Property
I must have looked at 3,000 villas in Spain before settling on this 4-bedroom family retreat in rural Andalusia.  The deciding factor for me was the L-shaped pool with a very shallow “lounging” end that was shaded by a graceful, old oak tree.  It was perfect for the kids (well, almost perfect, I would have liked it to be fenced).  The house itself was more comfortable than luxurious–we felt like we were staying with wealthy friends who weren’t out to impress anyone.  They have a gorgeous collection of books, and English cartoons via satellite (for those long, hot siesta hours).

Location
The village of Gaucín is charming, but remote.  It’s an hour from Ronda on curvy roads, and an hour from the beaches of the Costa del Sol (though the Atlantic beaches around Conil are so much better!).  There are plenty of pueblos blancos (the famous white villages of Andalusia) nearby, but day trips farther afield require a fair amount of driving.  My children didn’t care though, they never wanted to leave the pool.  Come here to get away from it all.

Sleeps
2-8 in 4 bedrooms.  The master bedroom suite is a little far from the other 3 bedrooms.  Parents who want to be close to their kids will have to accept lesser digs, or put the kids on the master bedroom floor on futons (which is what we did).

Highlights
The fish pond was full of frogs (which my kids tormented endlessly), and your nearest neighbors are a pen full of talkative goats.  We loved floating on our backs in the pool and watching eagles soaring overhead, and ate our weight in delicious Iberico ham every day.

Good to know
Do not be alarmed by the lack of a/c.  Andalusian homes are built like bunkers to withstand the heat, and there are fans all over the place.  I wasn’t at all happy about the 3 big spiders we found floating in the pool, but I’m a baby about stuff like that.  A glass of wine (or 3) took the edge right off.

Contact
www.real-ronda.com

Written by Jamie Pearson