The story of Villabalea
Hi, I am Eva Oscarsson, a life admiring Swede with a great love for Spain. I actually have a longstanding relationship with the Vega Baja region and Alicante province.
When I was a young adult, I used to live and work in Ciudad Quesada, Torrevieja and Javea. VillaBalea was our home, together with my parents Agnes and Bertil, for more than 18 years. Now I want to return and share the memories VillaBalea gave me with other caring families.
VillaBalea is renewed into a place where families and friends can relax on their Spanish vacation, or become a co-working getaway to get to know each other better and learn more about Spain.
Villabalea and I today
Today, I am running a family business in Sweden, and as a business owner free time is scarce. Or rather work is always present. It is becoming more difficult to find opportunities to come to VillaBalea. I want VillaBalea to stay alive and forever be a joyful and relaxing place for, if not my family, other families.
My hometown, Mölndal, is situated on the Swedish West Coast, so I am used to live in a coastal environment. Nevertheless, it is such a bliss to come to Alicante, especially in the “low” season, when there is not a lot of tourists. I love the sunny days, the empty beaches and the blue skies. It is warm, but not too hot.
The months between October and up until the end of May are the best ones. I can walk in the sunshine, have a coffee in the garden and set up my laptop to surf the web or catch up some work.
My Villabalea winter or spring stay
In the mornings I send out my sons into the garden to pick oranges for fresh breakfast juice. Afterwards, I would go for a long walk with my oldest son in the Guardamar hills. Sometimes we would be out for hours.
I am not really a summer beach person, but during “low” seasons I prefer to walk from Guardamar to La Mata. It is a perfect half-day excursion. The youngest son and my husband would wait for me in one of the restaurant’s outdoor terraces and the day just lingers on.
Other days, I accompany my youngest son to the closest outdoor sport facility. When my Spanish friends come to visit, we would sit in the garden or around the pool and chat the day away. During sunnier days, we would hang out in the glazed terrace, which offers shade, but also keeps the warmth.
The tranquil surroundings make the nearby hiking and bike trails as well as the sourrounding hills come alive. I especially enjoy my daily walks along the Segura River until I reach the Mediterranean sea. I love to rent a bike during my stay. Renting a hybrid or a MTB cycle is a perfect way to get around.
What Villabalea means to me
I go on local micro excursions the nearby Spanish village Rojales. For a longer excursion I would take my kids to nearby Elche. Great Spanish history and heritage close by. I recently discovered with some friends the friendly a spa resorts in the Murcia mountains. There are also many nice Spanish villages and towns to visit in the mountain areas of the Alicante province. I love to check out if there is a local festivity going on.
Otherwise, I would unwind on the warm and comfy couch. The pool is a bit too cold for me, but It does not stop the kids from jumping in. Actually, in Sweden cold baths are considered good for your health.
Escaping to VillaBalea is like a breath of fresh air. It is where I can, not only do work, but also at the meanwhile enjoy time with my family and friends. The long walks in the surrounding nature clears my mind and, of course, everyday I get to discover something new about my beloved Spain.