Where it is

Sotogrande began in 1962, when Joseph McMicking and his wife, Mercedes Zóbel, bought land on this stretch of coast in San Roque to create a residential and leisure estate. The first area to be developed was the one next to the sea, which is known today as Sotogrande Costa.

It lies between the A-7 and the beach, to the west of the river Guadiaro. Its centre is the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, the course designed by Robert Trent Jones that opened in 1964. The streets closest to the golf course and the beach, known locally as Kings and Queens (Reyes y Reinas), are the most sought-after part.

What the homes are like

Most properties are detached villas on established plots, with tall trees, hedges and a private pool. Because the area has been built over sixty years, styles vary a great deal: original houses from the first decades, many of them since renovated, next to newly built contemporary villas.

There are also a few low-rise apartment and townhouse communities with shared gardens and pools, and apartments beside the beach. When comparing villas here, the age and condition of the house and its distance from the beach and the golf course are what move the price most.

Daily life

The appeal of Sotogrande Costa is that things are close and the ground is flat. From much of the area you can walk or cycle to the beach and its beach clubs, to the golf club and to the tennis and padel courts. The polo fields of Santa María Polo Club, which hosts the international tournament every summer, are close by.

The Marina, with its restaurants and shops, is a few minutes away by car on the other side of the river, and the supermarkets and services of Pueblo Nuevo de Guadiaro are just across the A-7.

Who it suits

Sotogrande Costa suits families who want a house with a garden near the beach, and buyers who value mature surroundings and a location that has already proved itself over decades. It is quiet all year and busier in July and August.

If open views matter more to you than being near the sea, the higher ground of Sotogrande Alto will suit you better. If you would rather not maintain a garden and pool, look at the Marina.