Ctra. Algorfa

Finca La Rellana

Algorfa

Alicante

Spain

If you have never played at La Finca before and want to enjoy a game of golf on a quality course while you are on holiday (vacation) on the Costa Blanca, Spain, this is the place to book. If you are staying in either Alicante or Torrevieja, an easy thirty minute drive through the orange and lemon groves will get you there, although it is not particularly well sign posted so perhaps you should allow some time to get lost!

As you arrive there the first thing you notice is the number of villas and apartments being built around the course, in fact it is one giant building site. But don't let that put you off, once you stand on the first tee, the view that greets you is quite magnificent, even if it is surrounded by a forest of tower cranes, in fact there is even a new club house and hotel being built just behind the first tee.

La Finca is built following the natural contours of the valley with added water features including water falls, streams and lakes. It was only opened in 2002, but is usually in top class condition, they have even got an extra hole so that if they are working on one there is still eighteen in play. It has hosted pro-ams, Qualifying School and a Challenge Tour event, so you know it is first class.

It is not the cheapest course in the area, but is certainly one of the best (and a favourite of mine). Most of the fairways are generously wide and the rough isn't too long, but with the water hazards and numerous pine and olive trees it certainly is a test of skill. At just over 7,000 yards (6,394 metres) long off the white tees, La Finca has been built right up to modern standards for a par 72 course. It is about 6,600 yards and 6,000 yards off the yellow and red tees respectively. On a scorching hot day when you walk the course it always seems a lot longer, especially as on a couple of holes there are long distances between holes.

The greens at La Finca are fast and sometimes very fast, with lots of undulations so the odd 3 or even 4 putts is inevitable making landing on the correct level important. Amazingly the ball can pick up some mud from where the sprinklers have been on, so I always carry a wet towel to wipe it clean (it seems to bake on before you even get there). There is no rush, this is Spain after all, so take your time and have a good game.

La Finca Golf Course

Loro Parque

This is a top class zoo and parrot park in Puerto de la Cruz (in the north of the Tenerife). It has all the usual animals including gorillas and alligators, plus an aquarium with sharks. The parrots, penguins and dolphins feature amongst the most popular exhibits. Open all year round. There is another zoo park in the south of Tenerife, just outside Los Cristianos called Parque Las Aguilas.

Octopus Aqua Park

If you like water parks you will love this one, plenty of slides for the whole family. Another year round attraction thanks to the wonderful climate. This is in the south of Tenerife at Playa de las Americas. Queues can be long at peak times and weekends so plan your day out accordingly. There is another water park in Adeje as well.

Mount Teide

Wherever you go on Tenerife, Mount Teide looms in the background, sometimes with snow on the top which is hard to believe when you are frying on the beach. The single most popular natural attraction on the Island and well worth a visit to the top of this volcano for the views and to see the old lava fields which have been a back drop to many films. Tours here can be taken from all over Tenerife.

Jardin Botanico

These botanical gardens in Puerto de la Cruz are a delight display tropical plants from all over the world.

Quad Bike Safaris

Various quad bike or jeep safaris are offered at different places on Tenerife, some are not for the faint hearted or young children so please double check before booking them. Some are offered up the slopes and lava fields of Teide so don't forget to take a coat in can get cold up there.

There are loads of other attractions to be found from the many museums and glass bottom boat trips to multi destination coach tours, so enjoy your holiday.

Tenerife Tourist Attractions

This significant change has been come about by government intervention and by being designated a regeneration area which in turn has meant mass demolition of many traditional terraced houses. In fact it would have been cheaper to have totally renovated these properties to bring them back to life but lack of well paid jobs has meant many well educated and ambitious locals were forced to move elsewhere to make a decent living.

The increase in prices has in fact been a double edged sword and whilst Accrington property prices are now more in line with the National property prices, it has really made the poor poorer. Although people are selling their properties for what appears to be vastly increased sums of money they are actually no better off because they still have to pay for a new home and of course all property prices have risen. Those that really need to trade up from a two bedroom property to a three bedroom property are finding the massive increase in price between the two prohibitive, meaning many poorer households are living in overcrowded conditions.

