The season that lies ahead in 2012 will be our sixth full year of operation, and we are looking forward to a year of welcoming back previous guests as well as meeting new ones for the first time.  The New Year period has already been and gone and was a busy time for us, with a full house of guests, many of whom had come for the excellent rock-climbing to be found in the area.  We hope to have more rock-climbers visit us in the future, as this is an activity – along with other outdoor and nature-related interests – that we are actively promoting.  In the cooler months of the year the area is a haven for those looking for an outdoor holiday rather than one based around sunshine and beaches.  Mountain biking, hiking, horse riding, bird watching and hill walking are just some of the other activities that can be enjoyed in the immediate area around the villa, or at most within a 20 minute drive. 

Diversification has to be a positive thing, especially in the uncertain economic times that seem to face everyone at present– in whatever European country you find yourself.  In past seasons, we have directed our marketing efforts at a wide range of nationalities as well as at the local Spanish holidaymaker and house renter.  Indeed, our flexibility and the range of accommodation options that we can offer have proved to be a popular concept with our guests.  Many – particularly in the peak holiday season – still prefer to go for the traditional Bed and Breakfast type of visit and spend much of their time during the day exploring the surrounding areas and attractions.  However, even these guests (more often than not) also choose to take advantage of our evening meal service, so in fact have all the advantages of a friendly country hotel but without the constraints that are traditionally associated with that type of accommodation. 

Other guests prefer to have self-catering accommodation, and this is where our apartment comes into its own.  Although it is an integral part of the main house, it has its own entrance, two en-suite bedrooms and a fully equipped kitchen and living room.  Guests staying here, however, also have full use of all the other facilities of the villa including the option of evening meals.  Sometimes, however, we are more than happy to offer “Casa Rural” type accommodation to those who are looking for that particular option.  This involves renting a room (as you would on a Bed and Breakfast basis), but without the breakfast – or indeed any other of the catering that we generally offer.  For these guests – and it is generally a Spanish concept – we are happy to allow them to ‘self-cater’ in the main kitchen, which obviously they might have to share with any other guests staying here at the same time.  However, the facilities and the space have always meant that this has never been a problem and has proved a cost-effective and convenient choice for many guests. 

Another possibility is that of Villa Rental (renting the entire house (with or without the apartment depending on numbers) ), which means that groups of up to 16 people can spend time here together, but with sufficient space that it never seems crowded or cramped.  This option has been chosen in the past for either weekend lets – usually for Spanish hen parties – or else for longer stays when an extended family wanted to holiday together.  In this case, guests have full access to the whole property, and basically rent the villa for their vacation with exclusive use of the kitchen, living areas, gardens, etc.  We are still on the property, but in our separate apartment so do not in any way intrude on our guests’ privacy, but are nevertheless on call if any help or advice is requested. 

So we anticipate that we will welcome our guests in 2012 with as wide a range of options and choices as possible, and making ourselves known to as many different types of holidaymaker as we can.  Traditional overnight Bed and Breakfast guests, apartment renters, weekend party groups, special interest holidays, or Spanish “Casa Rural” guests – we look forward to meeting them all during the coming year.  We are enlarging and improving our sun terraces around the pool so there will be even more space for our guests to relax and make the most of the gardens and the beautiful weather that we hope to see in the year ahead. 

The animal lovers amongst our guests will not be disappointed either, as we now have a third dog who has joined the household – a beautiful and placid Spanish Mastiff called Lola who is the very epitome of the expression “gentle giant”, and who we are sure will charm each and every one of our visitors.  She is joined by Aurora and Sandy, so we now have the full set – small, medium and large!  Cat lovers will also be pleased to hear that Sparkle (our Siamese looking cat) continues to thrive, and has grown from a tiny bottle-fed kitten to a healthy 18 month old beauty, so the entire Villa Florencia family is ready and looking forward to welcoming all our guests in the coming season. 

