Facts
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Townhouse
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2 bedrooms
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Sleeps 4
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1 bathroom
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75 m² living area
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16 m² terrace area
Services
The House
Like most in the old part of the village, our house is a traditional, thick stone-walled building, with its foundations probably going back to Arab times (the church at the top of the hill was originally the village mosque). Although modernized, It has a rustic, typical Andalusian peasant feel to it which we have tried to preserve.
The house is on three levels. On the 1st floor there is a dining room adjoined by a small but practical kitchen and two bedrooms, the larger, a double-bedroom, with en-suite bathroom. The other bedroom has a bunk bed and a lovely original tiled floor. Stairs lead up to the spacious high-ceiling lounge with an open fireplace and a small storage room. From the lounge there is a staircase access to the two terraces, the top one having lovely views of the countryside and valley. On a clear day a bit of the Mediterranean can be seen in between the mountains. Occasionally, when the air is very clear at sunset, it is possible to see the Rif mountains in Morocco.
There is electricity supplied and bottled gas for cooking and a hot water immersion heater in the ‘bodega’ (cellar) where you will also find the washing machine and ironing board.
Being in the old part of the village, the house is on the beginning of a very narrow street, so no car traffic. But there is a parking area very near (only 30 mts) with very easy access to house with luggage/shopping.
The Village
Canillas de Albaida is a ‘Pueblo Blanco’, a typical Andalusian ‘White Village” of population 700 set amongst the mountains of the Sierras Tejeda and Almijara in the Axarquia region of Andalusia.
The village is about 50 km east of Malaga and only about 20km from the coast but at a height of around 2000 ft. The locals are friendly and very hospitable. They are mainly farm people, most still working in the nearby fields growing grapes for the local wine and olives for the olive oil cooperative.
The village is right at the entrance to a very beautiful nature reserve where there are many delightful mountain walks through forests of pines and ‘olmo’ oaks amongst wild flowers and along small rivers of pristine waters- there are spots where a cool refreshing dip is possible.
The coast is only half an hour drive away with access to many beaches and sea-side bars and restaurants- all serving delicious fresh fish dishes.
Canillas itself has 6 restaurants including the favorite bar Cerezo, run by Paco and his family, which serves good, simple food outside on a cool terrace with a great view. It’s also just a few yards down the road from the house.
The large village swimming pool and pergola restaurant/bar is open during the summer and is only 3 minutes walk from our front door.
All year round there are various ‘Fiesta’ days in and around the village when live music is played and wine drunk in appreciable amounts- apart from that the nightlife is fairly quiet and revolves around the four local bars (but sometimes till early morning). Bars around here, of course, only shut when the last customer leaves. There are food shops, bank and pharmacy in the village.
Access to village by car from Malaga airport takes approx.1 hour or two hours by bus from Malaga coach station, 3 buses a day.
In Competa, the much larger nearby village, there are many more restaurants and shops. Down the road from Canillas is Archez, a smaller village with a beautiful historic 13th century 'Alminar', originally the minaret of the local mosque. Many more 'Pueblos Blancos' with their picturesque narrow streets are easily accessible from Canillas de Albaida.