Writer's Retreats

As a writer sometimes you just want to get away from your everyday life and find a new space. Maybe you just want to get down to writing without interruption, you might be looking for inspiration or an injection of creative eneregy, or perhaps you have just finished a piece and you just want to wind down for a week or two.
We think Alhama de Granada is the ideal place for a writer to be.


Our apartments in Alhama offer you a tranquil place where you can find peace and regeneration; from your terrace you can sit and watch the light change over the hills, no two hours are the same and each day brings high blue skies, pearly light and later on vast starry skies. In August you might see a display of shooting stars as you sip your evening gin and tonic.


Without leaving the house can watch the farmer plough his fields or listen to the goat bells as they are moved from pasture to pasture. At the moment the swifts are offering an aerial display as they circle our house like excited children on a carousel. The swallows are swooping to catch flies and the finches are chattering in the apple tree.


If you are feeling energetic you might want to walk down the magnificent gorge with its abundance of wildlife and its slightly spooky ruined flour mills. On the way back call for a cool beer outside one of the many lively bars, but save yourself for later when the bars fill up with people and there is a real buzz in the town. No need to cook (although you have your own kitchen) just head into town five minutes away and with each glass of Rioja or beer you will get a free tapa!


If you need a book to read we have a library with over 1000 books including poetry, short stories, travel books and my eclectic collection of crime novels.


For writers booking through the blog we are offering the apartment for £200 for the week and £225 for school holidays.




Text or ring me on 07843 264240 or email alhamacreative@live.co.uk

Don't take our word for it:

Here's what our guests have said:


'Lovely Apartment, great views, goldfinches in the square, energising walks in the gorge and hot springs to wallow in. Alhama is truly wonderful especially the tapas beside an impossibly big fire in the wondrous Ochoa.' Alan Lancaster

'A Wonderful week in a lovely apartment.' Sue Edinburgh


'We have had such a fabulous stay. The local people are an absolute joy. We loved the gorge, the views, the walks and the lake. The bars and restaurants are so good. We will miss Tigre and Ochoa!' Shelly and Jo Kent

'Loved Alhama- eating good food and relaxing.' Pete and Louise


'You have a charming home. Walking the gorge is a must. Nice bars as well!' Reg, Kate and Ryan. Scunthorpe.

'Enjoyed the stay, very friendly and welcoming.' Jamie Manchester


'The flat is beautiful and Alhama so peaceful and full of beautiful things.' Lizzie Lancaster


'Lovely Place.' Kezia

Ten things to love about Alhama

1 The stunning scenery.
Alhama Granada is in inland Andalucia about half an hour south of Granada Airport. At 900 feet above sea level it rises above the rolling hills and fertile fields of the Poniente de Granada (the sunset of Granada) From your own private terrace you can watch the light change over the hills and olive groves in the day and sit out under an amazing starry sky on balmy evenings.



2 Warm Days and Blue skies
The weather in Alhama in June is warm and sunny- the temperature about 26 degrees. The skies seem endlessly blue and the quality of light is magical. As summer comes in the weather will get hotter, but because we are in a mountainous region it's never sticky and uncomfortable. A light breeze keeps things fresh and makes for a good night's sleep. Of course it does rain, (not as much as the farmers would like)but then the smell of hot earth and resinous pines permeates the air for a short while. There's something regenerating about spending time outdoors; an afternoon beer in the shady terrace of as bar, a stroll through the gorge, reading a book on the patio; however you spend your days in Alhama you are bound to come back refreshed and relaxed.



3 Comfortable Stylish Apartments
We have two lovely apartments to rent each with their own style.
Lorca
Our top apartment is a romantic little hideaway. From the balcony there are stunning views of the countryside.



The living space is open plan with a wooden floor and a woodburning stove. It is furnished simply with a sofa bed, dining table and chairs and a very comfortable king size bed. Although Lorca is designed with couples in mind it can sleep four making it suitable for families with teenage children. The bedroom area can be curtained off for privacy.



The bathroom has a walk in shower and a huge bath big enough for two- perfect for a Romantic weekend or honeymoon. From the bath you can lie back and look out over the landscape.




Cervantes
The middle apartment is more traditional in its appearance and furnished in a Moroccan /Andalusian style. It has a lovely bedroom with terracotta tiles and beamed ceiling. Blue shutters open up onto a small balcony. From here you can see the church of Santa Maria de la Incarnacion and hear the bells ring out the hour and the half hour. It is simply furnished with a lovely old iron double bed painted blue. There is a wardrobe space and a beautiful turquoise wet room with shower, wc and washbasin.


An arch leads to a living room with a beamed ceiling and terracotta floor. A pretty feature is an alcove curtained day bed which turns into an extra single sleeping area at night. There is additional seating round the woodburning stove. Blue shutters lead to another small balcony at the front of the house.


