At about 35kms long Baza lake is one of the largest in Andalucia and is approximately an hour from Casa Scolares.

On the lake there is a restaurant with a pool, woodland, a dam and many water sports you can participate in – including sailing, canoeing and fishing.

There are numerous lovely beaches which are approximately an hour from Casa Scolares.

A wide unspoilt sandy beach which is approximately 10km long. There is tree-lined promenade providing an idyllic walk with a number of bars and restaurants for you to sit and take in the views. If you're an early bird you can even see the local fisherman's morning catch at the harbour.

This 15km clean beach offers a stunning coastline and is lined with a number of bars and restaurants.

This quaint spot offers two narrow sandy beaches and coves framed by a palmed tree walkway. There are a number of restaurants and bars on offer if you need to take a break from the beach.

This sandy beach is approximately 7km in length with numerous bars and restaurants.

This spot offers two types of beaches. Alongside the village is a pebbled beach and just beyond a cove is an unspoilt sandy beach in a sheltered bay. This is an excellent spot for safe swimming and comes complete with an excellent beach bar. Linking the two is a palmed promenade with numerous places to sit and take in the views. There is also a local diving school for those seeking more adventure.

There are 35 coves and rocky promontories surrounded by safe blue flag swimming beaches. The coves of Cala Reona, Calabardina, Calacerrada, El Arroz and El Hornillo beach are a must for those who love to explore.

A sandy beach with bars and restaurants.

The following is a brief summary of the bird species you can expect to find in Andalucia, obviously depending on the time of year and place:

There are some 13 resident raptor species in Andalucía, as well as several which migrate here annually from Africa. The best place to see them is in the more hilly parts of the province where they hover or circle high in the sky.

Other large birds of prey, which can be found in mountainous regions, include the golden eagle (and several other eagles) and the Egyptian and griffon vultures. Smaller birds of prey, such as the kestrel, buzzard various harriers and red kite, can be spotted in lowland woods and forests.

The large white stork can be seen in the western region of Andalucía where they nest from spring to summer on electricity pylons, trees and towers.

Among the most colourful of Andalucía's many other birds is the golden oriole, which can be seen in orchards and woodlands, particularly during the summer months. The male oriole has a dazzling bright yellow body. The orange, black and white hoopoe is a similarly striking bird, common in open woodlands and golf courses. Also worth seeing is the gold, brown and turquoise bee-eater, which nests in sandy banks in summer and, last but not least, various woodpeckers and owls which generally inhabit mountainous woodlands.

The following was provided by guests who are keen bird watchers:

Casa Scolares is surrounded by groves, orchards, hills and quiet country lanes with plenty of birds to be found locally, and quite a few can be seen whilst lying on the sunbed! It is also easy to reach all of the Almeria Province and some of the Granada Province sites listed in Garcia and Patterson’s book 'Where to Watch Birds in Southern and Western Spain' as well as plenty of other places to explore.

During our stay in the middle of October, we saw Griffon Vulture, Booted Eagle, Common Buzzard, Hoopoe, Willow Warblers, Sardinian Warblers and Black Redstart all around Casa Scolares. Nearby, just outside of Maria, at the Ermita de la Virgin de la Cabeza were obliging Rock Bunting and Black Redstart. We also saw Crossbills around the castle at Velez Blanco and a picnic site near Orce.

There are 3 excellent golf courses in the area:

Mojacar: Par 72 course distance of 5700 Metres. The golf course is built next to the sea complete with flat fairways and water features to test your skills.

To make a reservation: tel 950-133-235

Vera: Par 71 distance of 5751 Metres. This course has elevated tees, flat greens and water features in a natural setting.

To make a reservation: tel: 950-725-464

Palomares: Par 72 distance of 6179 Metres. This was the first desert course in Europe with wonderful fairways, water features and desert terrain make a challenging golf day.

To make a reservation tel: 637-861-592

A family run business, which situated just outside the pretty village of Heneres, and is approximately 30mins away from Casa Scolares.

