For sale direct from the owners!
This charming detached villa is located on the edge of the small village of Arroyo de la Plata – a stop off along the road from Sevilla to Aracena. This means the area is quiet, unspoilt but actually has a number of local amenities including four bar/restaurants, a few shops and hostal. This makes it the perfect environment for a peaceful life but within walking distance, you have facilities. The property is located on “urban” land and therefore comes with much less stress and paperwork issues than a similar property on rustic land.
You are also just 30mins by car from Sevilla and just 60 miles of the Portuguese border.
The house itself is well presented and makes for a comfortable year-round home. The layout provides flexibility with all the accommodation on one floor – there is an internal courtyard which separates the main house from the artist’s studio, a home office and storeroom. There is even scope for this to become separate accommodation if wanted.
The artist’s studio has a northern wall that is predominantly glass to make it light and it has double doors opening onto the internal courtyard. It also has a double sink so is the perfect space for a variety of art interests including painting and pottery.
There is a door at the rear of the house from the home office that leads out through a side gate into the countryside, down to the Guadiamar river.
The house comes with 4 good size bedrooms each benefitting from wardrobe space, 2 bathrooms and a generous living room with feature fireplace and kitchen/dining room.
Outside, there is a terrace to the front and side of the house which allows for the enjoyment of sun and shade as required. This really connects the house to the gardens which are a real delight – stocked full of palm trees, various fruit and nut trees and a separate vegetable area. This could easily provide a self-sufficient supply of fruit and vegetables if the “good life” is an ambition.
The house is provided with all necessary comforts including:
♦ Spacious accommodation all on one level
♦ Covered outside terraces with plenty of space for relaxing and dining
♦ Delightful gardens with mature palms and trees, planted areas and separate vegetable garden
♦ Large swimming pool, fenced and gated so perfectly safe for small children and pets
♦ Garage, storeroom, interior patio with fountain and a roof top sun terrace
♦ Double glazed windows and doors with fly/mosi screens
♦ Air/Con throughout – hot and cold! Plus a large inset log fire in the living room
♦ Mains water plus well water, mains electric and mains drainage.
♦ Located on “urban” land on the edge of the village
♦ Satellite TV, Digital Terrestrial TV and Broadband Internet
♦ Home to the famous “black hoof pigs” – some of the best pork in the world!
Outside space, gardens and pool
The property is surrounded by beautiful gardens with full-length terraces to the front and one side of the house. This makes it easy to sit and relax in the shade and connect with the gardens and the immediate environment.
The gardens have fruit trees (3 orange, 3 lemon, 2 plum, 4 olive, 4 apple, 2 pear, 2 pomegranate, 1 nectarine, 1 fig, 1 almond and 1 persimmon). There are palm trees, flowers and shrubs, a pergola with a grape vine, and a separate vegetable area. The house has a raised position, on the edge of the village with clear unspoiled views at the rear over the Guadiamar river and open countryside, the front faces the village across a creek.
The swimming pool is a good size and is totally private.
Whilst on mains water, the property also benefits from a well in the garden which is used to fill the swimming pool and is used for watering the gardens – a great way to save money!
Arroyo de la Plata and El Castillo de las Guardas
This is an area that thrives on livestock farming and its proximity to Sevilla and the Portuguese border – the area has long been a popular area to escape the heat of Sevilla and to enjoy a more traditional and relaxed country life. However, this area is not isolated and within 30mins you can be in the heart of Sevilla.
Although the local village has only 200 or so full time inhabitants, as a stopping place on the road to Aracena from Seville, it has a few shops, a bakery baking fresh bread daily and 4 bar/restaurants. It is 30 miles away from the city of Seville which is about half an hour by car, mostly via a dual carriageway. The nearest town with Doctor, schools, markets, chemist etc is 5 miles away.
The surrounding country is mostly evergreen cork and holm oaks and pasture for bulls, cows, goats, black pigs and sheep, and covered with wild flowers in spring. The climate is typically Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and warm winters with rain in autumn and spring, and although there are occasional early morning frosts in the winter, they soon disappear as the sun rises.
The area is also a haven for anybody with an interest in wildlife, especially bird watching – the more unusual sightings include booted eagles, vultures, golden orioles, goldfinches, white and black storks, hoopoes, azure-winged magpies, nuthatches, nightingales, bee-eaters, and black redstarts. The Doñana wetland bird sanctuary is close by, just the other side of Seville.
Summary
This villa is large, offers great flexibility and offers the best of both worlds – a quiet environment within walking distance of local amenities including bars but just 30mins from Sevilla. It is also perfect for those who enjoy walking, gardening, painting and/or writing who also want the benefit of an international airport and high speed rail connections close by. On the border with Huelva province and 65 miles from Portugal, it is about an hour by car to the nearest beach, and 2 hours by car to the Algarve. It is also excellent gastronomically, especially for local Iberian pork, wild boar, venison, wild mushrooms, fruit and vegetables.
