#Loveit – A Place in the Sun TV Show

Just how many years has the UK TV show “A Place In The Sun” been going? How many people, we wonder, has it inspired to up sticks to a better life abroad or buy a holiday home in another country? Countless and many no doubt.

Visit the APITS website for more information.

We loved the show years ago and still do. We remember watching, during those cold UK winter months, the many couples on their dream journey. And with some envy and awe of a better lifestyle in the sunshine.

Well, back in the early 2000s we were stuck in a corporate work life and burning out. Those pictures of blues skies and Al Fresco tapas bars sure inspired us and many more to move to abroad. In our case, it was Spain.

15 years ago, after a few trips to look for a dream villa, we moved to the Hondón Valley, to work at a slower pace, enjoy the warmer climes and address the work/life balance we had got so wrong in England. Working from home at first, we set up a simple real estate portal (hondon.co.uk) in Feb’ 2006. It was to then become Hondon Villas.

And we are still here, having listed and sold selling 1000’s of properties in the Hondon Valley areas. #localagent

And what is so nice is we have now helped APITS with their TV program quite a few times (pinch ourselves!). It sure generates a vibe in the local area when we know APITS is in town, often catching the famous presenters, like Jasmine, Jonnie or Laura in the village squares. Of course then the local Expats want to see the show when it is eventually broadcast on UK Channel 4.

So, yes, we have to thank APITS for the inspiration, really. Giving us that window into a life abroad was definitely via the TV, was the catalyst for our journey. We have no regrets making the move. It is what you make it of course and there will be highs and lows, but you’ll be thankful for the tranquil pace, culture, food and social aspects for sure if you make even the smallest effort to play. Thankfully, the APITS TV prog’ still inspires so many to make a life-changing move to Spain, and NOW we get to meet them and share our story.

Happy! ;-)

NOTE: You can find more information about A Place in the Sun on their website, Twitter or Facebook pages. You can still apply to be on their program too.

You can also catch past series and episodes of A Place in the Sun on the ALL4 website. Plus, for new buyers, they still run the Property Exhibitions in the UK (they are well worth a visit).

Covid? It’s Summer & We Can Go Out in Hondón!

Whilst I am sure we all still need to be cautious and #keepsafe, the Spanish Gov’ have lowered Covid restrictions, which means it is time to get out and support the long-suffering catering and tourist trade. After all the summer highs are here, pools are warming up, bars are opening, and we are well overdue to meet up with friends and Al’ (as in Al Fresco) for a meal out. Right?

Dining out in the Hondon Valley

Hondon Businesses… is your venue on this list below… if not tell us.

Join our Facebook Group: “Hondon What’s On” and show us your menus and events.

Time to get out #supportlocal in the Hondon Valley areas
Valencian Government are allowing much more social interactions, bigger gatherings… So local Hondón Restaurants and Bars are opening for the evenings again, the sun is shining… is life getting back to normal? Support the local guys please.

La Finca Montanosa : Hotel and restaurant, on the Hondon urbanization
El Bocadito Gourmet Restaurant: Spanish menu – Nieves Plaza
La Font : Nieves Plaza (near the fountain
Bombay Indian Restaurant : Nieves Plaza
Central Bar : Nieves Plaza bar, restaurant, BBQ, cafe, music and quiz
Bodegas Cerda : Wine merchant in Nieves, museum and tasting groups
Solo Hazlo : Bar Restaurant in Hondon de las Nieves Plaza
Vienteocho 28- Bar / Restaurant / Breakfast / Snacks Frailes Plaza
El Charro – Tapas / Menu del Dia : Frailes Plaza
Tipsy Terrace : Bar / Restaurant, Frailes
Punjabi Virsa : Asian Cuisine Frailes Plaza
El Nuevo Valle : (Irish Bar) Drinks / Snacks / Meals : Frailes Plaza
El Fogon : Spanish Restaurant, Frailes CV845
Finca El Romero : Barbarroja CV845
Caramels Bar : Frailes Main Road CV845
Don Apetito : Chicken Takeaway, Nieves Main Street CV845
Los Amigos : Cafe / Restaurant. Nieves Plaza
Meson el Moreno : Restaurant, Nieves C. Juan Albentosa
Pepins Bar : Meals Frailes Main Road CV845

Hondon Villas are on Pinterest

Hondon Villas help you buy or sell your Spanish dream home in the Hondon Valley.

