The Día de Andalucía (“Day of Andalusia” or “Andalusia Day”) is celebrated on February 28 and commemorates the February 28, 1980 referendum on the Statute of Autonomy of Andalusia, in which the Andalusian electorate voted for the statute that made Andalusia an autonomous community of Spain.

In the municipality of Manilva and elsewhere in Andalucia, people decorate their property with the flag of Andalusia and with bunting of green-and-white bars. In Duquesa, Sabinillas and Manilva the local schools will close for a Semana Cultural (“cultural week”), or Semana Blanca (“white week”). This coming Friday will be a day of celebration in the Manilva schools with a traditional Andalusian breakfast consisting of a slice of toast with a thin layer of olive oil and orange juice or hot chocolate; the children often colour pictures that include the symbols of Andalucia, its history and customs.  Manilva will hold their own celebrations on Sunday 27^th February so try to visit the pretty pueblo and participate in an Adalucian breakfast and local traditional music and celebrations. You can find the timetable of events by following this link to Manilva Life. 

Spain has 17 autonomous regions; they each have their own parliament, president, government, administration and Supreme Court. They all have their own flag and capital city, Andalucia’s flag is known as the “Bandera Blanca y Verde” and is the basic subject of the Andaluz anthem (Himno de Andalucía) with Seville being the Capital City.

 Andalucía has 8 provinces (Cadiz, Almeria, Málaga, Huelva, Seville, Jaén, Granada and Córdoba). These provinces have responsibilities in all areas including health and education. However there is a centralised curriculum for all schools and the SAS (Servicio Andaluz de Salud) is also centrally ran. We are very lucky in  Malaga as the SAS is a fantastic health service and has a higher ranking in the league tables than the UK although given that the Andaluz lifestyle is one of the healthiest in Spain I hope you won’t find much use for it.

 Andalucía is hugely important to Spain with over 22 million tourists visiting each year and we contribute greatly to the national economy. Testamant to that is Barrington Holidays in Duquesa, they are very busy taking bookings for Spring and Summer 2011 so if you have a property that you would like to rent through us or you are considering Duquesa for your holiday this year, contact Judith or look at the beautiful holiday homes we have in Duquesa and the surrounding areas.

If you are looking to purchase a  home in Duquesa, Manilva, Sabinillas or Casares Costa we have many beautiful properties available.  Exclusively frontline beach urbanisations such as Los Granados, Marina del Castillo and Marina Duquesa are available as well as wonderful apartments and townhouses that follow the fairways of Duquesa Golf course.  Barrington Homes and Barrington Holidays have a fully inclusive service  to give you peace of mind after you make your impotant purchase.

Last time, I spoke to you about new green zones in the Duquesa, Sabinillas and Manilva areas.  Well there is more good news and yet more redevelopment of our area being planned.

The paseo that runs between Castillo and Puerto de la Duquesa is heading for a facelift and not a moment too soon. The fencing is up and the works have a completion date of spring 2011, so finally the beautiful area of Castillo will now be linked properly to Puerto de la Duquesa. Interestingly, not only are there going to be solar powered lamps being installed but recycled street furniture also. The environment department in Manilva is stepping up at the moment and a pilot scheme for energy efficient street lights is also in place in the Poza del Rey area of Manilva.

Castillo de la Duquesa

The Paseo works will be carried out in front of the impressive Marina del Castillo development which sits resplendent on the beachfront and is a much sought after address.  It’s location within walking distance to Puerto de la Duquesa and Castillo and the development’s proximity to the beach means that this is an extremely popular address for residents, holiday makers and investors alike.  Barrington Homes currently have property available to buy in the pretigious Marina del Castillo and Barrington Holidays have several apartments available to rent in Marina del Castillo; but I recommend you book early as these beautiful apartments are snapped up.

If you need any further information regarding property in Marina del Castillo or any other urbanisation, please contact Damian or Claire at Barrington Homes.

The Christmas community spirit is alive and well at Monte Duquesa so join the people in your local community and support local businesses, when all is said and done; they deserve our help in the current climate.

 On Friday the 10^th and again on the 17^th December between 5-9pm there will be a Christmas Fair held in The Courtyard at Monte Duquesa. The local establishments will be offering mulled wine and mince pies and a selection of 20 local stall holders will be offering excellent gift ideas for Christmas.

 The Courtyard, Monte Duquesa is a great little area in our community and can be found just a short walk or drive up the hill from Puerto de la Duquesa.  For those who live or holiday in the surrounding urbanisations it is a handy alternative to the Port of Duquesa or the Sabinillas shops and restaurants.

 Duquesa Suites is a large and very popular urbanisation close by and I know that the summer customers who rented their holiday homes there, through Barrington Holidays, frequented the businesses in Monte Duquesa regularly and were thrilled to have the convenience of the bars, shops and restaurants close by. 

Barrington Homes currently have beautiful properties available to purchase in many of the surrounding urbanisations, including Duquesa Suites, Las Brisas and Monte Duquesa itself. If you are considering purchasing a property in the Duquesa or Manilva area, take a look at our property search. Barrington Homes are a respected and trusted real estate agency; we realise and appreciate the importance of your decision to purchase a property in Spain, that’s why you need the best possible advice from a reliable, well-established company. Our experience, professionalism and friendly approach have gained Barrington Homes an excellent reputation and one that we are very proud of. 

If you have a property to sell or would like some advice, contact us here directly or come to our office in Sabinillas; we would love the opportunity to help you to sell your property and you can rest assured that the same professionalism offered to purchasers extends to our vendors.

Anybody who has passed through the area of Sabinillas behind Mercadona, will have noticed the beautiful Parque del Duque.  If you haven’t been there it is well worth a visit and as an extra enticement you should know that it has recently won a “Costa del Sol” award.  Situated in-between Mercadona and Maicandil School in Sabinillas and close to the Residencia Duquesa Urbanisation, the park is recognisable by the large toadstools visible from the road. My children and I are there regularly and I can vouch for the cleanliness and facilities, which are not just aimed at the kids, the park offers a keep fit area, entertainment area, water features and plenty of benches to sit and enjoy the Costa del Sol sunshine.

It seems that in the Duquesa and Manilva area we are being spoilt by the “green areas” on offer. Right next door to Parque del Duque there is a new zone being landscaped by developers, thereby introducing more leisure areas for holiday makers and residents alike to enjoy.  Over the past few years this area in Sabinillas has seen extensive infrastructure work, improving road links for the area and creating wide open spaces around the new housing developments.  The location is outstanding for either a permanent home, holiday home or an investment for long and short term rentals; with great access to supermarkets, restaurants, bars, schools, Puerto de la Duquesa, Manilva, Sabinillas town and the wonderful blue flag beach. It is fantastic to see Duquesa, Sabinillas and the Manilva area being regenerated and developed particularly during such difficult times for many.  The plans are to be completed early in the New Year and ready for the next summer season in Duquesa.  Barrington Homes currently have an apartment for sale in Residencia Duquesa with 100% finance available.  Residencia Duquesa boasts stunning tropical gardens, 4 swimming pools and beautiful courtyards that create a wonderful ambiance and tranquil living that is only minutes from amenities.