Have you tried the Costa Tropical yet?

House hunters heading to Spain for their holiday home purchase typically visit the Costa del Sol first to explore what resorts like Marbella, Estepona, Benehavis or Fuengirola in the Malaga Province have to offer. However, the Costa Tropical in the neighbouring province of Granada is located less than a two hour drive from Marbella and Malaga Airport , offering a great alternative to the resorts at Spain’s busiest Costa.

Enjoying a subtropical climate, the Costa Tropical boasts traditional Spanish resorts and architecture rather than the rather characterless modern developments found at many Spanish Costas. The coastline is spectacular with huge cliffs, picturesque headlands ideal for walking, secluded coves and golden sandy beaches perfect for snorkelling, scuba diving, windsurfing and relaxing.
 
Something for Everybody

In parts the Costa Tropical shares coastline with the Malaga Province, such as the beaches that lie along the protected coastal stretch of the Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo Natural Area for example. Apartments along the Costa Tropical are affordable and varied in architectural style, offering something for everybody’s taste and budget.
 
Perhaps the best known resort is the picturesque town of Almuñécar which is widely regarded as the holiday destination with the most attractive beaches. It benefits from its close proximity to the water sports resort of La Herradura, which lies just 7 km to the west and is beautifully situated in a secluded bay.

Whereas Almuñécar is popular with Spanish tourists, La Herradura is a favourite with foreign holidaymakers. The latter resort boasts a grand hotel, several guesthouses, hostels and two comfortable campsites.

Almuñécar’s rocky outcrops between its golden beaches are designated protected areas, the Peñónes de San Cristóbal Natural Monument, which are a haven for local flora and fauna. The town itself boasts an attractive promenade that snakes along the coast with several natural interruptions from small coves, stunning headlands and rocky outcrops. Local attractions that are popular with families include the Loro Sexi Bird Park, which is home to more than 120 species of birds, and the coastal town of Salobreña, which boasts a medieval castle built by Moors. It is a historic white-washed hilltop town that overlooks a spectacular setting of sugar cane plantations and Mediterranean Sea, perfect for shopping and boasting a pleasant smattering of cafes, bars and restaurants.

The Costa Tropical is ideal for families with children and is far quieter than the Costa del Sol with its Hollywood glamour at Marbella and its extensive expat communities at Torremolinos, Malaga and Mijas. If you are looking for a Spanish province that has year-round appeal for all members of your family, you can’t go wrong with buying a holiday home at the Costa Tropical.

Long-term Investment Opportunity

Perhaps the best thing about buying a holiday home in the Granada province, be it in Granada city, the Costa Tropical or the Sierra Nevada sky resorts, is that any property investment here will benefit from an extended tourist season and therefore bring better yields compared to other Costas, where the holiday season rarely exceeds 26 weeks.

Although house prices across most regions of Spain are still forecast to fall for the next year or so, their descent has slowed up considerably and sales have been far more brisk of late than expected at traditional overseas buyers’ hot spots like the Canaries, the Balearic Islands and the Costa del Sol. The Costa Tropical offers an affordable alternative because there is less competition from investors.

With the large variety of property types offered by the Costa Tropical and the Granada province’s easy accessibility, both via Granada and Malaga airports, this is a wonderful part of Spain for a family home from home.
 
Luxury apartments with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms typically cost around EUR 180,000 to EUR 250,000 when purchased new. Costa Tropical resales can be considerably less than that, but here the price will depend on seafront location and what else is offered with the property as well as age and condition of the apartment, townhouse or villa. Some vendors will part with their furniture as well as part of the asking price, allowing investors to rent out the property straight away.