Christian Holiday Apartment, Malaga

Christian Holiday Apartment, Malaga — A Quiet Garden in Andalucía

This Christian holiday apartment, Malaga, is one of three self-contained options at Cortijo Fruitful Hills, a 4-acre garden estate set between the whitewashed towns of Alhaurín el Grande and Coín. Guests choose between the Garden Apartment, the Penthouse, and the Studio Views Apartment, each with independent access and views over tiered lawns, a saltwater pool, and nature trails shared across the whole estate. It’s a genuinely restful setting only 35 minutes from Malaga airport, close enough for an easy trip yet quiet enough to properly switch off.

The estate’s affiliation with the Quiet Garden Trust is worth knowing more about. The Trust grew out of the Quiet Garden Movement, founded in the UK in 1992 by the Reverend Philip Roderick, an Anglican priest who felt churches and Christians needed accessible places for silence, prayer, and stillness, not just formal retreat houses. What began as a single shared garden in Buckinghamshire has grown into a worldwide network of some three hundred gardens across more than a dozen countries, each hosted locally under the same simple ethos: hospitality and prayer, open to anyone who needs the pause.

Alhaurín el Grande itself carries centuries of layered history. Reconquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1485 after a hard-fought campaign against the Nasrid kingdom of Granada, the town’s parish church, Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, was raised in 1505 on the ruins of the old Moorish fortress and mosque that stood there before it. A twelfth-century Moorish archway, the Arco del Cobertizo, still stands beside the church today. That devotional thread continues into the present: Alhaurín still marks Holy Week with centuries-old religious brotherhoods processing through its streets, one of Andalucía’s most deeply rooted Easter traditions.

Forty-five minutes away, El Caminito del Rey is genuinely worth the booking. Built between 1901 and 1905 as a service path for hydroelectric workers, it was formally opened by King Alfonso XIII in 1921, who gave it its name, “the King’s little path.” Decades of neglect saw it dubbed the world’s most dangerous walkway before it was closed in 2000 after a string of fatal falls. A four-year, nine-million-euro restoration reopened it in 2015, and it now runs a spectacular 7.7 kilometres along cliffs up to 400 metres high above the Guadalhorce river.

Ronda, the furthest of the day-trip towns, is worth the drive alone for its Puente Nuevo, a stone bridge finished in 1793 after forty-two years of construction, spanning the 98-metre-deep El Tajo gorge that splits the town in two. An earlier, hastily-built version collapsed in 1741, killing around fifty people, which explains why its replacement took so long and was built to last. The chamber built into the central arch, once a prison, is small but still open to visit today.

Marbella, Fuengirola, and Malaga’s own beaches are all within 35 minutes, and Granada, Seville, Córdoba, and Ronda all make realistic day trips from this one base. With three separate apartments across the same estate, it also works well for a family group wanting company by day and privacy by night. The wider selection of HolyHols properties in Spain is worth a look for anyone planning a longer stay in the country, and the Quiet Garden Trust’s own website is worth a browse before you go, for a sense of the wider network this garden belongs to.

Perfect for:

Clergy, missionaries, and church staff, who receive a genuine discount here
Anyone on sabbatical or a longer stay, with winter monthly rates available
Solo travellers and couples wanting quiet, prayerful surroundings in a working Quiet Garden
Families or small groups needing more space, with three apartments across one shared estate
Animal lovers, with the Andalucian Rescue Centre for Horses a short walk away

Location

Peaceful, rural location between Alhaurin el Grande & Coin, Malaga, Andalucia, southern Spain.

How to get there:

Flights to Malaga airport with inexpensive car hire. We are a 35 minute drive from the airport.

Nearest Town:

The towns of Alhaurin el Grande and Coin are both about 3 miles away

Local Area

The sun-drenched property nestles in a sought-after area of fertile rolling hillsides between the traditional white-washed towns of Alhaurin el Grande and Coin. Both are just a 3-mile drive away with all convenient modern facilities, supermarkets and restaurants. The newly-renovated, stylish Miralmonte restaurant, including covered outdoor seating, is a pleasant 20-minute walk away. The Andalucian Rescue Centre for Horses (ARCH), featured-on-TV, is just a short 10-minute walk away. “Alhaurin”, a name given by the Moors, means “God´s garden”, the area being fertile and with a pleasant winter climate. There are abundant fresh fruit and vegetables grown and sold locally and a mix of traditional Spanish people/culture and a large, established, international community.

You can enjoy easy access, within 35 minutes, to the golden beaches of the Costa-del-Sol at Marbella , Fuengirola and Malaga. The world-renown El Caminito del Rey with its spectacular rope walkways is 45 minutes away (prior booking essential) and day trips are possible to Granada, Seville, Cordoba and Ronda. Local beauty spot, Barranco Blanco, offers picturesque walking. Your award-winning, 5-star rated hosts, affiliated with the Quiet Garden Trust, welcome people who would benefit from the prayerful, peaceful, nature-rich environment, for holidays, quiet retreats, longer stays and sabbaticals.

Facilities

A choice of three options, all high-quality accommodation in a tranquil, nature-rich, yet accessible, location just 35 minutes from Malaga airport and the Costa del Sol. Each has independent access, is newly renovated, enjoys beautiful views and has shared use of the 4-acre garden estate (affiliated to the Quiet Garden Trust) with saltwater pool, tiered lawns, diverse plant-life, nature trails, friendly animals, and shady places to sit and enjoy the peaceful setting. Secure parking and wi-fi included.

GARDEN APARTMENT – two ensuite double bedrooms, a lounge/dining area and fully equipped open-plan kitchen, covered terrace and garden area with gas barbecue. The master bedroom has a king-size double bed and French doors onto the terrace. The second bedroom has a super king-size/two single beds.

PENTHOUSE APARTMENT – ideal for two people, with pool and garden views, a first-floor super-king bedroom with kitchen area, bath and shower ensuite, covered terrace with outdoor lounge and dining, and garden bridge connecting to the estate.

STUDIO VIEWS APARTMENT – ideal for the solo traveller, or smaller double, with stunning views over the valley and hills, a first-floor ensuite bedroom with kitchenette, part-covered terrace, gas barbecue, washing machine, outdoor lounge & dining and garden bridge.