Showpiece Homes, Luxury Living… and Golf

One of the great attractions of the Costa del Sol has always been its convenient location for those wanting to explore other parts of Andalucía, and even the rest of Spain. That fact has been highlighted in recent weeks with two initiatives linking Málaga and Sevilla: the Málaga-Sevilla Hub and Swing Sevilla. For those familiar with the two cities’ fierce rivalry in just about everything, they seem like strange bedfellows to be forging a new rapport. You only have to attend a football match between the two La Liga clubs (but avoid lingering outside the stadium with rival fans) to witness just how much simmering bad blood there can be between the two.

Spain’s fourth largest city, Sevilla is the official capital of Andalucía but Málaga (sixth largest) has always claimed bragging rights when it comes to economic muscle, arguing that it is emphatically the region’s tourism capital – a bit like how Marbella boasts that it is Málaga province’s de facto capital for tourism, not Málaga city. Also, not entirely relevant in this context but worth mentioning is the announcement that Málaga will be the European capital of sport in 2020. Obviously, however, Sevilla and Málaga’s differences were not sufficient to derail an agreement to establish the mutual “Hub” (or “Eje” in Spanish), which was launched this autumn amidst great fanfare involving the respective mayors of the two cities. The aim is to capitalise on each city’s diverse strengths to highlight the attractions of Andalucía outside Spain’s borders and boost both business investment and international tourism – with Málaga’s international airport (the fourth busiest in Spain) a key element in this equation.

Swing Sevilla, meanwhile, was all about promoting the appeal of Sevilla’s golf amenities and encourage people to visit from the Costa del Sol, with the slogan “There’s another Sevilla – linking golf and culture”. Málaga-born Jiménez, who attended the presentation, joked that – of course – the Costa del Sol with its 60 courses (Sevilla province has a total of six) remained the premier golfing destination in Andalucía (indeed Spain) but added that Sevilla was well worth a visit and noted it had hosted several important events over the years, including the 2004 World Cup (he and Sergio García representing Spain finished second to England), the Spanish Open and his own now sadly defunct Andalucian Open. Villa Marbella Now’s correspondent at the presentation is yet to test his rusty golfing skills on the Sevilla fairways but he did have the pleasure in late November of visiting one of the province’s picturesque northern mountain areas. Cazalla de la Sierra. Just 200 kilometres from Málaga, and mostly dual carriageway (unless you get lost like he did on the way there and – guided by a GPS that wrongly assumes you are in a four-wheel-drive – end up on a dirt track and in a ditch), the Sevilla sierras can get quite cold at this time of the year but well wrapped up from the chill and safely ensconced in one of the area’s charmingly rustic hotels, the area is certainly an excellent option for those seeking something a little different away from the coast. [caption id="attachment_4053" align="alignright" width="300"]

Cazalla de la Sierra[/caption] For our featured property this week we return to La Zagaleta – one of Europe’s most exclusive residential estates and conveniently located for Costa del Sol residents and visitors who want to check out Sevilla (obviously no need to live in Sevilla to enjoy its charms – especially as it doesn’t have the sea nearby). Located on the mountain road from San Pedro de Alcántara (Marbella) to Ronda (the latter just under 130 kilometres from Sevilla capital), La Zagaleta is home to several magnificent villas, including this exceptionally priced (€2,390,000) property in one of the estate’s best sectors. Special Selections We appreciate your taking the time to read about this outstanding property, but perhaps it’s not exactly right for you? If not, we invite you to have a look at our other special selections for: Luxury Villas, Golf Properties, Seafront Properties, Apartments and Special Offers. Click on the category of your choice and follow the link. Also please feel free to roam around our website: www.villamarbellanow.com.

Showpiece Homes, Luxury Living… and Golf

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