city, beach and countryside so decided that making Villa Florencia their base would be the perfect solution, and they often made use of our evening meal service when they returned from a particularly long day out.
They made excursions every day to the surrounding area and beyond, and were so impressed with their first trip to Valencia City that they returned there later in their stay for a second visit. They made trips to several of the beaches in the area as well, and also took in much of the inland mountain scenery of the Costa Blanca. They were glad to find that wherever they went, they would find suitable facilities for young Katy and always received a warm welcome in cafés and restaurants. In between all this, they also found time to relax in our gardens and around the pool on the days when the weather was bright and sunny.
Valencia City proved a very pleasant surprise for them. Being well travelled, they have visited many places in the world but found a unique atmosphere and vibrant mood in the city, and felt that the City of Arts and Sciences was most definitely a sight to remember for its unique style of distinctive architecture. On their second trip to the city, they took the Touristic Bus tour, and bought a combination ticket which not only gave them access to both bus tour routes, but also admission to the Bio Park – a fantastic new open-plan animal park which specialises in promoting the ecological aspects of animals on the planet and showing them to the public in as open and natural environment as possible.
Stuart and Linda were absolutely delighted with their holiday, and felt there really was something for everyone in this part of the Costa Blanca. Beautiful beaches, spectacular scenery, an interesting city – the area has it all, and they were more than pleased to enjoy everything that the Costa Blanca – and the La Safor region in particular – had in store for them. They hope to return to us later on the year – possibly in July – and maybe accompanied by Linda’s father, when they hope to show him how great this part of Spain really is.
