Spain - Almeria Escape to the Continent

Now, it may look like the Wild West, but I'm not in America -

somewhere a little bit closer to home.

Find out where I am in just a moment.

Today's hopeful house hunter

is dreaming of a fresh start on the continent

and he's bringing his daughter along for some helpful advice.

-It's got character, hasn't it?

-Yes, and it's got potential as well.

-I can see the potential already.

-I like this girl!

And he'll discover that perusing properties

can be an emotional experience.

I think this was always going to be tough.

-Yes.

-I think you are very brave to be doing this.

Welcome to Escape To The Continent.

I am in Almeria in southern Spain and this is Fort Bravo,

one of the three Wild West film sets in the Tabernas Desert.

This area was made famous in the 1960s

by an Italian film director named Sergio Leone.

He made a few films here that you may have heard of.

A Fistful Of Dollars, The Man With No Name

and The Good, The Bad And The Ugly,

turning a young Clint Eastwood into a movie star.

But it's not just the glamour of Spain's Wild West that makes

this region such a popular place to escape to.

Almeria is the most easterly province

of the Andalusia region in southern Spain.

The name Almeria, which translates to "mirror of the sea" in Arabic,

was coined by the Islamic Moors who occupied Spain

from the eighth century.

The province's capital, also called Almeria, was one of the busiest

and wealthiest ports within the Moors' Spanish kingdom.

North-east of the city is the Tabernas Desert,

Europe's only semidesert.

This harsh scenery of dehydrated riverbeds, scattered cacti

and eroded valleys has been the backdrop

of numerous television and film sets.

The region's 200-kilometre rugged coastline is home

to the Cabo de Gata National Park, where some of Spain's most beautiful

and isolated beaches share the shoreline with volcanic cliffs.

At the most southern point of the Cape is a lighthouse that

looks out over the Mediterranean Sea and the park's rocky landscape.

With dramatic scenery that encompasses an ancient city

and gorgeous beaches, it's perhaps not surprising that Almeria

has become a desirable continental destination.

The average price of a property in Almeria is £120,000.

As well as offering tremendous value,

that's £100,000 cheaper than back home in the UK.

Now, the housing market here in Spain was badly affected

by the financial crash of 2008 and nowhere more so

than down here on the southern Mediterranean coast,

where prices plummeted by 40%.

So what is it about sunny Spain that has attracted our buyer?

Gary from Potters Bar in Hertfordshire is eager to

start a new life on the continent and out of his three children,

he has asked his youngest, Katie, to help him.

They have a special bond.

My father is very important to me.

As well as being my dad, he's one of my best friends as well.

We always sort of do things together.

He is kind of a larger-than-life character.

Katie and I love to party.

We like to party and we don't care where it is because we make them!

Gary's Hertfordshire home has served as the perfect place

for him to host his infamous parties.

One of the brilliant things about this house as a party home is that

it's big enough and has enough rooms for people not to be confined to any one space.

We've actually had as many as 200 people here, believe it or not.

They have been good fun. I love every single thing about this house.

And I think that, to me, will be a heartbreak when I leave it

because it is the perfect house.

But Gary's home now holds some painful memories after Stephen,

his partner for 13 years, tragically died three years ago.

So he's realising his and Stephen's shared dream

of opening a B&B on the south coast of Spain.

The original plan was Stephen and I decided

that maybe it would be a great idea to look towards our retirement

and try and set up a business to do something.

We had started to look at property in Spain to set up a retreat.

It wasn't just a B&B. It was something more than that.

My dad would be the perfect person to have a B&B

because he is very outgoing.

I just think it would probably be the perfect thing to do.

You are more yourself in Spain.

I've got to move into a new phase of my life

and what better place to do it

than doing it in an area that I know and love?

And the area that he loves is Vera Playa

in the Almeria province, which has a somewhat avant-garde appeal.

Vera Playa is the largest naturist village in Europe.

It's not unusual to see people walking naked down the street

with a shopping bag.

It's a very open and liberal environment.

The perfect place that I have in mind could not be more

than 15 minutes away from the Playa or the beaches.

So Gary is clear about the location.

He's also particular about his property requirements

and he even has a look book.

So he's enlisted daughter Katie to give him a more impartial opinion.

I'm going to be his second eyes and rein him in a bit.

Sometimes you sort of need a different opinion.

The voice of sense.

In the property in Spain, I would love to see a lot of my dad's character in it.

I think that's the most important thing.

-So something a little bit fun, a bit of colour.

-And make it welcoming.

I would like to think if I can make it welcoming to my family and friends,

then it will provide a good base for welcoming others

that want to come and stay with us.

That's the plan.

And he'll be hoping that he can find a welcoming Spanish property

with the budget that he has in mind.

The absolute maximum I could possibly afford for the property

would be £185,000.

Gary has stated that he would like to live close to the beaches around

Vera Playa, so that's where we'll will be concentrating our search.

But before we delve into our house hunt,

we're meeting up beside Gary's favourite seaside resort

to learn more about his expectations for this move to Spain.

Vera beach. Why here, Gary?

Why do you want to move to THIS part of Spain?

Over the years, I've looked at many other parts of Spain to move to.

My partner and I found this place purely by chance eight years ago

and I just fell in love with the place.

Why do you want to move now in particular?

We had planned to move or to buy a place out here about five years ago.

Following the sudden death of my partner,

the whole thing had to go on ice because I wasn't ready.

I wasn't in a good place, really.

-I've got to start living my life again.

-You do.

Katie, what is your role in all of this?

I am here to help him find somewhere that is right for him,

but also I am here to rein him in a bit because he is very...

