About our Foreign Friends
Listed here are places we have stayed and loved, the homes of good friends, which we feel have a similar vibe to Mill End - full of quirks, creativity, books, art, statues & with fantastic eateries & beaches close by. They are all owned by writers, photographers and artists. Visit their websites to get the full picture! And let them know we sent you. xx
Italy - Vasto Marina.
It all started when we took a road trip to Italy to try and find my Dad’s grave, and ended up staying in a stunning seaside town, Vasto, on the Adriatic Coast. Our friend Luigi Monteferrante, of Villa Monteferrante, has an appartment with stunning roof top terrace in his tower (sleeping 4) & a basement apartment (sleeping 2) opening out onto the garden, which in turn leads down to the beach. We have visited Vasto 4 times since & it always delights & inspires. I have too many stunning photographs of the beaches, the marina and the old town to include here from our 4 stays but suffice it to say we have returned many times and are always stunned by the town, the location the views and all it has to offer by way of sea, sun, history, food and culture.
Luigi is running art & writing workshops as of 2025. The villa and town are both perfect for families, couples and for digital nomads too. Find Luigi on instagram
Spain - Casa del Aguila, Grima, Cuevas del Almanzora, Andalusia
Our wonderful friend Almut Adler, a professional photographer, published writer and poet, found a derelict cortijo 20 years ago but loved the location and has been building and creating her Casa Del Aguila ever since. We are lucky enough to dog, house and pool sit regularly but she has two completely contained outdoor-en-suite studio rooms - one in the courtyard patio, the other on the upper terrae. Perfect for digital nomads. Lunar Wake Park is nearby for those wanting outdoor active sports, juices, smoothies & a bbq and there are beautiful beaches within 20 minutes all along the Costa Calida. It’s rustic. It’s rural. There are fabulous walks. The beaches have huge rocks & bays to explore. And the sunsets are to die for.
Spain - Casa Isadora, Grima, Cuevas del Almanzora, Andalusia
My friend of 35 years from Bristol, Morag Macdonald, another professional photographer, inherited a cave house, Casa Isadora, from her Mother. Totally unique. It is dug out of the hillside with a kitchen and terrace built onto the front. The cave is cool in the summer and gets cosy warm in winter with the wood fire. The hamlet of Grima is 5 minutes from the nearest little town Guazamara, which has tapas bars, restaurants, a pharmacy and a street market. It is a truly relaxed, bohemian community, with El Control Tapas Bar or the fantastic La Fabrica hill top restuarant, on the way to nearby coastal market towns and beaches.