Almunecar is known as the capital of the Costa Tropical and forms part of the province of Granada. The Costa Tropical is a less well known part of the coastline and is found between the Costa del Sol on the west and the Costa de Almeria to the east.

There are some beautiful beaches along the coastline and a good selection of hotels, villas and apartments. The average temperature here is 20C with around 320 days of sunshine per year.

Almunecar has a Moorish castle, the Castle of San Miguel and there are also several churches and museums which can be visited. Near to the castle is the Loro Sexi Bird Park which has over 1500 birds and nearby the botanical garden, the Parque del Majuelo is home to Europe's largest collection of subtropical plants.

Motril

Motril is the largest town on the Costa Tropical and the second largest town in the province of Granada with over 55,000 inhabitants.

Motril has a busy commercial port as well as a fishing port and a marina. The two main beaches are the Playa Granada and the Playa Poniente. On the coast road to the west of the Playa Poniente is Casa Astrida which is one of the King's residences. A little further along is the popular golf course, Los Moriscos.

The production of sugar cane was the main industry in the town for centuries and there is still a 16th century sugar mill, Casa de Las Palmas.

Salobrena

The old whitewashed town of Salobrena which is built upon a large rock, has steep, narrow streets which are centred around the 10th Century Moorish castle and the town is surrounded by lush sugar cane fields and the last sugar factory in Europe can be found in the village of La Caleta to the west of the town.

Salobrena has been inhabited for over 6000 years and the old town is lovely with great views of the landscape beyond, if you can make the climb to the top of the old town.

Salobrena has lots of bars, restaurants and tapas on offer and is ideally situated just 45 minutes from Granada and little over an hour to the Sierra Nevada mountain range so it is also an ideal location to combine winter sun and skiing.

Mojacar

Mojacar is in the province of Almeria and just 50 minutes drive from Almeria airport. It is an old whitewashed mountain village and only a couple of kilometres from the coast. There is a tourist resort just to the south called Mojacar Playa.

It has over 3000 hours of sunshine per year and has almost no winter season at all. Mojacar has retained most of its original character and is home to a Moorish fortress called El Torreon.

The beaches are the main attraction to visit the area as well as the many other picturesque villages to be visited.

Puerto de Mazarron

Puerto de Mazarron is an attractive holiday resort which has been popular with holidaymakers for many years. Fishing and agriculture are still the most important industries in the area but the economy is boosted each year by the influx of tourists in the summer. The coastal area of Mazarron has some of the loveliest unspoilt beaches in Spain and provides a peaceful environment for those choosing to vacation here. It is also a popular destination for Spanish families in the peak season but is ideal for a quieter holiday out of season.

There is an attractive promenade which gives access to the beaches and there are many bars, restaurants and cafes to try.