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The most popular villages among foreign property buyers in Spain in 2023

Spain is still a very popular country with foreign buyers, who snap up just under 15 percent of the total number of properties here. But, where are the most popular villages for foreigners to buy in 2023?

The most popular villages among foreign property buyers in Spain in 2023
The whitewashed village of Cómpeta in the Axarquía comes in at number seven on the list. Photo: Robert Bovington / Wikimedia Commons

Cities of course are still major draws for foreign property buyers in Spain, but when looking at municipalities of less than 500,000 people it’s interesting to note which ones foreigners prefer. 

According to a study carried out by property giant Idealista, which analysed the visits received to its website during the months of June and July, these 10 villages are the ones that were searched for the most. 

The one element that most of these have in common is that they are located on or within easy reach of the coast. 

1) Benitachell, Alicante (Valencia) 

Benitachell is located 80km from Alicante, northeast along the coast. The village itself is slightly inland, surrounded by mountain views, but there are several urbanisations running all the way down to the sea. It has a population of just 4,481 and is even home to a British International school. According to Idealista the average property price here is €2,965 €/m2. 

Benitachell, Alicante is the most searched-for village to buy a property in Spain. Photo: Joanbanjo / Wikimedia Commons

2) Begur, Girona (Catalonia) 

Located in Catalonia’s Costa Brava region, Begur is a picturesque hilltop town, which also sits slightly inland from the coast. It’s very popular with holidaymakers in summer who come to enjoy the nearby coves. You’ll have to have deep pockets if you want to live here, however, with the average cost of €3,435 /m2. 

The town of Begur in Catalonia is a popular place to buy property. Photo: Myriam Thyes / Wikimedia Commons
 

READ ALSO: The towns in Spain where Brits outnumber locals

3) Pals, Girona (Catalonia)

Located just a short hop from Begur, Pals is an old medieval village that seems to remain frozen in time. It’s quaint and charming, but also extremely popular with tourists and sometimes it may feel like you’re living in a museum. The population is just 2,528. Properties sell for an average of €2,568 / m2. 

The historic picture-postcard village of Pals is a favourite with foreign buyers. Photo: MARIA ROSA FERRE / Wikimedia Commons
 

4) Llançà, Girona (Catalonia)

Situated in the Alt Empordà area of the Costa Brava, Llançà lies between the Cap de Creus Natural Park, above Dalí’s Cadaqués, and the French border at Portbou. It has a population of 4,914. A property here will cost you €2,121 /m2. 

The village of Llançà in Catalonia is the fourth most searched-for place for property. Photo: Turismellançà
 

5) Arenales del Sol, Alicante (Valencia) 

Just 12km south of Alicante city, Arenales del Sol is a residential zone and beach area. It offers seemingly endless stretches of sand that you can enjoy all year round. Just 5km from Alicante-Elche International Airport, it makes a great option for those who want to buy a holiday home here or travel often. A house or apartment here will set you back €2,268 /m2

Arenales del Sol is another popular spot for foreign buyers in Alicante. Photo: Zeisterre / Wikimedia Commons
 

6) Frigiliana, Málaga (Andalusia) 

Situated in the hills above Nerja, 57km east of Málaga, lies the picture postcard village of Frigiliana. One of Spain’s famed white villages, it’s known for its old Moorish quarter and quaint streets decorated with mosaics. Many of its properties even offer spectacular views all the way down to the coast. Properties cost an average of €2,489 /m2

It’s not hard to see why the picturesque whitewashed village of Frigiliana made the list. Photo: niall62 / Wikimedia Commons
 

7) Cómpeta, Malaga (Andalusia) 

Just north of Frigiliana in an area known as the Axarquía, Cómpeta is another charming white village and sits sitting at the foot of the Sierra Almijara. Almost half of its 3,814 residents are in fact foreigners, so you’ll have no problem fitting in. But if your goal is to integrate with local Spaniards, then you may want to look elsewhere. The average property price here is €1,489 /m2. 

