Welcome to Barrington Homes

January 29, 2013

Fantastic weather in Manilva in the last week in January 2013

Filed under: Lifestyle,Weather in Spain — Lucy @ 2:51 pm

Sunny weather in Manilva in January

The weather forecast for Manilva is great for the last few days of January with temperatures reaching the early 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 -23 degrees celsius.

Its the perfect weather for outdoor activities such as playing golf, tennis, horse riding or for just taking a walk. And wonderful weather for going out to lunch at Puerto de La Duquesa, Sabinillas or Castillo de La Duquesa.

The forecast is good for the first week in February too so if you have a few days holiday spare and need to feel the sun on your face, now is a great time (as always) to visit Manilva.

Pantomime in Gibraltar

Filed under: Lifestyle,Local Events & Culture — Lucy @ 1:59 pm

One of the many good things about living in Manilva is that if you do feel a little homesick for British shops or traditions, Gibraltar is only 30 mins drive away.

Main Street is not dissimilar to a British High Street with Marks and Spencers, British Homes Stores, Monsoon, Next, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Peacocks, Top Shop etc. having a presence. Morrisons is the main supermarket there which almost had a monopoly but I have just heard that Eroski have opened just over the border, Gibraltar side, and are going to stock many Waitrose products.

One tradition that I thought my kids would miss out on living in Spain was the great British Panto. However a few years ago a friend asked me if I wanted to go to the pantomime in Gibraltar and we had such good time that we have been going ever since.

Calamity Jane Pantomime in Gibraltar

This year the pantomime is Calamity Jane and there are 4 performances left:
Thursday 31st at 7.30, Friday 1st at 7.30 and Saturday at 2.30 and 7.30pm

If you are interested and would like tickets, the box office at Ince’s Hall will be open from 6 – 7.30 weekdays and before performances and 1 – 2pm Saturday.

Telephone: 20065410 (the above Box office opening times only)

January 25, 2013

Notificación de Alto Interés Para Propietarios en Manilva 2013

Filed under: Información útil en español — Lucy @ 11:59 am

Existe la posibilidad de un descuento en el IBI
para propietarios residentes de Manilva, el descuento se basa en su vivienda
única y principal situ en Manilva. Además hay descuento disponible en locales
comerciales mientras que el local comercial la desarrolla el mismo propietario.
(Esta oferta no es aplicable a inquilinos ni arrendadores) Por Favor lean y
repartan la documentación ajunto a personas, propietarios y residentes que
creas que le pueda interesar información.

Por favor pasar esta información a todos tus
propietarios o a quienes conozcáis y quienes sean residentes empadronados de
Manilva. Si es posible además les pido por favor de pegar una copia de estos
documentos a su tablero de anuncios, pero solo si es posible y no es mucho molestia.
Gracias por adelantado por su asistencia en este asunto.

IBI vivienda dto 2013 Espanol

IBI Local Comercial dto 2013 Espanol

IBI Solicitud vivienda dto 2013 Espanol (Only in Spanish) P2

IBI Solicitud vivienda dto 2013 Espanol (Only in Spanish) P1

IBI Solicitud Local Commercial dto 2013 Espanol (Only in Spanish) P2

IBI Solicitud Local Commercial dto 2013 Espanol (Only in Spanish) P1

Important Manilva Property Owner Notification for 2013

Filed under: Property,Useful Information — Lucy @ 11:54 am

A Town Hall Rates discount is available to all
owner/residents of Manilva on their principal and only dwelling. This is also available on commercial property that you own and manage as an ongoing concern. (Not applicable to tenants or landlords).

Please click on the below links to read the documentation and please advise other people, owners and residents that might be interested and want more information. The first two documents below are written in English.

IBI vivienda dto 2013 Ingles

IBI Local Commercial dto 2013 Ingles

IBI Solicitud vivienda dto 2013 Espanol (Only in Spanish) P2

IBI Solicitud vivienda dto 2013 Espanol (Only in Spanish) P1

IBI Solicitud Local Commercial dto 2013 Espanol (Only in Spanish) P2

IBI Solicitud Local Commercial dto 2013 Espanol (Only in Spanish) P1

IBI vivienda dto 2013 Espanol

IBI Local Comercial dto 2013 Espanol

January 17, 2013

Learning Spanish

One of my new year resolutions is to improve my Spanish.

It is not essential to know Spanish if you live in Manilva.  And I know several people who have lived here for many years who know little more than hola, buenas dias and adios.  However if you do make the effort it will be worth it as it will enrich your life in so many ways and make living in Spain easier.

5 Great Benefits of Learning Spanish

1.    You make new friends – those learning with you and Spanish speaking friends once you have learnt the basics.

2.    It helps you understand special offers and official letters you receive if you rent or own a property here which can save you money, worry and stress later on if you had ignored them.

3.    Whether holidaying, living here permanently or part-time, it makes day to day life easier and more enjoyable as you can communicate better when shopping or dealing with utility companies such as Telefonica and you can join in in more of the wonderful activities that are available here in Manilva.

4.    It gives you the confidence to explore Spain and discover the fantastic places off the main tourist routes.  We have had our best holidays venturing further afield within Andalucia and have discovered some amazing places.

5.    It opens up a whole new world to discover – the Spanish speaking world – which not only includes Spain but many of the South American countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Cuba,Peru, Panama, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina etc.

Learn Spanish in Manilva

Manilva Town Hall (Ayuntamiento de Manilva) actively encourages their non spanish speaking residents to learn Spanish.

They do this by providing a very reasonably priced Spanish course twice a week for residents and non-residents and by organizing “inter cambio” coffee mornings.

