El Pueblito de Alfaix, Almeria, Spain

With over 50kms of glorious coastline - scattered with bars, restaurants and secure playgrounds for children - the area's beaches consistently achieve the European Blue Flag award for their cleanliness.

They are renowned for the diversity of their water sports including, jet skiing, paragliding, canoeing, water skiing, sailing, windsurfing and scuba diving. Inevitably, the coastal resorts can be quite busy in summer, but visitors preferring to 'get away from it all' can find many uncrowded sandy beaches, and attractive undiscovered coves, off the beaten track.

Garrucha

Garrucha

Nearby Garrucha, a traditional Spanish fishing town, is generally regarded as the seafood capital of the Costa. And it is home to some of the region's finest restaurants.

The focal point of the town is its working fishing port and marina where - each morning at dawn - the boats set out to sea, returning around 5pm, laden with fish.

Cabo de Gata Natural Park

Cabo de Gata Natural Park

The Cabo de Gata Natural Park is a firm favourite with walkers and naturalists - especially birdwatchers. Inland, you may spot Bonelli's eagles, crested larks and black wheatears. Along the coast, seabirds such as gannets, puffins and razorbills are relatively common, as are storks, avocets and even flamingos.

Mini Hollywood

Mini Hollywood

For the young (and the young at heart), there's Mini Hollywood, a theme park built around an old spaghetti-western film set where legendary movies such as A Fistful of Dollars, The Good the Bad and the Ugly and For a Few Dollars More were shot.

Granada

Granada

At Granada - a couple of hours distant - you will find the Alhambra Palace and fortress of the city's former Moorish rulers, where you can easily spend a full day admiring the fine Islamic architecture.