Gorgeous units along pathways lined with palms and bougainvillea, private patios, tennis courts, an enormous swimming pool and a vast lawn that fronts the beach, antique wrought-iron window grates and fountains. Spain’s 80-mile Costa del Sol conjures up centuries of varied conquerors, religious invasions, the Moors, palaces, warring, and, of course, magnificent beaches and a stable monarchy that exists today.

It’s a friendly and untroubled place and beloved by Canadians and Americans — and, of course, Spaniards! Villacana (between Marbella and Estepona) is smack on the Mediterranean, north of (British) Gibraltar and south of Malaga, your usual point of arrival. Also, Villacana is the perfect headquarters to relax and swim and never leave, or to explore the elegant resorts nearby, like Marbella. You’ll want to visit the restaurants up into the nearby mountains for some authentic cuisine, or visit any of the appealing assets of Andalusia. And to think it all started from fishing villages!