Property Details

GANDIA 5km & over 17km of Blue Flag Beaches

If you have been hankering after the “real Spain” well this is it – our small rustic town of Palma de Gandia is sheltered by the Safor Mountains and is almost surrounded by orange groves that stretch down to the sea. Our holiday home (featured on A Place in the Sun 2004) is a two bedroom single storey traditional Valencian townhouse that has been tastefully renovated and is situated in a peaceful cul-de-sac of 4 other Spanish owned properties where narrow winding lanes and quaint passageways criss cross with small squares and shady parks.

Sympathetically renovated retaining the original Valencian features, we believe our home is over 100 years old. The ceramic tiles around the fireplace are original and there is a story that when the church was dedicated the priest came and blessed all the houses in the historic part of town.

The traditional Valencian door has shuttered glass windows and decorated ironwork rajas’ and opens onto a spacious open plan L shaped living area with vaulted beamed ceilings. Near the doorway is a casual seating area. The formal dining area has seating for 4 and there is a second sitting area which has reverse air conditioning, a TV/DVD/CD player and a cast iron electric fire for chilly evenings. There is also a large portable gas stove and electric fires.

Two bedrooms (1 double with ceiling fan and 1 twin) each with large floor to ceiling wardrobes and cupboards and window shutters to keep out the sun in the summer. The modern bathroom is fully tiled with vanity unit, wc, bath and shower. With seating for 4, the kitchen/diner has new kitchen units and appliances and opens onto the patio. The high walled private patio area has a southerly aspect and there are small shrubs and trees, garden furniture and gas bbq.

Just seconds away brings you to the small Plaza de la Vella where Rosa and Jose have their bakery - ideal for your warm bread in the morning and as Jose and Rosa are learning English, you could practice your Spanish with them. There is also a hairdresser and a public telephone box in the plaza and a couple of Tobacconists in the town. Just round the corner is the butcher and a small supermarket and on the opposite side of the road you will find “Bar Palma” where you can eat home cooked food in the evening. There are various tapas bars, an English bar and a Chinese takeaway. Just 15 minutes stroll brings you to the restaurant “Aventura” where Moma has an excellent menu of home cooked food and delicious square pizzas. All the food is very reasonably priced and a Menu del Dia can cost from 7.50€ to 12€. Viva Espana restaurant on the Gandia to Oliva road has an excellent flamenco floor show at the weekends.

In the evening there are some lovely walks through the shady orange groves or you can meander along the old narrow lanes down to the river. There is excellent fishing (permit from the Town Hall) when there is water in the river! An outdoor swimming pool is open in the summer months.

Steeped in history when you get tired of building sandcastles on the beach, you can discover the ruined castles, palaces and quaint old cobbled medieval towns and cave houses. The sophisticated city of Gandia is just 10 minutes away and was home to the infamous Borgia family. The medieval part of Gandia is traffic free which enables you to explore the alleyways, the Borgia Palace which is magnificent and the Cathedral where the film “Lucretia Borgia” was recently filmed. There are boutique shops and cafes and the famous Lizeran tapas bar. The paseo with its fountains, runs the length of the city and on the side of the road are banks, restaurants and small cafes where you can sit and watch the world go by. On the outskirts of Gandia is the large hypermarket Carrefour.

Gandia Playa is about a kilometre from the city and is backed by a long promenade. The beach has much to offer the sports enthusiast with beach and water sports available: it has beach loungers, changing rooms, toilets and childrens playgrounds. The area around the playa also has a scattering of shops with an excellent selection of cafes, bars and restaurants.

Oliva – 8 km south of Palma de Gandia is dominated by the ruined castle of Santa Ana which overlooks the old Moorish part of the town, with its steep narrow winding streets and quaint houses. The new town has a selection of shops and supermarkets and on Friday morning there is a huge outdoor market where people come from miles around to sell their home produce – the market sells literally everything. Heading towards the sea from the new town is Oliva Playa not perhaps offering the range of sports and comforts of Gandia but it can be a little quieter. There are other beaches between, Miramar, Bellregard, Daimus, Piles etc. all having small promenades and cafes. South of Oliva are rustic beaches which are backed by tamarisk trees. The quality of the sand is excellent for building sandcastles and the beach gently slopes into the sea. So good is the sand, on occasions it is exported to the Canary Islands.

