VERA

This beautiful hilltop town 8km inland has now spawned the fastest-growing coastal resort, also known as Vera or Vera Playa – though the nearest town to Vera Playa is actually Garrucha, 5km away. Vera Playa has 7km of sands –popular with nudists and home to Spain’s first naturist hotel – leading north to Villaricos harbour and south to Garrucha. There are four good golf courses and a small waterpark for children. One bedroom apartments on the coast cost from 105,000 euros, two-bedroom flats from 150,000 euros, bungalows from around 185,000 euros and townhouses from 200,000 euros. Apartments with great seaviews near El Playazo de Vera cost from 170,000 euros.

The inland town is also seeing new development such as the Coto de Vera, with landscaped gardens, where apartments start from 147,000 euros and three-bedroom villas costs from 255,000 euros. The old town has a wealthy feel, especially around the Plaza Mayor with its grandiose 16th century buildings. There are lots of smart restaurants and busy bars and Saturday sees one of the region’s best street markets. The villages around Vera are gaining in popularity among foreign property buyers wanting a taste of inland Spain set amid olive and lemon groves.