Travel: Spain's Secret Beaches: Concluding our two-part series on summer villa rental, Rob Ryan sees what's on offer in Spain, Portugal and beyond

02/17/1999

STILL our number-one destination, the guaranteed sunshine of the Mediterranean costas holds our attention.

However, the little-known Costa de la Luz - the Atlantic stretch from the Portuguese border to Gibraltar - is opening up, and includes seaside/sherry towns such as Puerto de la Santa Maria, the 'white village' of Vejer, the windsurfing mecca of Tarifa, and very, very, empty beaches.

It is featured by Magic of Spain (0990 462 442), Mundi Color (0171 828 6021), Simply Spain (0181 987 6112), Spain at Heart (01373 836070) and Traveller's Way (01527 578100). The latter offers Casitas Manoli, a two-bedroom bungalow by the sea in Conil, for Pounds 990 for 14 nights, flights extra. Simply Spain has El Palmar Villas, a new small complex five minutes' walk from the fine, sandy El Palmar beach: a semidetached villa sleeping six costs Pounds 3,678 for 14 nights, including flights and car hire.

Among many properties on the Costa de la Luz, Spain at Heart has the two-bedroom Villa Canela with its own garden, and the sandy beaches of Canos de Meca within walking distance: 14 nights for two adults and two children costs Pounds 2,080, including flights.

Moving inland, away from the crowds, Magic of Spain and Simply Spain both feature Frigilana, a few miles inland from Nerja in Andalucia. Meon Villas (01730 268411) is finding the north of Majorca (in the hinterland behind the relatively unspoilt Puerto Pollensa) selling strongly: the Villa L'Hort de Can Sureda (sleeping four), a restored farmhouse, costs Pounds 3,556 per fortnight, including flights, car hire and welcome food pack.

For Spain, try also CV Travel (0171 591 2810), Individual Trav-ellers Spain (08700 773773), European Villas (01233 314200), Thomas Cook (01733 418200), Travel Club of Upminster (01708 225000) and Brittany Ferries (0990 360360) and P&O European Ferries Holidays (01992 456045), both of whom are especially strong on northern 'green' Spain.

PORTUGAL

FOR most villa renters Portugal means one thing - the Algarve. However Individual Travellers (08700 773773) has properties in every region, including Casa Pombal, a fantastic converted dovecote high in the mountains just below an 18th century chapel on the edge of the port region with views across to the Douro: it sleeps two and costs Pounds 1,125 for two weeks, including car (flights extra).

The Algarve market seems split between those who want the bustle of the coast (especially golfers and tennis players who like their villas to be within the large complexes such as Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo) and those who head for the hills, usually around Monchique and Loule. The Villa Agency (01273 747811) has Casa Cristina, which sleeps six: Scandinavian-style within, set in its own grounds amid olive groves and almond trees, with good scenic views, a fortnight costs Pounds 2,216, flights extra. Alternatively, the smaller, charming cottage-with-pool Casa Azul sleeps four, Pounds 1,440, flights extra.

Cosmos (0161 476 5678) has villas with pools on or near the coast around such bustling cen-tres as Albufeira and Vilamoura. A Vilamoura villa costs Pounds 5,480 for 14 nights based on 10 sharing, including flights, car hire and welcome pack.

For Portugal try also Algarve Select (01625 588430), Exclusive Villas (01202 591890), First Choice (0161 745 7000), Magic of Portugal (0181 741 1181), Simply Travel (0181 995 3883), Thomson (0990 502555), Villa Select (01789 764909) and Algarve Villa Owners Association (0181 663 1363).

OTHER DESTINATIONS THERE are thriving villa markets throughout the Med.

Sovereign, mentioned above, also covers the Canaries, Cyprus, Ibiza, Menorca and Gozo. Meon has a similar range, plus Corfu. In fact, villa rental on the relatively quiet north of Corfu is very strong.

The most upmarket operator on the island is CV Travel, which has Gastouri Mansion overlooking green lawns with huge palms and flowerbeds (and cook on request): 14 nights costs Pounds 8,320 (based on eight sharing, including flights).

Sunvil Holidays (0181 568 4499) has an extensive Greece and Cyprus portfolio: the modern purpose-built Villa Ili-ada No 1, with its own pool, in Peyia, near Paphos in Cyprus, costs Pounds 3,882 (six sharing) for 14 nights, including two cars and flights.

For Greece and the Islands try: Greek Island Club (0181 232 9780), with a range of properties on Corfu, Alonissos (simple, good-value cottages on or near small, unspoilt beaches from around Pounds 774pp per fortnight including flights and car), Cephalonia and Paxos among others, and Skopelos Villas (Crete, Skiathos and Skopelos, 01689 877938), Corfu Villas (0870 6060013), Laskarina (01629 822203), Planos Holidays (01373 836000) and Simply Greece (0181 987 6119).

For a somewhat more exotic villa holiday make for Morocco.

Best of Morocco (01380 828533) has an interesting hotel/villa hybrid, Les Deux Tours, on the outskirts of Marrakesh. It consist of six residences, each with its own walled garden and small pool, which are now operated as one rental unit with a dining room and other hotel-style facilities. Three of the villas can be rented in their entirety. The Bjorg villa, for example, costs Pounds 2,860 for 14 nights based on six sharing, including breakfast and 24-hour attendant. Further south, beyond the Atlas Mountains near Ouarzazate, CV Travel (0171 591 2800) has the heavenly Kasbah du Lac, a moorish beauty set on a 20-mile lake: sleeps 10, costs Pounds 5,600 for 14 nights, flights extra.

For Morocco try also International Chapters (0171 722 0722).