Best Places to Buy a Holiday Home Abroad - Which Country Suits You?

By the last morning of a good holiday, you may already be browsing estate agents’ windows. There’s a flat above the bakery, a house with a shaded terrace, somewhere you can picture leaving a spare pair of shoes. Choosing between the best places to buy a holiday home abroad means imagining ordinary days there, too. Could you visit often? Would you enjoy it in November? And what would it cost to keep while you’re back in the UK?

This guide compares destinations across Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and Greece, helping you weigh the lifestyle against the practicalities of buying, financing and owning a home overseas.

Where are the best places to buy a holiday home abroad?

Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and Greece offer different versions of life overseas. A coastal apartment for frequent weekends or maybe a country house for long summer stays? A useful shortlist starts with how you want to spend your time, and how easily you can get there.

These are starting points for a search, rather than a ranking of investment returns. Within each country, the town, neighbourhood and individual property will shape your experience.

Spain: choose the coast that suits your everyday life

Spain’s coastline offers plenty of room to be particular. The Costa del Sol brings Málaga and Marbella into the picture; the Costa Brava offers Mediterranean coves close to the Pyrenees, while Mallorca adds an island setting. Picture the first morning after arriving. Would you walk out for coffee, drive to the beach or spend it beside your own pool? That small distinction can help you choose between an apartment in town and a villa further out. Before viewing, map the airport transfer, supermarket and places you would visit regularly. Test the journey at the time of year you expect to travel and arrange another visit outside peak season.

France: find somewhere with more than one season to enjoy

A home in France could mean market mornings in Provence, time beside the Mediterranean or a mountain base. The French Alps offer winter sports alongside summer walking and outdoor activities, giving buyers a reason to consider how their holidays might change throughout the year. Start with the places you already enjoy returning to. A village house might suit someone who likes familiar shops and neighbours; a countryside property asks you to think more carefully about driving, gardens and the work waiting between visits. Before viewing, decide whether you want to arrive and immediately settle in, or whether caring for the house and grounds would be part of the pleasure.

Portugal: look beyond a single picture of the Algarve

Even within the Algarve, there are distinct places to explore. Lagos has a historic centre and a maritime heritage; Tavira’s narrow streets and traditional buildings sit around the River Gilão. Vilamoura offers a marina setting for those drawn to boating. The choice becomes clearer when you imagine an ordinary week. You might want restaurants within walking distance, space for visiting family or facilities that make each stay easy to organise. Before viewing, compare an independently managed property with a home in a managed development. Ask exactly what maintenance is included, what it costs and who handles problems while you are away.

Italy: think about the home as well as the setting

Tuscany’s countryside and art cities, Umbria’s wooded hills and historic villages, and Puglia’s coastline offer very different starting points. Each rewards a search focused on a particular region and way of spending time. It is easy to picture a long lunch outside an old stone house. Give equal attention to the less photogenic details: the access road, heating, roof and distance to the nearest shops. An apartment in a town and a detached rural house can involve very different commitments. Before viewing, set your appetite for renovation and upkeep. If you want short, spontaneous visits, consider how much of each trip you would be willing to spend organising work.

Greece: make the journey part of your decision

Crete and Corfu offer island settings, while the Peloponnese opens up mainland alternatives such as Nafplio and Kalamata. Crete combines coast, mountains and historic sites; Kalamata brings a city setting together with access to the sea. For extended stays, a longer journey may feel perfectly worthwhile. For a Friday-to-Monday visit, every connection matters. Work backwards from the front door, accounting for the flights, transfers and any ferry journey your chosen location requires. Before viewing, check transport for the months you would actually visit. Spend time in the neighbourhood outside the holiday rush, too, so you can judge whether its quieter rhythm suits you.

How do you choose the right country for your second home?

Choose somewhere that fits the visits you will realistically make. A house you can reach comfortably for four nights may give you more pleasure than one you only have time to visit once a year. Before booking viewings, agree on a few essentials:

• Your visiting pattern: regular weekends, school holidays or several weeks at a time.
• Your everyday surroundings: somewhere you can walk to dinner, or enough privacy that driving feels worthwhile.
• Your preferred seasons: imagine a wet Tuesday in February as clearly as a sunny afternoon in August.
• Your responsibilities: decide who will check the property, arrange repairs and prepare it before you arrive.

If you plan to let the property, ask yourself: would you still want to own it if you received no rental income? That helps separate the home you love from the financial assumptions supporting the purchase. Write down three things you would use on every visit. Those are useful criteria to take into your search.

