A Place You Don’t End Up in by Accident

A village of fewer than 10 residents, 1200 meters above sea level, and 12 km from the nearest shop

In a place this small, every car catches your attention. We’re 3.5 kilometers up a winding mountain road that dead-ends here, meaning this isn’t a place you can just pass through. If you’re here, you’ve come intentionally.

Most days, the only engine we hear is the mail carrier’s, thanks to one of our neighbors who still gets his newspaper delivered daily. Since the pandemic, more people do seem to find their way here. When they arrive, they often stop for a moment, talk, and ask about the place and about the few of us who live here. Those short conversations are often welcome interruptions in the day.

Everyday Life, With a Different Backdrop

For us, daily life follows the familiar rhythm of work, kids, and the never-ending cycle of laundry and dishes. What’s different is the backdrop.

An evening golden hour, a rainbow after a storm, a roe deer crossing the path, a brisk walk to an abandoned village. Nothing about life here is unusual, but the setting quietly shapes how each day feels.

Silence, and How You Notice It

Silence is constant, which means sound stands out. The closing of a car door can be enough to wake me up in the morning. At night, the sheep coughing outside blends with the hum of my electric toothbrush as I get ready for bed.

Quiet, and Then the Occasional Contrast

People often assume that living here would feel lonely. In reality, the quietest time of year, when the second-home owners close up their houses for the season, is our favorite.

The contrast between the summer months and the rest of the year can be surprising. One month there are seven people here, and then August arrives and there are 100 to 200 people gathered in the square, eating paella together. The town goes all out for our local fiestas. You can’t even buy a loaf of bread or a coffee here, but each year we bring in a DJ or live band, and people of all ages dance into the wee hours (think 4 am). As soon as the fiestas end, the houses start closing up, and by early September it’s just us and the sheep again.

Space to Disconnect, Without Being Cut Off

For visitors, this is a place to step away from the usual noise and pace of daily life. You can walk out the front door and straight into the mountains, with a better chance of running into a roe deer than another person, unless it’s mushroom season.

The village feels remote, but it isn’t isolating. If you drive up or take a walk through town, one of the few of us who live here has probably noticed. In a place this small and this quiet, it’s hard to be inconspicuous.

Staying Here

Some guests come simply to enjoy the quiet and the mountains. Others appreciate knowing that we’re here, to suggest walks and places to explore, share insight into life in the area, or just have a friendly conversation.

If this kind of place off the beaten path speaks to you, you can find more information about our vacation rental here.