The whitewashed village of Cómpeta in the Axarquía comes in at number seven on the list. Photo: Robert Bovington / Wikimedia Commons

8) Ses Salines, Mallorca (Balearics) 

Situated close to the southern tip of the island of Mallorca, Ses Salines municipality is home to around 5,200 residents. Its history is entwined with the production of salt and there are still salt flats found here today. Of course, it goes without saying that it lies within easy reach of one of the island’s most beautiful coastlines. 

The village of Ses Salines is the most searched-for village among property buyers in Mallorca. Photo: Sönke Biehl / Wikimedia Commons

9) Ponga (Asturias)

The only village on the list that lies in northwestern Spain can be found in the region of Asturias. Located right on the border with Castilla y León and surrounded by high peaks, this is also one of the furthest villages on the list from the coast. Ribadesella is located approximately 53km to the north. It’s located in what is known as ‘Empty Spain’ and has just 574 residents. 

Ponga in Asturias is the most popular spot for foreign property buyers in northwestern Spain. Photo: Carmenmoran / Wikimedia Commons

10) Alcossebre, Castellón (Valencia) 

Situated along the Costa Azahar or Orange Blossom Coast in the northern part of Valencia, Alcossebre is a pretty seaside village with lots of colourful houses. Offering a relaxed pace of life, it has around 7,000 residents. Properties cost an average of €1,897 /m2. 

The tenth most popular village for foreign property buyers in Spain is Alcossebre in the Valencia region. Photo: Columbusalbus / Wikimedia Commons

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PROPERTY

Spain considers banning tourist lets in residential buildings

The Spanish government has announced it's studying the possibility of prohibiting tourist apartments in residential buildings where property owners live.

Spain considers banning tourist lets in residential buildings

The Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez, announced this Tuesday that the Government is studying a reform of the Horizontal Property Law in order to allow property owners to prohibit tourist apartments in their residential buildings.

In Spain, each building has what’s known as a community of neighbours, referred to La Comunidad or Comunidad de Vecinos in Spanish, and essentially the Spanish government is considering giving them veto power over tourist apartments in their buildings.

READ ALSO: ‘La comunidad’: What property owners in Spain need to know about homeowners’ associations

The announcement was stated in an interview on Telecinco, in which Rodríguez stated that this move comes as a consequence of recent supreme court rulings on tourist apartments in Oviedo in Asturias and San Sebastián in the Basque Country.

In the rulings, the magistrates concluded that the rental of housing for tourist use is an economic activity, and agreed that communities of owners in two separate buildings could ban tourist rentals in several apartments.  

“It will be the neighbourhood communities that will also be able to participate in these types of decisions, because this phenomenon, which is not exclusive to our country, affects the entire world and the main capitals in Europe,” explained the minister.

READ ALSO – UPDATE: Which cities in Spain have new restrictions on tourist rentals?

Recently, Rodríguez has criticised that the proliferation of tourist apartments causes problems for locals, that it stops them from being able to access decent housing and raises the price of rentals.

She praised the regions which have taken steps to try and put a stop to this and gave the recent example of Barcelona City Council, which announced last Friday that it would eliminate all tourist apartments by the end of 2028.

She believes this move in Barcelona “will benefit citizens who want to live in their city, who do not want it to be a theme park and who prioritise the right to access housing over economic interests”.

Spain’s Horizontal Property Law , which was modified once in 2019, already states that it “requires a favourable vote of three-fifths of the total number of owners who, in turn, represent three-fifths of the participation quotas”. This means that already owners have a big say in whether tourist licences can be granted to apartments in their buildings.

However, the particular wording of the law has been the subject of much legal controversy and judicial interpretation. The reason is because the wording of the law only mentions the possibility for communities to “limit or condition” tourist use, but they do not have the power to “prohibit” since the law does not expressly say so.

Several regions have their own rulings through regional courts, but this new announcement aims to make it universal across the board in Spain and ensure that there’s no room for misinterpretation.

Rodríguez is set to meet this afternoon with the governing board of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) and the Housing and Tourism Commissions to address this matter and come to a decision. 

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