“If you believed everything you read, you would avoid the Spanish property market like the plague. But it appears that foreign investment in the country is growing steadily with Britons leading the way. So what’s the real story?

“There are many reasons why it’s actually a great time to buy a Spanish home. Bargain prices for a start. The Swiss bank UBS estimates that Spanish house prices have plummeted by up to 38% since the peak of the market, and that they’ve got another 8% to go before bottoming out.

“This, together with a concerted effort being made by regional estate agents and tourism boards to improve Spain’s tarnished image, is leading to high hopes that increased foreign investment will eventually help to revive the country’s property market.

“The market should also be bolstered when a new law granting automatic residency to non-EU nationals buying property worth at least €500,000 is passed.

“According to the Bank of Spain and the Real Estate Registry’s annual report, foreign investment in Spanish property increased by 17% in 2012 – the highest level since 2004, and British buyers accounted for more than 16% of the foreign market. In total, €5.54bn was spent by foreign nationals last year compared with €4.7bn in 2011.

“The Spanish property market has experienced a very turbulent few years, but it still accounts for around a quarter of the enquiries we receive, and was actually the country we received most enquiries about last month.

“Buyers are in a strong position due to the number of homes available (an estimated two million) and the possibility of negotiating prices down even further with some very motivated vendors. It also helps that Spain offers cheap and easy access from the UK, and rental opportunities are good too. It basically ticks a number of boxes that Britain doesn’t, including the weather!

“Unsurprisingly, mortgage availability isn’t as good as it was a few years ago, but there are still lots of opportunities, especially if you have a healthy deposit to put down, and you can generally borrow up to around 65-70% of the value of the property. Rates currently start from just 3.2%.

“It may be a good time to buy property in Spain, but as always, it’s essential that you seek the right advice and go through the same process that you’d follow if you were buying a property in the UK.

“This includes taking independent advice from an English-speaking lawyer who is not connected to your seller, estate agent or property developer. It’s most certainly a buyer’s market, but you must choose carefully.

“Spain has had its problems, but its core appeal hasn’t changed. For many buyers it’s a lifestyle choice and they’re attracted by the climate, amenities and culture, rather than earning a prospective fortune on their home there.

“As long as you treat your property purchase as an investment over the long term, you can still buy with confidence, if you buy wisely.”

Son Sant Joan Airport has posted record traffic so far this year, with 2.5 million people using the airport in the last month alone. Coupled with visitor numbers increasing by 6%, this is great news for Mallorca’s property market, boosting buyer confidence and renewing excitement in the much-loved Golden Isle.

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Manager for leading Spanish house builder Taylor Wimpey España and a resident of Mallorca comments,

“The rising number of tourists to the island has translated into the property market, with many holidaymakers choosing to make their stay more permanent.

“Our sales figures show Mallorca continues to have broad appeal amongst discerning buyers around the world and properties in prime locations are continuing to sell well.”

Indeed, demand for property in Mallorca remains high, with over 54,000 EU residents (19,623 of whom are British) now living in Mallorca permanently. The island also boasts an estimated 60,000 second home owners from the UK.

Accessibility is a key factor for many of those buying first or second homes abroad and is oneofthe reasons that Mallorca‘s property market is flourishing. New routes from Scunthorpe and Portsmouth, with reasonably priced flights of around two hours, have added to the already extensive network of flights between the UK and the Golden Isle. Links between Mallorca and the rest of Europe – particularly Germany and Scandinavia – have further added to the trend.

According to property portal Kyero, the average Balearic Island property costs €458,000, more than double the average Spanish mainland property cost of €220,000. The difference is a sharp reflection of the high end accommodation available on islands such as Mallorca, as well as the huge variety of outdoor activities and leisure pursuits that the Balearic Islands offer.

But purchasing a property on Mallorca doesn’t need to break the bank if you take the smart approach. Taylor Wimpey España is offering two bedroom apartments at its El Puerto II new development for just €149,500. The apartments are located on the south east coast of the island, close to the glamorous Marina de Cala D’Or. With three communal swimming pools, the properties are surrounded by outstanding natural beauty as well as local locations offering activities such as water sports, biking and golf.

For those eager to purchase their dream Mallorca property without delay, the company is also offering key-ready, sleek and contemporary homes at Aires de Pollensa.The properties offer a winning combination of peaceful surroundings and beautiful views, matched with a wide array of popular facilities around the port. The closest attractions include golf – notably the famous nine hole Pollensa golf course – as well as cycling routes, kite surfing, sailing and diving schools. A host of traditional restaurants completes the idyllic location.

The modern three-floor development has two and three bedroom apartments available from €275,000, with spacious terraces and private gardens in a gated community, alongside parking facilities and a dazzling communal pool.