He can be quite picky at times

and I'm just hoping he can see the bigger picture.

-I am aware of being quite impulsive.

-What will you do when you get here?

What I'd like to do and what the plan that my partner and I had

was to set up a sort of B&B retreat,

just to try and provide people with somewhere to get away.

-And you would still like to do that?

-Yes, very much so.

-How are your language skills?

-My Spanish is coming, slowly.

I ought to put more effort into it.

I think I'm probably at a point now that I could step into any restaurant and be understood.

I wouldn't even go as far as saying I am menu perfect, but it's close enough.

So let's talk about this property. What is it you are looking for?

I am looking for a property that has got three or maybe four bedrooms.

Smaller than the original plan that Steve, my partner, and I had.

And it's got to be within 10 minutes of the coast,

preferably or definitely this beach.

And it ought to have a pool in it.

Yes, it has to have a pool.

-And what's your budget?

-A maximum of 185,000.

-OK.

The first property is waiting for us, so let's go.

-Let's do it.

-Come on.

Our buyer is looking to spend up to £185,000 on a dream home

which should accommodate a B&B business.

He's hoping for three to four bedrooms, good outdoor space,

a swimming pool and to be located

no more than 15 minutes' drive to the beach.

And he's not afraid of taking on some restoration work.

We've hand-picked four appealing properties to tempt our buyer with,

but he won't know what they're valued at until the end of each viewing.

And we'll be rounding off our property hunt at the mystery house,

where Gary may discover that man's home really is his castle.

We're kicking off the hunt exactly where Gary has said he wants to be, in Vera Playa.

The north-east town is Vera,

which is just over 80 kilometres to the north of Almeria airport.

In the town's main square is the 15th century church of the Encarnacion,

which was originally used as a fort

to defend against Moorish invasion.

This quiet town comes alive on a Saturday

when the market takes over the main streets.

On sale are a range of products from household goods to herbs,

spices, fruit, vegetables, cured meats and fish.

The Vera Playa resort lies seven kilometres east

and officially stretches for a kilometre along the coast.

As Gary has told us he would like to be close to the resort,

the first property we have lined up is just a two-minute walk away from the beach.

So, Gary and Katie, property number one.

-I want your first impressions, Gary.

-First impression is very good.

Location is the most important aspect.

After that, it's how I would fit into that place and, yeah,

I'm feeling pretty positive already. That's good.

I can definitely see the potential. The location is brilliant.

-I like the style of it.

-It's got character, hasn't it?

Yes, and it's got potential as well. I can see the potential already.

I like this girl!

Well, I know you are dying to get inside, so this way.

Let's do it.

This house is part of an urbanisation of villas and apartments,

which comes with security, well-maintained communal gardens and a large pool.

As the British owner of this property has moved back to the UK, it's currently part-furnished,

so Gary will need to use his imagination.

In you come.

-A nice big space here.

-Definitely.

-A really nice big space here.

I like the counter.

It's kind of perfect for the B&B environment.

The kitchen I'm not so keen on, but you can change it.

That is not going to limit my decision-making.

It has got nothing in it, which in a way, it's a blank canvas.

-You can see whatever you want to do with it.

-It's got air-con.

-It's got a fan.

-Perfect.

-This, so far, is looking good. Really good.

On the ground floor, there are also two double bedrooms

and a large shower room.

On the roof, there is a separate annexe,

accessed by outside stairs, with another bedroom

and its own entrance, making it well suited for B&B clientele.

This is the self-contained third bedroom.

It's an opportunity for a nice little studio apartment. Possibly.

Or I could live up here and they could do what they want downstairs!

Exactly. Either way. And you've got your own little shower room up here.

I think it needs a bit more work doing in this room.

But there is so much potential, again, like there was downstairs.

Things immediately don't say, "Wow! I like it,"

but the fundamental shape looks all right and we could work from there.

So whether it is you up here or you are renting it, the option is there.

There are certainly plenty of opportunities.

Interesting that you are already thinking - would you be up here or could you be downstairs?

Obviously, if you rent out downstairs, that is two bedrooms.

-Twice as much money.

-Yes.

So that's a bit of the interior but the exterior has got so much to offer.

-Come on.

-Let's do it.

So far, the accommodation seems to have gone down well

and outside there is enough space for Gary to install a feature

that would make this home even more appealing.

This brilliant space up here, which you can do whatever you want with,

but I want you to have a quick glance down there.

Now, to our eyes that might not look like much,

but come and see what the neighbours have done.

Swimming pool. What do you think about that? I know you want a pool.

-Promising.

-Very promising.

-I can hear your mind ticking, Gary.

-So can I!

It's just about whether it is for you or not.

I probably would have gone for something more modern in design

if I'd designed it myself but, yes, I like it. It's quirky enough.

-I can see you in a couple of years from now being here.

-Yes.

You both think it's got potential.

You can even see your dad living here. But what about the money?

Gary, how much do you think it's on for?

-210.

-£210,000.

-Yeah.

-Katie?

-I'm going to go a little bit lower than what my dad said,

but I still think it is over budget.

-I'm going to go with £195,000.

-£195,000.

OK, well, you are both wrong.

In the wrong direction and I mean you are both too high.

-It's actually on...

-That's good.

-Yeah! £170,000.

-Wow!

-And there would be enough left in the budget for a pool.

-Indeed, there would.

-It could be fabulous. This is good.

-Brilliant start.

-It's a good start, yeah.

Money to spare, good start.

What I want you to do is go off and have a good look around the house

and talk amongst yourselves and I will catch up with you in a bit.

