A SPECIAL NOTE ON THE ART COMMUNITY
It's also a home from home for many new residents from Europe and beyond who have brought a different, more Bohemian style of living to the village. Many artists, sculptors and musicians have settled here over the years and their works are everywhere – in galleries and most famously in the Bar Costa where penniless artists in the hippy era would swap paintings for food and now hanging art competes with hanging hams for space.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS
Try the Musset Cafe for morning coffee and freshly baked bread; Bar Costa for delicious 'jamón serrano', Manchego cheese and crackling log fires in winter; Es Cantó for traditional hearty fare or for a special meal in the evening La Plaza. And for a special and more exotic experience, just 5 minutes from the village, we recommend Bambuddha, the iconic restaurant temple surrounded by a tropical bamboo garden.
SHOPPING
Any time of day is just perfect for a visit to the village. With arts and crafts shops, galleries, and an eclectic mix of clothing and accessories there's plenty of retail therapy to be had before and after morning coffee, lunch, afternoon 'merienda' or dinner.
Santa Gertrudis is also home to the international book shop Libro Azul, with English editions and a great choice of beautiful photography works. In Casi Todo there are auctions once or twice a month in English and Spanish, where everything from unwanted items, trinkets, furniture, paintings and real antiques are sold to the highest bidder.
