Our Spanish villa offers stunning views of the Mediterranean sea and the Costa del Sol. It is a remarkable location. In the heart of Andalucia, Las Columnas offers easy access to the sea, many golf courses within driving distance and a homelike environment and is only twenty minutes from the Malaga airport. Las Columnas is just a short walk from Mijas, one of Spain's most famous 'white villages'.

The home's most unique feature is its 13 ancient Roman marble columns in the front of the home. Based on a traditional center-courtyard Moorish design, there is ample patio space to enjoy the outdoors. The villa was built in the 1970s and was intended as a retirement home that could accommodate visits from family and friends. There are five bedrooms and three have en suite bathrooms. Two master bedrooms have new beds, one of which is a "super" queen bed. The remaining three bedrooms have twin beds to to accommodate different family sizes. Each bathroom has a shower and one bathroom also has a bathtub. All the bedrooms have air conditioning "splits." The villa is a great option for family vacations and special events however not all aspects of the villa have been modernized. The kitchen has been completely renovated. The living room (salon) is moderately sized as the villa was designed for outdoor living. The diningroom, which has a lovely gas fireplace, can seat ten, though most of our guests prefer to dine outside. We have excellent wi-fi. The pool is one of the largest in the area.

Mijas, the quaint 'white village' of Andalucia, offers all the modern conveniences of grocery/souvenier shopping, plus wonderful dining experiences. Our family has always loved many of the restaurants in town which one can walk to or take an inexpensive taxi (as the return trip means walking up our steep hill). Farther into the village, you will find the old square, Spain's only square bullring and 17th century reliefs found in the town's oldest and most beautiful churches. There are gardens, a playground and an amphitheatre in this upper part of town.

Outside of Mijas, there are many cultural highlights. In a day's drive, you can visit the Alhambra in Granada, or the high village of Ronda, Seville or Cordoba. Malaga, Andalucia's capital, has many cultural highlights and a famous botanical garden in the center of the city. Don't miss some old fashioned tapas bars in Malaga. An easy train ride will bring you to the center of the city. For younger children, don't miss Tivoli Gardens, an amusement park, just 20 minutes west of our house. For those who are interested in nightlife, there are many clubs in Funegirola, Marbella, and Malaga.

The property also provides convenient access to world famous golf courses. The closest of these (10 minutes from the villa) is Seve Ballestores' private design, 'Alhaurin'. Mijas Golf, 10 minutes south of the house, is a 36 hole course cut from an old olive tree plantation. About 20 minutes from the house is La Cala, the winter home to the Swedish National Golf Team. Vallederama, the Ryder Cup course, is approximately 45 minutes from Las Columnas.

If you want beach time, the Costa del Sol beaches are a short drive down the hill. A cabana for a day is about 5 euros and the beachside restaurants offer delicious, fresh seafood and other fare and a great place to hang out with a glass of beer.

Keywords: Andalucia, Costa Del Sol, Mediterranean Sea, beach, mountains, golf, culture, history, cuisine, theme park