• Where are the nearest airports?We are lucky to be within easy driving distance of three major airports. Jerez is a one and a half hour drive away, Sevilla (Seville) is also just one and a half hours and Málaga just a little further though still an easy and very beautiful drive through the mountains: it takes a little under two hours. Nearly all the major budget and scheduled airlines have flights into Málaga including Easyjet, Monarch, Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Flybe, Thomsons, Bmibaby as well as BA and Iberia. Ryanair also flys to Jerez from London. BA, Iberia and Vueling fly to Sevilla. • What's the weather normally like in Montecorto?Although the village is surrounded by mountains Montecorto is a full 300m lower than Ronda and faces due south. This means that the village and our two houses are in the sunshine from shortly after sunrise all the way through to sunset. Subtropical trees like bananas and palms as well as citrus trees grow on the irrigated terraces surrounding the village and thanks to this unique microclimate we generally only have one or two days a year when temperatures dip below freezing. Spring and Autumn are wonderful times to visit the area if you plan to walk and even during the winter months it is often warm enough to eat al fresco. If you visit during the summer months you are guaranteed hot weather though both houses catch the breezes which blow in from the west. • Are there good walks close by?El Tejar looks out to the highest peaks of the exceptionally beautiful Grazalema National Park and the starting point to several memorable hikes are just a short drive away. We pride ourselves on having excellent information about walks in the area with detailed route notes and maps. Guy Hunter-Watts, the owner of the house, is author of 'Walking in Andalucía' and can advise you on which hikes to choose according to your level of fitness and particular interests. He is able to occasionally guide guests on the more difficult hikes in the park and can explain more about the unique flora and fauna as well as the folklore and history of the Grazalema Park and its villages. • What exactly is included in the daily maid service?Two hours of daily daily help from a delightful, very discrete maid Francisca is included in the rental price of El Tejar and an hour at Dar Hajra. Francisca's normal routine is to make up beds, clean bathrooms, tidy in the sitting room, dining room and kitchen as well as sweeping the outside terraces. In addition to this Francisca can prepare food for you: you'll find a list of her delcious 'tapas' style dishes at the house: we reckon her tortilla española is as good as it gets! You can, of course, choose not to have the services of Francisca during your stay. • Where are the nearest restaurants?If you prefer to eat locally there are three simple restaurants in the village of Montecorto, one of them just two minutes walk down the hill from the house. And we are lucky to have a number of Andalusia's finest restaurants within easy driving distance of El Tejar. In Ronda (20 mins) is the Michelin-starred Tragabuches restaurant along with masses of other excellent alternatives as well as a large number of great tapas bars. In the delightful hilltop village of Zahara de la Sierra there are several great choices including the Al Lago which has tables looking out across the reservoir. And in Grazalema, Montejaque and Algodonales, which can all be reached in about twenty minutes by car, there are several other first class restaurants as well as a number of cheap and cheerful tapas bars. You'll find all of our favourite listings and contact details in a booklet which will be awaiting you on arrival. • What sort of actvities are on offer close to the village?Many people visit the Ronda Mountains and the Grazalema Park to walk: the GR7 long distance footpath cuts through the heart of the park and all guests at El Tejar and Dar Hajra are provided with masses of route descriptions and maps. Other popular activities include horse riding, paragliding, cycling and swimming as well as superb bird watching: the Grazalema Park is famous with ornithologists from the world over and is on a major migratory route between Europe and Afgrica. And this is also an excellent area for botany: there are a number of endemic species and the spring flowers have to be seen to be believed. There are also several award-winning wine estates in the immediate vicinity producing D.O.C. wines: tastings can be arranged on request. • What interesting places are there to visit in the area?El Tejar and Dar Hajra are close to the extraordinary Cueva de la Pileta which has some of the world's most famous cave paintings. And the fascinating Roman ampitheatre of Acinipo (also referred to by locals as Ronda La Vieja) lies on a high plateau just above the village The uniquely beautiful hill town of Ronda is just twenty minutes away whilst Sevilla, Jerez, Málaga, Cádiz, Sanlúcar and Granada can all be comfortably visited as day trips out from El Tejar. Our nearest good beaches are on the Costa del Sol between San Pedro and Marbella, just over an hour's drive from El Tejar, or the wilder and more remote beaches around Bolonia on the Atlanrtic Coast can be reached in a little over two hours. • How about Internet access?Both houses have iMac desk top computers with broadband access. This is free of charge. You can also hook up your own laptop if you prefer. • How do we get to Montecorto?You can download our directions by clicking on the relevant link below: |
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