Costa de Almeria
If you are looking for your dream property
in Spain the Costa de Almeria may not be the first place that
comes to mind. Less well known than the Costa Del Sol, Costa
Brava and Costa Blanca yet just as scenic, the province of Almeria
is located in the South East of the Iberian Peninsula on the
shores of the Mediterranean, and covers around 8774 square metres.
The growth in the Spanish property market has been well documented.
Many believe, however, that the huge amount of visitors and
construction has been to the detriment of many areas of Spain.
The Costa de Almeria has building restrictions preventing developers
building over two storeys and locations have density limits.
The Costa de Almeria is unspoilt and regulations are in place
to ensure it stays that way. We believe the Costa de Almeria
provides superb investment opportunities. Prices have steadily
risen over the past two years (25% annually) but the market
still has a long way to go. Purchasing property here will not
only improve your lifestyle but could have significant positive
financial benefits too. Research shows that the Costa de Almeria
provides significantly better value for money than other parts
of Spain.
The area is geographically very diverse. To
the East the coast lies alongside the natural park of Cabo del
Gato-Nijar, sparsely populated with few villages dotted along
the coastline the most well-known of which is San Jose. To
the West are the popular beach resorts of Roquetas de Mar, Aqua
Dulce and Almerimar: this is where you will find the marinas,
golf courses and hotels. Inland the scenery may seem familiar;
many spaghetti Westerns were filmed here, as were some scenes
from Lawrence of Arabia. Almeria City is lively and modern,
with art galleries, shops, museums, a weekly market and a thriving
marina. You can while away an afternoon strolling down La Rambla,
a long avenue with pretty squares, street cafes and children's
play areas. The rich history of Almeria (over the centuries
it has played host to Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs
and Christians) is in evidence throughout the city, not least
in the imposing 10th century Arab fortress of Alcazaba and the
beautiful Cathedral of Almeria.
The weather is pretty good too!
The Costa de Almeria is warmer than the Costa del Sol (which
has nearly four times more rain) and enjoys over 3000 hours
of sunshine a year.
Although determined to maintain the areas unspoilt
natural beauty the infrastructure has been improved dramatically
over recent years. New golf courses, marinas, train routes and
motorways are having a positive effect on visitor numbers and
making the area far more appealing to those wishing to purchase
a property in Spain. Two years ago Almeria airport had one flight
a week from the UK. Amongst other carriers, British Airways
have now introduced a 4th weekly flight to Almeria from the
UK and MyTravelite have introduced a daily service from Birmingham.
With the current extension of Almeria Airport for the 2005 Mediterranean
Games, flight routes are expected to extend further. The area
is also served by Alicante and San Javier Murcia Airports, making
it easily accessible from the UK. The region is considered very
cosmopolitan by Spaniards as a holiday location and therefore
the area remains true to its Spanish heritage and has not been
transformed into a "Britain in the sunshine" cluttered
with "chicken & chips" restaurants. Those experts
who do choose to make Costa de Almeria their home are keen for
it to retain its character, charm and national identity. For
now, the Costa de Almeria is still relatively unknown in comparison
to other parts of Spain, but considerably more facilities have
been approved for the region and it is beginning to receive
more media attention in Britain. This is the ideal time to take
advantage of what are still relatively low property prices,
and find your dream home in what is still, and will remain,
a beautiful and unspoilt region of Spain.
Property in the province of Almeria
Property in Costa de Almeria is becoming an
increasingly attractive proposition for those looking for a
competitively priced dream home in Spain. This region is the
hottest in Andalucia and its landscape is full of contrasts.
Europe's only desert is found here (part of the Parque Nacional
de Sierra Nevada) as well as imposing mountains. Along the coast
are unspoilt beaches and picturesque villages with white-washed
houses. You can also find the "troglodytic" cave villages,
where the homes are dug into the cliffs, providing protection
from the heat of the summer.
The mild winters and year-round
sunshine mean there is ample opportunity to enjoy the variety
of sports and leisure facilities available in the province of
Almeria. The region is steeped in history and has a wealth of
interesting places to visit. In more recent times, the arid
inland desert areas have been used in many Hollywood productions,
such as "A Fistful of Dollars", "The Good, The
Bad and The Ugly", "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Raiders
of the Lost Ark". You can visit the film sets, now turned
into visitor attractions, to view film memorabilia and to get
a taste of life in a Spaghetti Western! This province is an
excellent location for those buyers wanting to find somewhere
away from the excessive commercialisation of many of the Costas.
Towns in Almeria
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