Part of that help is to “sell” the area, to show prospective property purchasers what the area is like, the landscapes, local life or the culture they may enjoy. After all, “location, location, location” is the foundation of property sales.

And, as well as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and 100’s of blog articles we thought we would try “Hondon Villas on Pinterest” for many of our local pictures. Here are a few.

As we know, foreigners need to “buy” the location before they commit to a new home. Quite right too! So over years we release local pictures and videos about the Hondón areas…

As the #1 local agent for 15 years you benefit from all that local knowledge and our real estate experience. We are AIPP Reg’d for 5 years (meaning we provide Pro’ service standards) and have won “The Business of the Year” award in Costa Blanca South.

1st Choice Hondon Agent

Our agents work from a central office in the main plaza of Hondon Frailes.
Website is www.hondonvillas.net
::: Contact us:
email: agent@hondonvillas.net
or Tel’ +34 965 075 357

News: Lottery luck touched Hondón de las Nieves

Lottery News: Good luck touched the small municipality of Hondón de las Nieves, in the Alicante, region. Hondon Nieves is a quiet town, so it is big news when a local resident wins 25,000 euros on the Spanish Lottery.

The lottery ticket was sold in the local grocery store in the main Nieves Plaza. The shop owner says “I was very happy, because it is some good news for a change.” he said. The village grapevine was very active!

Town Hall in Hondon Nieves Plaza

The shop has a privileged location in the Plaza de la Villa, in front of the Town Hall, and it is easy to see that Nieves and other local villages ooze the “quiet life of a small town where we all know each other and live well“. Bliss for the Spanish and its many foreign settlers.

After the news of the lottery win, everything soon returns to normal in Hondón de las Nieves, located inland of the Alicante province, in the Medio Vinalopó region. There are about 2,600 inhabitants, of which 58 percent are foreigners. It is a place of habit and practically everyone maintains the same routines… coffee mornings and market days.

Here in the square there are four bars where everyone meets,” says Carmencín, who points out that “if anything happens, good or bad, we all find out” and maintains that “children play in the streets without concern and we can go out into the country for a walk.

“People live very well here,” the mayor of the municipality, Carmen Sellés (PP), who obtained the rod of command in the last elections. In his charge lives a “population with an average advanced age” that, historically, was engaged in “eminently agricultural” work. such as grapes, almonds and olives are the main produce.

The church of Hondon de las Nieves

“Now the situation is more complicated but some young farmers are taking up the tradition,” he points out and explains that there are also owners who “rent their land to companies that grow onions or broccoli” but most of the workers “move away to Alicante, Elche or Aspe “.

The main town areas are currently under renovation, with aid from the Alicante Provincial Council, mainly, or “from any subsidy that we can take advantage of”, said Sellés.

“The health centre is going to be improved, the works of a new school are going to begin” and, even, a new headquarters of the City Council is being enabled. They are also implementing sports facilities and are negotiating to build a municipal warehouse.

“The town has everything you need, it is 35 minutes from the airport and the people are cordial and welcoming, anyone feels welcome,” María Elena Jones, councilor for Foreign Residents.

The tranquillity, the green space of the Sierra de Crevillente and the climate are the main claims for citizens who choose Hondón de las Nieves as their residence.

Many new buyers to the area land in the La Montañosa urbanization, where 95% of the residents are international. “Here there are British, Dutch, Belgian, French and German who mostly arrive shortly before their retirement,” he specifies.

La Montanosa Urb, Hondon Valley.

“Many cultural activities are offered, integration is very good and the few families that come with children say that adaptation to school in Spanish is very easy,” he says.

Hondón de las Nieves split from Aspe in 1839 and was established as an independent entity in 1926. This circumstance contributes one of the singularities of the municipality, since it is one of the few in Spain that shares its patron with another. “The image of the Virgen de las Nieves is kept in Hondón,” María Teresa Senabre, Councillor for Culture, explained “and every two years, the carving is moved to Aspe on foot, after travelling the nine kilometres that separate them, where stays about 20 days.

