Unique Property for Nature Lovers: Two Spacious Cortijos on Almeria’s East Coast

A unique property for nature lovers and investors: this enchanting property comprises two spacious cortijos in a protected natural area on the east coast of Almería. Surrounded by the majestic Sierra Cabrera, this location offers a rare blend of serene tranquillity and traditional charm. Both cortijos are awaiting creative renovation, perfect for someone with vision and ambition. The total built area is approximately 500 square metres, with a 45-hectare plot of land. Natural spring water flows directly from the mountains, fostering lush vegetation and transforming this place into a green oasis.

Cortijo La Joya Verde

This beautiful old cortijo has been carefully restored while retaining its traditional character. With a built area of over 300 m², spread over two floors, this home offers space and potential. 

On the ground floor, the beautiful original features of the cortijo have been preserved. The space is habitable, though it currently lacks electricity. It includes a cosy living room with an open fireplace, two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a spacious kitchen with a dining area. The living room provides access to a covered terrace with spectacular views. One of the bedrooms opens onto a patio, and the kitchen connects both to the covered terrace and the patio. In the living room, a door leads to the stairs and the first floor.

The upper floor has been structurally renovated, with restored roofs, new ceilings, walls, and pre-installations for plumbing and electricity. This floor offers great flexibility for layout according to your own vision. Currently, the facilities are designed for a second living room with an open kitchen, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms, with the possibility to modify this layout to four guest rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Two of these guest rooms could have access to a 26 m² terrace. The upper floor is accessible via both an internal staircase and a separate external staircase from the patio.

Cortijo Alegria

Behind the patio of Cortijo La Joya Verde lies the garden of a second property: Cortijo Alegria. The roofs and facades of Cortijo Alegria have been fully restored. Carpentry, partition walls, installations, and floors await the buyer’s input. This stone house of approximately 180 m² is a blank canvas: you can create a modern open-plan concept with large windows, or opt for a more traditional approach by adding partition walls. The property offers privacy with no overlooking from Cortijo La Joya Verde. There is a separate access road to Cortijo Alegria, which can be easily reinstated.

Exteriors of the Cortijos

Both houses feature spacious terraces. Cortijo La Joya Verde has a very large covered terrace that has been recently reinforced, allowing the rooms on the first floor to also have a terrace. This terrace has a cool eastern orientation and offers views of the mountains. It is surrounded by mature trees and shrubs and offers partial views of a cortijo located 100 metres away. This view can easily be screened by planting additional trees.

Cortijo Alegria has an outbuilding situated behind and above the main house. This charming stone building consists of a room with a spacious veranda, ideal as a guest or spa room. The terraces in front of the cortijo have a stunning southern orientation with direct views of the garden and mountains.

The cortijos come with approximately 450,000 square metres of land. About 4.5 hectares of this is irrigable farmland, and another 4 hectares is suitable for dry crops such as almond trees, aloe vera, and olive trees. The rest of the land is protected natural area. The surroundings are exceptionally green and located just 15 km from the beach.

Water, Electricity, and Heating

The cortijos have rights to use natural spring water from two sources with abundant water from the Sierra Cabrera. A water pipe brings drinking water directly from the source to Cortijo La Joya Verde. A second source is currently not connected to the property, but it can be connected. An application has been submitted for a permit to build an alberca (sunken water reservoir) directly at Cortijo La Joya Verde.

At Cortijo La Joya Verde, there is a small building with pre-installations for solar panels and a battery room, including a connection to the house. The house is also prepared for the installation of central heating with a propane or oil tank. The houses are difficult to connect to the electricity grid, hence the necessary installation of solar panels with battery storage.

Use and Potential Use

This unique property for nature lovers offers a range of possibilities. You can use the larger house as your permanent residence and convert the second house into a guesthouse, studio, or even a spa with an indoor pool. If a permanent residence is not feasible due to work or other circumstances, you can use the smaller cortijo as a caretaker’s house, ensuring your property is in safe hands.

Do you have the ambition to live self-sufficiently? This is the perfect place. With abundant potable water, you can easily establish an orchard and vegetable garden. Currently, various fruit trees are already growing for personal use.

Would you prefer to keep the smaller house for yourself and convert the larger one into a B&B with a minimum of six guest suites? That is also an option.

Additional constructions are possible, although not for residential use. You can apply for a permit for an agricultural storage facility, linked to an agricultural activity or a nature conservation activity. The current spatial planning also offers possibilities for a tourist project focused on nature. Any project proposal must be approved by the municipality and, if necessary, by the provincial environmental agency before building permits are granted.

The cortijos are also available for purchase separately and have two separate deeds.

Location

The Sierra Cabrera, a charming mountain range on the east coast of Almería, partly served as the backdrop for the film “Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade”. The expansive views in the film perfectly match the truly breathtaking panoramas, including the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada in Granada.

This nature reserve protects the fauna and flora, with special attention to the eagle nesting area. The property is just 3 km from the hamlet of Cortijo Grande in the municipality of Turre, where you can find a restaurant and bar. Cortijo Grande, located in a valley at the foot of the Sierra Cabrera, was originally developed around a golf course and even had its own airfield, both now disused.

Further along the mountain range, 5 km from the properties, lies the picturesque hamlet of ‘Sierra Cabrera’. This small village, founded in 1985 by the eccentric British architect Peter Grosscurth, attracts attention with his unique vision. Grosscurth aimed to revitalise the region, an area inhabited since the Neolithic period and rich in architectural remnants of ancient Moorish walls and towers. He dreamed of a village in authentic Moorish style with modern amenities. Although he passed away in 1993, his vision was continued. Every building, from apartments to a high-lying palace, is designed in a distinctive Moorish style with mosaic domes and earth tones. In Sierra Cabrera, you will find two excellent restaurants and a bar.

The centre of Turre is 8 km from the property, where you can visit the weekly market on Fridays, as well as small supermarkets, restaurants, bars, and a school.

The beach at Mojácar, with a coastline of over 20 km featuring natural coves, cliffs, and sandy beaches, is 15 km away, a drive of about 20 minutes. Mojácar also has two 18-hole golf courses.

Turre and the neighbouring villages benefit from a microclimate, with over 310 days of sunshine per year. Winter temperatures typically range from 16-22 degrees Celsius during the day, slightly cooler at night, while summer temperatures range from 28-35 degrees Celsius.

The nearest airport is Almeria, a 50-minute drive away. Alternatively, the international airports of Murcia and Alicante are 140 km and 200 km away, respectively. Málaga airport is a two-and-a-half-hour drive.

The published price includes agency fees and excludes ITP (Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales) or property transfer tax. Notary, land registry, lawyer, and/or other administrative costs are not included. The full documentation of the property is available in our office, in accordance with decree 218/2005 of 11 October which regulates consumer information in the purchase or sale of a property in Andalusia.