The landscape is still un spoilt with magnificent mountain views. There are endless opportunities for trekking. The mountain scenery is quite spectacular, with many pathways, each offering its own unique features, varying from mountain streams to dry river beds and superb picnic locations.

Tel: 950 527 168

If you love to shop, then check out the local markets. Normal market hours are 9am to 13:30pm.

The province of Almeria has a stunning landscape that has attracted film markers since the early sixties. The Tabernas Dessert with its wind blown sandstone and dry riverbeds has provided dramatic backdrops for dozens of 'spaghetti' westerns, Peter O'Toole classic Lawrence of Arabia and other more recent films such as Patton, The Wind and the Lion and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Many of the movie sets still remain and have been carefully preserved and rebuilt to provide attractions for an ever increasing number of visitors to the area. The most famous set is Mini Hollywood where over one hundred films have been shot, including the Sergio Leone classics A Fistful of Dollars and The Magnificent Seven where Clint Eastwood starred.

Mini-Hollywood is the longest established of three theme parks existing in the area. The other two 'Western Leone' and 'Texas Hollywood' are still part-time working film locations. Mini-Hollywood is now entirely given over to the theme-park business and provides a variety of attractions, which include, a twice daily simulation of a spectacular Wild West gunfight when bandits ride into town to hold up the bank, a carriage museum, a film museum, a cactus garden and an animal zoo.

Texas Hollywood is located close to Mini Hollywood, 25 kilometers north of Almeria City on the A-340. The film set continues to make films but also offers visitors the opportunity to stroll around the film sets which include a Mexican Village, an Indian Village and a typical America Wild West Town complete with a saloon, a jail, shops, a bank and stables with horses and authentic stagecoaches.

Western Leone owes its name to the Italian film director Sergio Leone who turned the Almeria landscape into a film location. Leone films included his epic Western 'Once Upon A Time In The West' (1968) starring Claudia Cardinale and the legendary Henry Fonda, as well as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Treasure Island.

Andalucia is a mountain biker's paradise.

Mountain biking and cycling are viewed as both serious sports and a relaxing pastime in Andalucia. It is not unusual to be overtaken by a group of lycra-clad cyclists tackling the steep mountain roads, particularly at weekends.

Andalucia has built a solid reputation for having some of the world's best, technical down hills, free riding and cross-country mountain biking. Combine this with the wonderful climate for all year round mountain bike holidays and you will end up here, track, tough climbs, fast flowing downhill's as well as some more gentle rides. The terrain is well suited to going off road, from blasting down hill and excellent free riding to varied and testing terrain.

The Sierra Nevada meaning 'snowy range'' in Spanish, is a mountain range in the region of Andalusia in Spain. It is located in the Province of Granada and the most southern skiing location in all of Europe. The mountain range contains some of the highest points in Europe with Mount Mulhacén at a height of 3,479 metres (11,414 ft). The popular Sierra Nevada ski resort of Pradollano can be reached within a couple of hours drive from Casa Scolares and the Costa de Almeria. This makes it possible to ski in the Sierra Nevada in morning and sunbath on the Spanish beaches in the afternoon. Being so far south means the Sierra Nevada has more hours of sunlight than any other European Ski Resort. It also means you are able to gain a superb ski tan from a winter climate where the days are typically blue skies, blazoned with sun. The ski resort has a long season running from November to May. This is in part due to the resort organisers who work hard to prepare the runs during the night and the resort's superbly equipped advanced snow making systems which nearly guarantees skiing, even if it does not snow a single flake.

Situated by the beach in Vera, the water park includes Kamikaze, Body Ski, Twisting slides, River adventure, Black Hole, tubes, inflatable rings, wave pool, large pool, lake and children's water world.

To make it a whole day out they also offer bars, buffets, picnic areas, games rooms, mini golf, shops and parks. They even run dance and aqua aerobic activities.

Tel: 950 46 73 37.