Holiday home

Every summer, hundreds of families in Spain exchange their homes with others in search of free holidays and unique experiences. This rapidly growing practice, known as home swapping, operates in a legal grey area: there are no tourism regulations, no clearly defined tax obligations, and no administrative oversight from the tax authorities. What many see as an affordable and sustainable alternative to holiday rentals remains, for the government, a sector shrouded in legal ambiguity.

The mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, has announced his intention to prohibit any new tourist rentals across the entire municipality of the Balearic capital.

What is the best Spanish cheese? Spain is home to a wide variety of cheeses, each with its own flavour, history and region of origin.

Summer is prime time for thieves, with burglaries rising 4.5% in June, July and August. If your home is burgled, you may ask: what does home insurance cover? It’s crucial to understand the difference between burglary and theft, two terms often confused but treated differently by insurers. While both involve loss of belongings, the coverage can vary. We’ll clarify these concepts and answer your key questions about home insurance protection.

Málaga has taken a major step to balance its booming tourism sector with the local housing market. The city council has confirmed that it will suspend new licences for tourist accommodation for the next three years, following a promise made by Mayor Francisco de la Torre.

Summer 2025 is in full swing, and for many, there’s no better time to dream of life by the sea. Whether you’re already soaking up the sun or planning your next escape, the Spanish coast remains a top choice for expats and holiday home buyers alike.

Booking.com has removed 4,093 tourist accommodation listings in Spain, most of which were in the Canary Islands, following a request from the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and the 2030 Agenda.

The price of holiday homes on the Spanish coast rose by 12.1% in Q1 compared to the same period last year, reaching an average of €2,970 per m².

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has announced that the city will withdraw all 10,101 tourist accommodation licences by November 2028. The aim, according to the city council, is to free up homes for residential use and improve access to housing. However, the measure has sparked swift backlash from the sector, which sees it as a blow to a well-established economic model.

Rural houses already registered on regional tourism registries are exempt from the new Single Register of Short-Term Rentals starting 1 July. This was confirmed by the Spanish Rural Tourism Association (Asetur) after meetings with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda.

People will spend nearly €110 more per week, on average, to rent a holiday home on the Spanish coast in 2025, an increase of between 6% and 7% compared to the previous year, according to a new report.

Alterhome has secured €4 million to fund the purchase of a palatial home in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz).

“A serious distortion of the current legal framework that would negatively impact a market segment essential for mobility, employment, academic activity and social life in Catalonia” – this is how several organisations have responded to the decree regulating seasonal and room rentals, recently appro

As summer approaches, it's time to book holiday accommodation if you haven't already.

While Spain's southern and eastern coasts are well-known for attracting tourists and expats, the northern regions offer a wealth of hidden gems.

Second homes are often left uninhabited for extended periods, making them particularly appealing to those wanting to squat somewhere.In this article, we explore why second homes are so vulnerable and the steps you can take to protect them.Why are second homes in the spotlight?Long periods of inactiv

The number of tourist accommodation places (VUT) in ten Spanish cities now exceeds the total hotel capacity, with Málaga, Valencia and Alicante standing out, according to a report by Exceltur on the 25 cities with the highest number of tourist accommodation places in 2024.

The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has announced he will introduce the Special Plan for the Protection of Residential Areas in the City of Madrid. This plan will prohibit tourist rentals scattered within residential communities in the historic centre.

Fifty-five per cent of short-term rental owners in Spain support regulations that benefit residents and hosts, while 8% suggest the need for stricter rules to combat the negative effects of gentrification, and the remaining 20% have not formed an opinion, according to Holidu. In the survey, 74% of

An increasing number of foreign visitors are choosing to rent holiday homes over hotels, drawn by the greater freedom, privacy, and flexibility. This trend has now extended to the renowned Golden Triangle on the Costa del Sol, formed by Marbella, Estepona and Benahavis, where the real estate agency Pure Living Properties states that luxury holiday rentals have increased by 30% between January and August. In this period, it has recorded more reservations than in all of 2023, while the average length of stay has tripled, reaching 18 days.

Summer has arrived, which means the holiday season is at its peak. Scammers are also at their peak, as a new rental season allows them to scam people.

Beach houses in Spain are always an attractive option for families and potential investors, especially during the summer season.

​​​​​​​Rent an apartment on the beachfront will mean an average expense of about 1,160 euros per week, according to the study carried out by Tecnitasa for the month of August. This price is almost 10% more compared to last summer, and more than 40% if we compare it with the summer of 2020, coming out of the worst of the pandemic.

The Secretary General of Consumption, Bibiana Medialdea, estimates that over 90% of the tourist flats registered in some cities in Spain are non-compliant, after learning that the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 is investigating tourist rental platforms to find listed properties without a license and studies the possibility of opening disciplinary proceedings and imposing fines of up to €100,000. The objective of the investigation is to protect consumers and users from these practices.

According to the Association of Property Registrars, property purchases by foreign capital reached record highs, representing almost 15% of the total number of transactions in 2023. Spain is always an attractive country for foreigners, so good property transactions are also expected for this type of client in the summer and growth in the summer season, according to experts consulted by idealista/news.