Foreign demand for homes in Spain continues to be concentrated along the Mediterranean coast and the islands, with Alicante (32.3%), the Balearic Islands (28.2%), Málaga (27.1%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (26.5%) emerging as the main destinations of interest, according to idealista property viewing data. Across 14 coastal provinces, foreign demand accounts for more than 10% of total interest in homes for sale, surpassing 25% in these four leading markets. In all of them, British, German, French and Dutch buyers are the most prominent.
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Alongside this quartet, Girona (22.5%) and Las Palmas (20.3%) also record foreign demand above 20%. Three provinces fall within the 15% to 20% range: Almería (17.4%), Murcia (15.8%) and Granada (15%). Meanwhile, Tarragona (13.4%), Valencia (11.7%), Cádiz (11.5%) and Huelva (11.1%) all register foreign demand of between 10% and 15%.
By nationality, Germans dominate in both archipelagos. They are the most active group in the Balearic Islands, accounting for 43.5% of all foreign property viewings, and also lead in both Santa Cruz de Tenerife (22.4%) and Las Palmas (21.3%). The British, meanwhile, focus their searches on southern Spain, leading demand in Almería, Málaga, Murcia and Granada, provinces that, together with the Valencian Community, have historically formed the core of the British residential market in Spain. The Dutch maintain a strong presence in Alicante and across much of the Mediterranean coastline, according to the idealista/data study for the first quarter of 2026.
The proximity to France helps explain the prominence of French buyers in Girona, where they account for 32.8% of foreign demand, as well as in Castellón and Tarragona. In Huelva, Spain's closest province to Portugal, Portuguese buyers represent the largest foreign market, accounting for 25.2% of all foreign property viewings.
In major residential markets such as Barcelona (8.1%), Seville (4.7%) and Madrid (3.9%), foreign demand is diluted by strong domestic interest. In all three provinces, Americans stand out among international buyers, accounting for 8%, 4.7% and 3.9% of foreign demand respectively, alongside British, German and French buyers.
These 20 municipalities attract the most foreign interest in buying a home
Looking at demand for homes for sale at municipal level, foreign interest exceeds that of domestic buyers in some towns. In some cases, such as three towns in Mallorca, international demand accounts for more than 60% of all interest. These are Canyamel, Cala d'Or and Cala Ratjada. Germans dominate foreign demand in all three locations, accounting for more than 50% of interest and reaching as much as 80% in one of the destinations, according to idealista/data.
Outside the Balearic Islands, the town of Cómpeta, in Málaga province, also records foreign demand above 60%. Meanwhile, Oria in Almería; Nerja and Frigiliana in Málaga; Moraira, Benitachell and Benissa in Alicante; and the Canary Island municipalities of Tijarafe in La Palma and Pájara in Fuerteventura all register foreign demand of between 50% and 60%.
British buyers dominate demand in the Andalusian provinces, while the Dutch lead in Alicante. In the Canary Islands, however, Germans remain the most prominent international buyers.
Completing the top 20 are Girona coastal towns such as Empuriabrava and Roses, where French buyers account for a significant share of foreign interest. They are joined by the Canary Island destinations of Mogán and Antigua, where Norwegians are especially prominent in the former, while British and Italian buyers stand out in the latter. Iznájar, in Córdoba, and the Murcian municipalities of Abanilla, Fuente Álamo and Los Alcázares, where foreign demand ranges between 30% and 40%, complete the ranking.
Alicante, Palma and Málaga: the most sought-after cities for foreign homebuyers
Alicante tops the ranking of provincial capitals with the strongest international appeal, with 21.8% of property viewings being foreign buyers. The buyer profile is diverse, with no single nationality dominating. French, German and British buyers occupy the top three positions, reflecting demand split between northern Europe and neighbouring France.
Palma ranks second with 18.5%, although its profile is markedly different. Germans account for 44% of all foreign demand, a level of dominance unmatched among Spain's major cities. They are followed by Swedish (11.7%) and British buyers (5.9%), highlighting the city's strong appeal to the German market.
Málaga completes the top three with 14.8% of demand coming from abroad. A notable development is that the United States has become the leading source market, ahead of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The city is increasingly consolidating its position as a preferred destination for affluent American buyers.
Among other provincial capitals, Valencia (13.6%) and Barcelona (12.1%) both attract strong North American interest, with the United States topping foreign demand in each. Barcelona, however, displays a more cosmopolitan profile, with Italian and French buyers running close to Americans. Girona (11.8%) and Tarragona (11.1%) also see Americans leading demand, while French buyers rank second in both cities, reflecting their proximity to the French border. Cádiz (10.9%) completes the list of cities where foreign demand exceeds 10%, with American buyers once again leading the market, followed by Germans and Britons.
Below the 10% threshold, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (9.8%) and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (8.8%) reflect the broader Canary Islands trend, with German buyers leading demand, followed by Italians and Britons. Castellón de la Plana (9.4%) stands out for its combination of French and American demand, while Romania also features among the top three nationalities, an unusual pattern among Spain's provincial capitals. Almería (8.2%) maintains the British dominance seen across the wider province, with French and German buyers ranking second and third, respectively.