The new service linking Madrid, Cuenca, Albacete, Villena and Alicante will initially run nine times a day with extra trains at weekends, according to a report in Spanish online daily teinteresa.es.

The new journey time between Madrid and Alicante of 2 hours and 20 minutes is 50 minutes shorter than that of current connections.

Tickets for the route will cost €64.90 but there will be an introductory discount of 50 percent between June 18th and 25th.

In addition to the new high-speed link, Spain’s state-owned railway operator Renfe will introduce direct daily connections between Alicante and both Santander and Gijon as well as with Galicia at weekends.

Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will be among the guests on Monday at the opening ceremony for the Madrid–Alicante high-speed link before it launches officially on June 18th.

María Dolores de Cospedal , the Popular Party Secretary General and President of Castilla-La Mancha, and Alberto Fabra,

The light, vitality and splendour that invade Alicante throughout the year can be experienced more intensely than ever during the bonfires of San Juan, a festivity that has been designated as being of International Tourist Interest. Over several days the city of Alicante is filled with large papier-mâché and wooden sculptures (known as ninots), firework castles, mascletàs (firework displays), music and giant bonfires. A huge popular celebration which reaches a spectacular peak on the night of 24 June with the cremà, when the purifying flames engulf hundreds of bonfires and tinge the sky with orange.

Throughout the year, locals carefully prepare the celebrations that completely transform the city’s streets. The ninots, genuine satirical works of art, are placed at numerous sites all over the city. It is well worth taking a good look to appreciate these colourful and original structures, as on the night of San Juan, they will be burnt and destroyed forever in a magical ritual. Make sure you get up close to these colossal monuments wrapped in flames. This is the only way to experience the unique mystery and atmosphere emanating from the bonfires, which are the supreme symbol of the whole celebration.

This celebration is deeply-rooted in many other towns throughout the province of Alicante and is much more than just a display of fire and fireworks. These are days of conviviality and spectacle, and feature a multitude of events for young and old alike, including horse and carriage parades, street musicians and carnival performers, the sounds of traditional instruments such as the “dulzaina” (a type of oboe) and drums, lunches and dinners with friends around the booths, musical groups, and the floral offering to the Virgin of El Remedio.

Enjoy the coming of summer in the best possible way, by experiencing the unique spectacle of the bonfires of San Juan

The racing starts for the J Class on Wednesday 19 th with an exhibition race and the two Superyacht classes will start racing on Thursday 20 th . The final race for all will be on Saturday 22 nd June and the event will be brought to a close with a spectacular Prize Giving Evening at Es Baluard Muesum of Contemporary Art overlooking the yachts and the Port of Palma.

For the first time in Palma all the yachts will carry tracking devices which enable spectators and keen followers in any location to view the races live via the website , the tracking has been kindly sponsored by Absolute Boat Care, Moll Vell Marina and UBS. The races will also be shown on a screen in the tent at the Race Village and can be watched via the website at any time after the race.

This year the grand tented bar and entertainment area, which is the focus for the social programme, will have a comfortable chill-out area with a cooling gin and tonic bar provided by Puro Beach. Hogan’s will once again be managing the main bar and Nespesso will provide the morning coffee before racing. Music and Entertainment will bring everyone together each afternoon after racing in the usual informal Superyacht Cup style.

Jongert Yachts have just confirmed silver sponsorship and to celebrate the opening of their new office in Palma they will hold an inauguration cocktail party for their guests and clients on their stand on Friday evening.

According to data from the Genera Council of Notaries, a total of 38,312 non-resident foreign citizens bought property in Spain last year, representing an increase of 28.4% on the 2011 figures, with Brits owning the biggest stake in the Spanish property market overall, holding 15% of total foreign purchases.

Split by region, it’s coastline areas such as the Costa del Sol boasting year round sunshine that are seeing a resurgence in overseas investment, especially by Taylor Wimpey España.

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Manager for leading Spanish house builder Taylor Wimpey España comments,

“Brits have always loved Spain as an investment country – it’s a fantastic location for people seeking a bolt-hole in the sun, but over the last few years we have seen an increasing number of sales from all over European the Costa del Sol in particular. We are also benefiting from an increase in buyers from Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway .”

“It’s no surprise more and more foreign buyers are snapping up Spanish property as increased flights across Europe have made it cheaper and quicker to get to Spain, helping boost sales across the Costa del Sol.

The UK already boasts the highest number of routes to Malaga and now adds a further 3 routesbringing the total number of UK to Malaga routes to 22.Routes to Germany have also been strengthened with 7 new routes (Dortmund, Hanover, Nuremburg, Cologne, Munich, Münster, and Hamburg. The rest of the new routes are made up with Madrid-Barajas (2), Melilla (2), Brussels (2) Paris, Warsaw, Knock (Ireland), Oslo and Bergen (Norway) and Copenhagen.

