CLOTHES FREE TRAVEL
A-Z TRAVEL — Naturist Edition: F is for Finca Johanna, Iznate, Spain
A small castle perched on the hills overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar
This little palace sits at the crest of a steep mountain that separates the sleepy village of Iznate from the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea near the Strait of Gibraltar.
TEXTILE TIP: Finca Johanna most definitely caters to people who desire a clothes-free vacation, though in reality, most people were dressed most of the time around the property, except — around the pool. But if you simply wish to capture the experience without the nudity part, there are loads of little hill towns overlooking the sea in this region, away from the craziness of the seaside urbanizations that have come to characterize the Costa del Sol. Go a bit inland and you’ll find yourself in the Spanish countryside you read about in the guidebooks of yore.
It’s been a couple of years ago now, so I’m not sure I remember exactly how the story goes, except that some dude built a big castle on the top of a hill, couldn’t/wouldn’t deal with the upkeep, and decided to sell it for a song.
French naturists Johanna and Laurent were already running a naturist inn in southern Spain, but this looked like the perfect opportunity for an upgrade.
Perfection, it is!
And it’s called Finca Johanna.
Their little palace sits at the crest of a steep mountain that separates the sleepy village of Iznate from the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea near the Strait of Gibraltar. There’s nothing, in particular, to see there that doesn’t require a drive of an hour or so, which for us, is part of the charm.
Iznate itself had a couple of small bistros that served up fresh fish at a very reasonable price, with the ongoing entertainment of watching children play in the street while the old men sat on the bench across the street, watching the world go by.
Charming.
We also made the trek one day to Comares, another hill town that you can just barely see from Johanna’s veranda. But it takes nearly an hour to get there by car.
Well worth the drive as lunch at the terrace restaurant was breathtaking, despite having to muse over a cup of coffee to chase off the effects of that bottle of wine.
Driving in these parts is serious business.
The finca itself is stunningly quaint, with several themed rooms, some with a view of the sea. Breakfast each morning was a small feast, and they run a small bar near the pool with salads and snacks that are just enough to make a meal if your main activities during the day have been snoozing and reading by the pool.
We did manage to get out and explore a bit during our stay. Málaga is just under an hour away; Granada is about 90 minutes. We didn’t bother with either on this trip.
We did, however, find a couple of beaches that welcomed people without swimsuits, replete with loungers and umbrellas, and a couple of beach-side tavernas (not clothing-optional) that served up hearty meals at hearty prices. Beaches in the region tend to be a bit stony for tender-foot people like ourselves, but they still sufficed for the collection of Vitamin D.
As Johanna and Laurent are French, they tend to attract a lot of French clients, as was the case with the only other couple present during our visit. The hosts have enough English to meet all the needs for your stay and cook your eggs to perfection, but as I am in French, they’re a bit less than conversant in English. (Or perhaps they were simply happy to avoid talking US politics! 😜)
The French woman from the other couple was completely fluent in English and kept the conviviality flowing for the duration of our stay. We’ve kept in touch with them in comparing our travelogues since our stay.
The point is — if you’re seeking a quiet respite from the storm, this place is a guaranteed hit! If, however, you need to be entertained by engaging with the other guests, well… how many languages do you speak?
It all depends on timing, of course.
One last bit of advice about staying in a holiday hill town.
THERE ARE HILLS!
Seems we must have descended 1000 meters into the village of Iznate when we headed down to find a meal, but that bottle of wine was no less daunting when it was time to walk back up that hill where that comfy bed beckoned our road weary souls.
For that matter, even driving up the hill and angling the car into their private lot was a bit of a challenge in my little six speed Citroen — despite the fact that I drive a stick-shift at home. That sense of one missed gear and you’ll be coasting backwards into the Mediterranean Sea was yet another reason you wanted to be fully alert when parking the car at the end of the day
Not into naturism?
No problem — Google the region and you’ll likely find dozens of little inns and Airbnbs, though I doubt few of them have the ambience and mystique of this nouveau castle on the hill.
Willing to get naked for the cause?
Then put this place on your list! Once I write my list of Places for Newbie Naturists in Europe, this will go right near the top.
Such a calm atmosphere. Such lovely and welcoming hosts. And such incredible views while sipping Prosecco at sunset from the top of the world.
Who wouldn’t want that?
You may wish to follow a few other writers who have taken on the A-Z Travel Challenge, starting with Sam Millichap, then followed by Anne Bonfert, Adrienne Beaumont, Jerry Dwyer, Nishan Fuard, Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages, Robert G. Longpré, Darren Weir, Ronald Smit, and Michael Rhodes. What a great way to see the world with leaving your comfy armchair!
Or read my whole series, thus far…
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