The COVID restrictions forced the suspension of the festivities last year and probably will not allow them to be held this year, despite the fact that they take place in August. Fingers crossed that fiestas are back in 2021 as they form an integral part of the community spirit and entertainment.

Article by Rafa Burgos c2021 EFE

The picnic area and reservoir, Hondon Valley.

It’s all about … Outside!

An Expat says … “OMG! It’s so hard not to love it here. I mean, your living room is outside! Breakfast… is outside. Dinner… is outside. Even my office is outside!

Living the Dream in the Hondon Valley

@hondonagent http://hondonvillas.net for Spanish inland villas. Sorted!

Duncan : I love it here. We have great friends. The panoramic views of the mountain’s never let you down, it’s a delight to get up in a morning!

Adele : Travelled around a lot and this is our 36th house! We have lived here 15 years…. so far so good.

Sabrina : I love living in Hondon because it’s a tight community, friendly and beautiful. I am so glad I get to raise my children here! (And that’s from someone who didn’t want to move here! )

Visit our real estate office in Frailes Plaza, 03689, Alicante Inland.

Hondon Villas are also on Pinterest … where we publish pictures for the Hondon and surrounding areas … afterall it’s our job to promote the location, location, location !!

Travelling during COVID-19 Restrictions

After a long winter and a year of stop-start lockdowns, many of you are dreaming of a holiday in the sun or buying a lovely home in Spain – and in a few more weeks there might finally be some clarity. We are hopeful.

BUT ….. In case you missed the news this week, we are happy to confirm that there is light at the end of the tunnel for prospective home buyers from Britain. Starting Monday 29th March, the UK’s travel restrictions will include a list of specific “reasonable excuses to travel” outside the country, which includes travel “in connection with the purchase, sale, letting, or rental of a residential property,” according to new legislation.

Permitted activities include visiting an estate agent, developer sales office, or show home, viewing residential properties to rent or buy, and preparing a property for moving in.
Also… starting next Tuesday 30th March, the Spanish government will be lifting restrictions on flights from the UK! Travellers will still have to show a negative PCR result from a test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival.

As other countries have different rules, laws and restrictions around Covid-19, and it can be a moving target, of course so YOU need to make sure you comply with your departing and arrival country’s rules. Check the Gov websites or your travel agent. Failure to comply could mean BIG FINES!

So cling onto the good news, that in general it can still be possible to travel abroad for the purpose of purchasing a property. And people are doing so.

You probably will need a negative COVID-19 test before, during and after you travel. Some countries may require you to quarantine for a period (5 to 10 days). And it would be wise to get an authorised letter to prove the purpose of your visit.

However, here are the valid reasons to travel, including a purpose to buy or rent property abroad: (Again check as they may change)

• Work
• Study
• Legal obligations or to vote
Moving, selling or renting property
• Childcare reasons or to be present at a birth
• Visiting a dying relative or close friend
• Attending a funeral
• Getting married or attending the wedding of a close relative
• Medical appointments
• Escaping a risk of harm

For UK travellers, SKY have an article that explains the current situation in more detail, including the RED LIST of countries that are most affected.

The first almond flowers arrive 2021!

After one of the coldest winters on record in Spain, the province of Alicante is already seeing the first and glorious pink and white blossom of the almond trees on their farmland. The areas of Torrellano, in Elche, Hondón de las Nieves and Hondón de los Frailes, in the Medio Vinalopó, the districts of Marina Alta and Vega Baja are some points of the province in which you can already enjoy a beautiful landscape. The pictures below were taken 1st week of Feb’ 2021.

Nature is wonderful and brings us this “blaze” of glory each year. It is common for the first petals and the first almond buds to begin appearing at the beginning of February. The local residents get excited about this, as not only is the Hondon Valley full of colour for the first time of the year, but it heralds the start of the warmer and longer sunny days.

