Villa Giacomina

Villa Giacomina is a 1920s eclectic mansion perched on a hill above Paradís beach in la Vila Joiosa, in the province of Alicante. Despite its Italian-sounding name, the villa has been part of this Costa Blanca town's story for over a century, and together with the neighbouring Malladeta tower it is now going through a restoration process meant to reopen it to the public.

Why does the villa have an Italian name?

The house was built in 1920 by Alfonso Esquerdo Iborra, a physician who had emigrated to Argentina and was a nephew of the well-known Spanish psychiatrist Dr. José María Esquerdo. He named the villa after his wife, Giacomina Bellami de Borgi, daughter of a prominent local builder. Her name is the reason a Spanish seaside villa carries such a distinctly Italian-sounding title.

What architectural style does the building show?

The facade blends decorative motifs drawn from three medieval religious traditions — Islamic, Christian and Jewish — resulting in an ornate, eclectic look that stands out from the surrounding houses. Masonic symbols also appear throughout the decoration, reflecting the lodge membership of both the builder and his wife's family.

What historical events took place here?

The villa welcomed notable guests over the decades, including the writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. During the Spanish Civil War it sheltered Dr. Bastos, a respected war surgeon. In 1939, shortly before going into exile, Juan Negrín, the last prime minister of the Spanish Republican government, stayed at the house. After the war, troops from the Italian Littorio Division occupied the building, causing the first serious damage. From the 1960s onward, prolonged neglect left the villa in an increasingly ruined state.

What stands next to Villa Giacomina?

Right beside the villa stands the Torre de la Malladeta, a study tower built by Dr. José María Esquerdo overlooking the psychiatric sanatorium he ran on Paradís beach. The villa and the tower are now treated as a single historical complex and are being restored together under the same municipal plan.

Can visitors go inside today?

Restoration work is currently being organised. The town council of la Vila Joiosa has approved a rehabilitation project worth around 850,000 euros, funded through the municipal land heritage scheme. The plan calls for recovering the original interior and exterior features, opening the gardens to the public, and turning the building into a historic-cultural centre with a café. Until the works are finished, the villa remains closed to visitors, though it can be admired from outside, from the seafront promenade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is Villa Giacomina located? The villa sits on a hill above Paradís beach, on the northern edge of la Vila Joiosa, in the province of Alicante.

Who built the villa, and why does it have an Italian name? It was built in 1920 by the physician Alfonso Esquerdo Iborra, who named it after his wife, Giacomina Bellami de Borgi.

Can the interior be visited right now? No — the building is currently under restoration and is planned to reopen as a historic-cultural centre with a café.

How is the villa connected to the Torre de la Malladeta? The neighbouring tower was built as a study for Dr. José María Esquerdo, overlooking the psychiatric sanatorium he ran nearby; both structures are being restored together.

Does the villa have historical significance beyond its architecture? Yes — it hosted the writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, and around the end of the Civil War it was linked to notable medical and political figures of the period.