Villa Risa Spain

The beautifully finished, luxurious Villa Risas is tucked away on the hills beneath the Sierra Blanca in the wonderful, charismatic village of Istan. With Moorish origins, the village has the timeless air that visitors find so incredibly appealing. Istan’s delightful streets are narrow so mostly pedestrian only. Located in the Natural Park of Sierra de las Nieves, the surrounding nature is awesome with the River Verde flowing through. The magic of this gorgeous village and area have resulted in Istan being known as the ‘Manantial (Spring) of the Costa del Sol’. There is plenty to explore with ancient buildings, a modern fountain, a museum and the incredible Natural Park of the Sierra de las Nieves all close to the villa. Istan is just 20 km from the celebrity hotspots of Marbella and the fabulous Costa del Sol’s sandy beaches so guests really get the best of both worlds at Villa Risas. The villa is located within a gated private urbanisation with spectacular sea and mountain views. It is peaceful, beautiful and impressively manicured and looked after.
Villa Risas offers three exceptional bedroom suites sleeping 6 guests. It is ideal for a group of friends or a family. The living spaces are pure joy with a wonderful flow between the rooms. The main living room is a cosy, elegant space with plump, sumptuous sofas adorned with gorgeous scatter cushions, a fabulous fireplace, television and doors opening to a spectacular terrace. Leading from the living space is the immaculate, stylish kitchen diner. Its elegance, style and high quality is very impressive. The gorgeous worktop flows to a beautiful table and chairs and further there are doors opening to the terrace for alfresco dining. Whichever space you choose for dinner in this hillside wonder, you will dine in true style. There is a second kitchen so that you can hide away the dirty pots and pans while enjoying your meal. If you do have to follow up on any emails, the villa also offers a ground floor office.
The villa’s three dreamy bedrooms are located on the first floor. Each enjoys a lavish, superbly comfortable queensize bed, a private terrace where you can enjoy the spectacular vistas and a heavenly ensuite bathroom. Two of the bathrooms offer baths and showers and the other boasts a deluxe shower room.
With the superb vistas, guests tend to spend most of their time outside and it is easy to see why. The swimming pool is surrounded with luxurious loungers. To one side of the pool, you will find a fabulous half moon lounge sofa, a wonderful social space perfect for cocktails or star gazing. The alfresco dining area is covered and very elegant with its corner drapes. There is a small outdoor kitchenette and barbecue. The gardens are an absolute wonder, beautifully planted and surrounding the villa, making it very private. There are plenty of gorgeous little spots for a quiet read of your holiday book. This villa really is delightful!The tranquil, picturesque village of Istan lies quietly on the hillside in the Natural Park of Sierra de las Nieves. The lush countryside surrounding this pretty village is absolutely gorgeous. You are only a short distance from the Costa del Sol’s magnificent sandy expanses of beach and its vibrant towns but here you can enjoy peace and beauty. The village enjoys some attractions and a number of restaurants and bars. The Museo del Agua shows visitors the vital role water plays in life. The village’s 15th century Arab Tower stands in the highest part of the village in Calle San Miguel. It has been restored and is surrounded by a garden. The Church of San Miguel, built in the 16th century, was restored in the 17th century and again in 1950. The Old Wash House is located in the bougainvillea and rose clad Calle Chorro. Its fountain has six jets which are fed by ancient water channels. The modern La Esfera Fountain was built to remind everyone that water is such an essential element of the surrounding landscape. It is very easy to explore the fantastic Natural Park of Sierra de las Nieves from the village. The park centres on Mount Torrecilla and covers an area of 30 km by 20 km or 18530 hectares. There is a direct bus service to Marbella if you do not want to take the car.
For Mediterranean glamour, Marbella holds its own with the French Riviera and other hot-spot destinations in Europe. It is little wonder that Marbella remains as popular as it does with the rich and famous. Michelin-starred restaurants, manicured, challenging golf courses, marinas bustling with high-end yachts, chic, designer boutiques, glitzy entertainment and never-ending golden sandy beaches are all in abundance. The Arabic characteristics of Plaza de los Naranjos, the old part of Marbella are endearing together with balconies adorned with beautiful, vibrant flowers. The square’s restaurants place their tables in a small formal garden bordered by orange trees. You will find a labyrinth of narrow pedestrian streets laid with red tiles and crazy paving and beautiful plazas full of trendy, upmarket bars and restaurants and unique shops offering souvenirs, olive oil, local pottery and lace. The buildings are all whitewashed, wrapped in bougainvillea and topped with terracotta roofs, many dating back to the renaissance. Alameda Park is just a few steps south of the Old Town and feels like a private garden. There are marble walkways, fountains and benches, all under a thick canopy of tropical foliage. Many of the benches are clad with azuleos, classic Andalusian hand-printed tiles. The handsome walkway, Avenida del Mar, leads from the park to Playa de la Venus, next to Marbella’s first class marina. It enjoys palm trees and bronze sculptures designed by Salvador Dali. The central Plaza de la Iglesia is very beautiful and often hosts bustling markets and concerts. Besides the typical Andalusian cultural events, there are annual festivals dedicated to music including the Marbella International Opera Festival held in August, the Marbella Reggae Festival in July plus the Marbella International Film Festival is held in June.
A few kilometres east of old Marbella is the swanky and trendy Puerto Banus. Boutiques, super yachts and luxury sports cars meet your gaze everywhere in this fast-set resort. There is another Salvador Dali sculpture, the large Rhinoceros which weighs 3.6 tonnes. Puerto Banus was designed and built in 1970 by local property developer Jose Banus. It is fantastic for star spotting.  At Excellence Luxury Villas we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. From private chefs to babysitters we can help you arrange those little extras that make it a truly memorable holiday. Simply fill in the concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team who will be happy to help. We can typically help you arrange any of the following:
– Maid service/extra cleaning- Private chef/cook/catering- Welcome hamper/pre-stocked fridge- Local day-trips or tours- Airport pick-up/drop-off- Babysitting/childcare services
Simply fill in the concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team.
Please note that all services are subject to availability and must be requested in advance and that due to some rural/remote locations, not all services will be available at all properties. Prices are on request. We will always do our best to fulfil your requests!