Otívar Village and Local Information

Otívar is an ideal base for exploring the local countryside, villages and beaches. A picturesque drive over the old goat road (now re-surfaced!) takes you to Granada, the Alhambra palace and the Sierra Nevada mountains (with great skiing in winter). Almuñecar seaside town is only 20 mins down the old goat road.

The beaches are perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling. Artists enjoy the area, and local leisure activities include rambling, bird watching, cycling, horse riding, canyoning, and parapenting on the best thermals in the region. The sub-tropical climate is temperate in winter and very hot in summer. The municipal swimming pool opens from June to September. Views from the pool and picnic area are breathtaking.

The village has three excellent restaurants, several bars and small shops, and two banks (one with 24 hour cash machine). Fresh fish and bread are delivered from Almuñecar daily, helping to make self-catering easy.

The villagers are very friendly and village life revolves around communal activities such as carnivals;  three day fairs with free paella and entertainments;  and the many festivals and saints days of the local welcoming church. Most of the village is traffic free, children play happily outside, and old men pass slowly through narrow lanes with donkeys laden with the day's harvest of mangoes, loquats or avocados. A truly rural and peaceful idyll.

The local town, Almuñecar, is a traditional Spanish family resort and is not as developed as many on the neighbouring Costa del Sol. It boasts several beaches, a castle, a museum, Roman ruins (of a fish salting factory) and delightful botanical gardens which host the summer jazz festival. It has two cinemas, one of which is open air for summer; an aqua park; a large, well stocked aviary; many excellent restaurants; internet cafes; shops and boutiques; a daily colourful food and flower market and a weekly street market selling everything under the sun.