We hope that many new visitors will come for the first time, but of course it is very gratifying when previous guests come back to us again. If the weather is as good for the rest of 2012 as it has been so far, it should be a year to remember!

Gary and Andy from Liverpool were with us for their winter sunshine holidays, the whole time from Christmas Eve through until after the New Year, and dined with us every evening. They would often take day-trips to local places of interest as well as visiting Valencia city, which far exceeded their expectations. Shortly after Christmas we were also joined by a couple from Germany – Axel and Kerstin – who were visiting their daughter who was on a student exchange scheme and studying at the Gandía campus of Valencia University. Most of their time was spent with their daughter, although on several occasions they took advantage of our evening meal service too.

The other guests in the property were a group of friends from Romania who were all proficient rock-climbers, and whose main motivation in coming to the area was for the climbs to be found within very easy reach of the house. Some of them stayed in the main house, whilst two couples were in the self-catering apartment, but they would all spend the evenings together in the public rooms of the villa. Included in this group were two young children who, along with their mothers, did not take part in the rock-climbing activities, but were more than content to take advantage of the beautiful weather and unseasonably warm sunshine during the day. They would happily spend their days in a leisurely way in the gardens, having lunch here as well, or otherwise (on the days when the climbers were taking a day off), would go on trips to the surrounding countryside or even to Valencia or Alicante.

Evening meals were often taken in two stages – some of the guests who had been rock-climbing all day or who had children would dine earlier, whilst other guests would have their dinner slightly later. Whatever combination of accommodation and catering was required for any particular guest, it all seemed to blend together with no difficulty, so the true versatility of what is available at the Gandia Casa Rural really came into its own during this busy period. Particularly gratifying, however, was the way that all the guests emphasised to us that it had been the perfect holiday for them – whatever they were looking for in their vacation, they found with us here! Not only did they all enjoy themselves, but we did as well and we genuinely look forward to the time when they might return to us for more of the same!

Penya Roja Climbing Lodge is a beautiful and spacious country home, located just minutes from two of the Costa Blanca’s best climbing rocks, Gandia Crag and El Bovedon or an easy drive to any of the Rock climbing sites on the Costa Blanca.

Your hosts , Nigel and Mark, run the Penya Roja Climbing Lodge with all of its facilities and comforts like a small country hotel and combine this with a welcoming feeling of informality and relaxation. Our aim at the Penya Roja Climbing Lodge is to provide an exceptional standard of individual service to our guests, making them feel that they are in a friendly and informal atmosphere where they can relax and unwind without the usual constraints of a conventional hotel.

Our B&B accommodation consists of 5 spacious bedrooms (three twins and two doubles) all have air-conditioning and heating, are well furnished and benefit from housekeeping services on a daily basis. Complimentary tea and coffee making facilities are provided in each room and all have modern en-suite bathrooms with power showers.

Additionally there is a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom self contained, self catering apartment for rent.

The lodge also has ample car parking facilities – we would suggest that guests hire a car in order to derive the greatest benefit from the surrounding towns and countryside.
The public rooms of the Penya Roja Climbing Lodge include a bar and lounge for the use of all our guests, where – depending on the season – you can either have a refreshing drink after a hard day’s rock climbing around the pool, or enjoy your favourite after-dinner liqueur in front of a log fire on the cooler winter evenings.
Breakfast and dinner are both served on the glass-enclosed terrace which has panoramic views of the nearby orange groves and mountains.

For those who wish to venture further afield, the Penya Roja Climbing Lodge provides an ideal base for daily excursions to Valencia, Benidorm or Alicante

Bouldering, climbers accommodation Spain, Climbing, climbing in Spain, Costa Blanca, Rock Climbing, Rock Climbing Holidays, Rock climbing in Spain, Sports Climbing in Spain

In amongst all the doom and gloom concerning the economic situation and the housing and property market in particular in Spain, there are still instances of things turning out happily for all concerned.

