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In our 16-page PROPERTY magazine
#488 APRIL 2026 CATALANS BY A WHISKER They beat the Basques in a close chef battle Find out why on page 58
Voting with his feet TOUCHGIC OF MA is Estepona the life of best of A day in e the very to experienc n, Spai southern Clarke writes Jon
g the glitterinofPark and a urs, Natural ranean, Estepon neighbo Mediter of both worlds.rare Javea village concrete-heavy the best trails, spoilt hiking of er, once-sleepy fishing itself fers scenicis with a maze this wide sandy some of Spain’s getting transformed most Think through firs and overcro best beache then set- has quietly wded in summe Andalucía’sAnd it’s pinsapo roll- drifting filled streets, T was a Monday s, but despite of tapas, into one of across a treasures, writes tions. r it’s still full AZE out forest green flower-for an evening when I arrived morning in August my soul. page Olive heavy charming destina in best Valenciano of secret escape at Playa Granadelhanging t losing its es on next Press staffer la with my ing sea of ins at tle . Bribed him blossom Welcome to done so withou Continu coffee. But no dad, suncream, mounta s and boot with and residen n the ruggeda air. luck. from the and a We swap- orange full of snorkeling betwee Sol’s warm t Joshua Parfitt Bermej del before the joined the four s in gear. “Perdona, playa sunrise, Of- Nestled of the Sierra or five cars a - the Costa flip-flop ing around turnboots for like said the local is closed - it is full,” be- Estepon ted garden town.glitzi- beauty above what stingrays in the sand its ping hiking mango mojitos undispu our path with policeman blocking National Geographic dowed by a piece of rope. oversha and sipping palms by lunchon ten I tried Continues neath swaying the afterno on next page time.Spend
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HE has long been hinting at the importance of getting closer to Europe. Now Keir Starmer has voted with his feet. The British Prime Minister got boots on the ground with an Easter holiday in Spain. Following in the footsteps of Tory leaders Boris Johnson and David Cameron, the Labour leader brought his family for a four-day cultural break in Valencia. The top secret trip comes as both
President Pedro Sanchez and new Hungary leader Peter Magyar both appealed for the UK to reverse Brexit and rejoin the EU. The PM - who was on holiday in Mallorca in 2022 - stayed at the four-star boutique hotel Valentia Cabillers, as the world held its breath amid soaring tensions in the Middle East. The Olive Press understands he booked two suites, each with a kitchenette, costing
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The four-star Spanish break that proves British Prime Minister is moving closer to Europe around €300 per night each. His security detail took a few other rooms. Located in the heart of Valencia near the city’s iconic 13th century cathedral, the elegant 21-room hotel counts on a breathtaking rooftop pool. Curiously, it sits on Carrer dels Cabillers - the Street of Hairdressers - which got its name in the 18th century when both Spanish men and women wore their hair long and bought wigs from shops here. It was nearby, on the bustling Placa de la Reina, that the Starmers were spotted enjoying a
By Ben Pawlowski coffee by eagle-eyed tourists, flanked by bodyguards. They reportedly spent the evenings at the hotel rooftop restaurant, the Sky Bar, while they visited at least one beach. However, the holiday was likely interrupted various times by the escalating rhetoric of US president Donald Trump who threatened to ‘obliterate the civilisation’ of Iran, while the Starmers were away. It led to him being accused of hypocrisy after he accused Boris
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Johnson of ‘appalling complacency’ for going on holiday to Spain as the US retreated from Afghanistan leading to a return of the Taliban. “You cannot coordinate an international response from the beach,” Keir told Johnson at the time. “I wouldn’t stay on holiday while Kabul was falling.” It is likely though he has become used to Trump’s frequent hollow threats and, of course, the following day the populist president called a truce with Iran. David Cameron was a regular visitor to Spain for holidays, while former leader John Major has a home in Avila and ex-Minister Michael Portillo has a home in Carmona, near Sevilla. See OPINION, page 6
THE wife of Spain’s Prime Minister has been formally charged with corruption. Begona Gomez (left) is accused of bribery, embezzlement of public funds and misappropriation after a two-year investigation into multiple aspects of her professional life. The case centres on allegations she used her position to secure a post at Madrid’s Complutense University. Judge Juan Peinado opened the investigation in 2024 to determine whether she exploited her position for private gain, which she denies. The 55-year-old used her role to land the job of marking master’s degrees in business studies.
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