To some extent it might have been better for the locals, (unless they moved from the area), for prices to remain low because it meant that with their low wages they could afford to buy their first home. Unfortunately wages in the area still have not increased and in some ways the situation has become worse because East Europeans moving to the area, are happy to work for minimum wage (and sometimes less), making even poorly paid jobs more scarce and not giving employers any encouragement whatsoever to improve their rates of pay.

It all sounds like doom and gloom but this certainly isn’t the case for those who do earn above the minimum wage and people moving into the area. Accrington is a lovely place to live as you are never far away from a beautiful view of some of Lancashire’s undulating countryside. The Town is only around 20 miles to both Manchester and Preston’s City Centres. We have all the convenience of being close to these cities while living in pretty, quaint rural town. Accrington has a low crime rate and a good well integrated ethnic community; it has had none of the problems of our near neighbours Blackburn and Burnley.

Accrington Property

There are bargains a plenty to be found for the serious buyer, indeed I found a one bedroom apartment (condo) for sale in Costa del Silencio (a popular resort in the south of Tenerife) for just 55,000 euros (about £41,000 or 80,000$), this is less than half the price of a "park home" in the UK and I know what I would rather own! Plus of course there is always the option to rent it out while you are not using it.

In the ever popular tourist resort of Playa de las Americas, Tenerife one bedroom apartments complete with furniture and swimming pool, can be had for just 89,250 euros (about £66,000 or 130,000$). This is a resale property so it can be bought very quickly, which means in days you could be sitting in your very own holiday home and swimming in your very own pool!

If you want to get away from the tourist areas and go ten minutes inland, two bedroom, fully furnished apartments complete with garage can be bought for about 110,000 euros (about £81,000 or 160,000$) in residential areas such as Valle San Lorenzo, Tenerife. Buy a little run around to keep in the garage and you are set up for great vacations for years to come.

Of course the old maxim "you get what you pay" holds true, but if you want to spend just a little more, two bedroom, two bathroom fully furnished and refurbished properties close to the beach and all amenities can be found a plenty. If you want to sit on your balcony and see the ocean this commands a small premium, but they are available.

Obviously being a small island, the supply of land is not going to be never ending so developers concentrate on building small apartment blocks where permission allows and room sizes seem to get smaller by the year. Townhouses and villas can be purchased but prices are far higher. Townhouses are on offer from about 157,000 euros (about £116,000 or 228,000$) and villas from 241,000 euros (about £179,000 or 351,000$).

In which direction will the prices go is the big question everyone asks? Well consider that Tenerife is in a stable part of the world, there is guaranteed sunshine (probably the only European destination that this is so apart from the other Canary Islands), well served by the airline industry and a seemingly never ending supply of tourists and there can only be one answer.

Tenerife Property

With two airports Tenerife is well served for international and internal Spanish flights, although most UK holiday makers arrive in the south at Reina Sofia which is more convenient for the holiday resorts, with most transfers taking less than one hour (especially if you get 1 of the local maniac taxi drivers).

The Tenerife resorts cater for every taste, from basic package holidays, through to luxury hotels and villas, in fact whatever your budget you will find accommodation to fit your pocket. Fine restaurants abound, as do the ever present takeaways and burger bars. Evening entertainment can be found to suit all tastes, whether you just want to karaoke the night away, go clubbing till dawn, watch the sports channels in a "pub" or go to a show, you will not be lacking for choice.

Most visitors never stray far from the swimming pool or one of the many fine beaches (some with the famous local black sand) during the day, which is a shame as there is so much on offer. Lots of trips and outings can be found on Tenerife, offered with local pick up points or hire a car (very cheap to do) and drive yourself and family. The most popular day out has to be a visit to Mt Teide (don't worry it hasn't erupted for a few million years) to see the most unbelievable views and lunar landscape of the old lava flows, you can drive to the base and catch a cable car nearly to the top and don't forget to take some warm clothes, it can be very cold up there.

The other attractions include all the usual tourist favourites, such as aqua parks, zoos, museums and the many sports on offer including first class golf. Being an island it would not surprise you that water sports and boat trips are widely available, with top notch wind surfing, sailing and scuba diving to the more sedate pleasure boats offering glimpses of whales or dolphins and party cruises.

