When is it a good time to buy a property in Manilva?
Well if your personal circumstances are ready and you can afford it, now is a great time to buy in Manilva as life is too short to put off doing something that will improve your quality of life.
Manilva is a place that holds many of the factors needed to live a very high quality of life. The climate, the scenery, the culture, the health care, the infrastructure, the leisure activities and the community spirit of the people contribute to it being a very special place to live a high quality of life at not such a high cost.
Property prices have come back down to a sensible level, the lowest that they have been in 15 years and in some cases half the price of what they cost in 2007. People are buying again and the best properties on the market at realistic prices are being sold quickly.
At the same time Manilva has matured into a beautiful holiday resort with La Duquesa marina, La Duquesa golf course, La Duquesa castle and Sabinillas town centre all within walking distance of each other along a lovely promenade next to miles of “blue flag” awarded sandy beaches.
If you would like to know more about the area please email me at lucy@barringtonhomes.eu to request a free copy of our expat guide to Manilva.
For more information on the properties we have for sale please search our website http://www.barringtonhomes.eu/ or email us at info@barringtonhomes.eu and one of our sales agents will be happy to help you find your dream home in Spain.
The following events or activities have been organised by the Town Hall of Manilva for the following dates in Manilva, Sabinillas, Puerto de La Duquesa, Sabinillas and El Castillo de La Duquesa.
Friday 30th August 2013
WINE HARVEST/VENDIMIA FLAMENCO FESTIVAL – 22.00 Calle Mar, Manilva, Costa del Sol, Spain
Saturday 31st August 2013
WINE HARVEST / VENDIMIA HOLY MASS AND PROCESSION – 19.00 Manilva
Sunday 1st September 2013
WINE HARVEST / VENDIMIA CELEBRATION – All day
SABINILLAS MEDIEVAL MARKET FINISHES
If there are any events that are taking place in the Manilva or Casares Municipalities that you would like me to promote please email the information to lucy@barringtonhomes.eu or leave a comment below.
On Saturday 27th July 2013 there is going to be a “Foam Party” on the beach in Sabinillas, Manilva, Costa del Sol, Spain in front of La Noria from 18.00
We have been watching with amusement the Channel 5 documentary series following the lives of the residents on Gibraltar.
We love Gibraltar. It is a unique and interesting place steeped in history and full of characters from all over the world that have made Gibraltar their home.
When you visit Gibraltar you do feel like you have walked into a town in Great Britain. Except of course for the monkeys or Barbary Apes to be precise.
Watch out there’s a monkey about that might nick your food!
Cheeky Gibraltar Monkey eating stolen bag of crisps
You see red telephone boxes dotted about and the police force wear a uniform that is similar to the British “bobby on the beat”.
Main Street Gibraltar is reminiscent of a typical British High Street with shops such as Marks and Spencers, BHS, Top Shop, Peacocks, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Next, Monsoon, Mothercare, Early Learning Centre, Hallmark and Burger King located there.
There is also a large Morrisons Supermarket and MacDonalds restaurant located a 10 minute walk from Main Street and recently Eroski Supermarket has opened near the border which stocks 100’s of Waitrose products.
Gibraltar holds a special place in the hearts of many British Expats who have chosen to live in Spain. Having Gibraltar nearby helps you feel closer to home and softens the impact of moving to a foreign country with a foreign language.
I know there are 100s of expats living in Spain who make a monthly trip to Gibraltar to stock up on their favourite British foods and buy cheap cigarettes and alcohol.
Gibraltar is also special to many expats living in Spain as it is their source of income i.e where they work.
Employment is in abundance in Gibraltar and the market is dominated by the finance and gaming industries.
Manilva, La Duquesa, Sabinillas and Casares have become very popular locations within the commuter belt to Gibraltar as they are just a 30 minute picturesque drive away and the quality of life is second to none.
If you are thinking about moving to Spain or Gibraltar or buying a holiday home and would like to know more about our area, I have written a 200 page guide on Manilva Municipality – An Expat Residents Guide To One Of The Best Places In The World To Live.
If you would like me to send you a free copy of this guide please email me at lucy@barringtonhomes.eu
100 Reasons why I love living in Manilva – Reason 2
The Sparkling Blue Mediterranean Sea
Sailing boat in sparkling blue sea in Manilva on the Costa del Sol, Spain
Similar to the blue skies and sunshine, seeing the sparkling blue Mediterranean Sea everyday is lovely and therapeutic too. Some days the sea is like a millpond, still and calm. Whilst other days you can see the “white horses”racing where the waves break out at sea.
Sometimes in the winter when there are storms brewing, the waves are large enough to attract the surfers and its fun to watch them riding the waves.
What do you love about where you live? Please leave a comment below or email me at lucy@barringtonhomes.eu
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.
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.
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.
Tennis lessons at La Duquesa Golf Club, Manilva, Spain
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.
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.
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 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.
The Three Kings Cavalcade in El Castillo de La Duquesa, Manilva, Spain
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.
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.
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.
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
Los Reyes or Three Kings (4-6 January)
Carnavales or Carnival (February)
Semana Santa or Easter (March/April)
Romeria or Pilgrimage to the Roman Baths (27th June)
El noche de San Juan (23 June)
Nuestra Sra del Carmen The Fishermans Patron (16 July)
Santa Ana (26 July)
Fiest Luna Llena or Full Moon Party (3rd August)
Feria Grand or Big fair (2nd week August)
Dia del Turista or Day of the Tourist (15 August)
Verbena de San Luis – Patron Saint of Sabinillas (25 August)
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.
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The trip to San Lucar de Barrameda was such as success that another one is planned for next spring and 30 people have already put their names down for it.
A total of 52 people enjoyed this trip on the 17th November 2012, during which they visited the winery Museum Barbadillo, toured the city with a guide and also had some free time for lunch and shopping. In the afternoon they visited the factory of Christmas sweets La Rondeña, where people bought their polvorones etc.
Anyone interested in registering for the next trip in the Spring can call the Foreigners department on 952893548 or pop into their office at El Castillo de la Duquesa.
This Saturday 1st December there will be an Arts and Crafts Market, organised by the Councillor of Education and Culture, Eva Galindo. It will take place in the Park of Villa Matilde (near Supersol on the road up to Manilva Pueblo).
Art and Craft market in Manilva
40 artists will be participating in this initiative displaying painting, sculpture, crafts, workshops and art in general.
This art and crafts market will begin at 10: 00 and will run until 18: 00 h. During the day you will be able to see artworks of all kinds performed with different artistic techniques. The artists will develop some of their works in situ for the enjoyment of all lovers of art.
Manilva’s Culture department aims for this market to set a precedent for future markets which will be held one Saturday every month at Villa Matilde. Eligible artists of our municipality interested in displaying their works of art can contact the delegation of culture on 952 893 092.
