Costa del Luz

The Costa del Luz is the coastline stretching from the south west of Spain facing the Atlantic and bordering Portugal down to Gibraltar and the start of the Mediterranean coast. Known as the Coast of the Light the climate is milder than in other areas of Spain although the summer months still bring temperatures in the mid to late 30’s. The countryside in the area is rich in flora and fauna, characterised by forests of pine, beech, oak and eucalyptus, orange and lemon groves, salt marshes, vineyards, meadows, and sleepy fishing villages untouched by the passage of time.

Property developments and leisure facilities such as golf courses are being constructed in this area more than ever before but it is still not so built up as the other areas along the coasts of Spain.

Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol, which is Mediterranean shore of Andalucia, from the Straits of Gibraltar to Almeria and is very well known to holidaymakers and homebuyers.

New developments here are stylish, low-rise and designed to blend as unobtrusively as possible with the environment, many using traditional materials and motifs taken from the vernacular architecture of Andalucia. Tourists and residents enjoy this area, with its popular towns such as Marbella and Puerto Banús. As new marinas are being built, a transient population of yachtsmen fills the sea-front bars from Malaga to Sotogrande. Golfers come too, in ever-larger numbers, to enjoy the long golfing season.

The climate is a supreme asset of this region, with mild winters and hot summers, due to the protection afforded by the Sierras and the close proximity to Africa. Besides favouring the practice of outdoor sports, the region's pleasant weather attracts elderly visitors and temporary residents who, like migratory birds, fly every winter to Malaga and repopulate Torremolinos, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Nerja. The stretch of the coast east of Málaga is less developed and maintains a more pronounced Spanish character, which is surrounded by the impressive mountain scenery of the Axarquia. The upgrading and replacement of roads and other facilities is on-going, with large-scale investment in water treatment and sewerage systems, hospitals, schools and leisure facilities, plus talk of new theme parks. - All in all, the area is very much in the middle of a renaissance.

Costa de Almería

The province of Almería is situated in the eastern region of Andalucia, in southern Spain. The landscape is varied; from snow capped mountains to fertile valleys, or arid desert regions where many cowboy films were made. The way of life is slow and relaxing and the Andalucian people are known for their friendliness and kindness. The cost of living is relatively inexpensive here and property prices lower than in the neighbouring Costa del Sol.

Agriculture is the major occupation in the area, so local markets are abundant with supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables. The summers are very hot, especially in July and August, while spring is very pleasant with a greener landscape and a wide variety of wild flowers and the winters are beautifully mild.

While the majority of people buying property have traditionally looked to the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and more recently the Costa Cálida, Almería is becoming more and more popular. Partly this is due to very attractive pricing, and partly to on-going work to make it much more accessible. There could be good potential for investment in this area and popular resorts such as Almerimar, Roquets del Mar and Mojácar offer excellent leisure and lifestyle facilities to suit all.

Costa Cálida

Quite simply the ‘Warm Coast' lives up to its name with the type of climate that promotes a relaxed and carefree pace of life.

The area is framed by groups of low hills and mountains covered in pine forests and shrubs. Small villages and towns are dotted throughout the region all reflecting the easygoing pace of this part of Southern Spain.

The region stretches from the Mar Menor to Aguilas, with its exceptionally pleasant microclimate, delightfully peaceful beaches and unspoilt countryside, has not yet experienced mass tourism. Although the large warm sea inlet of the Mar Menor and its signature landmark of La Manga have long been attracting sun seekers, on the whole the area has remained just outside the main thrust of development until recently. The main reason for this anomaly has been the region's position just outside Spain's network of fast motorways and, crucially, its distance from an international airport. Now, with the extension of the A7/A37 motorway from Alicante to Cartagena and Murcia and regular flights between Murcia (San Javier) airport and the UK, the area is opening up to tourists and would-be residents in a noticeable way. The planned new airport at Corvera, which will offer enhanced capacity and up-to-date infrastructure will attract ever more traffic and disclose the full potential of the region.

Further inland, and surrounded by a fertile countryside, Murcia, the provincial capital, has an atmospheric medieval quarter and lively modern avenues and property in and around this city and to the North is growing in popularity.

Costa Blanca

The Costa Blanca has justifiably been a popular destination for many years and covers Spain's Southeast coast from half way between Valencia and Alicante down to Murcia.

Many areas have introduced strict planning controls, preserving the quality of he location but pushing prices strongly upwards. Even in the areas with a more generous attitude, prices and the quality of the facilities have risen hand-in-hand. Prices here are still very competitive and the range of property types is vast.

A flat, sandy coast of vast beaches fringed by dunes and scattered palm trees, stretch southwards, in a succession of resorts, culminating in the town of Torrevieja. Here, in what is now the heart of the area, a fast growing, modern resort has come into being, engulfing a modest, older fishing port, now replaced by a smart new marina.
There is much to do in the area, from theme parks to the dozens of golf courses that have been built in the last 15 years. The area to the North of Alicante includes Benidorm and the scenic beauty of the North Costa Blanca coast, with popular towns such as Denia.

The Costa del Azahar

The Costa del Azahar is an area that manages to combine a fine climate for year-round-living with modest development and a beautiful landscape.
Three or four times each year the air is filled with the scent of citrus hence the name 'Orange Blossom Coast'. The mild, constant climate accounts for the fertility of its land, with a seemingly endless plantation of orange groves, which provides the periodical eruptions of scented blossoms giving their name to the coast. Miles of fine sandy beaches, offering extensive facilities for sports and leisure, attract growing numbers of visitors and home buyers to the coastal resorts.

Golfers are also well served by the many excellent courses found in the proximity of most resorts, and the region is well endowed with art treasures from a rich history stretching back over 2000 years. A wide range of improvements and infrastructures are being added constantly to the existing resources in order to meet the demands of both Spanish and foreign visitors, whose growing numbers are turning the Costa del Azahar into one of the major tourist destinations in Spain. In an area blessed with so many attractions, developments are still relatively sparse and the landscape is unusually free of the larger urbanizations dominating the better-known Costa’s further south.

The Costa Brava

The Costa Brava is the furthest North and has an intrinsic charm that is subtler than the more flamboyant attractions of other, more popular coasts.

People come here attracted by the quality of life and striking beauty of the surroundings than by the promise of constant hot weather and those seeking all-year round sun should perhaps look further south. While summers here are as warm as anywhere in Spain, winter days can be bracing and nights decidedly cold.

It is a climate, however, ideal for the practice of any kind of sport and there are excellent facilities ranging from sailing to golf. Both mountain walking and skiing are close at hand, as Andorra and the Pyrenees are within easy driving distance from the coast.