-Lovely.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

Gosh, really happy. I mean, this is an interesting prospect

because you are in quite an urban environment but they really like it.

You can't argue with something that's 15 grand under your budget, can you?

On the market at £170,000, this villa is in a community

located just two minutes from Gary's favoured beach.

It comes with a kitchen, dining room,

and three bedrooms, one of which has its own separate

entrance on the rooftop terrace that could be used for paying B&B guests.

My feelings about this are quite simply, you don't need a garage,

so why not turn it into another room?

-It has potential, doesn't it, for three rooms downstairs?

-Indeed, yes.

Possibly a reception room. Possibly even a bedroom.

My dad can be quite particular sometimes when it comes to house-hunting.

But I think he can see the potential as well

and he is already quite excited about the amount of things

that could be done with the property.

I think the place does offer some potential for bed and breakfast.

I don't think I would be able to take on a large property now,

but I think it has got a nice level of flexibility there.

Marks out of ten for this house?

-Eight. Nine, maybe.

-That high?

-Yeah.

-How about you, Katie?

-Nine, definitely.

-What a start!

-Absolutely.

-Gosh, that has set the bar really high.

That is no bad thing. Can I prize you away from this property?

OK. All right.

When Gary completes his continental move to Almeria,

it will be the start of a new chapter in his life

and he will be keeping himself busy by running a bed and breakfast.

This will provide an income and help him meet new people.

But as Gary lacks experience in the hospitality business,

we are taking him and Katie to meet Chris Walton,

who has been running B&Bs in Almeria for seven years.

-Hello, Chris.

-Hello!

-Meet Gary. Gary, meet Chris.

-Hi, there.

-Hi.

Chris is going to show you some of the ropes of running a B&B.

-So I'm going to leave you in very capable hands and you and me, Katie, are going this way.

-OK.

-See you later.

-Would you like to come and have a look?

-Thanks very much.

Chris runs her guesthouse on her own, which is what Gary also intends to do.

So he's getting acquainted with some of the daily routines he would need

to carry out himself in the future, starting with changing the beds.

I try to do it while guests are having breakfast

because if you are not careful, it can eat into the whole of the day.

-Sure.

-So the sooner you get it done...

You take this. The sooner you've got it done,

the sooner you've got some time to yourself.

I guess when you are particularly busy,

-this is a chore that takes some time in the mornings.

-Yes.

-Yeah?

Particularly in July and August when it is about 30 or 35 degrees!

Yes, I can imagine. So how does it work when people are checking out?

Do people tend to leave at the same time of day,

or can it be staggered over some time?

How much time do you have for change-over before somebody else arrives?

-We don't have any hard and fast rules here.

-Right.

Some people do but I don't like it.

I think when people are coming to stay, the last thing you want

to be telling them is that they need to be out by 9:30am or 10:00am.

So I try to do it as little as possible.

Let them stay as long as they like, really.

This has given Gary an appreciation of the hard work that

goes into running a B&B and it doesn't get any easier

when it comes to the next chore, preparing the breakfast.

What choice do you lay on?

Well, we do freshly squeezed orange juice always and then we do fresh fruit,

which changes all the time because fruit is very seasonal here.

So whatever there is available. And figs off our tree.

And then we do home-made jam and marmalade, uh,

home-made granary bread and tea or coffee.

Then, if people want something else,

I always ask, "Would you like something hot?"

which is along the lines of scrambled egg or poached egg

or a couple of strips of bacon, but not a full English breakfast.

People don't want it in the heat anyway.

If I were you, I would keep it simple because I find this works.

Now that Gary has got a taste of the routines, we are sitting down

with Chris who has got further tips on managing a guesthouse in Almeria.

You've only just had a brief taste of running a B&B,

but what do you think of this picture that Chris is painting?

Doing this day in, day out.

-Is that you?

-I'm really excited.

For the first time in some years, I'm really excited about it.

Obviously, we wanted to hear the positives, but let's talk about the reality,

the daily in and out of running a B&B.

It's just hard work, there's a lot to do

and unless you've got a lot of staff... There's the cleaning,

the bed-making, the breakfast, the clearing up.

There is a lot of hard work.

Would you advise, Chris, that Gary comes with basic Spanish before he even gets here?

There are a lot of English-speaking people here.

But, um, I would probably advise him to do something like an online course or a course with CDs.

Or once you've got an NIE number,

you are entitled to Spanish lessons in the town where you live.

Let's get some pros. The good stuff about living here.

The biggest pro for me is that doing bed and breakfast allows me

to live in a very nice house.

And if I didn't do it, I wouldn't be able to live here.

The second one is meeting lots of nice people

and I still keep in touch with quite a few of them.

I've had several return guests this year.

Living in a lovely climate. I mean, the weather is a big thing.

And what are the cons?

Being on call probably. You are...

I think people expect you to be around.

If they are staying here, they expect you to be here.

And how quickly did you get your business up and running?

It was fairly quick, actually.

Once I got a website and a local listing on a local website,

I think I got my first guests within about three months.

Is there anything you miss about Britain?

My English friends. I miss my daughter and my grandson.

But I go back to England two or three times a year

and I see them and they come out and stay here.

-What would Gary miss, Katie?

-He would miss his friends.

But, you know, it's a chance for them to come on holiday once or twice a year...

Although I think I'm quite shy, I am really a people person

and I like having people around me.

Well, I do. I love meeting people.

And you've got to like people or you just couldn't do this job.

-I'm up for giving it a go.

-Brilliant!

And your orange juice, if that's anything to go by, good job.

Well squeezed!

So it seems Gary is still set on making his Almeria home a rentable retreat.

But before he commits to any property purchase,

there are a few practical considerations to bear in mind.

