Buying property in Spain

Floating serenely in the Mediterranean, the Balearics are among the most popular tourist destinations in Europe – and it’s easy to see why: the ease of getting there, the year-round appeal, the intrinsic beauty, the secluded coves, the fishing villages, the nightlife. Each of the four islands that make up the Balearics displays a unique personality – the three most popular are: Mallorca The largest – and one of the more expensive parts of Spain to buy a home. Ibiza The clubbing capital of the world has a bohemian undercurrent that provides a welcome antidote to the island’s hedonism. Property is understandably pricey, but the summer rental appeal more than makes up for it if you want to explore that option. Menorca The easternmost Balearic island prefers a more sedate pace of life.

Costa del Azhar – which translates to “Coast of the Orange Blossom” in reference to the fragrant orange groves that dot its landscape – is one of Spain’s best-kept secrets. Sandwiched between Costa Daurada to the north and Costa Blanca to the south it’s home to Valencia – the birthplace of paella – Alcossebre, Benicassim, Peñiscola and Gandia. Equal in appeal to its costa contemporaries, it goes under the radar partly because Alicante – two hours drive to the south – is serviced by more flights from the UK than Valencia. House prices are, therefore, eminently more affordable than its neighbours along the coast.

Spain’s northernmost costa stretches from Barcelona to the Spanish–French border – where the Pyrenees meets the Mediterranean. This scenic region of Catalonia is widely regarded as one of Spain’s most beautiful costas, where unspoiled coves, spectacular seascapes, rugged headlands, and charming seaside villages are par for the course. Its location might make it a little chillier than its more southerly cousins in the off-season, but what it lacks in winter sun it makes up for in accessibility: low-cost flights take just two hours from Barcelona or Girona to London or Manchester.

What do you get if you combine yearround flights, year-round sun, and beaches to die for: holiday-home heaven is the answer – AKA Costa Cálida. This intoxicating 250-kilometre stretch of coastline is lined with magnetic resorts. La Manga and Mar Menor are the most popular areas with UK buyers, who can hop in a car at Murcia International Airport and be at their property in under 40 minutes and 30 minutes respectively.

The White Coast is the most popular choice with international property buyers in Spain – and by some distance: in 2022, 40% of home sales to foreign buyers were located on the long stripe of the Costa Blanca, trouncing its nearest rival, the Costa del Sol, by 16%. There’s something for everyone here – from the tower blocks of Benidorm, to the historic charm of Jávea, to the inland villages amongst verdant pine forests and palm trees. And to top it off, Alicante airport has year-round budget flights from every corner of the UK.

Another perennial favourite with overseas property buyers, the Costa del Sol is the embodiment of mass tourism, where once rural fishing villages have been engulfed by end-to-end resort towns – from the bling of Marbella to trailblazer Torremolinos, Spain’s first mass tourism destination back in the 1950s. The Sunshine Coast lives up to its name, with rays of sunlight beating down on its sandy shores for 320 days of the year. Golf enthusiasts are drawn to the region’s 70+ sun-drenched courses, earning it another moniker: the “Costa del Golf.” And with so many budget flights to Malaga airport, weekend trips are more than a possibility.

Costa del Sol’s Andalusian neighbour is more bohemian than bling. This unspoilt and relatively unexplored part of the region is known for its uncrowded beaches, rugged cliffs and laidback lifestyle. Its relaxing resorts include Roquetas de Mar, Almerimar, Carboneras, Mojácar and Vera, where you’ll find quaint harbours or vast sandy beaches. Almeria Airport is conveniently serviced by easyJet and Ryanair from many UK airports.

It’s a similar story to the west of the Costa del Sol from Gibraltar up to the Portuguese border. Planned development gives way to blonde, windswept beaches – home to a thriving watersports scene – and swathes of farmland on the Coast of Light. That’s not to say there aren’t large-scale resorts around here. Head west to the area known as “Spain’s Algarve” and you’ll find tourist hotspots like Isla Cristina. Property is more affordable than in the neighbouring Costa del Sol and Portuguese Algarve. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to visiting your property, with four airports offering flights to the region from the UK: Gibraltar, Seville, Jerez and Faro, across the border in Portugal.

Nestled off the coast of Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean is an archipelago consisting of seven islands of varying size, geography and energy. People come to this Spanish Autonomous Community for the year round warmth, beach-hugging resorts and cheap holiday apartments and stay for the scented pine forests, looming volcanoes, and Sahara-style dunes. With plenty of year-round flights taking a jetlag free four hours, the Canaries are a great option for some winter sun.

The four largest islands attract the most overseas property buyers:

1. Tenerife The largest island in the archipelago attracts a whopping six million visitors a year. Its famous southern resorts like Playa de las Américas provide the biggest draw but scratch the island’s surface and you’ll discover remote mountainside villages, picturesque port settlements and alluring ancient towns.

2. Fuerteventura Blown by the wind and baked by the sun, Fuerteventura is – like many of its neighbours – a magnet for water sports enthusiasts. This has given rise to intriguing resorts like Corralejo which expertly combine a vibrant surf culture with traditional Spanish package tourism.

3. Gran Canaria, the third-largest island in the Canaries’ is home to almost half the population. Its lucky inhabitants enjoy a captivatingly diverse terrain for such a small island – from the verdant north to the craggy mountainous interior to the sandy south.

4. Lanzarote Lanzarote is an intriguing combination of tourist resorts, whitewashed villages, volcanic cones – there are around 300 of these landscape-defining features – and blackened lava fields. The island’s rocky and wild landscape can make arriving here feel a bit like landing on the moon.