The relatively high temperatures in recent weeks in the region, where in some points, such as Elche, have reached between 18 and 20 degrees! We’ve seen people sun bathing on the coast. However, the local farmers are a little worried that some almonds groves in the mountains may be exposed to possible early morning frosts as the local temperature and inclement weather can be cold in the evenings / mornings in  February. Lately the Hondon Valley is feeling 5-9 degrees first thing. BRrrrrrr! But all is well by mid-morning and a lunch al-fresco is a still a pleasant experience.

So how do you like your almonds?  … Sweet or savoury? Roasted and salted, spiced, cookies, ground into cakes, marzipan or mixed in muesli… what’s your favourite use of local almonds?    Enjoy. They are delicious. #almondblossom

Flying During Covid… Spain.

As we all know flying got much more difficult during the COVID-19 Pandemic restrictions. Our nearest airport, Alicante, reports that flights are down by 63% but AENA.ES reports that their Spanish airports passengers are down 72.4% over this crisis period. That’s substantial for an area that relies on flights for business, tourism and foreign investment in property.

Clearly people are being forced not to travel by air right now or have to jump through many hoops if allowed. So what are those hoops?

Alicante Airport

Well the picture changes almost daily across Europe so we can only give general information.

The risk to health and COVID-19 transmission is very high as we write. So the respective governments have little choice to restrict human movement, even though it is harming their economies and frustrating for the people needing to travel.

Thankfully air travel is still one of the safest forms of transports. Modern airlines have protocols and systems to minimise risk, including controlling the air used and generated inside a plane.

Even better, airports and airlines have stepped up to the mark & adapted to minimize the possibility of contagion, But you STILL HAVE TO DO YOUR BIT!

Here are some general guidlines to make your flight safer for you and your fellow passengers. But we STRESS you need to check with the airport, airline and government websites for UP-TO-DATE guidance.

  1. What should I keep in mind before flying?

First, you must make sure that you meet the requirements of health control and entry documentation to the country you are travelling to. Many airlines have restricted hand luggage in the cabin, so check this possibility with your airline company.

Many countries including the UK and Spain are now requiring NEGATIVE COVID TEST in advance of flying with a certificate of proof, usually within a 3-day period before your flight. These you will need to pay for yourself so allow time to book them in.

Check if you have to quarantine on arrival. E.G. The UK is asking travellers into the UK to quarantine in hotels at their own cost (as of Feb 2021). Some people are being turned away from airports or not allowed to fly if the do not have the right documents or tests that they conform.

Check in online, take your boarding pass on your mobile to avoid physical contact.
Go to the airport in plenty of time, since there may be social distance protocols that increase waiting times.
Keep in mind that your companions may not be able to access the airport facilities, except if you need assistance due to reduced mobility, or if the person flying is an unaccompanied minor.
Do not go to the airport if you have symptoms of a cough, fever or breathing difficulties.

So if you have to fly, ensure you know well in advance the requirements for paperwork, tests and hygiene well before you fly.

Also make sure your travel insurance is up-to-date and covers you for as you’d expect.

  1. Has anything changed at the airports?

Yes. Once inside, follow the indications of the airport staff, screens, signs and public address system, since there may be inoperative terminals.
The trays to deposit belongings are disinfected regularly, but try only to touch the essential surfaces and objects.
Continue to maintain the safe distance in the check-in queues, security control, during the baggage claim, restaurants and in front of the ATMs .

  1. During boarding and disembarking

Passenger access lines during boarding have also been reorganized to ensure social distance and you will find more signs, so you have no doubts about where to go.
Use the designated lanes or catwalks for buses or to enter / exit your plane.

  1. Hygiene and safety on board.

The planes are disinfected after each flight, during which it is mandatory to wear the mask – for you and for the crew – and change it every few hours. Upon entering, you will be given a disinfectant wipe and a bag to deposit your personal waste.

Before take off, pay attention to the staff safety demonstration for specific instructions during your flight under the current circumstances.
Most likely, the catering service will present you their menu online through a QR code or with a disposable single-use menu.
And keep in mind that if you buy an extra item on board, you probably can’t pay for it in cash.

Also, remember to use the mask during the entire time you are at the airport as well as during your flight, and to use the hydroalcoholic gel regularly.

#STAYSAFE !!