Back in the summer, we were pleased to have Carmel and her family stay with us whilst they were on a house-hunting expedition here. They had done plenty of research in their quest to find a bargain property on the Costa Blanca, and had narrowed their search to one property that they felt really met their requirements. It might seem strange to come half-way round the world (they spend most of their time in Malaysia) on a property hunt here in Spain and then only look at one house, but they felt that this was the one – and so it has proved to be!

Not for them the standard type of “villa with a pool” that is so often the target of the foreign property purchaser in Spain – they were looking for something different. There are plenty of homes of the more conventional type on the market – and they have seen lots of them in Malaysia too, of course – but they already had their eye on a large townhouse that simply had character oozing out of every nook and cranny. Located in an inland village, they had found a house that was actually originally two houses that had been put together many years ago, and in fact dated back several hundred years. Beautifully restored and updated, it was now the house that they were looking for! With a tranquil courtyard which is the location for a stunning pool and relaxation area, the house has a bathroom for every bedroom, lots of reception areas and a well fitted, modern kitchen.

Property at great prices abounds at the moment in Spain, and the Costa Blanca is no exception, but Carmel was particularly taken with the extra qualities that this house possessed. Peace and calm are somehow built in to the brickwork here, and it is rare to find a house of this age and type in such a good condition and state of general repair. Bargain properties often end up not being such a bargain once all the updating and renovations have been carried out by the purchaser, but here was a house that had already been refurbished and then lovingly maintained by the previous owner.

It was therefore a very happy Carmel who arrived at our door last weekend, all ready to secure the purchase of her new home. All the details had been sorted out by her Spanish lawyer in advance, so when Monday morning dawned bright and sunny, it was a good omen that all would go smoothly with the paperwork, and that no complications would unexpectedly arise. And so it was – in no time at all Carmel and her eldest son, who was accompanying her on the trip, were in a position to take up residence in the beautiful village home that has become their tranquil haven. A greater contrast to their life in bustling Malaysia would be hard to imagine, but when we visited them there this week it definitely looked like a story with a happy ending.

The family is now looking forward to a happy, family Christmas together in their new home in the sun, which they will be using for an ever larger part of the year. They will still be splitting their time between Spain and Malaysia due to work considerations, but – having seen how happy and settled they already look – there seems little doubt that those members of the family who are in a position to do so, will spend as much time as possible in their new Spanish home. After so much time moving around the world, they are all looking forward to the peace and stability that a small Spanish village has to offer. We look forward to seeing them many more times in their new home, and of course it is always good to see former guests become neighbours and friends.

The property market in Spain may have suffered a spectacular decline in the recent past, and it is true that this plays an enormous part in the present woes of the Spanish economy. However, a housing market which is suffering from an excess of supply over demand can only mean good news for any buyers who happen to come along. We were pleased to welcome a couple from Belgium recently who were on a serious house-hunting expedition, had done their homework thoroughly before leaving home and who arrived at our door with a full diary of appointments with local estate agents.

They were looking for a property that would be large enough to accommodate their visiting children and grandchildren, which had a swimming pool and fairly large gardens (so that there was always something to do!), was within about half an hour from the beach, but yet would be easy to leave unoccupied for the times when they would be back in their own home in Belgium This was to be a property for holidays and winter time – some of their time would still be spent in Belgium, as this was not a full move, but rather an additional home for them to use.

They soon found out that they were in a very enviable position indeed! They saw round a large number of houses and quickly realised that they were a rare and much sought-after commodity – serious prospective purchasers with no house to sell in their home country first! The estate agents let them know that most of the houses they were viewing would also be open to negotiation, so a buyer with ready cash and no reason to delay could always put in an offer and hope for the best! This area of Spain was the place that they decided would suit them best because, apart from the stunning scenery and all the amenities close at hand, it was within reasonable driving distance of France and Belgium, as they were anticipating that many visits would be made by car. Much further south and an extra overnight stop would be required, and further north – where they had already investigated – was not so much to their taste.

