CASA MORISCA

ANDALUCÍA

Traditional white village house, sensitively restored and sleeping 6 in Albuñuelas, an ideal peaceful retreat, yet only 35 minutes from the city of Granada.

 
9 miles to new motorway: Granada to coast 

1 hour to skiing at 2100 TO 3300m

35 minutes to Granada airport

Ideal in all seasons
 
CALLE HORNO
[Baker Street] is a steep road through the Barrio Bajo - the old village centre - just wide enough to provide car access. Below a water fountain, a stable door gives access to a small inner courtyard with jasmine, flowers and three properties. The blue door facing is Casa Morisca.

CASA MORISCA
is a typical Mozarab house, lovingly restored, around an open patio, with tiled floors and exposed beams in all rooms. Thick walls, with small windows and traditional shutters, keep it cool and shaded in summer and, with a big open fire, warm in winter. 
The house is enclosed in Moorish style by other properties; but its second floor terrace gives a wonderful view [best at dawn, or sunset with a G&T] over the roof tops and south to Giralda, 1431m, and Crucero de Pinos, 1052m, in the Sierra de las Guájaras. It also looks down into the inner patio with its barbecue, flowers and a fountain. 
Through the front door of Casa Morisca, a traditional lounge with Arab style banquettes and an open fire is on the right and to the left a modern kitchen. This leads into the open patio, which lights the dining room and a double bedroom which has a shower and wc en-suite. There is the sound of running water throughout the house from the fountain in the patio as well as a centuries old fountain in the downstairs suite, which still supplied the house's water to the previous occupant.
On the first floor are the master bedroom, a twin bedroom, a bathroom and a study.

ALBUÑUELAS 
is an old Andaluz pueblo blanco, a village of white houses, lying at 737m, at the head of the Lecrín valley. This 'vale of happiness' [from the Arabic], beneath the Sierra de Albuñuelas which rises to 1504m at Herrero, verdant and well irrigated since the time of the Moors, grows a wealth of oranges, lemons, pomegranates, avocados, mangoes and vegetables - with almonds and olives, and pines covering the higher slopes. Something is being harvested at all times of the year. Midway from the City of Granada to the coast at Salobreña, its lake Béznar is fed by the melting snows of the Sierra Nevada. Unlike the adjacent Alpujarra it remains hidden from the influences of tourism, but with Granada half an hour and the others less than an hours drive, it is an ideal centre.
 
Its history goes back to the beginning of the millennium when Albuñuelas was on the routes of al Idrisi, the first Arab geographer, and of Leon el Africano who travelled from Timbuktu to Granada. Many of the villagers, Albuñuelenses, still farm the surrounding terraced campos and can be seen commuting in the mornings by mule with tools, and dogs - even a goat - and returning laden later. They may travel for an hour to get to their patch, which could be up the far side of the gorge. There are three bridges over the river Santo, an extensive network of mule tracks up the hillside and a number of unmetalled camino forestal tracks, which give tremendous scope for walking and mountain bikes. Caballo at 3013m stands to the east of the valley and is capped in snow until well into spring after the blossom has fallen from the almond trees.
 
GROUND FLOOR
lounge 
Arabic style banquettes and lights around an open fire and original tiled floor, hifi-system with triple CD, radio, double tape deck and additional speakers in the kitchen and dining room
modern kitchen 
marble work surfaces, traditional tiles, breakfast bar, gas hob, electric oven with automatic spit 
[for roasting the local game, kid etc], 
separate microwave, fridge/freezer and telephone
inner patio
open to sky, fountain, barbecue, coffee table, chairs, pots of plants and first floor level planter [all with automatic timed irrigation]
double bedroom 
old fountain, dressing room with shelves and storage, and en-suite:
shower room
fully tiled, shower, wc and basin 
dining room 
dining table and 6 chairs, also storage and washing machine

FIRST FLOOR
double bedroom 
king size bed, fitted wardrobes, window alcove seat
twin bedroom
fitted wardrobes and dressing table, french window overlooking patio
bathroom
fully tiled, with wc, basin, 180cm bath and shower fitting
study 
2 chairs and table

SECOND FLOOR
stairs 
one wall carrying a display of rustic artefacts of the house’s previous life
roof terrace
tiled and illuminated, flowers, bamboo sun roof in summer, picnic table, chairs, lounger and umbrella. Wonderful views, north and south, over the rooftops and down into the courtyard and inner patio with its flowers and fountain.