Manilva Town Hall Foreigners Department offers a “Spanish for foreign residents” program which currently costs just  €70  for  1 hour lesson twice a week for 12 weeks (24 hours of lessons equivalent to about €3 per lesson!).  This is a great course and is available at three levels, beginners, intermediate and advanced depending on your level.  If you are interested in this course call 952 89 35 48.

The “inter cambio” coffee mornings are where foreign residents can meet local Spanish residents in a supervised environment and practice the Spanish that they have learnt.  It is also good for the Spanish locals interested in learning another language and it fosters great  inter cultural relations and is a great opportunity to make new friends.

This Friday 18th January the “inter cambio” coffee morning is being held at Kinsales in Puerto de La Duquesa from 10.30am.

If you don’t currently live in Manilva but are interested in learning Spanish, I will be posting some lessons over the next few weeks to get you started.

Please email me at lucy@barringtonhomes.eu or leave a comment at the end of this blog if there are any scenarios or expressions that you would like to know how to say in Spanish.

January 8, 2013

Beat the January Blues and see the Three Kings in Manilva

Beating the January Blues


The first week in January is a great time to visit Manilva.  The blue skies and sunshine will boost your spirits and you can recharge your batteries after the madness of Christmas and New Year.

It’s normally perfect weather for outdoor activities such as golf, tennis, cycling and horse-riding and it is the time when The Three Kings visit Manilva.

We arrived back from spending Christmas in England on Thursday night and spent Friday washing our clothes and unpacking while the kids played outside with their friends.  This left the weekend free to do the things we enjoy.

On Saturday morning we went to La Duquesa Golf Club where the girls played tennis while the boys played golf.

Playing tennis at La Duquesa Golf Club

Tennis lessons at La Duquesa Golf Club, Manilva, Spain

Learning to play golf at La Duquesa Golf Club

Boys learning to play Golf at La Duquesa Golf Club, Manilva, Spain

Then after lunch we went horse and bike riding in the beautiful Manilva countryside.

It was great to be back out in the sunshine and seeing blue skies again.

Horse riding in Manilva

We got home in time to get ready and go out again for  6 o clock to see The Three Kings.

The Three Kings aka Los Reyes Magos


In Spain the Christmas festivities are not over until the 3 Kings have paid their visit and delivered their presents.

One of the three kings at El Castillo de la Duquesa, Spain

Epiphany is celebrated on the 6th January and is the day that the 3 Wise men or Kings (Los Reyes Magos) from a far off country (now believed to be from Andalucia!) arrived at Bethlehem and gave baby Jesus their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrhh.

For many Spanish children this is the day they have been waiting for to receive their presents as they don’t celebrate Christmas Day quite like we do in the United Kingdom.

My children are lucky as they get presents from Father Christmas and Los Reyes!

In Manilva the festivities begin on January 4th when the 3 Kings visit the churches in Manilva to collect the childrens’ letters.

The celebrations continue on the 5th January with the traditional Three Kings Cavalcade or procession ( Los Reyes Magos Cabalgata).

The Three Kings at El Castillo de la Duquesa

The procession usually starts at 18:00 at El Castillo de La Duquesa and the Kings take a tour round this pretty little fishing village throwing 100s of the 2000 kilograms of sweets out to the children.  The kids (and adults) love it, all excitedly scrabbling to collect as many sweets as they can.

Los reyes magos El Castillo de la Duquesa

The Three Kings Cavalcade in El Castillo de La Duquesa, Manilva, Spain

Three Kings procession at El Castillo de La Duquesa

A band playing at the Three kings procession in El Castillo de la Duquesa

Spongebob Square Pants and friends at The Three Kings Parade at La Duquesa Castle

Spongebob Squarepants and friends at the Three Kings Procession

At about 19:00 the procession winds its way round the streets of Sabinillas and then at about 20:00 it arrives in the white village of Manilva where the atmosphere is full of excitement.

Three Kings procession in Manilva with Spongebob Squarepants and friends

This year we found a tapas bar to sit at and enjoyed some bacon and pork montaditos and a few drinks while we waited.

Our table was on the pavement so when the procession went past we were so close that the sweets were like plastic bullets bombarding us.

Being bombarded with sweets at Three Kings Parade Manilva

The sweets went everywhere – even in our drinks,  and the kids and adults were grabbing the sweets from all directions.  It was a fun, mad and crazy evening enjoyed by us all and an event on the calendar which has become part of our family tradition too.

Sweet collecting at Three Kings Procession Manilva

If you are thinking about visiting Manilva there are 11 other dates during the year that Manilva celebrates with a fiesta (party) and are well worth experiencing:

Important Fiesta Dates in Manilva, Spain

  1. Los Reyes or Three Kings (4-6 January)
  2. Carnavales or Carnival (February)
  3. Semana Santa or Easter  (March/April)
  4. Romeria or Pilgrimage to the Roman Baths (27th June)
  5. El noche de San Juan (23 June)
  6. Nuestra Sra del Carmen The Fishermans Patron (16 July)
  7. Santa Ana  (26 July)
  8. Fiest Luna Llena or Full Moon Party (3rd August)
  9. Feria Grand or Big fair (2nd week August)
  10. Dia del Turista or Day of the Tourist (15 August)
  11. Verbena de San Luis – Patron Saint of Sabinillas (25 August)
  12. La Vendimia or Wine Harvest (1st September)

I have been to and will be going to most of these and will blog about them in the coming months.

If you have enjoyed reading this and would like to be notified when I blog again, please either follow me on Pinterest by clicking on the below button:
Follow Me on Pinterest

Leave a comment below or email me at lucy@barringtonhomes.eu

Bye for now

Lucy 🙂