Jávea, a former fishing village on the Cabo de Nao, has long been a popular, fairly upmarket resort for both Spanish and foreign holidaymakers and property-hunters. Hence the town, which has about 20,000 permanent inhabitants, has expanded across the surrounding hillsides over the past decade with the emergence of luxurious villas, many of which are owned by British people and rented out on a regular basis as there is a lot of interest in rental properties in Javéa, particularly in summer. The town has managed to avoid high-rise development however and remains a pretty, beachside location with lots of local life and activities.

Jávea has three parts: the old town, set back from the coast and preserving the look and atmosphere of a Spanish village; the port, a working harbour whose catch supplies the stretch of fish restaurants along the Avenida del Mediterraneo; and Arenal beach, Javéa's horseshoe shaped sands a couple of kilometres along from the port, also framed by bars, gift shops and restaurants.

Summer in Jávea is a busy time. It's extremely hot, there's almost no rain, and the tourist crowds descend on the beach by day and to its clubs by night. Early evenings have a lovely atmosphere here, with Spanish families dressed in their best clothes parading along the esplanade. Come September, the crowds leave en masse and the town returns to being a relatively quiet and typically Spanish town, with religious processions at Easter and fiestas at the beginning of July and the end of August.

The surrounding area is a place for nature-lovers with the Montgó natural park to the north of Javéa. The summit is 750m above sea level, offering lots of potential for rock-climbers, mountain bikers and hikers.

Golfers have the choice of the nine-hole Jávea Golf Course (also with tennis courts and a swimming pool) and nearby La Sella and Oliva Nova about 30 minutes away. There are also numerous clubs catering to sailors, divers, cyclists and basketball, tennis and football players, to name a few, so boredom is not something you're likely to experience in Jávea.

For £80,000 you can buy a one-bed apartment on a new development with large communal gardens near Jávea port, £120,000 will get you a new two-bed apartment near the beach. Townhouses close to Arenal beach start at around £170,000 and small villas cost from £200,000. New development is now limited in Jávea so prices remain reasonably high for the area.