SPAIN
THE big hooray for Hispanophiles is that Spain has more availability this year than usual, as valueseekers decamp to Greece and Turkey. A shift towards small holiday groups has left larger properties on the Balearics up for grabs. At Majorca's Cala Sanau, Meon Villas (01730 268411; www.meonvillas.co.uk) has two weeks in the elegant Finca Sanau, with sculpted pool: for eight for pounds 927pp, departing 29 July. Inland Andalucia still has bags of choice: The Real Spain (020 8686 3638; www.citalia.com) has seven nights in a villa for four at a well-designed watermill conversion outside Frigiliana, pounds 535pp including car hire, departs 27 July or 3 August.
Also with plenty of availability are: Simply Spain (020 8541 2277; www.simplytravel.co.uk), Travel Club of Upminster (01708 225000; www.travelclub.org.uk), Magic of Spain (020 8241 5019; www.magictravelgroup.co.uk) and Spain at Heart (01373 814222; www.spainatheart.co.uk).
PORTUGAL
Perennially popular, the best Algarve properties have been snapped up, with companies seeking out new ones midseason.
Affinity Villas (01428 727277; www.affinityvillas.com) has several, including an ex-royal residence with private beach sleeping 18 at Ferragudo: pounds 4,750 full capacity, but reduces to pounds 3,850 for eight people using just the ground floor. Alternatively, a newly completed villa with private pool for six, five minutes from buzzing Vale do Lobo, costs pounds 1,465 per week. Flights extra. Availability in July and August. Also try CV Travel (0870 6060802) and First Choice (0870 7500001; www.firstchoice.co.uk).
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