Fincas and Country property - Málaga Property

Buying a home inland from Málaga

Making a new home in an area that you are unfamiliar with is always a difficult process.

If you are buying that new home in a foreign country, then you can add even more complications - language difficulties, understanding what a good area is and what type of property you should choose are all typical of the questions that we at Torcal Estates have heard many times before.

We understand these concerns and we will do whatever we can to make sure your experience is stress free.

We try to help everyone that is contemplating buying a home in this beautiful part of Andalucia to come to terms with the considerations that lead to a successful move. Hopefully you have already seen much of the information we have available on this website however there is one issue that we haven’t covered elsewhere and this is the specific benefits of buying a property in this part of southern Andalucia.

So why should you consider inland Málaga?

Malaga Airport – well known by many

Málaga has a long serving Airport that must have dealt with hundreds of millions of travelers since it was built. There is a good reason for this – Málaga airport provides access to the Costa del Sol as well as the rest of Andalucia.

In recent years, however, many of those holidaymakers have returned to buy property and enjoy the sunshine permanently. The coastal strip was originally the destination for huge numbers of foreign buyers but over recent years many have turned away from the coastal strip in search of something a little more Spanish.

Partly due to the saturation of the coastal strip with (over) development these buyers have identified areas that are more traditional, are less developed and still offer excellent value for money by comparison with many countries in northern Europe.

The expansion of Málaga airport, even set against the background of recession; sends a strong message to the world that Spain sees the importance of this airport not just for now but for many more years to come. The expansion of the airport and the improvements to the infrastructure are improving the overall experience of those using the airport but also for those people accessing other parts of the region.

Many airports such as Granada grew off the back of a buoyant property market and offered many visitors a choice of destination – with the recent recession many of these airports are now offering much fewer discount flights and in many instances have closed off certain routes. This can be a nightmare for people who have bought close to the airport for relatives or business reasons.

Thankfully, the future of Málaga airport is safe and the continued interest of low cost airlines together with new, exciting long haul destinations will increase the airport’s value to the area.

So we can offer Malaga as an airport, which offers, discounted flights all year round and this airport is just 40 minutes away by car but what about Malaga itself?

Málaga city – The unknown cultural capital of Andalucia?

Whilst many visitors to southern Spain will arrive via Málaga Airport many of them simply do not explore Málaga city itself. Whilst the outskirts of Málaga (as seen from the ring road) are ugly and un-inspiring the centre of Málaga is strikingly different.

The Picasso Museum has been visited by millions over recent years and this has certainly helped to increas the awareness of Málaga as a destination in its own right.

In addition to Picasso, the Contemporary Arts Centre displays a wealth of 20th Century art and hosts regular exhibitions from contemporary artists from around the world. 

Málaga’s museum list is long and varied – Picasso’s birthplace, the Cathedral, the Alcazaba Archaeology Centre, the Popular Arts and Customs Mueseum, the Marine Museum and there’s even an aeronautical Museum at the airport!

Shopping has long been a pastime for the Spanish and Calle Larios is perhaps the most photographed shopping street in southern Spain – beautifully presented as well as having some of the best shops to relieve you of your hard-earned.

Sophisticated cultural attractions, endless shopping possibilities and possibly the best selection of bars and restaurants to while away the hours in the sunshine -  Málaga really is now an ideal destination for weekend breaks, cultural trips and is now a regular stop on the cruise liner tours.

If you need any more reasons to visit downtown Malaga then we have another one.

Malaga – European City of Culture 2016

Málaga is bidding to be European City of Culture in 2016. Whilst this may seem a little way off, the benefits of this nomination can be seen very much earlier.

As has been seen with other Culture Capitals, the investment into infrastructure, development, and the increase in awareness (from within as well as foreign) has a long lasting impact on such cities. Already the Town Hall of Málaga has made progress to improve some of the more run-down areas within the old town and this is set to continue.

Why does this make a difference to you? Well, one of the first changes that occur when a city becomes European City of Culture is that property prices grow with the attention given to the city. At first this will be concentrated within Malaga itself however this soon has an effect on the surrounding areas. The ripple effect will steadily spread across the Málaga province and this will help the region emerge from the recession much sooner than some others and in a stronger position to continue its growth in the future.

