At the foot of the Sierra de las Nieves mountains, surrounded by lush greenery, is the luxurious La Zagaleta estate. It entices with beautiful views, modern villas, tranquillity and discretion. It is one of the best addresses in Spain. What is the reason for this?
A unique place with a remarkable history
La Zagaleta is the perfect combination of natural beauty and the charm of excellent architecture. The estate was built in the 1990s between Benahavís and Marbella. The complex is in an exceptionally picturesque location that offers views of the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar and the African coast. It is located 20 minutes from Puerto Banus and Marbella, 40 minutes from Andalusia’s iconic inland city of Ronda and less than an hour from the centre of Malaga. La Zagaleta has been planned to take care of the comfort and optimum living conditions for the residents.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the area of almost 900 hectares where the estate is located today belonged to Adnan Khashoggi – one of the richest arms dealers in the world. Originally from Saudi Arabia, the businessman was known for his lavish lifestyle. After Khashoggi was arrested in the United States, his Spanish hunting estate was seized for unpaid taxes. In 1992, the land was auctioned off at a government auction. Thus began the history of one of the most luxurious estates in the world.
Architectural jewel of the Costa del Sol
La Zagaleta is situated in a fairytale setting – on a lake and at the same time between the sea and the mountains. The area where the estate is built is so vast that, according to urban planners, more than 4,000 houses could be built there. The group of international investors that decided to realise this ambitious architectural project – La Zagaleta Group, headed by the banker Enrique Pérez Flores – decided to demarcate only 400 plots. In this way, La Zagaleta was made an exclusive estate.
Extensive facilities are available to the owners: two golf courses, an equestrian club, a helipad or Member’s Clubhouse. This unique clubhouse is located in the centre of La Zagaleta – in the former Khashoggi hunting lodge. There is also a restaurant within the clubhouse, which has a charming terrace with views of the surrounding mountains and sea. It is here that prestigious events have been held attracting the attention of many actors, politicians and influential personalities from around the world. There are two guarded entrance gates to the La Zagaleta estate. The entire area is under constant surveillance by a security company.
An estate unlike any other and a golfer’s paradise
Interestingly, close to La Zagaleta, also at the foot of the Sierra de las Nieves range, there is a second exclusive development – El Madroñal. In this case, owners can look forward to a beautiful view of the mountains and the sea. It is worth noting that to date 230 exceptional houses have been built there, ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 square metres. The cheapest properties at this address cost several million euros.
La Zagaleta has been recognised as a ‘promising location’ according to Knight Frank. Experts have assessed that the growing popularity of remote working is having an impact on the market for expensive homes and the popularity of this type of destination among investors from around the world. One of the reasons Knight Frank included La Zagaleta on its shortlist of 40 global hotspots is the location’s response to changing trends following the global pandemic.
According to Spain’s El Pais, each of the 258 villas built in La Zagaleta is valued at between €2.5 million and almost €30 million and is owned by people representing 20 different nationalities. What is particularly interesting is that many of them use the properties as their permanent residence. La Zagaleta has recently seen a significant increase in interest from younger, affluent digital nomads aged 35-40, many from the technology or gaming industries.
The Costa del Sol is also famous for having the best golfing conditions in Europe. One of the most prestigious places to practice this sport is precisely La Zagaleta Golf Club, located on the estate. The excellent 18-hole course, which maintains championship-level standards, was built in 1991 to the design of the famous architect, Brad Benz, and was revitalised by Marc Westenborg in 2016. In 2005, a second course was opened on the site of La Zagaleta, expanding the offer for golfers.
