La Casa de la Esqina, Plaza Baja de La Despedia

Location, Location, Location. La Casa de la Esquina, Plaza Baja de La Despedia (wonderful address, don’t you think?) is an impressive, 4 storey townhouse in the main square at the heart of the historic old town of Alora. Refurbished to a high standard but retaining its traditional style, the house is perfect for enjoying this fascinating town, the breathtaking countryside surrounding it (stunning views from the terrace) and the intriguing places in the wider region. Step outside the front door into charming Andalucian life, step back inside and relax in a comfortable and spacious house.

The old quarter of Alora is still a pueblo blanco (white-walled village) with narrow whitewashed streets, steep slopes, churches, lemon trees, coffee shops and bars where people gather. The old square, “Plaza Baja de La Despedia”, named after the farewell of Christ to Mary enacted here each Good Friday, is at the heart of this and the traditional Andalucian life it represents. The town is steeped in history and the museum Rafael Leria, opposit the house, is a great place to learn about its heritage. Highlights are the dramatic Moorish castle, first built by the Phoenicians, expanded by the Romans, destroyed by the Visigoths and finally re-built by the Moors; “La Encarnation”, the church in the square, which took almost 100 years to build and, after the cathedral in Malaga, is one on the largest in the region; and the Shrine of Our Lady of Flores, celebrated by a joyous festival each September. There is much else in the town, and also many interesting places to visit in the vicinity – the Roman baths and old bullring at Carratraca, the ruins of Bobastro, the lakes and spectacular gorge of El Chorro, the incredible medieval town of Ronda, flamenco dances, the wonderfully named Villanueva de la Conception in the shadow of El Torcal, the surprising character and vibrancy of Malaga, the flamingo breeding grounds (10,000 flamingos!), El Santo de Pizarra and a wealth of other interesting things and places to see.

But Alora is not just a historic town. It has a more modern quarter with reasonable and interesting shops and many bars and restaurants, all within walking distance. Whether you prefer quiet bars, like Oscar’s in the square, or the lively chaos of Kana’s (thankfully) on the other side of town, there’s a bar you will like. Similarly restaurants, Casa Abilio has the reputation but there are many others, the simple family run El Pelli, the quirky Casita de Aperros (The Tool Shed), Correos – the old post office, the venta La Higuera with it’s splendid views and the rural Roca Bella in the mountains come to mind. Plus, tapas, tapas, tapas wherever you go!

We have tried to refurbish the house in a manner that provides modern convenience but also in a way that retains its traditional Spanish heart. There’s certainly plenty of space. All the bedrooms are of good size and well appointed. The top bedroom is actually two rooms combined to make a flexible suite, with a double bed, seating area overlooking the square and countryside (see photos) and separate room with full sized bunkbeds. The other two bedrooms are large doubles, one of which also has a balcony to the square. The lounge is cosy in winter and cool in summer and the dining room opens onto the square. However, most of the year in this part of Spain you will want to eat outdoors and there is a dining area on the terrace that comfortably sits 8 people. The terrace overlooks the church, the square and the rooftops of the town but also has stunning views of the countryside for miles around and of El Hacho, the mountain that overlooks the town. A house of this size definitely needs a second bathroom but having a second kitchen next to the roof terrace is a real bonus, it just makes life so much easier! And, of course, the square is just outside of the front door so you can just go out into the heart of Andalucian life. Personally, I enjoy reading a book in the shaded viewpoint opposite the house or sitting with a beer in Oscars, at the far end of the square – see photos.

So, everything you could want, really! Explore traditional Spain, live life in this fascinating town, eat in pleasant restaurants, walk in the wonderful countryside but most of all, relax and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere – delightful.

 We have been coming to Alora for 6 years now. We were looking to buy a house somewhere in southern Spain and, after visiting many other places, knew this was the right town as soon as we arrived. We wanted somewhere that felt “properly like Spain”, true to the traditional way of life with its unique character, but big enough to have plenty of shops, bars, restaurants and other facilities and we wanted there to be lots of interesting places to visit in the area. AND we wanted somewhere that was good for walking, which around Alora is magnificent. Despite being in the middle of town we can walk from the door and be in the countryside in five minutes (literally!). Then at El Chorro, eight miles north, you have so many incredible geological features and some of the most famous climbing cliffs in Europe, and in the wider area more mountains than you could wish for. BUT we also have young children and knew that if we always had holidays where we just indulged our own passions they would soon get fed up and not want to come. Alora does well enough for children (play parks, swimming pool, free indoor and outdoor adventure centres) but it only takes us 30 minutes to drive to the coast, so there are always days out to the aquaparks, zoos, beach and the rest. So everybody’s happy – and when everybody’s happy, I can find a quiet corner (preferably in the shady area of the roof terrace) to settle down with a book and a beer!! Hope you come and enjoy it as much as we do.