
The Almàssera Vella
The Old Olive Press, is located on the lip of a ravine on the edge of an ancient village in the Marina Baja mountains north of Alicante. The main house was for a hundred years or so an olive press serving three villages but it’s now converted into a large village house with copious space – designed to accommodate residential creative courses in creative writing, painting, cookery, yoga and mountain walking. Additional accommodation is provided by an annexe divided into a three room flat and a five roomed cottage all converted from a traditional village house.
The House
All in all there are ten bedrooms, eight bath or shower rooms, and copious living space with snug, dining room, country kitchen, library, living room plus study and two cloakrooms to the main house and five bedrooms, four shower rooms, two kitchens , two living-rooms and a study to the annexe.


The Grounds
The grounds include a sweeping terrace with palms, pepper and citrus trees , a swimming-pool, a terraced garden with steps winding down to an almond grove. On the other side of the ravine there is a small ‘Cottage Ornée’ ripe for conversion and the ruins of a Moorish farmhouse ready for redevelopment. There is a grove of 80 or so olive trees, and a lemon and an orange grove. Last year’s harvest produced 200 litres of Extra Virgin Olive oil, most of the crop sold to a local restaurant. We had daily fresh orange juice all Spring and lemons all year.
The Almàssera
Latest News
Late Autumn Flowers
UncategorizedRetreats at Almàssera Vella
UncategorizedHospitality

Courses
Courses planned for 2019 will be posted on the website and Facebook.
Retreats
Retreat accommodation is available at all times of year.

The Almàssera Vella
Carrer de la Mare de Deu del Miracle 56
Relleu 03578 Alicante, Spain
+34 966 856 003
Mobile: +34 655 592 851 and +34 647 083 424
Relleu is 50 minutes drive from Alicante City and airport.
It is twenty minutes drive from the fine beach at Villajoyosa.
Get in touch
The Almàssera Vella
Opened in 2002, the Almàssera Vella was designed as a home and as a centre for retreats and courses in Creative Writing, Art, Photography and Walking.
- Blossom time in RelleuFebruary 12, 2019 - 7:16 pm
The first two weeks in February are a magic time in the valley — the almond blossom is out. A hundred years ago there would twice as many trees at least, the almonds going to the nearby Jijona Turrón factories, but there are still thousands of trees left – lining the bancales like white […]
- Late Autumn FlowersDecember 10, 2018 - 1:06 pm
November is a month of changes. We still have warm summer days extending into December but mixed with sudden squalls and storms – this year a good deal of rain, much more than normal. One result, a startling display of wild flowers in our Olive grove: mauve Moricandia or Purple cabbage (which is in flower […]
- Retreats at Almàssera VellaDecember 10, 2018 - 12:53 pm
We are open for retreats in our cottage or flat at 69 Carrer Mare de Deu del Miracle, all year. We converted an old village house opposite our front door in 2003 to provide over-spill accommodation for our residential courses here, but also to provide quiet, comfortable accommodation for retreats and relaxation, close to the […]
Old Olive Press
Carrer de la Mare de Deu del Miracle 56
Relleu 03578 Alicante, Spain
+34 966 856 003
christopher@oldolivepress.com