A pretty and tranquil three-bedroom ‘cortijo’ set in a beautiful garden
on the edge of a small Spanish mountain town.
Rustic, romantic and economical with room for up to six people.
Facilities in the house:
Dining room with table and 6 chairs plus a desk. Kitchen with big gas oven, fridge-freezer, kettle, cutlery and crockery. Three bedrooms: blue room with single bed; pink bedroom with double bed; orange ‘cave’ bedroom with single bed, futon mattress and two extra foam mattresses, and many stripy jarapas (rug/bedcovers).
Sitting room with two sofas, chair and little table. Bathroom with hot shower, toilet and wash basin (v. basic but nice). Washing machine. Wood-burning stove and portable calor gas heater in lounge. Beautiful seven-terrace garden, with a little bench to sit on and watch the comings and goings below in the valley. Also a shady patio with table.
More photos available on request.
“It’s an amazing place, absolutely beautiful, really nice,
just what the doctor ordered, lots of pottering, lots of cooking,
lots of eating and lots of lying around doing nothing. Fabulous!”
Lubrin has seven bars, and a nice tiled bodega (wine bar) with a gourmet tapas menu, recently voted the best tapas bar in the province of Almeria. La Molina also has a restaurant and a nice roof terrace. The town also has a big outdoor swimming pool (July-Aug) - a heavenly place and rarely full.
Mountain walks
You can explore the hills around the house, or take to the small roads off the Sorbas to Zurgena road, and start a walk from any point that takes your fancy. Peace and tranquility on your doorstep - with just the occasional exotic bird and passing herd of goats to break your reverie.
A good drive
Follow the road to El Chive (opposite Lubrin). Get to the top of road and look at the wonderful mountain views in all directions.
Bedar
A charming mountain village with beautiful views and a couple of restaurants. Can be reached by wild and wooly drive along river beds and mountain sides if you get off the road at El Marchal. Alternative route: just keep going through El Marchal. This is the most direct route to Mojacar and pretty spectacular.
El Marchal
Lubrins sister town - a tiny hamlet about a mile away. Now home to a sweet little French restaurant - you can sample gourmet food in a river bed.
Sorbas
A nice town on a canyon, a very easy drive, with plenty of good pottery shops.
Cuevas de Sorbas
Just outside Sorbas. This has organised cave tours which are quite an adventure - a hit with kids, and also my auntie and her friend!
Vera
Calm and orderly small market town. Has a bullring... and a good market every Saturday (but not as good as Garruchas (below)!
Garrucha
Beach, seafood and a superb market on Friday. In the winter you can get suede shoes for £8 and suede jackets for around £30. Finishes just after 12.30pm.
Lubrin market
A local treat every Weds morning. See the town come to life! You can get different delights every week. If you like tuna, you can get an entire one for about £4. Theres also a BIG Tuesday market in Albox.
Agua Amarga
A nice seaside town with good fish restaurants. Near to Cabo de Gata - a nature reserve with a flamingo lake, weird and wonderful rock formations, hills, valleys and some fantastic stretches of coast - aim for Las Negras if you want to walk, and head WEST!
Mojacar
A lively, trendy, holiday spot. Good bars and eats - if youre craving bacon and eggs and karaoke, Mojacar is the place for you! If you want something a bit more trendy, the Pavana in the old town (closed Monday) is the place for you - or Delfos on the road out of town. Mojacar has a flea market on Sunday mornings. You should also try Casa Egea - traditional tapas and great breakfasts and lunches. Closed Monday. Turn right at seaside roundabout and its about 1.5 miles down the road.
Mini-Hollywood
A chance to walk around the sets of Sergio Leones most famous film sets. If you want to keep your own fists full of dollars, though, just do your own walks around nearby Tabernas theres also a nice mountain town nearby called Senes.
Alpujarras
A range of hanging villages cascading from the Sierra Nevada down to the sea. Beautiful, and well worth a visit, but a bit far for a day-trip. Consider a two-stop holiday, taking in Casa Becca and an Alpujarran village.
Cuevas de Almanzora - cave houses - and the town boasts an art gallery with an original Miro and an original Picasso.
Granada
A ttwo hour drive to the citadel of Moorish Andalucia, featuring the incredible Alhambra. Its also possible to get there by train from Almeria.Trains leave at 8.10/14.25/18.20 and take two and three-quarter hours. You should check these times are current. Trains return from Granada at approx the same times.
Guadix
Just outside Granada, Guadix is best known for its cave houses - and also features a good church. No hotels though! A 2-hour drive from Lubrin.
Riding: Finca El Campico. One day rides, 4-6 hours, £35. Tuition also possible. Apparently, excellent.
Roads to the sea...
Most beaches are around 45mins drive (Mojacar is only about 12 miles away, but the roads are curvy). Cabo de Gata is further, but worth it for its amazing land and seascapes.
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