Finca Contrabando

In the Andalusian countryside, where Spain brushes up against Portugal, you bump down a track and the view unfolds to a row of five neat apartments circled by gardens on the banks of the Guadiana river with trees and hills rising beyond. It’s peaceful here, no sounds except birds and the river, guests splashing in the saltwater pool.

Cook simple meals in the dinky kitchenette or use the shared barbecue or larger kitchen in the communal building. It’s a fantastic space to hang out – perfect if you take more than one apartment – with sofas, TV, boardgames and a big fireplace. If you want to be private, eat in your own shaded courtyard, screened by low white walls and pretty plants.

It’s a 15-minute stroll (you’ll need a torch at night) or short drive to the pretty riverside town of Sanlúcar de Guadiana that gazes across to its Portuguese neighbour, Alcoutim. A water taxi runs every half hour, or take the zip wire! There are restaurants on both banks.