Long has the Costa del Sol held prime position in the minds of investors. This position, is now under threat from what many considered an unlikely source.

Almeria is a large province on the eastern border of Andalucia which is often overlooked. Bordering Granada and Murcia, the sleepy, inaccessible fishing villages are becoming more popular with foreign investors as the infrastructure and access improves. The developers have taken note and are offering frontline golf apartments at the same price of studio apartments on the Costa del Sol.

Almeria is a province with a history stretching back to Phoenician times, with numerous archaeological sites of importance. This, along with holding the honour of being the location of the incorrectly labelled “Spaghetti Westerns” filmed by Clint Eastwood and other Hollywood types, makes for an interesting cultural experience. Films like “A Fistful of Dollars” and the classic “Lawrence of Arabia” were all filmed here, and there are still remnants of this era on view.

The dramatic landscape offers remote locations like the Cabo de Gata natural park, and the scrubland of the Desierto de Tabernas, as well as quaint fishing villages and big town living in the provincial capital.

Golf lovers have the opportunity to play on Europe’s only desert course, Desert Springs. Set among the rolling hills and populated with challenging, cactus lined fairways, it is easy to imagine that you are playing in the Arizona desert, not a short flight away from London.

With all that sun on offer, and prices significantly lower than the Costa del Sol, Almeria, the sunniest part of Europe, is becoming a firm favourite with investors.