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.