At the back of the house there is an Andalusian kitchen with sink, hob and fridge which is equipped with all you need for making snacks and simple meals. This leads out onto a spacious plant filled terrace with table, chairs and a barbecue for outdoor dining. This terrace has wonderful views too.




4 Lively Bars and authentic Spanish cuisine.
Alhama has many wonderful bars run by real characters and serving lovely Spanish food. We still have the tradition of serving free tapas with every drink and you might be served a plate of prawns in garlic, some Jamon serrano or a bowl of little fresh clams in herbs. If you are really hungry you can order half or full 'raciones'.
As you might expect the quality of wine and sherry is second to none. It's possible to get a large glass of Rioja crianza for €1.50. Yes you read that correctly! We bought an 11 year old Coto Imaz Reserva in a bar for €12- about the price you would pay for a bottle of Blossom Hill in some bars. And of course you don't get free food with that in the UK. One of our favourite bars in Alhama is Bar Ochoa which was featured in the Guardian on the 25th April as one of the Top Five Bars in Andalucia.

5 Value for Money
On the subject of price Alhama is a very economical holiday. Food and drink prices are below those in the UK and the cost of living, although rising, is still lower than Britain. Away from the Costas you get real value for money.
Getting there isn't too bad either. Flights in June from Liverpool to Granada are about £75 return with Ryan Air and from Blackpool to Malaga or Liverpool Malaga for about £70 return. Ok, you might hate the budget airline ethos, but we fly a lot with Ryan Air and even with their cheeky add ons it's still a bargain. Don't put luggage in the hold or buy food online and you're laughing.
We have found another adventurous way to get to Alhama and that's to fly to Madrid and take the bus from Madrid to Granada (€28 return)Flights to Madrid are often really cheap (In June you can get a return at the moment for under £50 and you could spend a night or two in that great city before you come to us. We have also done the journey by train/bus. To London on the megabus for £1 then over on the Eurostar to Paris. Taking the overnight Ellipsos from Paris to Madrid and on by bus from there. You could break the journey in Paris one way and Madrid on the return and have an eco friendly adventure.
We can get you picked up from the airport for €20 or €50 depending where you fly to. Car hire is also quite cheap, especially out of season and the roads are blissfully empty most of the time. Altogether Alhama is a great value for money holiday. And the pound is on the rise too!



6 Flora and Fauna
Alhama is a naturalist's paradise. At this time of year the swallows and swifts are swooping and soaring around the church tower and round our house. You can see all sorts of many birds of prey from the terrace and everywhere new life is springing up. Alhama is cut through by a magnificant gorge and walking through it you encounter the greatest variety of wildflowers I have ever seen. Wild thyme, fennel and rosemary scent the air and poppies spill over the edges of the fields and line the roadsides with scarlet. As you sit outside a cafe with your coffee or beer the smell of lime blossom drifts from the square. Summer in Alhma is a sensuous experience!




7 Activities
For the energetic there are walks ranging from the gentle to the serious climb. Cycles are available to hire and routes can be planned for beginner or enthusiast. Water sports and swimming are available at nearby Lake Bermejales and many other activities can be arranged- see the links.
For the less energetic there is birdwatching or my favourite activity: a session at the Arabic baths with a massage (From €23!)
Alhama is named after the hot springs that have been in use since Roman times and a vist to them is an essential part of any visit to the area.


8 Cultural interest
Alhama is of great historic interest. It was the last town lost by the Moors in the reconquest and a traditional Spanish Romance 'Ay mi Alhama' relates the sadness they felt at their loss. This song was translated by Lord Byron. Queen Isabella built the first Catholic church on the site of the ancient mosque and the first blood hospital- Hospital Reina stands next to our house. Our apartments are on Calle Real- Royal Street which was the gateway to Alhama.
A visit to the magnificent Alhambra Palace in Granada is a must- entry fee only €12 and strolling through the Morrocan bazaars in the old Arabic quarter the Albacain you can find some great bargains.


9 Real Spain
The great thing about Alhama is the people. Alhama is quintessentially Spanish. Few people speak English, but that doesn't matter. Have a go and they will be very impresssed. The people are so friendly and welcoming. Visitors are central to their economy and you will find friendly faces everywhere you go. Being in Real Spain gives you access to all their traditions and customs. If you arrive around the feast day of St Juan (24th June) you will experience lots of celebration and fun. The schools break up then, the bars put out all their tables and summer truly begins.



10 10% discount in June and early July if booked through the blog. This gives a price of just £225 per apartment. If there's four of you that's only £56 each FOR A WEEK! Even for two of you that's still good value. In school holidays we still give you 5% off. Text 07843264240 or email alhamacreative@live.co.uk to make a booking.