Unlike the UK, in Spain, a small deposit is paid to take

the property off the market while the contracts are drawn up.

If you pull out before completion, you forfeit the deposit.

If you are buying off plan or a new-build, you must make sure

the licence of first occupation has been granted before completing the purchase.

This gives the building its legal status and is only granted

once the developer has fulfilled their obligations.

Finally, it's important to employ a good solicitor.

There are many legal firms in the UK who specialise in Spanish law

and conveyancing and they can act as an intermediary

between you and a local solicitor.

As we approach the end of our first day together in Almeria,

I am leaving Gary and his daughter Katie to experience

a classic Spanish evening at a tapas bar,

giving Gary the chance to brush up on his language skills.

-Go on, then. Order something in Spanish.

-Te quieres...?

-What would you like?

-Ah.

Uh...

-Tortilla? Tapas?

-Prawns?

-Si.

OK, yep.

THEY SPEAK SPANISH

-To drink?

-Vino...

-Vino blanco.

-No, no. Vino tinto.

-Vino tinto.

-Vino tinto? Vino tinto.

-Red wine, yes?

Now that Gary has successfully placed his order, Katie has a chance

to find out how her dad is going to adapt to his new life in Spain.

So how long do you think it will be before you are fluent in Spanish

and you are ordering tapas every day?

-I would think, to be honest, five years or so.

-Five years?

But maybe within a year I will learn the local dialect a little bit

and understand a little bit more about the various dishes that are on offer.

-Yeah.

-But places like this are so good to learn.

-Yeah.

You know, proper Spain.

You ask something, they don't understand,

you think through the process, there must be another word to find for it.

Probably one of the things I really have to learn is the manana culture.

Manana, manana, manana. It will get done.

You think it might be tomorrow, it might be the next day. What's the problem?

I'll go and lay in the sun, have a glass of wine, some tapas.

I can see you here being very, very happy.

-Certainly not hungry!

-No!

It's our second day in Almeria, Spain, where Katie has been helping

her father, Gary, to realise his and his late partner's dream of setting up a B&B.

But today, it looks like he may be house-hunting on his own.

The first bit of news to report is that, unfortunately,

Katie is not feeling very well,

which means today Gary is viewing solo.

Now, the first property got a solid nine out of ten,

but that's because he knew the area, he knew the lay of the land.

Today, I'm going to push him out of his comfort zone.

Our next stop takes us to Mojacar,

which is a 20-minute drive south of Vera Playa.

The town, or pueblo, of Mojacar envelops a lofty cliff

and has a Moorish appearance with whitewashed houses spreading up the hill.

Like the rest of Andalucia,

the village embraces the Carnival season

and holds a variety of celebrations each year,

including a day that commemorates the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary,

which involves a traditional ribbon race on horseback for married villagers.

Mojacar's adjoining sandy beach is two kilometres away

and is home to a number of bars and restaurants offering fresh seafood.

And just 200m from the beach is our next property.

Before I do anything, I want to ask you how Katie is getting on.

I spoke to her two or three minutes ago.

I think rest, more rest and more rest, she'll be fine.

So that means it's just the two of us today.

So I'm going to be the one who has to rein you in!

But, you know what, I'm not going to.

-I'm going to let you do whatever you want. You've got free rein from me.

-It's looking good to me.

-Do you want to know what the next house is?

-Yes, please.

-It's that one there right in front of you.

-This one here?

-Yes.

-Looks nice.

-It's built in a very old-fashioned Spanish way,

but it is only 30 years old.

And it's a house of many secrets, Gary.

-Oh.

-Come on, let's go and explore it.

This Moorish-style villa was given a makeover six years ago

and this time the British owners are still living here,

so Gary won't need to visualise how he might furnish it.

-Into the living room.

-I like this.

-What do you like about it?

-Space.

-Yes, it's nice.

-It's a good size.

-The kitchen is through there?

That's it, you've got a galley kitchen, through lounge.

Through there, they are using it as a dining room, but it's a lovely sunroom.

-So this whole space.

-This is a large space.

-It's great, isn't it?

-This is a nice space.

-Could you see yourself living in it?

-I don't know yet.

What is the negative I'm sensing?

The feeling I'm getting at the moment is it's a property that occupies

a tiny piece of land and there is nothing around it.

Well, you know, there is so much more of this property to show you.

Come on. This way.

Without Katie here, Gary seems less enthused,

but as we head up to the rooftop terrace, I'm confident

that he will be more impressed with what this property has to offer.

So, my lovely Gary, look over there.

-Mojacar Playa.

-It's lovely.

-And then the hills right behind you.

-Not bad, eh?

-Not at all.

-It gets better.

It certainly is getting better for me. It certainly is, yes.

And I can make it even better.

You were wondering what the garden space was with this, well, come with me.

Look down there.

That, my dear, including that swimming pool, belongs to this property.

-Really?

-Really.

-Wow!

-So what do you think now?

I am becoming more impressed.

Far more impressed than I was when I first walked in.

But I'm still sensing some doubt.

I can't put my finger on it. I'm not sure yet whether this fits the bill.

-I need to see more.

-Let's see if this can't convince you.

We are going to go down, down, down into the depths now. Come on.

As this house has an upside-down layout,

we're going to the ground floor, where there's a good-sized family

shower room, two double bedrooms, plus an impressive master bedroom.

-Wow! This isn't what I expected at all.

-I know.

-This is lovely.

-It's massive, isn't it?

-Yes.

-What about the size of this room?

-It is a bit cramped!

-I know!

-So, as we know, you want to do B&B...

-Mm-hm.

