Former London Property Editor Giles Brown reveals the most expensive enclaves in Spain.
If money really is no option and you want to buy in a neighbourhood that reflects your riches, the annual report by Idealista property portal provides a glimpse into the lifestyles of the rich and famous. And possibly infamous.
Be warned though, you will have to be on excellent terms with your (private, naturally) bank manager if you need to arrange finance. Homes on the ten most expensive streets in Spain range from an average of €6.22 million euros to €9.95 million euros.
Three locations dominate – Madrid, the Balearic Islands, and the hills above Marbella.
The most exclusive street in Spain is in Benahavís. Before you start scratching your head wondering how this village tops the list, it is worth pointing out that the entire residential development of Coto La Zagaleta falls in the municipality.
With homes costing, on average, €9.95 million euros, it is considered the most luxurious real estate complex in Europe; some of the most important executives in the world have their homes among the more than 230 properties.
At this point, I will dispel a popular myth. Vladimir Putin does not own a house at La Zagaleta – the rumour began because one of the owners is a Russian millionaire with the same initials.
Privacy and watertight security are one of the major characteristics of La Zagaleta, which is another reason that no one knows who lives there. Nobody will tell you!
The second most expensive street in Spain is Calle Sant Carles, in Calviá, Mallorca, where the average price is €9.45 million euros. Mallorca makes several appearances on this list. Away from the tourist hell of Magaluf, the island is a retreat for the seriously wealthy. Hollywood A listers Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, Claudia Schiffer (apparently a keen golfer who enjoys the courses close to Andratx), Richard Branson and local boy Rafa Nadal, all have Mallorca mansions, while the Spanish Royal Family traditionally spend their summers sailing from Palma.
The “Bronze” medal goes to the Paseo de la Marquesa Viuda Aldama, in the La Moraleja residential area of Madrid, with average prices standing at €6,926,923. Beloved of Spanish celebrities and Real Madrid footballers, residents have included Isabel Pantoja, Lola Flores, Ava Gardner, David Beckham, Bing Crosby, Karim Benzema, Ronaldo and Ana Obregón.
One author famously described La Moraleja as a “moneyed enclave of the rich and famous, including politicians, actors, top businessmen, where property prices range from the merely extortionate to the outright laughable”.
It is hardly surprising that the district is also home to Madrid’s top private schools, sports clubs and gold courses.
Paseo de la Marquesa’s neighbour Camino del Golf, (guess where that goes?) also in La Moraleja, is in fourth place with average asking prices of €7,112,500.
If you take the picturesque drive from Marbella to the historic town of Ronda, you will catch a glimpse of the large estates and impressive villas as you head into the hills. Once the road (officially the A-397) enters the Benahavís municipality, the prices seem to climb almost as steeply as the drive itself.
With urbanisations that include La Quinta, the picturesque pueblo style La Heredia and the old money gated community of El Madronal, this stretch of road makes number five on the list. Though not as expensive as La Zagaleta, which is also located on the Ronda road, owners are still asking an average price of €7,016,897.
It is back to Madrid and yes, you guessed correctly, La Moraleja, for sixth place. The palatial residences set back from the Paseo de la Marquesa Viuda Aldama command an average price of €6,926,923.
Mallorca dominates the list from seventh to ninth with three streets that all have average prices above €6 million. They are Avenida Portals Vells, in Calvià, with an average of €6,772,931; Calle Pagell, in Andratx, with €6,683,056; and Calle Binicaubell, in Palma, with € 6,554,000.
As an aside, Sir Richard Branson’s ties with Mallorca are so strong that his granddaughter is named Eva-Deia, as a tribute to the village of Deia on the north-west coast of the island. And to call the kid Necker (after his private island) might have raised a few eyebrows.
The top ten is completed by the Paseo de los Lagos in Pozuelo de Alarcón in Madrid. Better known as “La Finca”, it has been the home to the great and the good of Spanish sport, politics, and entertainment, including footballers Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, David Villa and Fernando Torres, film star Paz Vega and Grammy winning musician Alejandro Sanz.
If you want to rub shoulders with them, at the “cheapest” location on the list, the average price is €6,226,159!
In the same municipality as Spain’s most expensive street, yet for less than half the price, you can own a villa in Vista Lago Residences. View our information and gallery page. Or you can call the sales team for more information on: (+34) 682 105 002 Email: info@by-bright.com
