Murcia's Mar Menor is a natural phenomenon: a 73km seawater lagoon which sits next to the Mediterranean sea, divided by a 20km strip of land called La Manga. The Olympic swimmer and film star Esther Williams described this place as the most beautiful natural swimming pool in the world. The average annual temperature is 17 C, with warm summers and mild winters.

The main areas of development are San Pedro, Los Alcázares, Los Barreros and La Manga. Property in this region spans the range, from new-build to restoration and from rural to urban. Generally prices are cheaper than the Costa Blanca and the countryside remains unspoilt and largely undeveloped.

In Los Alcázares, which sits on the western shore of the Mar Menor 10 minutes drive from San Javier airport, there are numerous new urbanizations set back from the town. They are popular among people who are planning to stay long-term in the area and handy for all amenities. The Los Narejos area is one example, where you can find one-bed bungalows for just under £50,000 or more luxurious apartments for around £100,000. Los Urrutias is another residential area, where a duplex apartment next to the beach will cost about £150,000.

Villas around the Mar Menor and La Manga are popular, near the beach and less than half an hour from the beautiful historic city of Murcia. Property in La Manga is in demand as there is limited space left for development on the peninsula which is often likened to Miami beach. La Manga is particularly popular with golf players, given 18-hole golf courses, and with tennis players.

Torrepacheco, 9km inland from the Mar Menor beaches, is a town of 24,000 that is rapidly expanding. This agricultural town and tourist centre has seen a huge hydraulic scheme that pumps water into the surrounding area via the Tajo and Segura rivers. Facilities include a public swimming pool, tennis club, leisure centre, a further education college, a secondary school and a public library. There's a golf club just outside the town.

Inland, the traditional town of Calasparra is an increasingly popular place for those in search of a country house, though with excellent road access to the coast and 45km from Murcia. New apartments on the Valle del Sol development there cost just £50,000.

This isn't just a health-giving and sporty place. There is also a wide cultural programme in the nearby area, including Cartagena's music festival, San Javier's jazz festival (the biggest in the Med) and San Pedro del Pinatar's flamenco festival. An hour's drive inland is the beautiful and charming, bustling town of Caravaca de la Cruz, one of five holy cities in the world and a place of pilgrimage.