Tenerife

It is not as brash as some of the southern Tenerife resorts (especially Playa de las Americas), which I find more attractive. As you can drive round the whole Island of Tenerife in a day it makes a perfect base from which to explore. Or if you are content to laze by the pool or spend all day on one of the great beaches you will not go far wrong in choosing a vacation here, whether it is a traditional package holiday or you've booked your flights and hotel yourself. There is a wide choice of accommodation available in Puerto de la Cruz, certainly enough to suite most tastes and budgets, although it is not dominated by tourist apartments and hotels like most of the southern Tenerife towns.

There are plenty of places to go for a stroll in the evening including the harbour to watch the fishing boats unload their catches or you could just sit outside a pavement cafe in one of the many plazas and watch the world go by while enjoying a delicious seafood meal, a glass of sangria or even one of the huge "shorts" served there. Remember four drinks can be the equivalent of half a bottle of spirits, so if you don't want a hangover go steady on the drinks. Restaurants and bars are plentiful and in most cases offer excellent value for money, especially those away from the main tourist areas. Good advice would be to eat where the locals eat because they know where the best places are located in Puerto de la Cruz.

Flights are plentiful all year round from most UK regional airports, with times of over 4 hours depending on where you fly from. Most land at Reina Sofia International Airport which is about 50 miles away from Puerto de la Cruz, so either book a transfer before you leave the UK, hire a car or if going by taxi cab, check the price before you jump in. I prefer a hire car myself as they are very cheap and an excellent way to explore rather than take tourist day trips on a coach.

Puerto de la Cruz

With a fantastic climate and year round sunshine (Las Americas is nearer to Africa than Europe), good communications via the international airport of Sur Reina Sofia (which is a short cab ride away), Tenerife is open to year round tourism and a good proportion of the four or five million tourists every year find their way to the south of the island to Playa de las Americas. This ensures that unlike some of the resorts on the mainland, which can resemble ghost towns in January and February, Las Americas is always bustling.

Developed initially for the package holiday market over the last fifty years, more and more visitors with the aid of the internet are booking their own vacations. There is a wide selection of accommodation, but mainly hotels and apartment complexes to cater for the mass market. Increasingly there are also lots of owners visiting their home from home in the sun. There are certainly some bargains to be found in the local property market, currently studios can be bought for as little as 85,000 euros (that is approximately £63,000 or 124,000$), so I see this trend continuing.

Most places have at least a communal swimming pool where you can while away the day soaking up the sun or one of the fine man made beaches are never far away. They have everything needed for a great day out, with parasols, sun loungers, showers, pedalos and bars and snack bars for when you need some refreshment. If you get bored with that and want to do something a bit more energetic, why not try the local aqua park, go on a glass bottomed boat ride to see the dolphins or take one of the many excursions available including the fabulous Mt Teide volcano.

For eating out there is an enormous variety to choose from, including the many restaurants and bars aimed at the English market to wonderful Spanish restaurants serving the local seafood specialities, with many of them having in house entertainment, all at bargain prices. Bars targeted at all nationalities are on every corner, so you can get your favourite drink and watch the sports channels day or night.

More information and details can be found on Playa de las Americas

There is accommodation to suit everyone from modern luxury hotels and deluxe self catering apartments to the more basic package holiday type apart hotels. All the facilities the modern tourist expects can be found in Los Cristianos or a short ride away including the beaches, which are first class (with their famous black sand) and have all the usual water sports, showers, loungers and bars at hand. As you would expect the restaurants cater for every taste, from the fast food outlets, family friendly tourist restaurants and multi cultural takeaways to the Spanish tapas bars offering the local Canarian cuisine, all for very reasonable prices.

In the evening Los Cristianos comes alive with entertainment for everyone, although the younger generation tend to party in the famous discos of Playa de las Americas (a short cab ride away), there is every type available locally.

Tenerife has a very low tax status, so shopping is a favourite pastime, with bargains to be had in electronics, jewellery, drink and cigarettes, but remember restrictions apply to bringing them back to the United Kingdom, if you break the limits you will have to pay import duty.