..and what you could do, because this is the nicest room

and it's got its own bathroom and access to the garden, is turn

this into your B&B room and it would be a really nice B&B room.

It would mean you'd have to give up the brilliant bedroom

but if you are serious about running a business, those are the things

you just have to give up.

So I'm planting the seeds.

-Is it changing your opinion about this property?

-Very much so.

I think what I was saying a few minutes ago is nothing compared to how I'm feeling now.

-I want to see more of it.

-Come on, then. Let's show you the outside.

This property has the means to accommodate a B&B business

as the master bedroom has its own back door that leads

directly out to the landscaped garden,

which is where we are tying up the tour.

And, Gary, the all-important swimming pool.

-It's the house that keeps on giving, isn't it?

-It certainly is. It certainly is.

I think it's got probably a huge amount more potential than I initially thought. It's super.

This has really surprised me today. It really has.

-And what a place to come on holiday.

-I need to explore more.

I need to feel my way around it,

but I really do think it's got some good potential.

I'm going to send you off to do that in just a moment,

but before you go anywhere, you need to guess the price.

-So how much do you think it's on the market for?

-250.

£250,000. That is well over your budget of 185,000.

It's actually on the market for...

-..£170,000.

-What?!

That changes everything, it really does. Now, what do I do?

-That is no bad thing.

-No, not at all.

-It's great to have options.

-I need to explore. I really need to explore.

-Don't let me hold you back.

Go on. Off you go.

At £15,000 under budget, this villa offers a spacious lounge

with a galley kitchen, a rooftop terrace with views of the sea

and the hills, three bedrooms, including a large master bedroom

with its own en suite that could be rented out as a B&B room,

all within striking distance of the beach.

My first impressions when I got here this morning was,

"Oh, I'm not so sure. It looks very small.

"I'm not entirely sure about the location yet."

The house became a little bit more quirky as I looked around

and more and more interesting.

A good-sized kitchen and then the great surprise of the garden

with the pool at the bottom of it.

So far, I've looked at houses

and today I've looked at a home

and that's a little bit worrying

because I'm not too sure where I sit with that at the moment.

Hello. How much do you like it now?

-A lot.

-Yeah?

-I do like it a lot.

Still a bit concerned about the location, but it feels very homely.

There's a lot to think about. A lot to think about.

-The house has got some superb features.

-It really has.

-Yes.

Come on. This way, Gary.

The next destination for our house hunt is Antas,

which is just over a 30-minute drive inland

from Gary's chosen area of Vera.

It's positioned at the south-eastern end of the Filabres Mountains,

so there are splendid views of the undulating slopes.

The town has a great selection of tapas bars and restaurants

off the main square, which offer an authentic sense of Spanish life.

Other amenities include a bank, a barber's and a general store.

And our next property is situated on the outskirts of this small town.

This, Gary, is an old mill...

-..a converted flour mill that's 200 years old.

-I'm intrigued.

-Is that a positive intrigued?

-That's a very neutral intrigued.

-Do you like the look of it?

-I think so, yes.

So, when Katie said you were picky,

-we're now experiencing the pickiness.

-She's absolutely right.

I need to see the whole package before I can make up my mind.

But I...

-I'm warming to it.

-All right.

Well, let's take you inside and see how your opinion changes.

Well, Gary's not giving anything away just yet.

This 200-year-old mill was left derelict for 50 years

until the current owners spent ten years restoring it.

With four bedrooms, it's arranged over three floors,

with the main living area found on the ground floor.

Wow! SHE LAUGHS

Wow is a good reaction.

Part of me is thinking, "My goodness, what a fantastic room."

And another bit's saying, "How much work would it cost to maintain it,

"do any necessary repairs?" But first of all, it's fantastic.

-It's great, isn't it?

-First and foremost.

It's a really sympathetic kitchen conversion of the original mill.

-It's beautifully done.

-The floor is the original floor.

You've got the beams which they've kept, and over there

there's a chute which is where

-the corn would have come down.

-Oh, of course.

Great, huh? Nice little touch.

Also down here, you've got a fantastic double bedroom over here,

a small toilet and another bedroom around the corner.

So, you've got two bedrooms down here.

You like a party, you've got a big social network of friends.

-It's a good place for one.

-It is, isn't it?

It's certainly a good place for one, yes. This is making me think.

This is making me think positively. Positively.

You didn't have anything like this in mind before, did you?

A place that Steve and I looked at a few years ago

-was similar to this.

-Mm-hm.

-That's good. Shall we go on up?

-Let's do it.

-Come on.

'I think memories of house-hunting with Steven are turning this tour

'into an emotional experience for Gary.

'On the first floor, there's a family bathroom and a third bedroom

'and on the second floor is the largest bedroom

'which we've saved for him.'

Come on right in.

-Mmm.

-Mmm!

Nicely done. It looks as if it's been nicely done.

-Do you like it?

-This is a lovely room. Absolutely lovely room.

It's got a huge bathroom suite attached to it.

-This could be your domain. Surprising?

-Yes.

-Is this house growing on you?

-It is, I think. I think it is, yes.

So, this is the master room,

but there's so much more I want to show you.

-Looking forward to it.

-Come on. This way.

On the other side of this floor is a comfortable living room

with exposed beams.

Despite Antas being only 20 kilometres away from Vera Playa,

Gary hadn't considered it before, so I'm taking him out to the balcony

to give him a sense of the location.

-Now, I just love this little area, Gary.

-It's cute, isn't it?

-It feels like a retreat here, doesn't it?

-Yes.

Especially because they've got the day bed out. And over there is...

-Pueblo.

