The warm waters of the Mar Menor on the well known La Manga strip, the beautiful beaches of the Costa Calida (the "warm coast") and the few established high quality golf courses in the region are pulling in tourists and property purchasers to this beautiful region of Spain. And when the new golf resorts that are currently under construction in this area are complete, this stunning region will be a leisure paradise, according to Spanish Homes magazine, Jan 2008. That is why they deem it as a "hotspot" for this year, 2008 - the place to buy your dream home in Spain.

Not only is the area known for its tourists attractions (the great beaches and golf and leisure activities), there is more to Murcia than meets the eye - a more serious side, a side that is not often recognised - and that is the one that treasures its Moorish heritage and commemorates its religious festivals in a serious style.

In Bolnuevo, not far from Mazarron you will find the Mazarron cliffs, whose interesting formations have been carved out by centuries of wind.

Nearby Cartagena, founded by the Carthaginians, is a traditional Spanish working port that has a large naval facility and is currently undergoing some improvements to make it more appealing to tourists. It is here that Hannibal and his elephant riding army landed before proceeding all the way to Italy by land to wage war on the Romans. You can find ruins from the Roman era and the remains of a temple to the Phoenican god Melqart.

Monteagudo boasts an immense monument to the Sacred Heart that was erected in 1951 to replace the one that was destroyed by Spain's left wing government some 25 years earlier.

In Caravaca de la Cruz, the fifth holiest city in the world, you will find the treasured Holy Cross. According to legend, the original cross is said to have been brought to the town by two angels but later stolen in the 1930's, just before the Spanish Civil War by the Templars. The Pope thus donated a copy of the Cross which, within are said to be two pieces of wood from the cross of Christ.

Also in Caravaca, each May the caballos de vino (wine horses) race takes place. Starting at the bottom of the town and finishing at the towns castle, the race commemorates the memory of the horses that brought wine to the besieged Christians who looked after the Holy Cross there centuries previously.

In the city of Murcia itself stands the impressive Teatro de Romea, named after a local actor, which houses a number of works of art and is a venue for some great stage productions.

In the far north of Murcia, in the Jumilla region, basking in the hot sunshine, you will discover acres and acres of vineyards growing, in the main, the Monastrell grape, ready to produce the full bodied fruity wine that this region is renowned for - try poaching Jumilla pears in this delicious wine - a tasty treat! Hot or sweet smoked Murcian paprika, with its strong, warm smoky flavour is an essential basic to many Spanish dishes. Murcia is a vast vegetable producing area - only Andalucia exports more vegetables than this region and farming is a major employment sector - over 70% of the regions produce is exported overseas. 120,000 tonnes of artichokes alone are grown in the region each year - they're eaten fried with ham, clams or used in salad dishes.

Known as one of the best kept secrets in Spain, according to Spanish Homes magazine, Murcia will soon undergo vast changes to meet the growing numbers of tourists and the increasing numbers of expats looking to purchase property in this region. The area is one that has attracted the rich and relatively famous cliques with the ability to spend a few million euros on a property. And more and more people are investing in off-plan property in the region - the best deals to be had are in the inland region of Murcia.

In these country areas of Murcia, life is very different to that on the coast. Here, life is lived at a relaxed pace - at a pace where you can sit back, relax and enjoy Spanish life. The areas are far enough inland to not be affected by the mass developments that have taken place on the coastal areas. Construction has been relatively restrained and much emphasis is on the aesthetics, restricting buildings to low rise ones, no more than three storey high (though most are only two).

In the Jumilla region, out of 28 proposals for new developments, only 4 have been granted approval (by 3 developers). The Santa Ana del Monte Jumilla Golf Resort by Grupo San Jose has been granted permission to build a two 18 hole golf resort with a range of luxury leisure and sports amenities including a luxury 5 star hotel. Construction of the development is well under way with a range of high quality show homes, ranging from two bedroom apartments to luxury villas available for viewing.

The Pegasus Corporation has been granted permission to build an exclusive gated golf complex - Golf Resort El Castillo, featuring a 9 hole professionally designed course and a range of sports and leisure facilities, also including a luxury hotel and a top equestrian centre. Luxury show homes are now completed and furnished and ready for viewing. Also, permission has been granted for the developer to build a small development in the Pena Roja region but it will be some time before work starts here.

La Zarza Properties have a number of show homes available for viewing on their development Residencial La Tosquilla, situated at the foothills of the Sierra de la Pila nature reserve in the stunning La Tosquilla valley. Consisting of a range of 2 bedroom pre designed detached bungalows and a 3 bedroom detached house and with the opportunity to have an individual detached villa built to own specifications on a large plot of 6,000 sq mts or more, with a range of on site amenities including bowls, tennis, crown green bowling, fishing lakes, 24 hour reception and medical centre,

the development is ideal for the over 55's and those wanting a relaxed and secure way of life.

With approximately 320 days of sunshine a year, and acres of untouched countryside, it's certain that prices will rise significantly in this area in the next few years.