The Costa Blanca or 'white coast' is aptly named for the large stretches of beautiful sandy beaches. It provides a holiday destination with something for everyone from beaches to golf courses, mountain walking, traditional Spanish villages with fiestas and aquaparks/adventure parks for children.

It is only a 2 hour flight from most English airports with the option of cheap flights to Alicante or Murcia.

There is an average of 360 days of sunshine a year and this combined with the microclimate produced from the two salt lakes near Torrevieja, contributes to the ease it gives to those suffering from asthma, arthritis and rheumatism.

Many of the beaches have blue flat status and there is plenty of opportunity for watersports such as waterskiing, surfing, diving, fishing and sailing.

Within a half-hour radius there are plenty of golf courses to choose from, including La Finca, Las Ramblas, Campoamur, Villa Martin, La Marquesa, Altorreal, Quesada and La Manga. Most of these resorts have excellent facilities including swimming pools and restaurants, and are open to everyone.

For those wanting to explore the history and culture there are castles such as Alicante's Santa Barbara; Orihuela was declared a historic-artistic monumental area; Murcia is known as the capital of the Baroque. There are local markets for crafts and food and fiestas in most towns and villages throughout the year.

Dining out can be relatively inexpensive from tapas bars to all kinds of international cuisine. The local markets, however, are an excellent way of trying fresh local produce if eating at home.