We live in Manilva and appreciate the sense of ‘being away from it all’, with the knowledge that Marbella with its city lifestyle is just a twenty minute drive away, should we crave it. We don’t even need to travel as far as Marbella, as the cosmopolitan town of Estepona offering choice and variety is ten minutes down the N-340.

Having said that, Manilva, is very self-sufficient. If you go for a walk through its charming, white washed lanes, around every corner, shops hidden in houses surprise you. Many don’t bear signs outside; locals just know that they are there. The beaded curtain is usually a giveaway. Like little Aladdin’s caves, they are often dark, cramped and stuffed with objects from glue to carrots.

Non-drivers are catered for with a doctor’s surgery, a dentist and opticians at hand. There is also a bus service which takes you to the local coastal village of Sabinillas. Nevertheless, anybody living in Manilva without wheels might start to go a bit stir crazy!

One of the most attractive features for off plan buyers is the price. The village is rapidly expanding and the prices of the houses and apartments being built are very competitive compared with other parts of the coast. Luckily, the architects working on the construction projects are designing buildings which incorporate the local, traditional features.

It is still quite an underrated and overlooked little place on the Costa del Sol. In fact, it is such a tucked away little treasure that I hesitate to reveal it. I, personally, feel very fortunate to have discovered it through a mixture of accident and nosiness, two and a half years ago. Today, I am ashamed to say that I often take the breathtaking views from the outskirts of the village for granted. So, when the pace of Andalucian life frustrates, I remind myself how lucky I am to live in Manilva.