When you get bored lazing by the swimming pool or on the beach there are loads of trips to take or sights to see, some of the most popular are dolphin and whale watching boat trips, pleasure cruises on glass bottom boats, fishing trips, party cruises, water parks or my favourite the tour of Mount Teide (unbelievable views). The more active visitors go for the first class golf, horse riding, biking or water sports including sailing, scuba diving and paragliding. Children are also well catered for with everything from pedalos to play parks.

Nowadays with the help of the web, people are increasingly turning away from package holidays and booking directly their own hotels or villas, flights and car hire, indeed good savings can be made especially for large families. I always advise to check the availability and prices of accommodation and flights, but book the flights first as you can always find somewhere else to stay, but especially at peak times flights can be at a premium.

More information and details can be found on Los Cristianos

Although there has been a slow down in property (real estate) sales throughout Spain and it's islands for the last couple of years, the Province of Almeria and in particular the Costa Almeria has stood up quite well, although it has to be said, it started from a much lower base. This was probably due to the lack of international airports and without the budget airline effect it has been that much more difficult to get to, especially for short breaks. The recent development and upgrading of Murcia (San Javier) Airport (although it is in the Costa Calida, Murcia) has helped in northern Almeria, bringing many towns within an hours drive.

Prices are probably lower here than the rest of the popular tourist destinations in Spain and there are certainly bargains to be found on the coast. Also if you are prepared to venture a few miles inland you can get a lot more for your money. Villas and old townhouses can be picked up for less than the price of a static caravan in the UK and half the price of a small two bedroom apartment on the Costa del Sol. Old country houses ("Cortijo") that need renovating are for sale for the more adventurous to undertake, some are very large with up to 10 bedrooms.

Another advantage is that the Costa Almeria still retains more of a "Spanish feel" unlike the ever popular Costa Blanca to the north you won't find a "pub" or Irish bar on every corner. Plus the weather is idyllic, very dry with plenty of sunshine and mild winters, making it an all the year round destination, especially for golfers keen to get away from the cold of England in the spring and autumn.

So if you like the quieter type of holiday and want to get away from the hustle of the more traditional Spanish destinations, the property in the towns of Almeria might be worth considering for that dream home in the sun.

Costa Almeria Property

Orihuela Costa

Nr Torrevieja

Alicante

Spain

If you are playing at Villamartin Golf Course (Campo de Golf Villamartin) for the first time, these tips may help you enjoy your game there, or then again, they might not! I have played Villamartin many times and seen many people play there from my balcony overlooking the 15th fairway. Villamartin (pronounced Beeyamartine) is the oldest of the courses in the area and a lot of people will tell you it is the best of them, I wouldn't disagree. When booking, always confirm by fax and print their reply to take with you, I personally have had tee times "forgotten" before, although they have always managed to squeeze me in, albeit without a buggy. Generally there is plenty of space to get the driver out, but not on some holes, so only play where you can see unless you have time to go forward to have a look.

Good examples of this are the first, a hidden bunker plus big hitters will end up in a small dip amongst the trees, or the 10th (not my favourite hole to start on) where you have out of bounds to the left and a steep tree covered drop to the right. It is not the longest course you will play, so hit within yourself, relax and enjoy your game. During the spring and autumn it can be very busy and quite slow, but during the summer sometimes it is almost empty, especially during the heat of midday. I usually get a buggy, take a cool bag full of cold 'uns and sometimes play 2 balls in July and August, with the course to myself. The bunkers have hardly got any sand in them, with a very hard base, a recipe for thinning a careless shot, many of the locals and members use a putter (yes a putter) to get out. Before you say anything I suggest you try this because it works, although it will raise a few eyebrows, but you will be amazed how close you get the ball to the hole!

Where the course drops into small tree lined gullies is usually marked as a lateral water hazard (even though there is not a drop of water in sight), so if your tee shot disappeared into one, don't worry you can drop where it crossed the line without having to find it. The greens are nearly always in tip top condition and probably a lot faster than you are used to playing, but play positively and you will be rewarded.

Villamartin Golf Course