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Information about Sotogrande - Costa del Sol |
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Located just 20 minutes away from Gibraltar and 50 minutes from Malaga, Sotogrande has become an exclusive and luxurious residential urbanization set in beautiful lush surroundings with breathtaking views of Gibraltar, the Straits and on a clear day, the Rif Mountains on the northwest coast of Africa.
A golfers haven, Sotogrande has five internationally renowned golf courses: Valderrama, 1997 host of the Ryder cup and the yearly Volvo Masters; the Real Club of Sotogrande, resembling a US golf course with wide fairways and greens; Almenara Golf Course, a favourite of local residents, complete with a four star hotel and outstanding spa facilities; La Cañada, a municipal course located on the outskirts of the urbanization, and the new ‘La Reserva’ with stunning Mediterranean views and an unbeatable 6,000m2 clubhouse. San Roque’s two golf courses and Alcaidesa are both within a ten minutes drive and are excellent alternatives. Those wishing to practise their much-loved sport can also venture out of Sotogrande and play on the sixty-something golf courses dispersed along the Costa del Sol.
The hub of the estate is located in the boating marina and attracts not only residents but also passers-by wishing to enjoy a light refreshment in an idyllic setting. A variety of establishments cater for all pallets and offer a choice of national and international cuisine with dining on the terraces, ‘al fresco’.
The marina also has a selection of shops, boutiques, a small international supermarket, a gymnasium, banks and other facilities to suit all needs. A chemist, a video club, numerous hairdressers, doctors and newsagents can all be found in the area or at a short distance. Boat chartering and game fishing can also be arranged in the marina and have become popular amongst holidaymakers. On Sunday’s, the marina also hosts a quaint, little antique’s market selling original knick-knacks.
Sotogrande’s beaches are clean, well maintained and secure for adults and children alike. The local beach can be accessed from the lateral side of the harbour and during the summer period, a water-taxi ferries residents free of charge to the beach on the other side of Sotogrande. Both beaches have bars ‘chiringuitos’ selling soft drinks, ice creams and light snacks, and have changing facilities, showers and toilets.
Two ‘member’ beach clubs in Sotogrande offer you that extra something special: swimming pools, restaurants, sun-loungers set on the shore with waiter service, tennis and paddle courts. Supervised activities for children are also available to give parents a well-deserved rest, leaving them to relax by the pool or bar.
As far as sporting entertainment goes, Sotogrande is also one Europe’s top venues for year-round polo events and yachting competitions. International sporting events are staged during the summer months and contribute to the vibrant atmosphere.
The prestigious, International School at Sotogrande teaches all students in English under the British National Curriculum. Foreign pupils of all ages are able to take Spanish as a second language from nursery level right through to IGCSE’s. The day and boarding school has an excellent reputation not only in Spain but also in Europe. An impressive 25% of all results being A* and 70% of all students achieved A*-C grades at IGCSE level in the year 2003. Residents are no longer afraid that their children are not going to receive the same quality of education (if not better) than they would in their home country as the international schools on the coast are living up to their high expectations. This private international school also stages summer courses and activities for children ranging from arts and crafts, to languages and sports. Overall, the level of education, facilities and teaching at the International School of Sotogrande are considered some of the best in Spain.
Living in Sotogrande
Sotogrande maintains a warm friendly and family atmosphere all year round. With twenty-four hour security, the area is a safe place to settle in, buy property and bring up young children. With vast facilities, services and establishments, Sotogrande is complete. This luxurious and exclusive estate has all the essential qualities that an international resident requires for all year round satisfaction. Sotogrande has earned a name for itself not only nationally but also internationally and lives up to the expectation of its inhabitants. Nothing on the Coast is quite like it. Come and see for yourself!
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Property for sale in Sotogrande |
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Apartments are available in many different guises from Studios to luxury penthouses or duplexes. When purchasing an apartment and working out your finances and monthly outgoings it is important to consider the community charges. These charges are normally minimal and cover the costs for the upkeep of the communal areas, pool and repainting. Most apartments come with parking or garage spaces and are often available with store rooms. Apartments with sea views, large terraces or roof top solariums will be a lot more expensive than those without. A penthouse apartment is basically an apartment on the top floor and often has a roof top solarium and better views. A duplex is an apartment that is on two levels, like a townhouse, but contained within a block with other dwellings above or below. Because of the rental potential, coastal apartments are quite expensive unless you look at individual older apartments without pools or gardens. |
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Villas take many shapes and forms as they do back in the UK. Generally speaking a villa here in Spain is a grand independent house. The land included is any where between 400m2 and 2000m2 normally having the benefit of your own private pool, fruit trees, flowerbeds, various terraces, and ample garage space. Villas are normally sited just out of town with good road access, street lighting, mains water and drainage. You can expect a good quality of construction which is easily reformed ( due to method of building ) to leave many options open to you as to layout and design. Villas tend to be brighter as the windows are larger than a typical townhouse and patio doors are more commonly installed. Internally you can expect entrance hall, lounge, dining room, kitchen, utility room, main bathroom. The number of bedrooms is anywhere from 2 to 6 with the master usually having ensuite facilities. Villas are best suited to those who prefer a quality lifestyle, barbeques by the pool with the independence and privacy afforded by the extra space. |
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Townhouses are the typical homes in rural Spanish villages, with whitewashed exterior, ornate doors, window shutters and red tiled roofs, preferred by locals for their proximity to services. Generally, a townhouse, or adosado, is a terraced home with direct access to the street. You could expect a typical layout to consist of : on the ground floor, vestibule, lounge, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. In some cases a wash house and patio or small garden. On the first floor accommodation would normally consist of a further arrangement of bedrooms. In some cases a roof terrace is an additional feature usually giving panoramic views over the surrounding area. A townhouse is an ideal home for those who want to be close to all amenities,such as health centers, shops, restaurants, bars and public transport and be a part of the typically friendly Spanish way of life. There is no better induction into enjoying the Andalucian lifestyle than being where the locals want to be. |
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As in most cases across the globe land comes at a price. Depending whether the land is urban or rustic determines whether or not it can be built on. In most cases if a plot of land is Urban (ie. in a town or village) then building permission will not be a problem. The percentage of build size for property to land in some cases can be 60 or 70 percent. Urban land is always more expensive per m2 than rustic. If the land is not urban and is effectively Rustic then it is a lot more involved. In this case it is often possible to build on 10,000 m2 if the land is classed as wet land. If it is classed as dry land the you may need a minimum of 25,000 m2. In any case it is our policy to check with the town hall or the Junta de Andalucia prior to handing your deposit over to the owner. |
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