Which European country is cheapest for a holiday home?

The cheapest option depends on the region, the property’s condition and what it costs to own. A countrywide average tells you little about the price of a home within walking distance of your favourite beach. Start with places you would enjoy visiting, then compare similar properties. A village house needing a new roof and a furnished apartment with shared gardens come with very different budgets, even if their asking prices look similar.

For each property, build a budget around three things:

• Buying: the asking price, local taxes, legal fees and any borrowing costs.
• Getting it ready: repairs, furniture and improvements you need before your first stay.
• Keeping it: insurance, maintenance, shared charges and someone to look after it while you’re away.

The UK government’s overseas buying guidance also highlights costs beyond the purchase price and the importance of independent legal advice. Leave room for enjoying the place, too. A comfortable budget should cover the home and the trips that made you want it.

Is buying a holiday home abroad a good idea?

Buying a holiday home abroad can make sense if you want to return regularly, can comfortably cover its costs and are happy to take on the upkeep. Renting may suit you better if you enjoy discovering somewhere different each year. There’s pleasure in arriving somewhere familiar: your own coffee cups, books left beside the bed, a neighbour who remembers you. You can settle into a visit without spending the first afternoon working out where everything is.

Ownership also follows you home. A leaking shower still needs fixing when you’re in London, so reliable local help deserves a place in your budget. Before committing, imagine a year when you visit less than planned. Would the expense still feel comfortable? Would you miss travelling elsewhere? Treat potential rental income and future price growth as uncertain: property values can fall as well as rise, and rental demand and local letting rules can change. The decision feels firmer when you can afford the home and look forward to using it.

How can UK buyers finance a holiday home abroad?

UK buyers may be able to arrange a mortgage against the overseas property or raise funds against a home they already own in the UK. The suitable route depends on your finances, the destination and the property you want to buy. Any borrowing is subject to a lender’s assessment of your circumstances and the property, and approval is not guaranteed. It helps to explore borrowing before a viewing becomes a serious possibility. Knowing your budget gives you something concrete to work with when an estate agent asks how quickly you can proceed.

Two routes to discuss with an adviser are:

• An overseas mortgage: borrowing against the home you are buying, through a lender that accepts your circumstances and chosen property. Mortgages secured on property outside the UK are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, so FCA protections will not apply, and the lender may be able to take possession of the property if you do not keep up repayments.
• Remortgaging a UK property: releasing some of its equity towards the purchase abroad. This increases borrowing secured against that property, so consider the effect on your existing payments and longer-term plans. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Think carefully before securing other debts against your home.

Currency deserves attention, too. If you earn in pounds and repay a mortgage in euros, a weaker pound will make those repayments more expensive in sterling. Exchange rates can move significantly over the life of a mortgage, so consider how you would manage if your repayments rose. Start the conversation with your intended purchase price, available deposit, income and existing borrowing. Ask what could be achievable, what conditions remain and how much cash you should retain for buying costs and life after completion.

What should you check before making an offer?

Before making an offer, establish what you are buying, how you can use it and when any commitment becomes binding. Appoint an independent local lawyer who represents your interests and explains the paperwork in a language you understand. A terrace overlooking the sea is easy to picture yourself enjoying. Give the less photogenic details equal attention:

• Ownership and permissions: ask your lawyer to check the title, outstanding charges and permissions for alterations.
• Condition: arrange an appropriate survey and understand any repairs.
• Your intended use: confirm whether holiday letting is permitted and check the immigration rules governing your stays.
• Ongoing responsibilities: establish insurance costs, shared charges and who will handle maintenance.
• Tax and inheritance: ask a qualified tax adviser how the property will be taxed in both countries, including any rental income or future sale, and how local inheritance rules could affect who inherits it.
• Payment deadlines: clarify deposit terms, finance conditions and currency arrangements before signing or transferring money.

Keep a written list of unanswered questions. Resolve them with the relevant adviser before committing; enthusiasm is much easier to enjoy when the practical details are settled.

Discuss financing your overseas holiday home

Perhaps you have a particular house in mind, or you’re still deciding between the coast and the countryside. Understanding your borrowing options can help you give the search a realistic budget.Tell Enness Global where you are considering buying, your approximate purchase price, available deposit and how you intend to use the property. Those details provide a starting point for discussing potential financing routes and what a lender would need to assess. Enness Global is a credit broker, not a lender, and any finance is subject to status and lender approval.