This home is in a beautiful little village that is only 15 minutes or so from all the major roads in each direction and the main highway that runs north (to Burgos) and south (to Madrid). Its only about 40 minutes from mountain peaks (near skiing and hiking). The 45 minute drive from the Madrid airport was easy.

The home sits high on a hill overlooking the valley, providing gorgeous views. The garage is separate (off the street) but handy if you have a car. The home is spacious, and is more of a family home than a high-end, resort-type setting. We found it to be perfect for our family of five, providing each teenager with a bedroom and three bath/showers to choose from.

We visited in March, and the town (Miraflores) really didn't come to life until the weekend. But on Sat and Sunday the highlight was to sit in the mornings or afternoons in the plaza, sample the local coffee/wine/beer and watch the people of the village and their families. The town boasts two really great pastry shops, a butcher, a fish-shop, two cheese shops, a fruit/vegetable shop and two really well stocked grocery stores, plus numerous nice restaurants and cafes (and a tobacco shop with cuban cigars). It's a bit of a trick to catch them open, but once you figure out the rhythm of the place, it's fine. There are at least a couple large gas stations to choose from, and they seemed to be open fairly early and stay open well into the evening. The city center and all the shops are within about a 15 minute walk to the house, although the return walk is uphill and a good bit of exercise. I'd recommend walking it during the day, if possible, as it's a bit of a trick to find your way down into the city. The tourist booth just off the city square opened on the weekend, and they provide a nice map to help you find your way around (both the town and the region).

We took day trips to Toledo, Madrid, El Escorial, Segovia and an overnight trip to Leon/Burgos. Driving was very reasonable but a GPS is highly recommended for navigating within the larger cities (and finding parking). It was always a pleasure to return to this home and be able to spread out and relax.

I would love to return and spend a week sitting on the upstairs deck that looks over the valley, or sitting on the plaza in the sun watching the locals.