The area is excellent for walking the ice trails and around the old towns and illustrated walks can be either downloaded from the internet or obtained from the local tourist offices. Most sports are catered for and there is an 18 hole Severiano Ballesteros Golf Course south of Oliva. Scuba diving and bikes can be hired locally.

Gandia is central to many of the old castles and historic towns

Local Area Details

Xativa castle was home to Hannibal and his family and where Rodrigues Borgia (father to Cesere and Lucretia and later to become Pope Alexander VI) was born. The castle is perched on three hills and there are excellent views of the plains beyond. Xativa was the first town in Europe to manufacture paper and there are some interesting old medieval buildings with magnificent doors. It is also said that there are over 1,000 fountains in the city!

Bocairente was called Bekirén by the Muslims because of the dominant architectural style in the town which used the form of beehives. There are extensive cave systems both in the town and 500 metres on the outskirts which archaeologists believe are remnants of an Arab settlement. The town has steep cobbled narrow streets and many of the houses are built into the rock including one of the bars. The bullring also built into sold rock, dates back to 1843.

Elche, south of Alicante is a very pleasant day out. The Palm Grove, dedicated as a World Heritage site, is the largest in Europe and has 200,000 examples of palms dating back to prehistoric times. The Basilica of Santa María was built on the site of a mosque and is where the Mystery Play is performed in August. The tower has many steps but is well worth the climb for the superb view. For Dan Brown fans, there is a life size statue of the founder of Opus Dei, Jose Marie Escriver. There are many historic places to visit, the museum, the Arab Baths and the Archaeological Museums. Elche’s footwear factories produce almost half of the footwear manufactured in Spain and there are factory outlets on the edge of the city.

Alicante, Javea and Denia all have old historic areas and castles and the medieval town of Guadalest has a castle ( reached by a tunnel) which is perched on a pinnicle of rock. The surrounding views are stunning. Just 200yds along the main road is Los Arcos, the animal sanctuary where rescued bears, tigers, lions and monkeys can end their days after being abandoned or mistreated. As Los Arcos exists purely on charity, please be generous with a donation.

To the north of Gandia, surrounded by freshwater lakes is Cullera. The natural vantage point of the medieval Castle and Sanctuary of La Mare de Deu del Castillo stands at the highest point of the town. Cullera lighthouse and Dragut cave await the traveller on the other side of the hill. The Turkish pirate Dragut used the cave when he raided the town around the 14thC. You could round off the day at Uteil, an area that produces excellent wines. Vincente Gandia winery invite you for a small charge, to taste their wines and have lunch and perhaps have a tour of the vineyards. There is an old historic network of underground caves divided into Jews, Christian and Muslim compounds, and a very old 19C bullring and a honey and wax museum.

North of Valencia is Sagunto and Peniscola. There are mainly Roman remains to be found in Sagunto: the ruined temple of Diana, a Citadel and a 19C restored Amphitheatre. The city was captured in 219 by the armies of Hannibal and under Roman rule minted its own coins. Peniscola has a beautiful crescent shaped beach and the old fortified town with a castle was where “El Cid” was filmed.

Near Benidorm are the theme parks, Terra Natura, Terra Mitica, Aqualandia and Monduver with El Vergel Safari Park 20 minutes away where you can picnic to the sound of lions and tigers and if you can catch them, pet the domestic animals including pot bellied pigs who love being tickled.

Valencia is a 40 minute train journey through rice fields, vineyards and orange and oliva groves. There is a tourist bus where you can hop on and off at strategic sights, but must sees are: The Cathedral that holds the Holy Grail, the beautifully tiled Indoor Market – the largest tin Europe, the Arts & Science Museums and if you want to join the café crowd, there are plenty of tapas bars, museums and art galleries.

2008 is the start of the 33rd Americas Cup regattas which will be held again in Valencia culminating with the Final taking place in the port of Valencia in the summer of 2009.