-Very good. Get a lay of the land.

-And you can look into the hills.

-Good. Yes. I do like it.

-This isn't even the best bit.

-There's more?

-There is more.

I really want to show you. Come on.

'Underneath the balcony is a workshop that, with

'the right planning permission,

'could be turned into even more living space,

'giving Gary the sort of project that he's not afraid to take on.'

-Come through.

-My goodness.

-I know.

-My goodness.

This also comes with the property. It's very obvious what it's being

used for at the minute, but I know you're really good at visualising

and thinking of potential, so I was dying to show you this bit

because those windows are spectacular and this room...

I mean, where do you even begin?

-You could do whatever you wanted, really.

-Absolutely.

What to use the room for? What things would need doing to it?

But it's a massive space. There are so many possibilities for this room.

-Yeah.

-Could easily turn it into an apartment.

-We haven't finished yet.

-There's something else I want to show you.

-Go on, then.

There's no shortage of outside space with this property,

which sits on a plot of almost one and a half acres.

On one side, there's a large patch of flat land that used to be

an orange grove, which could be revived by garden enthusiast Gary.

But I'm taking him to the more manicured part,

where there's a pool, a large gazebo and a sunbathing area.

-Well, I never!

-Well, I never indeed.

Now, THIS is an oasis.

This is lovely. This is really nice.

So, let's talk money.

What price do you put on this?

Now you've got me.

I really don't know.

I'll pick a figure, a mad figure. 200.

-200,000?

-Yep.

-OK.

-It's more. So, it is over your budget.

-Doesn't surprise me.

-Yeah.

-It's actually on the market for 225,000.

-Really?

However, the owners are aware of your budget

and they're prepared to negotiate.

It's a beautiful property, really lovely.

But what do you think of the price as it stands?

I think it's a damn good price.

Now, it's over your budget and it's a whole lot of house,

but I want you to go in there and explore.

-OK. See you later.

-See you.

It's massive.

And I think he loves it

and I think it's making him feel very sad

about the loss of his partner

because maybe the two of them could have turned this into something.

Although this rustic farmhouse is over budget at £225,000,

the owners are open to offers.

The package includes a large kitchen, living room

and up to five bedrooms.

And with a workshop that could be converted into even more

bedroom accommodation, it has the potential to become

a substantial B&B.

It also has a generous garden with an elevated pool.

I think the most important thing to me seeing this property today

is quite simply that if Steven was still alive

and we'd seen this four years ago, we'd be living here now.

As it's just me now, is it too big? That's probably the question to ask.

Is this property going to be too much for me?

But before we leave, I want to catch up with Gary to get

to the bottom of how this property is making him feel.

There's a lot to think about. It's a lovely house.

-So, Steven would have liked this?

-Very, very much. Yes.

-So, if he was here, he'd have said, what?

-"Let's go for it."

So, that's basically what I'm sensing, isn't it?

That if he was here, you would have snapped...

-This would have been it.

-Absolutely. Absolutely.

I know it's really difficult for you. I can sense it.

-But you're here for the two of you.

-Yeah.

-And we'll help you.

-Thank you.

-All right? I think this was always going to be tough.

-Yeah.

I think you're very brave to be doing this.

-But my new life has to start.

-It has to.

It's been quite emotional, this house, hasn't it?

-Yes, it certainly has.

-Shall we go and clear our heads?

-Yeah, probably a good idea.

-Come on, then.

It's our last day in Almeria in southern Spain

and we're with Gary from Hertfordshire

who, with the help of his daughter Katie,

is looking for a home that can also accommodate B&B guests.

Yesterday, Katie was unwell, so Gary had to go it alone.

And now Katie is feeling better, I'm catching up with her

to get a sense of what this move really means for her father.

So, Katie, your dad has had a really tough three years, hasn't he?

-Yeah.

-Just how bad has it been?

It's been very hard to watch.

-He is a lot better now.

-So how important is this move for him?

I think it's the most important thing for him to...

Not to, sort of, move on,

but to start a new chapter in his life, I think.

What would you like to see for your dad?

For me, I just want him to be happy and back to his old self...

I mean, he's a very relaxed

and very, sort of, friendly guy,

but he has changed.

I just want him to, sort of...

not worry so much any more and just, sort of, be happy.

'With so much riding on the relocation,

'I really hope we find Gary the Almerian property

'that will help him turn his life around.

'Perhaps the mystery house can do exactly that.'

The last location for our property search is nearly a half-hour drive

from Gary's beloved Vera Playa.

We're travelling north to Los Lobos, which translates as "The Wolves".

'It's believed it was founded in 1840

'to accommodate the mining community who worked nearby.

'Today, the quiet mountain village has a main square,

'two bars and a ceramics store,

'and lying on its outskirts is our mystery house -

'a sizeable six-bedroom property

'which sits on a plot of two-and-a-half acres.

'But, with Gary concerned about the scale of our last property,

'I'm interested to see if he'll have the same objections this time.'

Katie, it's nice to have you with us today,

in time for the mystery property, which is...THAT.

-Ooh!

-Goodness me.

-That IS different.

-Ooh.

-It's a lot bigger.

-Yeah.

So this is the mystery because it's a renovation project, OK?

But I know the two of you are brilliant at visualising

and seeing the potential.

And, because it's a retreat and a B&B that you want to do,

I think this is the perfect mystery for you.

I can't wait to get inside and look at it. I really can't.

Come on, then, let's go.

'This replica Moorish castle was built from scratch

'by a French couple in the early 1980s

'and the decor still reflects the style of that era,

'so I'm hoping Gary can see the potential as we make our way

'into the open-plan kitchen and living area.'

