Colmenar

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Colmenar

Postby bish » Tue Sep 27, 2005 10:03 pm

Hello to you all, I wonder if anyone can help me? I'm looking for some information on the village of Colmenar. I'm interested in Knowing about local schools, shops, restaurants/bars, the local people and especially how they take to foreign visitors. Any information is much appreciated. Many thanks, Adam.

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Postby Nicks » Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:13 pm

Hi Adam,

We have a holiday house on the outskirts of Colmenar in the mountains, but often go into Colmenar for all our shopping needs.

The ferreteria there is great! There is a young man who works there called Manolo (?) who speaks limited English, but is always pleased to help and has even delived our DIY provisions to us, even though we don't really have an address!

There are a couple of Supermarkets there, butchers etc, but for big shopping trips we tend to go to Eroski in Velez-Malaga. The market is held every Thurs am and we get our Fruit, Veg, cheese there. The locals are usually very friendly - we have small kids so they love cooing over the baby!

I know there is a school there, but I am not sure what it is like as our kids are at school in the UK, although there seems to be lots more English people around, so I guess there must be English kids going there. There are a large number of tavernas/restaurants in Colmenar, they mainly serve traditional fayre.

Overall we love the area and miss it terribly when we are not there!

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Postby bish » Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:39 pm

Hey Nicks, thanks for your response. I will be staying in Colmenar in November for a few days, which I am looking forward to a lot.
My wife and I plus our five year old daughter are looking for a permanent move to Spain, hopefully by April next year. I've heard some nice things about Colmenar, so I'm coming over to check it out for myself and to get a feel of village life. From what I have read about Colmenar, it sounds like a very pretty, typical pueblo blanco, with all the neccessary amenities, very reasonably priced and very close to Malaga where I have secured myself a job.
When I visit I'm looking forward to having a drink and a chat with the locals, so I wonder if you can recommend a couple of friendly lilttle bars or restaurants I could make a point of visiting. Thanks again, and I look forward to your response. See ya.

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Postby Nicks » Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:11 pm

Bish,

I am not much good at recommending a restaurant because we tend to BBQ and eat out when we have gone to the coast for a day out or something. Best is to have a good walk around Colmenar and pop into some places to have a look. Sometimes the locals look unfriendly when you walk in, but as soon as they know you are eating there they become quite friendly!! (or so I have heard!)

Colmenar is very typical of a Spanish village and certainly has all the shops, banks, restaurants and taverna's. The route back into Malaga from there can get very busy though if you are commuting, but I guess that is the same wherever you go around Malaga, as many people travel in to work there. Personally I think it is lovely to live of the outskirts of the village - stunning area with lovely views and very peaceful, but everyone is different and some like the village set up.
Good luck - let us know how your trip goes!

neil01

REF COLMENAR

Postby neil01 » Mon Oct 03, 2005 10:36 pm

JUST COME BACK FROM COLMENAR THIS WEEK FROM MY MOTHER INLAWS.
GREAT LOCATION IN THE MOUNTAINS JUST OUTSIDE (8KM) THE VILLAGE .
I WOULD SAY A GREAT PLACE TO BRING UP THE CHILDREN - MY WIFE AND I HAVE PURCHASED IN ALCAUCIN NEAR LAKE VINUELA - I WOULD SAY ANYWHERE BETWEEN THE 2 IS A GOOD AREA WITH GOOD FACILITIES AND A LITTLE MORE SPANISH CULTURE THAN THE COAST ALTHOUGH US ENGLISH ARE BECOMING LESS OF A MINORITY!!!
REGARDS
NEIL

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Jane
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Postby Jane » Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:58 pm

I know of 2 Colmenar villages - one east of Malaga and one west. Is everyone talking about the same one?
Jane

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Postby Nicks » Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:25 pm

I am talking about the one near the villages of Riogordo and Comares - did not know there was another one!

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Postby bish » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:38 pm

Hi Jane, I'm pretty sure we're all talking about the same Colmenar here, as Nicks states near to Riogordo and Comares. Out of interest though can you tell us more about another Colmenar further east of Malaga.

Also, thanks Niks and Neil for your responses, not long now till my trip. I'll definately let you know how I get on.

Cheers.

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Jane
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Postby Jane » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:57 pm

The Colmenar east of Malaga is the one referred to near Comares/Riogordo. The other one is north-west of Estepona, slightly north west of Gaucin, south of Ubrique. It is actually called El Colmenar on the map but is known as Colmenar locally. It too is a very nice village and being in the Reserva National has lovely cork oak forests around it. Worth a visit if you are over that way, good area for walking.
Jane

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Bandy
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Postby Bandy » Fri Oct 28, 2005 4:20 pm

:D el colmenar is the train station for gaucin but as with a lot of the pueblos blancos villages it is a LONG way away!!
i agree the walking is great around here but quite arduous.
the drive from gaucin to cortes de la frontera via el colmenar is absolutely lovely passing alongside reserva nacional. :shock:

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Postby Tamara » Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:24 pm

Hi,

We are also relocating to Spain next year Sept, I started looking at Benhavis which is near Estepona, as we are buying a place to let in Casares, having recently visited again in September, I was surprised to see so many new developments in Casares. So I have changed my mind, and started looking at other areas further inland, as I feel it may be too busy by the time we relocate.

The main things were good access to airport, good schools for children 3yrs 6yrs and a good community.

We are learning Spanish as we would like to be able to have conversations :o

So like Bish we have similar concerns.

I would like to know if anyone has children in school/ nursery in Colmenar :?:

Is Broadband in the area?

We are out again in Jan, so we will be looking at houses and trying to talk to the locals to get a feel for the place.

Thanks

Tamara
Sharon

Nicks
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Postby Nicks » Wed Nov 09, 2005 8:25 pm

Yes, there are people here with broadband, so it is possible.
We find it takes 45 min easy drive to Malaga airport from Colmenar. (mainly motorways, decent roads)

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Postby Faire d'Income » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:53 pm

As others have said, Colmenar has the best Ferreteria for miles around at the top of the village owned by Blas where you can spend thousands on stuff you never knew you needed.

Personally, I find Tonys the best butcher although there is Colmena and a few others with a number of supermarkets in the village with a furniture shop, light shop, a few estate agents, jewellry shop and a few others. If you didn't want to, you could easily never leave the village.

There is also plenty of new housing going up and one or two ridiculous campo urbanisations too which I think are to service the new industrial estate between Colmenar and Casabermeja which is slightly worrying but a sign of progress. Restaurants in Casabermeja, a couple in the village and plenty of Ventas about too.


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