The expansion of low-cost airlines, such as easyJet, has meant that previously hard to reach areas of Spain are now much more accessible for holidaymakers.
The decision of many low-cost airlines to fly into smaller, regional airports in European countries has altered the traditional holiday landscape. Louise Hall, business director of Primelocation.com said, “Barcelona and the Costa Brava region as a whole have become more popular with UK holidaymakers over the last two to three years. Inland Murcia has again proven popular and Mallorca has experienced huge popularity in recent years, becoming an expensive jewel with large numbers of properties valued at £1m plus.”
From the end of March, British Airways is set to launch new short haul routes from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports to Malaga, Alicante, Ibiza, Palma and Gibraltar.
Recent reports in the International Herald Tribune suggest that two new airports are to be opened in Spain and Portugal to cope with increased tourist demand in new areas of each country.
The airport in Spain will be built in the Huelva province of southwest Spain, designed to improve access to the western Costa de la Luz, whilst the Portuguese airport will be located in Alcochete, just outside the capital, Lisbon. It aims to boost travel access to both the Silver Coast and the Algarve. Both airports are planned to be operational by 2012.
This is not only good news for holiday makers but also property investors. According to a recent study by Savills, holiday homes close to destinations served by low-cost airlines are, on average, 37% more expensive than those which are not.
France and Spain are still streets ahead of their rivals for UK-based property investors according to Louise Hall, business director at Primelocation.com, with over half of all UK investors buying overseas property in these top two destinations.
She says that investors look for a combination of factors, including good weather, good transport links, easy lifestyle and familiarity as well as ‘rentability’ to ensure a steady income stream, which is why France and Spain have been in positions one and two for so long.
“Portugal, Italy and Florida are the next in line but there is a big gap in property search volumes between the number two and number three positions, which has been consistent for a number of years”, she concludes.
Research by the Department of Communities and Local Government for the financial year 2005-06 found that 34% of holiday homes owned by Britons were in Spain and 23% in France.
Now you can let the train take the strain all the way to southern Spain. With the opening of the new international terminal at St Pancras in November last year, the final leg of the London-Malaga link has now been completed thanks to launch of a new high speed train service between Madrid and Malaga.
The opening of the Madrid-Malaga high speed line has taken 10 hours of the previous journey time so London to Malaga by train can now be done in just 21 hours, including a comfortable night’s sleep on the Elipsos sleeper service between Paris and Madrid.
Just imagine… no scrums at the airport, no cramped economy seats, no inedible in-flight meals and no lost baggage. It’s a more refined, more relaxing and a greener way to travel.
Where else but in Florida can you find beaches, theme parks, stunning natural reserves, alligators and, if you travel at the right time, a Space Shuttle launch at the Kennedy Space Center. Known as the Sunshine State, Florida more than lives up to its name. The average lowest temperature in Miami throughout the year is only 20ºC so Florida is the place for year round warmth.
Swim and snorkel in the colourful coral reefs of the Florida Keys, or just sit back and relax on the white sandy beaches. Take the family, or just be a kid again yourself at Disneyworld’s Magic Kingdom, relive your favourite Hollywood scenes at Universal Studios, or get up close and personal with killer whales at SeaWorld. After such an adrenalin buzz you’ll appreciate the time to recharge your batteries on the beautiful Gulf Coast beaches. Don’t forget to share a Gulf sunset with someone special and check out the amazing seafood.
All this and more makes Florida the ultimate holiday destination.
The holiday resort of Puerto Pollensa is located on the north of the island of Majorca (Mallorca), the largest of the Balearics. It has remained very popular due to the stunning scenery, the gently sloping large sandy beaches and an overall more laid-back and friendly atmosphere to some of the larger resorts in the south.
The sheltered horseshoe shaped bay makes the beach a particular favourite for families with young children and the renowned Pine Walk is the only place for promenades on a warm summer’s evening, leading to the marina where million-pound yachts are moored. With small apartments on the beachfront to large villas tucked away in the surrounding hills, there is something for everyone at Puerto Pollensa.
The Semana Santa de Sevilla, or Easter Week in Seville for those less fluent in Spanish, has been attracting visitors for over 500 years. Today the celebrations feature over 50,000 people in traditional robes carrying out around 60 processions during the evening and at night throughout Easter Week.
The costaleros in the procession carry the pasos, ornate religious statues, shoulder high. Processions can all start from any church but they must all pass through an official section from Calle Campana to the Cathedral, making this section an extremely popular tourist spot. Easter in Seville, and many other Spanish towns, is a truly inspirational experience.
Spain has been a favourite destination for English buyers for many years now and despite soaring prices in some areas and over-development of others, there are still bargains to be found.
Madrid and Barcelona are still popular places for investment, although rising prices have put them out of the reach of many buyers. Instead, savvy buyers looking for a city home are heading to Cadiz, Granada or Seville, where good property for investment, holiday or relocation can still be found at a fraction of the price of the big two.
If you’re looking for a home near the beach why not try the Costa de la Luz. On the Atlantic coast of western Andalucía it has been a popular destination for Spanish holidaymakers for decades but the secret is now starting to come out. With the superb culture and an excellent climate, the low property prices here are not going to stay low for long.
And for something truly different and still authentically Spanish head north where rolling green hills of Galicia hide some amazing property bargains.
