With the Costa del Sol still basking in a glorious Indian summer in late October, it’s hard to believe that winter – or what passes for it in our coveted neck of the woods – is just around the corner. So to get body clocks into autumnal mode, we’ve put together a selection of our favourite all-time grates…

Every inch the perfect family home, this enticing property is not only within walking distance of one of Marbella’s leading international colleges – so school runs will happily become no more than a distant memory – but there’s also a kindergarten virtually on the doorstep, and when you fancy a day on the beach… you won’t even need to take the car!

One of only a handful of physiotherapists in Spain whose patients are four-legged rather than two, Maaike Vanhouette has just set up home in Pizarra, the perfect base for her expanding Costa del Sol canine and equine practice.

Larger than many a substantial detached villa, this huge penthouse occupies the entire top floor of a landmark 11-storey building. Just a few steps from the beach, it’s one seriously imposing piece of prime real estate.

When the HOT Properties editorial team set off to explore Marqués de Atalaya, we guessed we’d be in for a treat. We’d already heard through the office grapevine that it was an exceptional development, and we also knew that the developers were held in the highest of esteem. We couldn’t wait to get started…