Situated south of the Costa Blanca on the banks of the biggest salt water lagoon in Europe is Los Alcázares, a small marine resort in the Spanish province of Murcia.

With a refurbished marina, yacht club and a palm-lined waterside promenade populated with shops and over 50 restaurants serving a wide variety of cuisine, this rapidly expanding town has all the modern amenities you’d expect to find.

The warm and tranquil waters of the Mar Menor lagoon make it an ideal bathing area for children and a favourite with sailing and waterports enthusiasts. The local clay has long been considered to have health properties – hence the establishment of thermal baths and health spas here from as early as Roman times. Scuba diving is also popular due to the rocky seabed on the Costa Calida, whilst the flattened landscape also makes it ideal for walking, bike riding and horseriding. Nature lovers will also enjoy the many national parks found in the locale such as the Parque Regional de El Valle y Carrascoy.

Something of an undiscovered gem, Los Alcázares has gone from a sleepy fishing village of around 7000 people to a thriving tourism and golfing hotspot with a high season population figure of around 100,000 people, thanks to a recent infrastructure upgrade, including a new motorway linking it to Alicante and an increase in low cost international flights to nearby San Javier airport 5kms away. A second international airport at Corvera, due to open in 2012, has further helped to spur on development in the area and attract interest from UK retirees and international investors looking to relocate or find holiday homes with rental income potential.

Plans are also underfoot to build a Disneyland-style theme park nearby, which should further boost the economy which is heavily reliant on tourism, as well as increase the capital growth potential of properties for sale in the region.

Buying property in Los Alcázares is therefore a smart investment move. Discerning buyers will also like the fact that the authorities have banned high rises and established strict planning laws to help preserve the region’s many unspoilt vistas and areas of outstanding natural beauty. This means that unlike elsewhere in Spain, many new villas and townhouse developments manage to retain an authentic architectural air and are sympathetically built to blend in with the landscape. Currently, buyers can choose from a range of duplexes, villas and apartments, both on private plots and in gated developments, the latter boasting a range of facilities, including onsite hotels, spas and shops as well as sports facilities and children’s play areas.

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