Formula 1 Racing, built with the help of Bernie Ecclestone’s expertise will be similar to the circuit in Monaco: a 7 year contract has been agreed. The Moto GP Grand Prix Valencia is held every year at the Ricardo Tormo Stadium. Of course there are fiestas, the important ones being le Fallas (where 30’ papier mache charicatures are built and then burnt at the end of the week, the nearest being Valencia and Gandia in March. The Moors & Christians battle it out for supremacy: the best being Alcoy but smaller towns have them too. There is the tomato festival at Brunol and lots of bull running festivals in nearby towns. The old bullring at Ondara has bullfighting during the summer, notices on the outside walls usually inform you of dates.

In two weeks you won’t have time for all the sights but you can be assured of a holiday to remember savoring the traditions and kindness of the Spanish people, their culture, customs and their food.
Please click onto our web sites http://www.valenciaholiday.iowners.net and http://www.valenciaholiday.co.uk

Additional Information

About Ferries

Ferries from mainland italy arrive in Sardinia at Porto Torres, Olbia, Golfo Aranci e Cagliari.

About Tourist Board

Tourist information: Piazza Porta Terra 2 (079 979 054).

About Shopping

The old town is the main shopping area for gifts and local produce. Via Carlo Alberto is best for gifts, while via Gilbert Ferret specialises in elegant boutiques. During the summer many shops are open until midnight. An antiques, arts and crafts market is held in piazza Civica on the last Saturday of the month. In high season (July and August), a late-night craft market lines the seafront (Lungomare Dante). £60 The north-western coast of Sardinia is well-known for its coral and this sum buys you a coral and gold bracelet from Arte Orafa, a designer jewellery shop on Via Carlo Alberto. £11 is the cost of a bottle of Cannonau Riserva 1998 - a full-bodied, locally produced red wine from Salumeria del Centro on Via Kennedy. £7 will buy a litre of Algheran olive oil and a selection of pretty Sardinian cakes from the Antica Formaggeria deli on the corner of Via Genova and Via Cagliari.

About Driving

The minimum age to drive in Italy is 18 years. Children under the age of 4 must be seated in a special restraint. The use of seat belts is mandatory both for front and rear seat passengers. Non European licenses and old-style green European licenses must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit. Fines: Police have the right to revoke your license and to collect fines on the spot. For foreign-registered vehicles, police can collect one-fourth of the maximum fine on the spot. If you contest the fine, you must deposit half the maximum amount in cash for insurance. For car hire http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/index.cfm?aff=SARDINIA

About Walking

At sunset, take the pleasant stroll along the seafront to the port, starting from Lungomare Dante on the south side. The route is lined with a series of ramparts and towers, coming to an end at the Forte de la Magdalena - the city's most important Spanish fortification. A plaque commemorates Giuseppe Garibaldi's landing here on August 14, 1855. After all that exertion, culture and history, treat yourselves to an ice cream.

About Local Attrcations

Most of Alghero’s sights are in the lively citadel, where bars and restaurants spill out on to the car-free streets. Seven defensive towers divide the old and new towns; the 14th-century Porta Terra is a good starting point. The key building, though, is the Catalan-Gothic Cathedral (piazza Duomo), at the junction of via Roma and via Umberto. Nearby, in similar style, is the 16th-century Palazzo Albis (piazza Civica), once home to Alghero’s governors. The restored 14th-century Chiesa di San Francesco (via Carlo Alberto) is the city’s most enchanting church.

About Local Restaurants

Fresh fish and seafood dominate the menu, but locally produced salami and pecorino (sheep’s cheese) are also widely available, and malloreddus (Sardinian pasta) with sausage and tomato sauce is a standard local dish. Culinary Catalan touches include paella and crema catalana. Alghero has its own wines and Anghelu Rùju, a delicious port. The citadel has plenty of restaurants. For typical Sardinian food, Osteria Taverna Paradiso (via Principe Umberto 29, 079 978001) boasts a fine selection of local cheeses. Il Pavone (Piazza Sulis 3, 079 979 584) has an innovative menu, including a superb squid-ink pasta. For pizza by the metre, Poco Loco (via Gramsci 9, 079 973 1034) has ten-pin bowling and live music on Friday nights. Agriturismo Sa Mandra (Strada Aeroporto Civile, 079 999 150), north of the centre, near the airport, serves up a traditional Sardinian meat feast, a set menu of antipasti, suckling pig, lamb or boar; book well in advance. For details of local restaurants http://www.sardiniaaccommodation.co.uk/restaurants.htm