VISITORS’ COMMENTS

Brilliant home. Thanks for all the ingredients for an excellent holiday.
H C Bristol April 1999

An intimate view of a culture that will soon be lost. Friendly people, lovely food and strikingly beautiful views.
J B Monterey, USA
May 1999

We loved the village, the people, the house, the valley. Can’t wait to come back.
A P Aberdeenshire
February 2000

Nous avons gouti tous le charme de cette vielle maison et apprecie cette magnifique contree.
C G Bourge en Bresse, France
Avril 2000

We enjoyed the house, village and valley. A perfect base to explore the valley and Andalucia.
J Z Ottawa, Ontario
October 2000

dear peter and julie we had a splendid time and will recomend your home . the children loved it we loved it my husband loved it especially the walking. the house was beautifully restored and we loved the fountain. walks were excellent and enjoyed eating at the mill bio durcal and ability to nip into granada. Thanks. thank you thank you thank you. ps we loved the organization there but not intruding. thank again.
A S Rochester, USA 
May 2001

We had a marvellous holiday and we liked the house and village very much. We were
intrigued by the little narrow streets and loved walking in the campos on the opposite side of the stream and meeting mules and goats. We even took one of the local dogs with us on one walk! The local restaurant was superb and produced a sucking pig for us one evening - it was all such good value that we only bothered to cook one evening.
Granada and the Alhambra will not be forgotten in a hurry, nor a drive up through the Alpujarra and up to the snow line (which got lower while we were there) on the Sierra Nevada. [27 April]
All in all, a fantastic first taste of Spain and we shall certainly recommend your house to our friends. 
Muchas gracias,
M B Exeter May 2001

We enjoyed our stay in your house, and liked the village so much that we bought a small house there. 
J C West Sussex April 2001

Many thanks for the opportunity to stay at Casa Morisca. We have had a marvellous holiday and the Lecrin valley is a wonderful place. Your house is intact and undamaged and the children love it. We spent a lot of time walking in the valley and driving roundabout. The high forestal is perfectly passable in a VW Sharan and you can get it right to the door as well. The spa at Alhama de Granada is being redeveloped and should be really good with an impressive outdoor pool when finished.
Many thanks again. We'll Email you a photo when they have been developed.
S C Shropshire April 200

Our holiday was quite wonderful and your home fulfilled all our expectations.
R B Surrey July 2001

Lovely house. Children loved the skiing.
J I Almería, Spain Dec 2001

Spectacular walks. Enjoyable time.
C L Denbeighshire Dec 2001

We had a marvellous time in Albunuelas - lovely house, beautiful village, great weather. We certainly hope to return.
B A London January 2002

House absolutely beautiful, thoughtfully equipped. Weather excellent. Valley special – untouched by time. 
L G Gloucestershire Feb 2002

Just a quick note on behalf of the crew to thank you for a great holiday in a wonderful part of the world. "Driving Over Lemons" certainly provides a brilliantly accurate portrayal of the region and the way of life. We were very impressed with the villa, which I would wager is probably somewhat better appointed than the average peasant house ! 
Many thanks again. 
J Y Chester June 2002

Thank you so much for your lovely hideaway Casa Morisca. We enjoyed staying there very much. Casa Morisca was a real refuge at the end of each tiring day. We felt very at home there.
J W Norfolk July 2002

We were all enchanted by Casa Morisca and Albuñuelas and can’t wait to return. Had my mother at home not been ill I would have rung to ask if I could stay another week.
D H Sevenoaks July 2002

The house is brilliant. Thank you for all the extras. A brilliant touch of old Spain. 
C C Australia May 2003


Everything about this holiday has been great. Hope to return in a different season - RG I was doubtful about things for 2 teenagers to do on arrival but, after a few days, realised there was lots to do: 30 mins Granada, 45 mins sea - perfect!! I’m definitely coming back – AG Nice house, it’s grown on me. Locals friendly. Great for access to places, beach, mountains, city, Sierra Nevada. It’s got it all, even for teeenagers like us - KG
G family Nottingham August 2003

Your lovely house was just the base from which to explore this fascinating countryside. Saw partridge and ibex first day!
S & CW NSW, Australia October 2003

We had a wonderful time in the valley. We loved the look and feel of the house. We were never short of somewhere to go or something to do.
TC Ireland October 2003

We are Spanish but this is the first time we have come to this zone. The house, it is fantastic and we hope to return in another season.
V G & M M Sevilla, Spain deciembre 2003

We had a great time. Loved the valley and the house and had some fantastic skiing.
L & M C Mitcham, Surrey January 2004

We are a Spanish group. The house is very nice, the little things are very important – towels, kitchen tools . . . and the bedrooms are very, very nice. We are all enchanted with the valley and the lake.
P M Cantabria, Spain abril 2004

The scent of Rosemary, mules laden with corn, catering starlings and friendly locals, all the ingredients of an idyllic rural holiday. Lots to do and not enough time. A lovely village. A wonderful house and very comfortable. Thanks for letting us stay here.
S & HW London August 2004

I am just writing to say how much we enjoyed staying in your delightful house in Albuneulas and being able to experience rural Spain. The view from the roof terrace was stunning and we enjoyed a superb meal there on our last evening, thanks to Casa Amelia. Thank you for all the information, which proved very helpful. It all seems a distant memory now but we were unanimous in our desire to revisit the area. 
J H S Gloucester July 2005

CASA MORISCA Albuñuelas, Val de Lecrín, Granada www.morisca.co.uk