Seville Province holiday villa: Lora de Estepa

This villa is located in beautiful, quiet countryside with sun-baked hills and olive groves a few minutes' walk from the picturesque village of Lora de Estepa, which provides the classic experience of rural Spain with its friendly, traditional atmosphere of tobacconist, small cafe and the like set among tree-lined streets and main square (there is also a restaurant that welcomes foreign visitors with open arms next to the famous olive oil factory). Those with more advanced shopping needs will find everything they require (up to and including retail parks with supermarkets and cinemas) in the nearby towns, which are short drives away. As for Lora de Estepa, it's a place that does not appear to have changed in decades, and may it never do so - it seems delightfully frozen in time, and this villa is the ideal base in which to enjoy these lovely and calming surroundings. Equipped with a large pool (very useful during the scorching summer weather) and sizeable patio area, it's a spacious property that provides both peace and comfort and pleases the eye while doing so. When I stayed there with eight friends in June (the villa is easily large enough to accommodate such a number without any feelings of being overcrowded), my greatest pleasure in the evenings was to sit with them on the veranda, chatting, drinking and playing board games while listening to the gentle hum of insects and looking at the lights of a town as they twinkled in the darkness on the horizon far away across the landscape of fields and hills. By day we would swim and play badminton by the pool, go hiking in the countryside around the property, and stroll into the village. I have travelled extensively in Europe and Asia and been to many remarkable places, but have no hesitation in saying that staying at this villa was one of the most relaxing experiences I've ever had. It provides deep feelings of calmness, tranquility and freedom that one simply cannot get from hotels or resorts, which inevitably remind the visitor that he is, ultimately, just a guest. By contrast, this villa really does take one inside. And I've a feeling it will be providing people with precious memories for many decades to come.

My husband and I really enjoyed our stay in this villa, it is away from all the tourist traps but easy to get to from the Airport. The villa is kept to a very high standard, the pool is beautiful and barbeque facilities excellent. We came with a group of friends but I would come again as a romantic getaway or family holiday.

I have been to this villa with a group of friends and it was the perfect get-away. The villa is secluded enough that we could sit out until the wee hours chatting and not worry about disturbing lots of people and in the day the pool was comfortably big enough for 8 people. The other real plus is that with most of the rooms being ensuite there's no waiting around for the bathroom.
Local restaurants and cafes in the village were handy and it proved a great location for a day trip to the Alhambra which is stunning.