These increases mean that Malaga will be servicing 10.1% more seats on European routes and an 8.9% increase in flights compared with last year’s statistics. In addition, routes that were dropped in the winter will also restart, i.e. Turkish Airlines will start to fly direct between Malaga and Istanbul and Delta Airlines will resume flights between the Costa del Sol and JFK airport in New York – great news for the Costa del Sol tourist industry!

Indeed, overseas property investment in Spain is also expected to increase, as a new ‘golden visa’ law is set to come into effect in the next year that will state non-EU nationals that spend more than €500,000 will get the automatic right to residency in the country.

So for those looking for a property in one of Spain’s few destinations that has it all: climate, quality services, golf courses, shops, hospitals, international schools, good infrastructure, and the Malaga international airport with connections to many cities across the globe, take a look at Taylor Wimpey Espana’s glamorous homes on the Costa del Sol.

La Floresta sur is a new residential development, currently under construction, set near the village of Elviria and its beach, very close to Marbella and Malaga. Set in beautiful surroundings which have been declared a natural biosphere reserve by UNESCO, this development benefits from stunning views towards the oak and pine forest as well as towards the sea. These beautiful properties are available now from €178.000.

Another spectacular property choice in the Costa del Sol is Avalon, a new Taylor Wimpey development situated in one of the best areas of Marbella, the prestigious Los Arqueros golf course and 20 minutes from Estepona. The residential complex of luxury apartments and penthouses costing from €250.000, boasts a natural charm with stunning sea and golf views, wide streets, communal swimming pool and beautiful gardens.

As well as a line up that already includes Julio Iglesias, Jamie Cullum and UB40, its organisers have signed up Bryan Adams to launch the event next month.

The Canadian rocker brings his Bare Bones show to the Marbella Auditorium on July 24, followed by Jamie Cullum on July 27.

Now in its second year, the festival – which raises money for various charities – has become one of the most eagerly anticipated in Spain.

Last year’s highlights included Simple Minds, George Benson and Hugh Laurie’s only show in Spain.

Acts this year include UB40, Julio Iglesias, Enrique Iglesias, Buena Vista Social Club, and Spanish superstar Alejandro Sanz.

On the flamenco front, guitar legend Paco de Lucia will play on August 15, while dancer Sara Baras will appear on August 9.

There will also be tributes to Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, as well as the musical Grease.

Starlite festival is not just about the music though. Also planned this year are live sets from top DJs, fashion and art shows and film premieres, including Brad Pitt’s new movie which may see the actor attending in person.

There are rumours of other A-list Hollywood stars attending, while this year there will be a big dancefloor and a number of local restaurants.

“It is going to be an amazing festival this year,” said spokesman Pancho Campo. “There are going to be some big DJ’s playing free until 3am and free music acts, including Roko, who won Spain’s equivilent of the TV show The Voice.”

He continues: “It is one of the most amazing venues in the world and well worth getting up there to appreciate it.”

The Marbella Auditorium, set in the old quarry above the town, will be open every night from July 23 to August 24 offering a choice of dining, including Italian, Mexican, Japanese and Spanish.

And if you want to dance underneath the stars, the venue will be transformed into a club each night.

The Starlite Gala on August 10 will be a charity event to celebrate Antonio Banderas’ birthday, hosted by the birthday boy himself and with a special performance by Alejandro Sanz.

All proceeds from the Gala will go to the charities Lagrimas y Favores, Niños en Alegría, CUDECA and Caritas.

The Starlite event was born out of a charity gala first organised by Spaniard Sandra Garcia San Juan and her husband Ignacio, the inventor behind the green and red light parking system that is now found in 147 countries of the world.

Set up initially to raise funds for poor children in Mexico, the festival is expected to be exported to a number of other countries including Dubai and Chile.

In total, 930,000 passengers filed through the airport facility, whereas in May 2012 the figure was 826,248 users.

In the first five months of 2013, Alicante airport passenger numbers have exceeded 3,250,000, compared to 3,079,400 recorded between January and May last year.

The entire Spanish airport network recorded about 17 million passengers in May, up 1.9% on the same period last year.

Marbella still retains its image as a top-class destination and is known worldwide.

Seven years after the town was hit by the property permit corruption scandal known as Operation Malaya, which led to the arrests of the mayor, her deputy and a host of other well-known figures, the situation in Marbella has not only returned to normal but there are also now signs that Marbella is once again becoming a first class international resort.

Marbella is attracting hundreds of wealthy Russians, Qataris and Kuwaitis who are not willing to pay less than €2 million for a house. There are opportunities for middle-class Spaniards in residential areas such as Nueva Andalucia, near Puerto Banus, where a penthouse sells for about €115,000.

The property market in Marbella has helped keep higher-priced homes from varying in value because of greater demand, while lower-priced properties have dropped considerably, with prices ranging to 60 per cent less than the appraisal value, according to some agents. Normally these homes are sought by buyers in the middle-class market.

