Most of the seven million visitors who land at Malaga airport each year head west to the major resorts. To the east, the coastline is comparatively undeveloped until you reach Almeria. But there are some exceptions worth the detour.

Nerja's centrepoint is the Balcón de Europa, a beauty spot perched above the sea and the focus of life throughout the day and night.

To each side are small but attractive beaches. Just out of town are the Cuevas de Nerja, where you can see the world's longest stalactite.

Past Nerja, the coastal road heads upwards to Salobrena, a whitewashed hilltop town set 2km inland within old Moorish castle walls surrounded by sugar cane fields.

The town itself is full of history, atmosphere, character and beauty. But no visitor to Granada should avoid the trek up the hill to the Alhambra palace and gardens, built in the 14th century with its red-hued walls standing out against the backdrop of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada. Once you have explored the Alhambra, you can relax in the gardens and soak up fantastic views of the city surrounding plains.