They had originally booked in with us for two nights, but when they realised that there were so many properties that might suit them here, and that the area really did live up to their expectations, they decided to stay for five nights and see as much as they could. In the end, they found many houses that met their basic requirements and represented good value for money. Spain certainly has a large number of bargain homes on offer at the moment, as they found out! By the end of their trip, they had narrowed the list down to two houses, and it was a question of deciding between them. They both loved both houses, but unfortunately, one preferred one property, and the other preferred the other! However, what they did agree on was that this was a strong position to be in, as they could now go home and think carefully about the choices from all angles before making a decision. Whatever house they chose would be one that they both liked and the decision could now be made based on logic and what would suit their visiting families best – one of the major reasons for them making the purchase in the first place, after all.

It was a pleasure to have them stay with us, and we thoroughly enjoyed their company and hearing about their daily house viewing activities. As their visit proved, there are certainly bargain properties in Spain at the moment with a great choice of homes at prices that have not been this low for many years. For all the problems besetting Europe generally at the present time, Spain is still a great place to consider for either a permanent move, or a second home. Wonderful weather, great food, a cost of living that is significantly lower than most countries in northern Europe and easy accessibility by road and air all combine to ensure that Spain retains her place at the top of the list for many overseas house-hunters.

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Spain is not just about sun, sea and sangria, it’s about the Moors, the Reconquest, El Cid, Hernan Cortes, the Conquistadors, the Golden Age, Don Quijote, the Camino de Santiago, Flamenco, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, paella, seafood, the Alhambra, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Velazquez, Goya, Murillo, Andres Segovia, Joaquin Rodrigo, Carmen, Napoleon, Wellington, the Spanish Armada, Catalyuna (Catalonia), Andalucia, or Andalusia if you prefer, Rafael Nadal, Fernan Adria – the list goes on and on.

Books4Spain has been established by Rod Younger, an Anglo-Spaniard and author, to help you discover Spain and its rich history and culture through books, as well as to provide you access to useful, relevant and interesting information about living, travelling or holidaying in Spain.

Our intention is to try and re-create the experience, attractions and benefits of a traditional bricks & mortar independent bookshop but with the added convenience afforded by the Internet and technology to offer better choice, an easier way to discover books about Spain, great customer service and, ultimately, to enable our clients to learn more about Spain, its culture and history.

We have a small but growing network of reviewers who are either experts in a particular field, e.g. Therese Wassily Saba for flamenco and classical guitar (www.myflamencodiary.com), or who are book lovers and lovers of Spain and who write the Books4Spain Reviews for specific books.

Customer service is a priority for us and we aim to respond within 24 hours to any emails and to try and resolve any questions or queries as quickly as possible. We are human and we are new so the site is constantly being improved and our book selection increased.

We welcome any feedback or suggestions you may have with regard to the site and our book selection – we are always looking to add quality books about Spain to the site so please do email us your suggestions/recommendations to suggestions@books4spain.com and we will use our best efforts to source the relevant book(s).

Authors such as Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell, Laurie Lee, Gerald Brenan, George Borrow, Richard Ford and Washington Irving have long been fascinated by this amazing country and we hope that Books4Spain enables you to discover, and share in, their experiences and those of many others.

We look forward to being of service to you.

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Last Wednesday we were pleased to welcome some unexpected guests – again from Canada – who were touring around Spain with a possible long-term view to settling here. They called on us to see if they could stay here as they wanted to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation as opposed to conventional hotels wherever possible. They had in mind also that the bed and breakfast industry might suit them if they were to settle here, and were eager to hear our experiences.