The new General Urban Plan (PGOU) of Marbella, approved three years ago, appeared to be an exceptional system to regularize the tens of thousands of housing units authorized against the planning codes by the past administrations of the Independent Liberal Group (GIL) administrations. The PGOU established a system of compensation in terms of land or cash that promoters or property owners can reimburse the local administration with, in exchange for the losses of public spaces swallowed up by illegal encroachments.  This system allowed around 16,500 households that obtained illegal permits to legalize their situation. So far, around 1,000 property owners and a hotel have been able to work out their permits.

Estate agents say that they are beginning to see a very clear recovery and that there is a growing demand from Scandinavians. The British market, traditionally the lead buyers on the Costa del Sol,  has “fallen to the point of being virtually at a standstill,” says one agent, confirming that the boom in demand is coming from Scandinavia, whose citizens bring their own financing. Major investment trends are also being seen among the Qataris and Kuwaitis while buyers are also coming from Colombia, Venezuela and the Asian nations, even if they prefer properties in larger urban areas.

One broker said there are people who fled the Costa del Sol years ago because of the exorbitant prices and are now returning. “The market is not as bad as some pessimists suggest, but then again it is not all that good.”

He insists that Marbella will never experience the property boom that it did before the crisis.

But Marbella is one of Spain’s few destinations that has it all: climate, quality services, golf courses, shops, hospitals, international schools, good infrastructure, and the Malaga international airport with connections to many European cities.

Supermarket and resort shop research for the report was conducted by holiday operator Cosmos and compared the cost of 20 typical food and drink staples including bread, milk, cereal, cheese, eggs, soft drinks and pizza in nine popular European destinations.  In addition, the Post Office checked supermarket prices in Bournemouth and, at £87.73, found the south coast resort to be one of the highest-priced.

At £48.70 for the basket of goods, the Costa Blanca just pipped the Algarve (£48.93) as the lowest-priced, while Lanzarote (£53.86), Menorca (£57.97) and Majorca (£68.36) also emerged as good value.

By contrast, the prices researched by Cosmos reps in four popular Eastern Med destinations were much higher.  Corfu was the cheapest of these at £74.74, while Crete (£86.04), Dalaman (£87.60) and Limassol (£97.28) cost considerably more. The shopping basket in Limassol was almost twice as expensive as it was in the Costa Blanca.

The bonus for families travelling this summer is that while sterling is worth around five per cent less against the euro and the Turkish lira than last year, the Post Office report found that prices at the tills have fallen in every resort surveyed except Majorca.  The biggest drops were in the Costa Blanca, Corfu and Lanzarote where their shopping baskets cost around 20 per cent less than a year ago.

However, the Post Office Travel Money Self-Catering on a Shoestring report also found that families could pay much more if they shop at a resort mini-mart rather than at a larger supermarket.  In Spain and Portugal, for example, supermarket shopping could cut costs by between 23.5 per cent and 36.1 per cent.  The biggest saving was in the Costa Blanca where the bill totalled £76.18 in a local shop but was £27.48 less in a supermarket. In the Algarve, the Post Office found that families would pay £21.74 more to shop in a mini-mart – £70.67 compared with £48.93.

Failing to take advantage of cheaper supermarket prices may help to explain why consumer research conducted for the report found that while over three-quarters of parents (78 per cent) had chosen a self-catering trip in recent years and 49 per cent of these did so to cut costs, over half (52 per cent) bust their budget².  One-in-five (21 per cent) overspent by over £100 and almost one-in-ten (9 per cent) by over £200.

Buying food abroad emerged as one of the biggest causes of overspending – 47 per cent of parents admitted to this – exceeded only by eating out (59 per cent) and buying drinks at bars and cafés (52 per cent).

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: “Although one of the main motivators for booking a self-catering trip is to reduce holiday costs, it is clear that the price of food – either bought in shops or in resort restaurants – is causing many families to break their budget. The best advice is for them to look carefully at resort food prices before they travel and to keep costs to a minimum by doing the weekly shop in a supermarket.  They can compare all the costs by checking our resort pricing barometers on the Post Office website.”

One way that self-catering families seek to save money, the consumer research found, is to stash food in their suitcases. 74 per cent take tea bags while 3-in-5 (61 per cent) carry their own coffee and 50 per cent pack their family’s favourite breakfast cereal.

Gary Anslow, Cosmos’ Sales Director commented: “Demand for self-catering holidays is up this year as people are looking for great value and the flexibility of eating out and drinking in local restaurants, cafes and bars particularly in Greece where bookings have soared by 20 per cent year-on-year.  The Greek Mainland and Islands continue to be a popular choice for travellers from the UK where you can eat out relatively cheaply in the local tavernas.”