Casa Mila Dos
Casa Mila Dos is situated in the village of Punta Mujeres in the lovely northeast corner of the island. Punta Mujeres is a working fishing village of great charm, with a maze of narrow streets and a slightly scruffy, authentic Spanish feel. The new Casa Mila is set 20 metres from the sea with stunning sea views. A quiet access road stands between our garden wall and the rocky seashore. Rock pool exploration, fishing and snorkelling can all be enjoyed within minutes of leaving the house and the bird life here is very varied; we have seen herons, egrets, whimbrels and, magically, spoonbills on the foreshore. The village has several natural seawater swimming pools set amongst the rocks to allow access to the sea, and there are tapas bars, fish restaurants and small supermarkets within walking distance of the villa. Scuba diving is available in the neighbouring village of Arrieta, and there are two surf breaks within a few minutes drive of the house.
The north of the island is a world apart from the commercialised tourist resorts of Puerto del Carmen or even Playa Blanca. Prices are cheaper in the local restaurants and the scenery of the north is far more dramatic and beautiful. The ferry for the island of La Graciosa (still like Lanzarote was thirty years ago!) sails daily from Orzola, about 12 kms away.
Haria, ten minutes drive away, has some excellent restaurants as well as a weekly craft market on Saturdays, and Teguise is a beautiful little town with some interesting shops and a well known Sunday market.
The nearest tourist centre is Costa Teguise, about 15kms away, which has ample shops, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, a water park and a golf course as well as medical centres, banks and cash points.
The house is a new build and we have completely transformed it. Downstairs we have installed a new apple-wood kitchen complete with granite worktops. The kitchen is well equipped including dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, ‘fridge freezer, cordless kettle, toaster, food processor, coffee maker and juicer.
The living and dining areas both have magnificent views of the sea. The lounge also has flat screen TV, Sky package including sport channels (but please be aware that BBC1, BBC2 and ITV are not currently available), and DVD player. The family room, which doubles as the fourth bedroom, is equipped with a sofa bed and a second television complete with PS2 games console (Please bring your own games!). There is a downstairs bathroom with shower.
Upstairs are three bedrooms, a master bedroom with King size bed and two twin bedrooms, all with ample wardrobe space.. The view from all the bedrooms lifts the soul, and when you open the windows in the morning the sound of the sea is amazing!
There are two further modern bathrooms upstairs.
The living area opens onto a large covered terrace, with a gas barbecue provided for al fresco eating. Beyond this are generous, terraced areas, the free form heated swimming pool with the latest chlorine free water quality treatment and a six person hot tub. The hot tub adds another dimension to your enjoyment; imagine relaxing under the stars, glass of wine in hand, whilst listening to the sound of the sea. Pure indulgence! Quality sun loungers and an umbrella are also provided.
We decided to move to the North because we wanted to experience a different, more authentic Lanzarote. From the airport, it takes exactly the same time to drive to Punta Mujeres as it did to drive South and the new road to the North makes it an easy run. The village and area around the house invite exploration, and it is a privilege to experience genuine Spanish rural life. The nearest beach is Blue flag and in Arrieta, five minutes drive away. There are also completely uncommercialised white sand beaches towards Orzola, the best of which has calm shallow lagoons for swimming and paddling.
There have been many pleasant surprises here; the quality of the restaurants available within a reasonable distance, the number of attractions in the area and the rugged scenery. In many ways we feel far more part of the island than we did down south, and even attempting a few words of Spanish here goes a long way with locals!
If shops, clubs and nightlife are an important element of your holiday, maybe Punta Mujeres is not for you. If you would like to experience more of the real Lanzarote, enjoy being in a genuine Spanish village, and appreciate the sea and seashore, we think you might love it as much as we do!