IT is now 2008 yet Costa Calida remains the same – it is still a hot attraction of tourists and expats who are mostly early retirees from Britain and the young gays and lesbians from Germany and other places in northern Europe and the Scandinavian region who are here for the nudist beaches. There are lots of nudist beaches here in Costa Calida because of all the Mediterranean places in the Iberian Peninsula; this is the only one which has its own natural micro-climate. That means the weather pattern in Costa Calida is temperate all year round. There are no unwanted rain showers happening here unlike what happened in Tenerife at the Canary Islands last Christmas. The same temperature actually prevails during winter and during summer but the best time to go skinny dipping is at night. Besides not being embarrassed, you can actually see the glowing planktons illuminating your body underwater.

The locals here are not that fond of the nudist beaches though. But if you’re a tourist from another country in Europe (you don’t need a visa to get here) and if you know a little bit of Spanish, you may stroll down to the fishing village and haul yourself off with a grouper or two which you can later grill at home or sauté using olive oil, said to be the healthiest olive oil in the world because of its low fat content. But if you are confident with your diet and want to crave some fatty or sweetie food, you may opt for tapas and certain sweets coming from Costa Calida.

If you want to learn Spanish, there are dozens of Spanish language schools sprouting here in Costa Calida because of the many foreigners here. Some have even managed to snatch a Costa Calida local as a spouse. Spanish language programs offered in these language schools range from two weeks to three years so if you’re here for a one-month vacation, then it’s better to use half of that to learn Spanish so you can enjoy conversing with the locals for the rest of your stay here.

As with all of Europe, the passion here is still football. And in this part of Spain, Murcia prides itself that the best female football team in the nation is the Costa Calida women’s team. The Costa Calida women’s team is a dynamic bunch, constantly scouting for new members around the province. Estrogen power is definitely felt in Costa Calida these days as there’s this newly-formed women’s golf team in the province. They are holding exhibition tournaments every now and then in the golf resorts here spread in the 250 kilometer coastline in this part of Murcia. As we know, all beach resorts in Costa Calida have their own golf courses complete with PGA-certified instructors and caddies. In other words, everything is really a paradise here in Costa Calida. This is one part of Spain not to be missed visiting.

BECAUSE of the Mar Menor which is one of the most spectacular rural lagoons in Europe, Costa Calida in Murcia, Spain is an instant tourism magnet among British and Scandinavian tourists here. And not only that, Northern European tourists ultimately stay here for the rest of their lives as expatriates. Most are retired but there are some who are still in their 30s and early 40s who have embraced the place as their home and have even taken Spaniards as spouses. It is heartening to note that some of these tourists are females who have come here and have found a Costa Calida resident as their soulmates. So therefore, not all in the expat community here in Costa Calida are male but a few of them are women from Holland and neighboring countries in the northern part of the continent.

For those who are staying in Spain for an extended New Year holiday, why not check out Costa Calida? While Spain is at the peak of winter right now, the weather in Costa Calida is relatively warmer these days as it has its own temperate micro-climate. This is actually one of the reasons why tourists especially from the colder regions of Europe are clinging here. One of the traditions the folks love to do over and over again during the New Year are farmers’ markets. There are a dozen farmers’ markets splashed all over the 250 kilometer stretch of Costa Calida right now until about January 11 of this year. Most of the farmers in these street markets are selling various goods from farm produce to textiles but if you are lucky enough, you can spot a fisherman selling his fresh catch. And mind you, seafood in Costa Calida is the best because it is hauled off from the Mediterranean. It is suggested that you buy grouper, redfish or lobsters and you can cook them at the vacation home that you’re staying so that they are really fresh when eaten. By the way, a vacation home here in Costa Calida can cost you about 275 euros for a package one-month stay. On the other hand, some attractions in Mar Menor in the first two weeks of this new year are karting and a family cruise along the Mediterranean aboard a yacht. Price is reasonable of course and you do not need to book ahead.

And if staying here for good is your thing, then there are numerous real estate developments going on in Costa Calida. Stakeholders in the real estate sector all around Murcia have assured they will do the best they can to make 2008 a bullish year. A typical subdivision in Costa Calida intended for the middle class contains a golf course designed in PGA standard, its own shopping mall complete with an IMAX moviehouse, a skating rink, an indoor basketball court, an atrium for concerts and major conferences, signature boutiques and of course a spa, among others.