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There are many beautiful towns and cities in Spain but, as we are focusing on the area of Andalucia, in particular the two least developed and unspoilt costas of Costa de La Luz and Costa de Almeria. Places like Ayamonte, just over the border from Portugal are easily accessible from Faro Airport (75 km from Ayamonte), or Sevilla Airport (140 km from Ayamonte ).
Costa de La Luz
Huelva – the tidy, city centre is perched on a peninsula between the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto river estuaries. Its maritime prowess dates to when Columbus set out from across the Rio Tinto, to find a new sea passage to India. Largely flattened by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, it is really only the last century it has begun to re-generate itself, firstly as a mineral exporter in the early 1900s and later when Franco established a petrochemical industry here in the 1950s. Huelva’s biggest annual fiesta, the Fiesta Colombinas, begins on August 3 and lasts for a week.
Ayamonte -a small town with a Portuguese feel, with lots of cross-border visitors, is a busy port and low key resort, with a marina. There are typical Spanish, palm-fringed squares, cobbled streets, boutiques, open-air cafés and a good range of excellent restaurants. It gets more than 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, resulting in a pleasant Mediterranean climate. Maximum temperatures rarely rise above 30°C in summer thanks to the Atlantic breeze. Winter temperatures seldom fall below 10° C and easily reaching 20°C at noon. Situated on the Urbanización Costa Esuri, it is located in an area with many prime 18 hole golf courses.
Almeria area
There is a thriving fishing industry, as well as growing agricultural production, with the ubiquitous greenhouses. This means the area is becoming very wealthy and it is not just northern Europeans who are looking to invest here, many Spaniards from the inland cities and towns are investing in second or retirement homes.
The area is less that a two-hour drive to the Sierrra Nevada which means skiing in the morning and an afternoon swim with sunbathing on the beach are real opportunities. In addition, there are several established golf courses with a small number planned for the future. It hosts Europe’s only true desert golf course – Desert Springs. The interior topography is dramatic and there are several areas previously used in the spaghetti western movies, now turned into theme park tourist attractions.
Almeria City sits in a sheltered bay overlooked by the Alcazaba – a magnificent Arab fortress built in the 10th century. From here there is also a good view of the Barrio de la Chanca – the famous cave quarter of the city and also of the very different fortified cathedral built between 1524 and 1562. Now Almeria has become cosmopolitan with old and new merging to provide a bustling thriving city – there is an active port area, a growing commercial sector, but also beaches and water sports to provide leisure activity.
Mojacar is split into two main areas – the pueblo and the playa – each area is well supported by various activities designed to attract tourists and also long term ex-pat residents. In particular golf is extremely popular here as the excellent climate offers an extended season, thus creating a lucrative letting potential. Mojacar Playa offers some 17km of beaches edged with crystal clear waters. This is very much a holiday area and is supported by bars, restaurants, water sports, horse riding and vast promenades. This area is a popular year round holiday destination.
Mojacar Pueblo is a traditional white-washed village with sugar cube houses and stunning views of the surrounding countryside and coasts. It sits perched high on a hill some 2km from the Playa. Throughout the year it attracts high numbers of tourists so investing in lettable accommodation can be a very lucrative proposition.
Turre is a larger village just a 10-minute drive inland from the coast – it affords spectacular views of the nearby Sierra Cabrera mountains and is well supported with all infrastructure needs – shops, banks, healthcare, school, bars and restaurants. As property prices in Mojacar have begun to rise, this village has attracted those with slightly smaller purses. There is great opportunity here for investment as property prices remain attractive.
Bedar sits in the hills and is a 15 minute drive from the coast. It is a small, and still very Spanish village with winding cobbled streets. All requirements for everyday living can be found there, as well as it being the starting point for exploration into the remains of the old lead mining industry.
Cabrera can be found nestling in the Sierra Cabrera mountains with sweeping views down to the coast and across the valley. Much of this area is designated as a nature reserve. The properties here are exclusive and give the feeling of a Moorish village – excellent rental opportunity.
Vera is a town which is split between the pueblo and the playa. The town is growing quickly with exclusive residential areas and also a commercial sector. There are also rental opportunities here as the local industry has a growing housing need. It is a pretty town with a host of bars and restaurants, a vibrant town square and also to be found in Vera is the bull ring, on what is reputed to be one of the oldest bull ring sites in Spain.
The Playa is less than a 10-minute drive away providing holiday accommodations mainly to northern Europeans but also to many Spanish people. Several members of the Spanish Government have purchased property in this coastal area. It also offers, in an exclusive area only, one of the largest nudist beaches and holiday resorts in Europe.
Garrucha is an attractive and lively fishing town with a working port sitting on the coast between the Mojacar and Vera playas. It is a town that is busy all the year around because of the fishing industry and it retains its very Spanish feel. There are investment opportunities here both in the commercial and residential sectors.
Antas represents a ‘typical’ inland Spanish village which has embraced the modern world – it is growing in a well designed manner and it attracts wealthy residents from outside Spain. It is a 15-minute drive from the beaches but remains peaceful and is within 10 minutes of 3 very different golf courses. It will have its own golf course within 2 years.
Palomares/Villaricos are two neighbouring coastal villages which offer superb holiday rental opportunities. Tourists and loner term renters are attracted to these pretty coastal villages as they retain their Spanish charm, but are not too far away (a 10-minute drive) from the bigger resort and town areas. There are small marinas here, quiet beaches and coves to explore or for snorkelling and plenty of bars and restaurants.
Lubrin, Albox, Zurgena, Oria, Partaloa, Arboleas are all inland towns that have lots to offer people who want to be away from the bustling coast and who may require a little solitude. These offer options of homes within the towns or residences in the outer reaches, which can often be the only property for miles around. Each of these towns has a very distinct personality and history but they all thrive and are beginning to grow, thus offering both residential and commercial investment opportunities.
San Juan de Los Terreros can be found on the coast driving north towards Murcia. It was until very recently an undiscovered corner of Spain. Today, after much government and EU investment, it has become one of the prettiest coastal towns around. Again, investment here would be linked to tourism and the commercial infrastructure it requires.
La Envia/Roquetas de Mar these two places are interlinked – La Envia is the 5-star golf resort built into the hills behind the coastal town of Roquetas de Mar. With only a 20-minute drive to Almeria airport these are well-placed for tourists and golfers to visit. The rental season here is much extended thus accommodating the needs of golfers, who prefer not to play golf at the height of the hot summer but come during the warm Spring, Autumn and in some cases, the very clement winter season.
