Welcome to Casa Shyshka (szyszka in Polish, meaning pinecone), which we call our second home and which we hope will feel like your home away from home when holidaying in Andalucia. Casa Shyshka, once a part of a big farmhouse (cortijo), is over 200 years old and is situated in the very nucleus of La Muela, one of the oldest hamlets in the area – here you can really experience a true Andalusian life. The house, restored to being fully functional by the hands of the owners, boasts its original features with modern day fixtures and personal touch. We have a lot of respect for history and craftsmanship, we tried to keep as many original features as possible in the house. Its thick walls keep it cool inside in summer and make you feel warm in winter – if not warm enough, you can sit comfortably by the fire (chimney was built from scratch by Steve) with a glass of warming Rioja. Private patio at the back – for your exclusive use only – filled with plants, fruit trees and herbs offers sun beds, barbecue, wooden table with chairs, parasol, and a splash pool (also built from scratch by Steve) inviting to take a dive in a velvety, turquoise water: here you can relax and disconnect totally.

We are Łucja and Steven, a Polish-English couple that first met in London in 1990 and years later got back together to live a life in sunny Spain :). We both fell in love with Axarquia – the name has Arabic origins and means “the eastern” (land) – which is the region east of Malaga city, considered to be one of the sunniest places in Spain. Steve has been living in Andalucia more than 30 years now, he is a professional trumpet player working in Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra since it was founded in 1991 while Łucja is an art lover and owner of a little art gallery - so we can say we know about Andalucia and its art and cultural life a little bit :) We will be happy to tell you more about our beloved Axarquia, to give you information, advice, to help you discover every nook of this beautiful part of Andalucia.

If you like spending your time more actively, there is plenty to do around. From Casa Shyshka you can easily and conveniently travel to such places as Granada and Alhambra palace, Sierra Nevada ski resort, Cordoba with its amazing La Mezquita mosque, Seville, Malaga, Gibraltar. Axarquia alone is definitely worth exploring too – charming pueblos blancos, vast olive groves (the best olive oil is produced here, in Periana and Mondron), the mountains (with mighty La Maroma, the highest peak in Malaga province), the coastline with hundreds of beaches, both sand and pebble (the nearest one in Torre del Mar is 25 minutes drive away), natural parks, breath-taking caves in Nerja and in Rincon de la Victoria, hiking and cycling routes, horse riding – you name it. Numerous art and cultural events – concerts, exhibitions, festivals, flamenco shows, fiestas of all kinds can be experienced throughout a year.