This impressive structure, with its castle-like turret, was built by German engineer Gustav Winter in the 1930s. Rumours linking Winter to the Nazi party have never been confirmed, but conspiracy theories regarding Villa Winter abound. You can drive your car up to the mansion and then walk the last 100m or so. A caretaker lives here and for a small tip he may show you around the house, though when we last visited there was just a donation box left out at the entrance.
Some think the house was built as a secret hideout for high-ranking Nazis, including Hitler himself. Others have suggested that Cofete was the location of a secret U-boat base, that there are secret tunnels through the mountain and that it was in fact built as a clinic to specialise in plastic surgery for German generals requiring a new look. Some visitors have said that they've been allowed into the basement, where they've seen shackles, cells and bullet holes, but like pretty much everything about the Villa Winter, you can't be too sure. The basement was off-limits when we last popped by, as was the 'kitchen' where it's claimed the face-altering sessions took place.
Gustav Winter built the nearby and defunct Jandia Airstrip, possibly to fly in the top brass and what looks like a helipad can be observed just downhill of the villa.
Amid all the stories, however, there's really only one thing that you can be absolutely certain of: Villa Winter is a fascinating place that will have you digging deeper for the truth. Or at least for a few more yarns…