Brian and Lonnie come from Alberta and were travelling around Spain in the opposite direction from our last Canadian guests – they had started in Seville and were ultimately destined for Barcelona – whereas Neil and Debra had started in Barcelona and were heading south and round to Portugal. Both couples wanted to stay away from big cities for most of their time in Spain, and therefore felt that bed and breakfast accommodation would suit them better, as well as allowing them to get a better feel for what everyday life is like for people living here already.

Brian and Lonnie spent three nights with us and during the day would explore the area and seek out towns, villages and even some properties that they had already seen on various websites. Their plan is one that is very much for the future, however, so this trip was purely exploratory to see which areas of the country might suit them when the time comes to think about making the big move.

They were very impressed with the La Safor region, however, and had already determined that it is a very healthy as well as a very pleasant part of the country in which to live due to the microclimate to be found here. They took trips up into the mountains to check out some of the smaller villages there, as well as spending time one day in Xátiva – a town that appealed to them very much. Being near the coast is not of great importance to them, so the inland area around Xátiva was of considerable interest, as well as being a potential base for a bed and breakfast business in the future. Further down the coast they discovered Oliva and its Friday market and from there they fell a little bit in love with the beautiful village of Forna that lies inland through the orange groves behind Oliva.

After each day’s exploring they would return to us and take advantage of our evening meal service and tell us of their discoveries and impressions that day. It certainly seemed that our part of the Costa Blanca was going to be fairly far up their list of possible locations to consider in the future, as they preferred an area which was not too over-populated with non-Spanish residents and was a little different from the mainstream tourist destinations.

However, after a three night stay with us they felt that they had acquainted themselves with the area sufficiently and it was time to move on. They had managed to reserve accommodation in another bed and breakfast establishment to the north of Valencia where they planned to spend a couple of nights before heading up to their final destination of Barcelona where they were to catch their flight back to Canada.

Hopefully we will see them back with us in the future when they feel the time is right to look at a move to Spain and they will consider our area as a place to start their search in earnest.

Many people are seeking alternatives to the seaside resort holiday that is centred around lots of sunshine and doing as little as possible except maybe reading a book on the beach or around a swimming pool.  Pleasant as that prospect may be, spending two weeks with nothing else on the agenda can become a little monotonous.  More and more holidaymakers are looking to combine some of the lazy sunshine holiday concept with a certain amount of activity, and it is here that the area around Gandía and the whole area along the Costa Blanca can really come into its own. 

The beautiful mountain scenery that lies almost immediately behind the coastal resorts along the Costa Blanca provide for a whole host of activities that are only now being fully recognised by local towns and businesses as equally valid and attractive reasons to come to this part of Spain.  An obvious recreation in the La Safor mountains near Gandía is that of hiking and walking, and there is a wide choice of routes that have been mapped out for the enthusiast, ranging from easy, gentle walks to more strenuous hikes and climbs.  Local authorities have started producing maps showing the recommended routes to follow, and these are also signposted along the way to make things even easier and more “user friendly” and less daunting for the first-time hill walker.  There is also a hiking information centre in the hills behind Gandía where many of the local routes are centred upon, set in an area designated of special interest and natural beauty.  As an extra point of interest, some of the routes also make use of disused railway lines in the area and the hiker will find themselves taking unspoilt and scenic routes between towns and villages, often even walking through former railway tunnels along the way. 

If walking and hiking does not appeal, an alternative is cycling and mountain biking.  This is a recreation that is hugely popular amongst local people, and it is not hard to see why.  Bikes can be hired locally, either as an independent daily or weekly rental, or in the company of a guide who can take the enthusiast along routes in the hills and mountains if a road trip is not what you have in mind.  Stunning mountain views are the reward for a steep climb through many of the villages and towns in the area, and then of course there is always the extra reward of the exhilarating downhill trip at the other side!  It is very easy to combine a route that takes in a mountain section, followed by a return along the coast and maybe a swim in the sea all in the same trip – the best of everything! 

