Salobrena Castle, Granada Province

VERNON GRANT WRITES 

Those with a sweet tooth will love Salobreña. The town is surrounded by sugar cane that sweeps down to the beaches. Above the town stands the impressive Salobreña Castle. By day, and especially by night, it is the most eye-catching monument on a stretch of coastline that runs from Malaga to Almeria.

There has been a fortification at Salobreña since the 10th century. The Arab castle is a rare example of what could be produced when Moslem and Christian architects worked on a project together. Perhaps it is because such co-operation was rare, that this is one of the most visited monuments in Andalucia. The inner area combines the former Nasrid fortified palace and the outer areas served as military defence structures and were built by the Christians at the end of the 15th century. It was one of the most impregnable places on the Al-Andalus coast and for the prisoners who were held there in total darkness - very often until their death - it was hell on earth.

Today it is possible to view where prisoners were held. Others, arguably the lucky ones, were thrown from the castle towers on to the rock below.

Fast forward several centuries and the castle and surrounding town is much more welcoming. Whilst it is possible to walk around Salobreña in one day, it is not possible to do it justice in that time.

The castle, its sumptuous gardens and the nearby history museum are not the only reasons to stop here. It would appear that British buyers have discovered that fact as more and more are buying in Salobreña. Not just in the town itself but also in outlying villages such as La Caleta.

The white washed houses in the centre of town have always been popular with buyers. Prices have risen steeply in recent years but should you wish to live in a busy town that still feels Spanish, then you could do much worse than settle in Salobreña – or "Little Cuba" as it is known locally.

James Thomas of Lingwood Inmobiliaria (www.salobrenavillas.com)  spends most of his time marketing properties in three of the five urbanisations located to the West of Salobreña, the largest of which is Monte de los Almendros. With its large communal pool and tennis courts, this is a very popular location for buyers. Sweeping views of the Mediterranean and the Castle are available from many of the properties here.

James says: "The views are a big selling point. Also important to buyers is that between one third and a half of the homes here are occupied all year. The excellent winter weather means that a number of owners spend extended holidays here during those months. There is a sense of community here year round."

A two bedroom villa with a separate one bedroom guest apartment will cost you 450.000 Euros on this urbanisation. It comes with a swimming pool, terraces and a two car garage. Like many homes on Monte de los Almendros, it is set in a very tranquil location and has views towards the castle.

It is possible to buy a home with a totally uninterrupted view of the Mediterranean near Salobreña. Costa Aguilera Alta and Costa Aquilera Mar are on the sea side of the coastal road. These urbanisations are certain to benefit from much quieter local roads once the first of three new motorways open next year. Living here affords you a profile view of the castle but you will have to spend between 750.000 and 1 million Euros for that privilege.

If your budget will not stretch that far then you might want to look at property in the centre of Salobreña. Here you might plump for a traditional town house in one of the many lanes that run up to the castle.

Marla Marquez knows all about property in Salobreña. With her husband Juan Ruiz she owns 6 splendid villas in the town. All are located on the urbanisation of Monte de los Almendros.

Currently they have one three bedroom detached villa on the market which has panoramic views of the coast and the mountains. It has marvellous views of the castle from the vast lounge. The villa has 2.5 bathrooms, a heated swimming pool, air conditioning and heating. The house has a light and airy feel to it, similar to that often experienced in a Florida villa. The price tag is 595.000 Euros.

What first attracted Marla to the area?

"My husband is from Lanjaron in the Alpujarras. In 2001 we used to come to the beach every weekend and were always struck by one big house we used to see high on a hill above Salobreña. Later we discovered that there were other wonderful properties on Monte de los Almendros and land with amazing views. We love Salobreña not just for its unparalleled views. The town is centrally located on this stretch of the Costa Tropical. It is close to wonderful Granada. Salobreña is both quaint and manageable. It has a very good feel to it."

Living on a an urbanisation high up in the hills can prove to be a little isolated for some buyers but Marla is full of praise for Monte de los Almendros.

"We love everything about the place. It is an established community. We found that in nearby towns there could be too much red tape and things took too long to get done. Here any problems are solved quickly and the place runs efficiently."

While planning their own new home in Salobreña, Marla and Juan are continuing to develop new properties in the area and rent out the existing ones (www.cumbrevillas.com)

Marla loves the work and constantly seeks to find land with other great views of Salobreña so that new buyers or tenants can sit back and enjoy the views she never tires of.

Although Salobreña has changed less structurally than some neighbouring towns, Marla has noticed a development when it comes to buyers.

"There has been a change in the age of buyers in Salobreña. It used to be older persons buying here for their retirement. Now the purchasers are definitely getting younger. We are meeting many more people in their thirties and forties who are settling here. We find the majority of buyers here are British. They are looking for something different from what is available in other areas of the coast. They want panoramic views. The climate appeals to them and, of course, they just love castles"!

In Salobreña many nationalities live side by side seemingly in harmony. Buy here and your neighbour may be a banker from Madrid, a financier from Switzerland or the greenkeeper for the local golf course. One thing is for sure. You will never need to pop around and ask for a cup of sugar. In Salobreña it is everywhere you look. Indeed if you had to encapsulate this town and its views in one word: that word would be sweet.