What are you hiding, Gredos?
1. MICROCLIMATE
We learned that word at Expo92 in Seville and we repeat it every time someone travels to Marbella, but we don't give it the importance it has. A microclimate is a local climate that differs from that of the area . Most of the time it is a gift for that area. the of candlelight , urban epicenter of Gredos, it is free from cold winds and is mild all year round. The result is a green territory, with an exuberant flora that no one expects in this area between Ávila, Cáceres and Salamanca; it is also one of the reasons to travel there.
Typical house in Candeleda
two. THERE ARE SEVEN POLO FIELDS
You don't have to go to sotogrande or to The Pampa to play or watch those who play. Many of the residents in this area have polo horses and organize tournaments . It is part of the entertainment in the area. Why didn't anyone know this information?
In Gredos there are... polo horses
3. THE MOST SIMILAR THING IN SPAIN TO A LODGE IS HERE
We have already explained here, with that pedagogical eagerness that honors us , the lodge theory. It is (and I quote myself because I can) “a small place, permanently built (with walls), local materials, minimal environmental impact, committed to the local culture and that offers the guest everything they need (and more) for your rest while doing one of these practices”. Candelaria Experience has just opened. This is project of Inigo Moro , a worldly character full of stories; he transfers the philosophy of the lodge to the Sierra de Gredos . And he does it in the same dreamy way that he experiences on trips to Kenya or Botswana.
The guest is received at the owner's house with a wine and a snack of a quite amazing level. From there he goes to a main house with three rooms with very local names . And there is also another little house with a porch, next to the chicken coop where the eggs come from, which we then eat so eagerly. Everything is part of one rehabilitated construction with its own swimming pool, garden, living room with fireplace, soft armchairs and even a piano in case someone decides to improvise an Anything goes anyone. if you travel with children , perfect, because the bunks of the tietar room they can fascinate you; or if we are soft and on a romantic getaway, the privacy of Almanzor is adequate.
Gredos, what are you hiding?
In addition, with the lodge spirit that assists you, coexistence here is just and necessary. Dinner and activities are shared (if you want) and that is part of the charm. But Íñigo, the owner, likes the guests to move, although it is his fault that they do not want to do so due to the long breakfasts that are organized.
In Candelaria Experience you can do almost anything that comes to mind : plane rides, paddle tennis matches on a track surrounded by nature, water skiing in the nearby swamps, outdoor yoga classes or horseback riding or hitching. And at the end of one of said walks one can find a table set up with those crystal glasses that we mentioned at the beginning and an unforgettable salmorejo . And there comes the desire to stay chatting until the sun goes down , with the Sierra and the tinkling of the glass in the background. You can even go to do nothing, that great and forgotten activity.
You can do everything in this LODGE
Four. GOLF AND THREE TIMES GOLF
More surprises from the Sierra: in this small space there are three golf courses . the of Valdecañas It has 18 holes and the advantage of being on an island and the detail of having difficult greens. the of Talayuela (9 holes) is entertaining and friendly. the of candlelight , also with nine, is perfect to unwind. Hyper-tired locals from Madrid who are crazy about a Green and foreign golfers in search of good but not overcrowded courses come to Gredos. Another of the jewels that this area keeps to itself.
5. THERE ARE DELICIOUS HOTELS
Of course, there are not many, but they are pleasant and worthy of this chic varnish that the area has. There are the Casa de los Tomillares and El Hotelito, places that give a twist to what is called a rural house; there is also the already classic Hotel Nabia, with tremendous views over the Sierra. The Red Kite, already in Ávila, is strong in gastronomy. That's another topic: here you don't have to make an effort to find organic food. There is no other type.
Hotel surprise!
6. AND AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT CELEBRITIES
One of the first to put this area on the map (although it has had the same interest for centuries as it does now) was John Major , the English Prime Minister. He summered in candlelight and we got used to seeing his photo in the town bars every summer. But the rest of the famous and/or important people who have landed here have not done so following in the footsteps of Major but for other reasons.
This zone (extended to La Vera , already in the province of Cáceres) is well connected, two hours from Madrid, with a mild climate, green landscape, large farms, low population density, constructions that respect the environment and, almost most importantly, discretion . Here they have financial houses, politicians, singers and journalists. Also Latin American millionaires who own several helicopters and a landing strip. They often take refuge here and live in the country; His greatest social concessions are visits to friends' houses or to restaurants in nearby towns. Who wants to be seen to go to Ibiza in August, they seem to think. In Gredos things are done differently.
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Welcome to Gredos!