Nature lovers can also indulge themselves along the Costa Blanca by visiting the areas frequented by the many species of birds in the area – both local and (depending on the time of year) migratory.  There is a large designated nature reserve of wetlands to the south of Valencia City that will be of particular interest to the bird watcher, and this is home to a great number of species as well as a stopping point for birds that are passing through on their seasonal migrations.  In addition to this specific area, the entire stretch of coast provides excellent opportunities for spotting a wide range of birds, including many birds of prey in the mountains.  Guided bird watching tours can be arranged by local experts who can take the visitor to the best starting-off points, depending on the particular types of bird that are of particular interest.  This can in fact be an excellent way of combining the different activities that the area lends itself to so well – walking through beautiful scenery whilst at the same time spotting varieties of birds and wildlife the visitor is unlikely to encounter at home. 

And all this, of course, is available along the Costa Blanca in a climate so very much milder and warmer than what the visitor would probably be used to at home.  Indeed, the long mild season that this part of Spain generally experiences makes it perfectly possible – and maybe even preferable – to take a break at a time when the mainstream holiday crowds have either not yet arrived or already returned home.  The visitor can then benefit from lower airfares (rather than having to pay the premium normally levied during school holidays), cheaper accommodation costs, and of course a less crowded environment than during the traditional peak season.  

Alternatively, if some members of a group want the more traditional high-season holiday activities of sun and sea, this can be combined with the interests of the walker and nature lover all in the same trip.  The Costa Blanca and the La Safor region in particular really does have a lot more to offer than first meets the eye.

We were pleased to welcome Neil and Debs to Villa Florencia at the end of last week, with the added dimension that they are from Canada, taking five weeks to tour through Spain and Portugal, and doing the whole thing by public transport – mainly bus. We collected them from Gandía bus station and brought them to our home, and the emphasis of their trip was to stay away from large cities and towns, and to spend time walking and hiking in the hills and mountains that this country has to offer away from the better known tourist destinations.

Their aim was to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation along the way, planning their route a week or so in advance and staying at each place for three or four nights at a time, which would give them the opportunity to get a feel for each area and explore the natural environment. They are keen outdoor explorers and walkers in Canada, but were taking a six month sabbatical from work to enjoy life without pressure for a change and had decided to take advantage of some European late summer sunshine, as the weather in Canada is beginning to cool considerably by this time of year. They had flown in to Barcelona and spent a few days in Tarragona to recover from the inevitable jet lag, and then made their way down to Gandía in order to explore the La Safor mountains and the wonderful scenery of the northern Costa Blanca.

They stayed with us for four nights, and each day they would explore the surrounding mountains and valleys, either on foot direct from the house or we would give them a lift to a start point. They took a packed lunch with them each day, and made the best possible use of the marked out hiking and walking routes around the mountain of Mondúber. They visited the Parpalló-Borrell natural park area and information centre there to get guidance and ideas, and were impressed that Gandía was now trying to publicise the beauty of the surrounding area to the foreign traveller. Sometimes they would do a round route and return to the house, or sometimes they would contact us from a pre-arranged point and we would then collect them and drive them home. They loved the fact that they could hike in such beautiful surroundings and in superb weather, and that they could do so without having to hire a car to drive a considerable distance before setting off on their day’s walk.

At some point during the afternoon they would return to us and spend the last hour or so of sunshine in the garden, taking advantage of the warmth that they would miss so much upon their return to Canada. Each evening they dined with us, and found the whole concept of being able to have a holiday such as this based around Villa Florencia most appealing, without having to venture into larger centres and towns other that to travel on to their next port of call. And all too soon it was indeed time to leave – even though they had extended their visit to us by one night – so after consulting bus timetables they left heading in the direction of Alicante and their next rural accommodation that they had already reserved. It had been a very great pleasure to have Neil and Debs stay with us, and gratifying to find that they could spend time in the immediate surroundings of our home pursuing their outdoor walking and hiking pastimes and that they felt it compared with the fantastic scenery and surroundings of their home country.