We at Torcal Estates have seen many buyers over recent years consider the coastal areas and been disappointed with what they find. If you pay us a visit, what’s in store?

Inland Malaga

So, just a short distance away from Málaga, the airport and the beaches of the Costa del Sol is an area of such beauty that we find it hard to know why more people haven’t discovered it over recent years.

Torcal Estates covers an area that starts with Casabermeja and Colmenar in the south (these are closer to Málaga and the airport) and runs up to Antequera in the north. Some will be aware of Antequera (known as the crossroads of Andalucia) as a gateway to other cities such as Seville, Cordoba and Granada.

The area that Torcal Estates cover has no specific name but sits between the Montes de Malaga (a range of mountains) and El Torcal, which is a huge limestone mountain that gives Villanueva de la Concepción its backdrop. The area is called inland Málaga or Sur del Torcal.

What is so special about this area?

Firstly, it is un-spoilt by mass tourism and offers visitors a traditional, friendly Spanish environment to explore the many attractions.

The area is predominantly an agricultural and farming environment, which still provides the local population with wealth and stability – these locals do not depend on visitors for their income and this allows them to be welcoming rather than demanding.

The climate in this area offers a huge range of benefits to those that live here – due to the height above sea level we benefit from cooler evenings, we avoid the searing heat of areas such as Seville and we also have a smog-free atmosphere that works wonders with those that suffer from respiratory complaints.

It is a haven for artists, photographers and is enjoyed by bird watchers, walkers and some of the steep hills make for a cyclist’s heaven! (The Vuelta de Andalucia – similar to the Tour de France actually passes through Villanueva de la Concepción on the way around El Torcal to the finishing line in Antequera).

The new AP46 toll road

This new dual carriageway starts at the Las Pedrizas area on the A45 near to the junction with the A45M where it splits to go to Granada.

The road will run from Las Pedrizas to Puerte de la Torre just on the outskirts of Málaga and therefore avoids the heavily trafficked areas around Málaga city itself.

It is hoped that this new road will take a huge amount of traffic that currently clogs up the Málaga area as many drivers are actually heading further west along the coast towards Gibraltar and Marbella.

If you are travelling to or from Marbella this road will speed up journey times incredibly. From Las Pedrizas, it should be possible to get to the West of Málaga (onto the A7) in less than 15 minutes.

The reduction in traffic congestion around Málaga itself, the airport and the western stretches of the A7 where the road width reduces should free up an enormous amount of time and driver patience!

Whilst this new road will be an enormous benefit to this area we are fortunate that its detrimental impact is relatively low – we do not have any properties that are likely to suffer from any adverse affects of this road and we have a very clear map showing the exact route if people need more information.

The road has been delayed due to the economic climate but progress is being made and the expectation is that the road will be up and running by the end of 2010.

Malaga to Madrid in less than 2 ½ hours!

The AVE (high speed rail link) now creates a link between the capital and its most important southern city.

The new rail link allows residents in the south of Spain to visit the Spanish capital without the need for an internal flight or a lengthy and laborious drive.

Not only does this create opportunities for us in the south, to benefit from this increase in tourism and enhanced connectivity with the whole of Spain, but it also increases the level of interest from those living in the north of the country.

The people of Madrid and the Northern provinces have always enjoyed visiting the Málaga area – fresh air, beaches and a more relaxed approach to life. With the arrival of the AVE, Madrileños can expect reduced travelling times, avoid the need for cars or planes and enjoy all the attractions that Málaga has to offer.

Over recent years Torcal Estates has seen an increase of Madrileños considering property in the Málaga area as holiday homes – this is set to increase with the improved AVE links.

With the increase in infrastructure around the Málaga area the AVE connections are also benefitting areas such as Antequera. The new Santa Anna station a few miles outside of the city of Antequera also offers travelers a fast route to cities such as Sevilla, Cordoba and Madrid with a new link connecting Granada due in the next few years.