You've got this big, old space, through kitchen/lounge-diner.

And then through that door you've got a double bedroom,

-a bathroom, a little office room...

-Oh, right.

-..and a really interesting atrium space.

-Lovely. Love it.

-Absolutely love it.

-Yeah.

What do you love about it?

All of it. All of it so far. I must be mad but I think it's brilliant.

What a place for people to be welcomed into.

Yeah, I can definitely see you living here.

Obviously, it needs a bit of work,

but, you know, that's kind of the fun bit really, isn't it,

-the preparation work?

-Absolutely.

It's the fact that it's open plan that I like.

If you're looking at it in terms of a B&B, it's very inviting.

-Check out the staircase. It's marble.

-Yes, absolutely.

-Wow.

-That would cost a bomb...

-Yeah.

..and it's already here, so it's little things like that.

Look beyond the wallpaper, OK, if that's even possible.

-I think I can do that.

-Come on, let's go.

I'm delighted that Gary doesn't seem fazed by the size

or the amount of work he might need to take on.

Up the marble stairs is a family bathroom

and three more double bedrooms.

But we're going straight to the roof so I can reveal

the show-stopping vista from the top of this quirky property.

-My goodness!

-Yeah.

-Wow.

-Right to the top of the house.

-My goodness.

-The top turret.

You can really imagine yourself being king of your castle.

Take it all in. The view is...

It's amazing. The view is amazing.

It's incredible.

You can really get a sense of how big this plot of land is, as well.

-Wow.

-Yes.

-Could you see yourself living here, Katie?

Yeah, I mean, it does need a lot of work.

-It would be such an amazing project to take on.

-It's mad, isn't it?

It is quite a silly place in some respects,

-but it's incredible in others.

-It's brilliant.

I want to show you this bit over here as well.

There is the rooftop of your underground garage.

You can get planning permission and build on there

and get another big bedroom or another two bedrooms easily

if you really wanted to extend this whole B&B thing.

-There's so many options here.

-Yeah.

-It's super.

-It is. It really is.

Now my mind is really messed up!

-Good.

-But that's a good thing.

-Yeah, good.

'At the back of the landscaped garden,

'there are outbuildings with another two bedrooms, a bathroom

'and kitchen, which could be rented out as a self-contained apartment.

'There's also a south-facing pool and outdoor bar and barbecue area.'

-What do you think about this little patch?

-This is fabulous.

-Absolutely fabulous.

-It is amazing.

-It's cool, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's a lot of...character?

-KATIE LAUGHS

-Obviously, it hasn't been used for a long time,

-but can you see how you could make this work?

-Oh, yes.

-Oh, yes.

-It's a whole lot of property.

I know when we looked at the mill property,

you were slightly concerned about the size.

What about this, cos this is even bigger?

I don't know how to explain it but there's just

something about this that perfectly fits some of the thoughts I've had.

It's got so many of the features that you put in that book.

-And they're here already.

-Mm.

Cos that inspiration book is sort of your ideal dream rental B&B?

Absolutely, yes.

When I compiled that, I went to the most extreme things I would ever

really, really like, thinking I could never do it, and then work back.

Within that, this has done most of it already.

So all we need to know now is how much they're asking for it.

I haven't a clue. I really haven't a clue.

Well, in that case, I'll ask Katie first. Give you a chance to think.

I am going to say it's going to be well over budget.

Um, 230,000.

I would have thought possibly even higher. 250?

This Moorish folly,

with its grounds and its gardens and its outhouse and pool

and everything, is on the market for

£180,000.

-What?!

-What?!

-You're joking?!

-Goodness.

-Get it now!

-Oh, my goodness.

-That is incredible.

That really is incredible.

I can see that I've just thrown a spanner into the works.

-You certainly have.

-Massively.

-A good one, though.

-Oh, absolutely.

-I want the two of you to disappear, do your thing.

Wander around the grounds, look inside the house.

Imagine yourselves being here and what you'd do with it. Off you go.

This Moorish-style property appears to have captured Gary's imagination.

On the market for £180,000, £5,000 under budget,

it could provide a sizeable B&B, as it has four bedrooms

in the main house and an additional two bedrooms in separate outhouses.

There's also a large open-plan living and kitchen area,

split-level roof terraces

and a swimming pool.

You wanted it to be a retreat.

This has the makings of, you know, of being that.

I believe you're right. Superb.

This house could not be better suited to my original needs.

There is work to be done but I think it could make a fantastic home

and I think it could make a very, very good guesthouse and retreat.

At first,

I was a little bit concerned about the size of the project because

obviously, before it was going to be him and Steve and now it's just him.

But I think it could also be something that would be

potentially really good for him.

If I was asked to score this house out of ten,

when the work's done, definitely 11.

At the moment, seven to eight, maybe even nine, but it is fantastic.

I don't think they're going to want to leave. Katie, Gary...

You don't own it yet!

Plus, you wouldn't really want to stay in it just yet.

-No, I think you're right on that score.

-Shall we go?

-Yep, if we must.

We must. For now!

In 711 AD, North African nomads, the Moors, began their occupation of

Spain and eventually created their own medieval state of Al-Andalus.

Like the Romans before them,

one of the most strategically important regions to the Moors

was Andalucia, as it encompassed Spain's southern

Mediterranean coastline, with access to North Africa.

In 955 AD, the Al-Andalus ruler, Abd al-Rahman III,

founded the Andalucian city of Almeria and built the Alcazaba,

which was the second largest Moorish fortress in Spain.

Today, this majestic building still looms over the city

and I'm meeting our tour guide, Carlos Ruiz,

to dig into its fascinating past.

