Crossing the doorway of this Arabian villa in Vera (Almería) feels like stepping back into ancient Al-Andalus. Inside, you’ll find a terracotta-hued villa with Arabian architecture, featuring two prominent domes. The distinctive veranda with arches offers a view of the swimming pool and the garden, complete with a Nasrid fountain.
The villa boasts two spacious suites, a large living room with a separate dining area, and an upper terrace where you can enjoy a refreshing mint tea. The large swimming pool features a built-in bench, perfect for summer relaxation with a book in the cool water. This villa is a unique place where all the furniture is original, transporting you to another time and culture that has left a significant legacy in this region of Almería, especially in the surrounding villages of Vera, Mojácar, and Bédar.
The Villa
This property was the realisation of a dream for the owners. The villa was built in 2004 and subsequently decorated by Rachid Benmaach, with the intention of making every corner a unique space and a delight for the senses. Benmaach is renowned for using traditional and ancient techniques such as zouak, testir, tadelakt, and tourik to decorate interiors in Moroccan style. His projects include royal residences such as that of Prince El Rachid in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) in 1994 and the palace of Prince Salman in Tangier (Morocco).
Entering the home through the veranda, you’ll find an entrance hall with natural light from glass panels in the ceiling. To the right is a high-ceilinged salon with spectacular Arabian décor and a fireplace. Two beautiful passageways decorated with muqarnas (or honeycomb vaulting) separate the living room from the dining area. The entrance hall leads to a lovely stairwell and the kitchen entrance, with an outside door that’s too beautiful to be called a back door. The spacious kitchen is equipped with modern comforts and features a breakfast table. It connects to a large laundry room with access to a small wrought-iron fenced patio with fountain on the side of the house.
Back in the entrance hall and corridor, you will find a spacious suite with blue-tinted stained glass windows opposite the living room. Adjacent to the bedroom is a large dressing area and a spacious bathroom with a bathtub. The living and sleeping areas feel like one large open space. The bedroom has no door but features a beautifully decorated entrance that can be closed off with curtains.
Next to the bedroom and opposite the dining area is a generously sized guest toilet. Further down the corridor, there is a stunning display case with beautiful Moorish artifacts. The stairwell to the upper floor is bathed in a play of shadows from the Moorish decorated windows, and after sunset, the ornamental lamp takes over, illuminating the stairwell with the most beautiful hues. Once on the upper floor, we arrive at the second suite.
This suite features a dome, a fireplace, and large solid wooden fitted wardrobes. A balustrade overlooks the gorgeous living room. The suite also has access to the charming upper tea terrace. There is a large bathroom with a walk-in shower entirely finished in tadelakt.
Regarding the furniture, all elements were sourced from travels to North Africa and the Middle East. You will find hand-carved wooden doors and bedheads, artisanal lamps, silk curtains, Turkish carpets and cushions, muqarnas, brass sinks, and thematic paintings and tapestries.
Exteriors
The pleasant sound of water from the Nasrid fountain envelops this Arabian villa. The fountain nods to the Acequia courtyard of the Alhambra. A narrow tiled water stream is flanked by a row of jets that culminate in the typical eight-pointed star, a symbol in Arab culture representing paradise. The fountain is located opposite the entrance to the property, immediately indicating that this is no ordinary home.
The charming veranda is undoubtedly the most used living space of the villa. From here, you overlook the fountain and the spacious swimming pool. Around the pool, there is space for sun loungers, and behind the pool is a built-in barbecue with a dining area under a pergola covered in jasmine. The garden surrounds the house, and in one corner, there is a luxurious dog run.
Vehicle access is via an automatic gate, with a carport conveniently placed just in front of the laundry room.
Utilities
The villa has mains water and is connected to the electricity grid. It features air conditioning (hot/cold) in all rooms.
Condition and Finish
The property is in excellent condition with spectacular finishes and décor. It is equipped with an alarm system and high-speed internet. The villa, gardens, and all indoor and outdoor facilities are well maintained.
Usage and Potential
Whether you’re looking for an exceptional villa for personal use or as an investment, this property is the perfect choice. The villa has provided remarkable holiday experiences for guests in recent years and is maintained by a professional firm. Besides its potential as a holiday home, the villa serves as a private retreat for the owners, offering a haven from the hustle and bustle of everyday life while enjoying the climate and tranquillity of the southern Spanish Mediterranean coast. While the villa currently has only two bedrooms, it is structurally designed to accommodate two additional bedrooms and a bathroom on the upper floor, subject to obtaining the necessary licences from the municipality. The permissible built area by the Vera municipality on this plot allows for such an extension in principle.
Surroundings
The property is located in the province of Almería, between the village of Vera and the beach at Vera Playa. Vera Playa offers six kilometres of wide beaches (Las Marinas-Bolaga, Puerto Rey, El Playazo, and Quitapellejos).
Within two kilometres of the villa, there is a good selection of Spanish and international restaurants, bars, various supermarkets, medical practices, and schools.
Golfers can enjoy the Valle del Este golf resort, 10 km from the property, or the Desert Springs golf course, only 9 km away. Horse riding enthusiasts will find several stables within a 5 km radius of the villa.
The surrounding villages include Garrucha with its Spanish fishing port and the village of Mojácar, which also boasts two 18-hole golf courses.
Vera and the neighbouring villages benefit from a microclimate, with more than 310 days of sunshine per year. Winter temperatures typically range from 16-22 degrees Celsius, while summer temperatures range from 28-32 degrees Celsius.
The nearest airport is Almería, a 50-minute drive away. Alternatively, the international airports of Murcia and Alicante are 140 km and 200 km away, respectively. Malaga airport is a two and a half-hour drive.
The published price includes estate agency fees and excludes ITP (Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales) or property transfer tax, notary, and registration fees. Lawyer fees and/or administrative costs are not included in the price.
Full documentation of the property is available in our office, according to decree 218/2005 of 11 October, which regulates consumer information when buying or selling a property in Andalusia.
