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Driving past Velez Rubio, the land becomes more ochre in colour , yellows and beiges predominate and the mountains have receeded so you drive through flat land bounded by mountains in the distance.

The autovia is I have to say pretty boring to drive through, with only occasional small farms and ruins to break the monotony. One thing about Spanish motorways though is the frequency of their Via de Servicio’s (Service areas) where you can get food and drink and for you and the family as well as fuel for the car.

You will often find small hotels attached which have full restaurants and unlike our motorway services in the UK, these restaurants are well patronised by the locals, especially on Sunday lunchtimes.

As you head towards Lorca you begin to descend and the air heats up, even in the winter months.  At Easter time, if you visit Lorca you will be able to witness the procession, two brotherhoods, white and blue compete with each other. The procession includes elaborate floats, horses brought in from all over, musicians and amazing costumes, capes and standards created by local craftsmen and sometimes taking years to finish.

Past Lorca and it doesn’t take long for the traffic to build up on the approach to Murcia. this is an old city which is still very Spanish and doesn’t have the large ex-pat communities which mean shops and restaurants catering to British tastes.

That’s not to say there are no ex-pats, just that they are in smaller numbers and more integrated into local life.

Now you can drive from Malaga to Murcia in a day but if you do, you will miss so much. Take a few days and stay overnight in Granada because really, you must visit the Alhambra, it is a magical place but beware the gypsies who crowd the car park offering to tell your fortune. They are very persistent!

Then take a day or so to get to know the ‘troglodyte’ village and surrounding area. Staying in Velez Blanco will give you breathtaking views of the countryside as it’s almost at the top of the world.

So there you have it, take your hire car and explore the hidden interior of Spain, I promise you won’t be disappointed – well unless you want beaches of course