Carlos, tell me about where we are right now.

We are in the Alcazaba monumental complex.

It's one of the most important fortresses in Spain and Europe.

It doesn't feel like we're in Western Europe up here.

-It feels like we're in North Africa.

-Yeah, it's like North Africa, yeah.

-So who built this?

-The Muslim people.

Why did they feel the need to build this big fortification here?

-This is some serious protection.

-Yeah, to protect the city.

But what was the importance of Almeria?

I see we're located right by the port and it's still a port today.

An intensive trade with silk, marble,

it was an important place for economical relations.

-And that's why they built this huge fortification around the city?

-Yeah.

What would it have been like around here? Hustle and bustle.

People everywhere. Would people live within the walls?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kings lived in the big palace.

-The poorer people would be down here...

-Yeah, yeah.

..and the kings and all their luxury...

Probably they work it for their kings.

'For over 700 years, Almeria was a prosperous community,

'until the 15th century, when a major earthquake wrecked the city.

'This was followed by the Christians defeating the Moors

'and reconquering one of the last strongholds of the Moorish kingdom.'

So we're now in the Christian part of this fortress?

Yeah, in the Christian castle.

The Christian castle. It feels different.

-Yeah, it's very different.

-So when did the Christians come?

In 1489, the 15th century, and they built this castle, this fortress.

And did they bolt this onto the end of the Moorish architecture

like an extension?

Yeah, they built the castle on the old Islamic ruins.

-So it's built on top?

-Yeah, on top, yeah.

'The combination of Christian, Moorish and even Roman rule

'has left its mark on Almeria's architecture and culture.

'I'm meeting resident Paloma Perez-Pado, who's showing me

'an example of a favourite Roman

'and Moorish pastime that still exists to this day -

'The Banos de Sierra Alhamilla.'

Oh, wow!

These are two of the four

original Roman pools.

-Paloma, this is gorgeous.

-It's amazing.

-So these are Roman?

-Absolutely.

The marble is from Almeria. It's a very well-known marble mine.

There you can see the hot spring

and it pours 600 litres per minute

at 136 Fahrenheit degrees.

-So the bath is Roman?

-Yes.

-Gosh, amazing.

-And the surrounds are Arabian, from the Arabian period.

-Right.

In Spain, during the years 711 till 1492,

the Moorish culture was here

and they established their hammam, which means bath in Arabian.

They also introduced the steaming room for breathing problems.

So why was the hammam, the bath, so important in Moorish culture?

Because all the social life was here

and also it was a place where the women, completely separated

from the men, the mothers chose the husbands for their daughters.

So women would be in here spotting young girls as potential

-partners for their sons?

-Yes, always arranged marriages, always.

'Hammams not only became a social and political place to network,

'there was a spiritual element too.

'They were thought to cleanse the soul, and having got a sense of

'their history, there's only one way for me to appreciate why

'these baths were such an important feature in Moorish culture.'

I love a spa. Who doesn't?

But THIS is the ultimate. A Roman bath in Moorish surroundings.

I'm completely chilled.

Relaxation over, it's time to find out whether Gary is ready to

take the plunge and invest in a property in Almeria.

Right, well, you've seen a selection of properties.

They've all been quite different, haven't they?

They have been very different.

It's been a fantastic experience, it really has.

And you've been so positive.

I have no idea what the outcome of all of this is.

So which is your favourite?

It's been a tough call but I think if I'm refining it down to the final

two to choose from, then it's going to be either the one in Vera Playa -

practical, needs some work, but doable.

But quite compact.

And then the castle.

I've already said and you've seen my reaction to that.

It's fabulous.

It is brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

It's going to be a really tough call

which one of the two to choose because they are so different.

-It's going to come down to how much of a project can I take on.

-Exactly.

It will come down to that, whether you feel that you're able to.

-The castle is a no-brainer. Got to go for it.

-Really?

-Really?

-But...

-Ah, come on, Gary!

We were all like...

Put my sensible head on, the voice of reason comes into play.

If I go for the castle, I'm going to have to call in so many favours.

-You've got a daughter sitting right next to you.

-Yeah.

-Will you be up for helping Dad with the castle?

-Oh, definitely.

If you do go for that, I think we'll have quite a few helpers.

What do you think, Katie?

My head's saying Vera but my heart is saying the castle.

But...

..I don't really like taking the easy option,

so I'm going to suggest the castle.

Like father, like daughter, eh?

Yes, and you were here to rein me in, but somehow you've taken the lead.

Katie, how important is it for your dad to start his new life,

-as he says?

-I think it's probably the most important thing for him.

It's been three years.

It's been hard but I think now is the best time for him

to have something to focus on

and maybe bring a bit more of his happiness back to him.

Well, close your eyes.

Imagine you're in a house in Spain.

Where are you?

I'm in the castle.

-I think it's a done deal, really.

-I think it probably is.

I am so excited for you. I've got goose bumps just thinking about it.

-So have I!

-New lease of life.

If I can do it, it will be perfect.

I'm just really happy that, you know, you've found the place.

-It's good, it's good!

-Don't cry. It's happy time.

Yeah, but we understand, but, yeah, it is wonderful.

-Good luck, Gary. Good luck.

-Thank you.

It's been a really tough and emotional week for Gary

and that's because moving to Spain isn't about property for him.

It's about starting a new lease of life.

Here he's surrounded by happy memories and if he moves

into that castle, it will be the beginning of a new, happier chapter.

Join us next time for another Escape To The Continent.

Gary is planning another trip to Almeria.

Both the castle and the house in Vera Playa are still contenders.

We wish him well.