Sotogrande | |
|---|---|
 Sotogrande aerial view, July 2011 | |
  Sotogrande Location in the Province of Cádiz Show map of Province of Cádiz Sotogrande Sotogrande (Andalusia) Show map of Andalusia Sotogrande Sotogrande (Spain) Show map of Spain | |
| Coordinates:36°16′42″N5°17′24″W / 36.27833°N 5.29000°W /36.27833; -5.29000 | |
| Country |  Spain |
| Autonomous community |  Andalusia |
| Province | Cádiz |
| Comarca | Campo de Gibraltar |
| Municipality | San Roque |
| Established | 1964 |
| Population (2009) | |
• Total | 2,584 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 11310 |
| Official language(s) | Spanish |
| Website | Official website |
Sotogrande is the largest privately owned residential development inAndalusia,Spain. It is a gated community in the municipality ofSan Roque. Located 25 km northeast ofGibraltar, Sotogrande is composed of a 25-square-kilometre stretch from theMediterranean Sea back into the foothills of Sierra Almenara, providing contrasting views ofsea,hills,corkforests and greenfairways, including theRock of Gibraltar andMorocco.
To build a city similar toPalm Springs in southern Europe, Sotogrande was developed by the industrialist couple from the Philippines, Don José McMicking and DoñaMercedes Zóbel, with support from their nephewsJaime Zóbel andEnrique Zóbel.[1] The McMickings, having seen the idyllic coasts in 1962, acquired five neighboring farms with the idea of creating a luxurious residential development by theMediterranean. In May 2006, Sotogrande was featured inThe Times as having the most expensive homes in Europe.[2] There are a number of artificial lakes and five golf courses, including theValderrama Golf Club created by Jaime Ortiz-Patiño[3] and the San Roque course. The port was established in 1988.[1]
Sotogrande is well known as an architectural showcase on the Costa del Sol, with styles varying from the traditionalAndalusian to mid-century modern, to more modern and unusual designs, includingmoorish/mudéjar style homes and aSwiss chalet. In 2008, the local government declared three buildings as of cultural interest, protecting them from reform or demolition. These included the Biddle House by Francisco Javier Carvajal, the Zóbel house byJosé Antonio Coderch, and the Real Club de Golf by Luis Gutierrez Soto.[4]
A specially built man-made lagoon is part of the newest developments in Sotogrande within the La Reserva gated residential community in the hills of Sotogrande.
Sotogrande has varied sporting facilities. It has fivegolf courses, includingValderrama Golf Club, which was host to theEuropean Tour'sVolvo Masters and theRyder Cup in 1997 as well as of theLIV Golf tour in 2023 and in 2024. It also has three tennis andpadel clubs, a rugby club, a diving club and two beach clubs, akayak/sailing club, the Santa Maria Polo Club,riding stables, and amarina.
River Guadiaro andEstuary, Sotogrande, a natural area of 27 hectares and the onlymarshland on this part of thecoast, has been designated as an Andalusiannational park, wildlife andnature reserve.[citation needed] The reserve often hosts migratory birds on their route to and from Africa.
Sotogrande seems to have kept its head above the crisis.Finanzas, a Spanish finance publication, says that whilst prices in other areas of the Costa del Sol have taken a fall to the tune of −11.4% in Torremolinos, −10.99% in Fuengirola, −7.4% in Manilva, −5.5% in Casares, and −3.4% in Mijas Costa.[when?] In Sotogrande average property prices have remained the same or increased, in some cases up to 45%.[when?] This phenomenon is attributed to the financial status of the residents of the urbanization.[5]
Some of the richest families ofSpain,Russia, and theUnited Kingdom reside in Sotogrande.[6] Current and past regulars (with second homes) or permanent inhabitants includePeter Caruana, former Chief Minister of Gibraltar,Fabian Picardo, current Chief Minister of Gibraltar,[7]Tony Blair,Emilio Botín,Ana Rosa Quintana,[8]Royal Shakespeare Company actorMike Gwilym,[9]Vladimir Gusinsky,[10]Boris Berezovsky,[11] as well as PrinceLouis Alphonse, Duke of Anjou, the legitimist pretender to the throne of France.[12][13]
Recorded by Spanish secret services,Vladimir Putin illegally entered Spain at Sotogrande by private boat via plane flights from London to Gibraltar several times while he was head of Russia'sFSB during the 1990s.[citation needed]
Spanish police arrested several Russian mafia with residences at Sotogrande duringOperation Troika.[citation needed]
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