Spain has long been a favourite with foreign buyers looking to combine a laid-back, luxurious lifestyle against a backdrop of sun, sea and sand. Marbella, notably, has become a playground for the very rich, with magnificent yachts harboured in Puerto Banus and magnificent properties along the golden mile. Just outside central Marbella, Nueva Andalucia and Sierra Blanca offer alternatives to buyers whose interests lie away from the coast.
“Nueva Andalucia otherwise known as the Golf Valley is home to four world-class golf courses: La Quinta, Los Naranjos, Aloha and Las Brisas golf clubs. This has shaped the real estate market over the last 40 years and created a hub for golf enthusiasts the world over,”
says Mark Harvey, partner at Knight Frank. You don’t have to be a golf pro to live there, however. The area has many amenities, including several international schools, shops and restaurants, offering a community hub to residents, while the nightlife of Puerto Banus is easily accessible. The Sierra Blanca Mountains tower above Marbella and in the foothills of La Concha lies the newer community of Sierra Blanca.
“It is home to some of Europe’s most spectacular properties and extravagant villas,”
says Loraine Murphy from Fine & Country Marbella.
“The streets are safe and immaculately kept, creating an atmosphere of privacy, peace and calm.”
The majority occupies large plots and being at a high level, many afford panoramic views of the coast and beyond to North Africa. According to Mr Harvey,
“Sierra Blanca is reminiscent of the heights of California and offers the super rich a private discreet and highly policed environment above Marbella’s golden mile. This is an area of pure residential property comprised primarily of great mansions offering exceptional proportions and dramatic coastal views.
“As the real estate market in Marbella is starting to gather pace again many people are seeing the appeal of Nueva Andalucía. Many of the properties are either front line golf or have golf views,”
explains Ms Murphy. Homes here are generally villas with gardens, though there are some apartments.
“The best properties can be found to the north where the land starts rising and then you get beautiful golf and sea views,”
says Stephen Lahiri, director at Lucas Fox Marbella.
“It is possible to walk, or cycle to facilities and to the coast from most areas of Nueva Andalucia – it takes 20 – 30 minutes – so it is an ideal area to live permanently.”
For rentals intent on capturing the high-end holiday market this variety is also appealing.
“It is both close enough but far enough from the hustle and bustle of the beach area and towns – very calm, secure and tranquil,”
says Mr Lahiri. The area tends to be popular with northern Europeans, he adds, whereas the exclusivity of Sierra Blanca makes it popular with international buyers.
“It attracts mixed nationalities including Middle East, Russian and Spanish.”
James Evans, director of Lucas Fox Marbella, agrees.
“There are all nationalities in Sierra Blanca and a good percentage live here full time due to some fantastic international schools very close by. Sierra Blanca is a great area for the discerning client who may travel frequently, but bases the family in Marbella.”
Nueva Andalucia
Overlooking Las Brisas golf course, this villa on a 3,160m² plot even has its own putting green. It includes seven bedrooms, six bathrooms, a living room, dining room, fully equipped kitchen, staff quarters and an eight-car garage. Access to the property is via a galleried entrance hall with a modern water feature. The three-bedroom suites on the first floor are complemented by walk-in dressing rooms and terraces. A further roof terrace offers panoramic views of the mountains and the coast. The lower ground floor is home to a swimming pool, gym, steam room, sauna, cinema room, entertainment area and wine cellar. Outside, the extensive gardens feature a heated swimming pool and an outdoor cooking area.
£7.55m / €10m / $11m Aylesford International +44 (0)20 7351 2383
Aloha, Nueva Andalucia
Minutes from Puerto Banus and with views of the Aloha Golf Club’s 12th fairway, this beautiful five-bedroom villa is one of only a few Grade II listed buildings in the area. The stone of the outside continues inside, with high ceilings, many windows and extensive use of glass all contributing to the atmosphere of light and space. The two living rooms are open-plan and feature large fireplaces.There is also a dining room, state-of-the-art kitchen with granite topped island and two bedrooms on this level, each with its own terrace. A spiral staircase leads upstairs to a home office, while on the lower ground level, a further two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms are alongside a cinema room, gym, wine cellar, three-car garage and guest apartment. An extensive terrace with outside dining area leads from the villa into the landscaped gardens, where a Jacuzzi and sumptuous infinity pool offer spectacular golf course views.
£3.55m / €4.7m / $5.16m Fine & Country +34 952 764 010
La Cerquilla, Nueva Andalucia
Surrounded by golf courses, this four-bedroom villa features an open-plan living and dining room, a high-tech kitchen with informal dining area, a covered terrace and an outdoor pool within landscaped gardens. Three of the four bedrooms – all en suite – are located on the ground floor, while the master bedroom suite, which has a private terrace, occupies the upper level. Additional features include fitted wardrobes, Italian tiles and underfloor heating.
£2.4m / €3.2m / $3.5m Lucas Fox +34 933 562 989
Golf Valley, Nueva Andalucia
La Quinta is a contemporary design villa with six bedrooms, all with en suite bathrooms clad in marble, onyx and jade. Thanks to its position at the top of a hill, it offers spectacular views over the sea and mountains from its wraparound terraces, swimming pool and gardens. Inside, the bedrooms have wooden floors and fitted wardrobes. The kitchen is equipped with high-end appliances and two spacious sitting rooms feature a statement fireplace. A gym, sauna, home cinema room, wine cellar and staff quarters complete the property.
£10.57m / €14m / $15.34m Sotheby’s International Realty +44 (0)20 7495 9580