About Scenery/Beauty Spots

Neptune’s Grotto is a remarkable series of caves just outside Alghero, which can be seen on a 45-minute tour. Boats leave from the marina, and the hour-long journey takes in the dramatic coastline surrounding the limestone headland, Capo Caccia. You can also catch a bus to Capo Caccia and climb down the 654 steps to reach the caves below. A few miles outside Alghero is the Necropolis Anghelu Rùju, an ancient (3000 BC) burial ground. There are also Nuraghic sites, conical towers of vast stone, left by Sardinia’s Bronze Age civilisation. The best is Nuraghe di Palmavera (079 979 054), a Nuraghic complex. About 15 miles south of Alghero, along a spectacular, cliff-hugging road, is the medieval settlement of Bosa. It is crowned by the treasured Castello Malaspina, an impressive 12th-century castle with fantastic views and a number of rare 14th-century Catalan frescoes.

About Sailing

Sailing Charter Alghero offers a sailing charter service so that you may enjoy the sailing around the splendid coast of this area, Andrea and Daniela have decided to put their boat at your disposal. http://www.sailingcharteralghero.it

About Diving

Adventure & Diving manages a modern and well equipped diving centre and is located just 10 mins away from the diving sites of Capo Caccia and Punta Giglio, considered very important in the Mediterranean for their many caves and spectacularly rich marine life. The diving centre offers many services including: transferr, equipment rental, instructor assistance, boat rental, film develop[ing, video and mechanical repairs. More diving links on http://www.sardiniaaccommodation.co.uk/links.htm

About Parks

The park of Porto Conte is well worth a visit. Sardinia Accommodation Ltd organizes 4x4 trips which include the park.

About Children Activities

Alghero is excellent for kids because of the beach, but except for the small playgournd in the Giardini Pubblici there no other organized children activities

About Family Activities

Alghero is very family friendly, but not much of organized family activities

About The Gay Scene

If you come here looking for a gay scene then you’ll be disappointed.

About Airport Information

Alghero Fertilia is the principal airport for nord Sardinia, and is located about 11 kms from town. (0039) 079 935282

About Fishing

Alghero’s sea is a real paradise for fishing and watersports.

About Weather/Climate/Temperature

Sardinia has a typically Mediterranean climate, but the south is generally much drier than the north western region, which receives a lot of rain in winter. The wettest months are November and December, while July and August are the hottest and the driest with an average of about 95°F (35°C) and sometimes reaching 104°F (40°C). In winter temperatures average about 50°F (10°C) along the coast.For up-to-date information and forecast: http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/16520.html

About Bars

Baraonda (Piazza della Misericordia 14, 079 975 922) is a chic bar with good music, great cocktails and moreish nibbles, while Café Diva (piazza Municipio 1, 079 982 306) is a laid-back retreat.

About Nightlife

Nightlife in Alghero is fairly low key, but start by sipping cocktails outside the elegant Cafe Latino, overlooking the pretty harbour. Enjoy another pre-dinner drink in the centre of old Alghero, where there are a number of rustic bars, such as the Jamaica Inn on Via Principe Umberto. After dinner, the locals make for the Piazza Civica. The Cafe Costantino is good for nightcaps. there are a number of clubs and discos on the outskirts of the city, of which Il Ruscello (on the road to Olmedo) has an open-air dancefloor.

About Transport

There are bus services from the airport into town and town to Fertilia which also stops at several point along the beach which runs for 9 kilometres from Alghero.

About Beaches

For pictures and descriptions of local beaches http://www.sardiniaaccommodation.co.uk/places_of_interest.htm

About General Entertainment

see all other entries in this section

Property Features

* Close to a golf course
* Close to a Beach

Contact Information

Name:	Anne Barnett
Telephone:	44-01539 -725828
Alt Telephone:	--
Fax:	--
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