Brava, Dorada, Barcelona

To escape from the mundane, bad weather, and everyday chores into another, sunny and carefree reality – who will refuse such a temptation? The famous Spanish coasts of the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada are only a few hours away from Moscow or St. Petersburg. The choice of flights is becoming wider, and at Barcelona airport, guests from Russia can feel quite comfortable: airlines often organize consultations for their passengers in Russian at the check-in desks.
Russian Russian on the streets of Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is more than a familiar phenomenon: restaurant menus in Russian at local resorts and Russian–speaking sellers in shops no longer surprise anyone. Russian newspapers are sold in kiosks along with Spanish, French and English-language press. If the visitor still managed to get lost in the Spanish reality, a telephone information service in Russian is at his service.

Difficulties in choosing
Yes, Spain no longer seems "far away" to anyone, either literally, geographically, or figuratively. But despite the fact that domestic tourists have long felt at home here, this country still remains special. Unique landscapes, excellent climate, light and varied Mediterranean cuisine, renowned Spanish wines… And also – the ability of Spaniards to create a festive atmosphere and a good mood. All this makes foreigners fall in love with themselves, and when leaving the country after a two-week vacation, it is difficult for them to get rid of the feeling that they definitely need to return here, moreover, as soon as possible and no longer to a hotel, but to their own house or apartment.
The choice of the future owner very often falls on resorts in the vicinity of beautiful Barcelona, where the second most important Spanish airport is also located. The nearest coasts – the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada – are reached from Barcelona by expressways and rail. But on closer inspection, these coasts differ not only in the temperature of the water near the shore. Therefore, ultimately, the choice between the Costa Brava (north of the Catalan capital) or the Costa Dorada (south of Barcelona) is influenced not only by objective reasons, but also by personal preferences, and even the temperament of the buyer.

Virgin land
The Costa Brava is an unspoilt nature and rugged coastline, where rocky cliffs are adjacent to secluded sandy beaches in small coves. It is noteworthy that for all the "wildness" of the landscape (and maybe because of it) The Costa Brava is famous for the quality of its beaches. Most of them are marked with the Blue Flag, the European award for clean water and safety. Another feature of the "beach" part of the Costa Brava is that there are many coves that are unique in their beauty, which can only be reached by water. That is why lovers of pristine landscapes master yachting on the Costa Brava, since there are a lot of special schools here.
It is significant that the Spanish government is taking care to preserve the landscapes of this area as they were decades ago. Even the famous construction boom of the 90s did not change the appearance of the Costa Brava. 30% of the Costa Brava territory is occupied by nature reserves. One of them is the Cap de Creus Nature Park with an area of 138 square kilometers, which is located in the easternmost part of the Iberian Peninsula and includes both land and sea zones. Due to nature reserves and, as a result, strict building restrictions, real estate in nearby villages is considered very prestigious. One of these areas is the small town of Rosas, where fewer than 20,000 people live, with quiet streets and a fortress of the XVI century. One–bedroom apartments here can be purchased for 175,000 euros, two-bedroom apartments for 245,000 euros.
The Costa Brava has always been famous for its aristocracy. Picasso, Marc Chagall and Salvador Dali once enjoyed the local landscapes. Catalans strive to preserve these beauties as their geniuses saw them. So, in the vicinity of the town of Cadaques, where Salvador Dali lived, new houses are decorated with limestone of local origin so that they organically fit into the surrounding landscape.
The Costa Brava is a real paradise for lovers of privacy. Here you can buy a chalet on a hill with panoramic views, and a mansion on the first line from the sea, and the location can be truly exclusive. One of the most expensive places on the Costa Brava is the promenade of El Paseg de Fosca in the coastal town of Palamos, where the average cost is 1 sq. m. The price does not fall below 7000 euros and where representatives of the highest society of Catalonia traditionally buy houses.

Gold Coast
Lloret de Mar, one of the southernmost cities of the Costa Brava, has much more in common with the "golden coast" of the Costa Dorada than with the cities of the "wild coast". The difference is easy to notice: the beaches of the Costa Dorada are more spacious, and the vegetation near the water is much more modest. The nature of the development is also changing: residential projects here are larger, hotels are larger, and resort multi-storey blocks stretch along the entire 202-kilometer Costa Dorada, belonging to the province of Tarragona.
However, despite the higher density of buildings than on the Costa Brava, this coast has not lost its face either. The capital Tarragona, whose streets breathe history, and former fishing villages with their unhurried rhythm, such as San Carles de la Rapita in the southern part of the coast, remain iconic for him. The pearl of the Costa Dorada is the Delta del Ebro Nature Reserve with endless sand dunes and pink flamingos.
The resort town of Salou, 10 km south of Tarragona, is famous for its huge amusement park "Port Aventura", as well as numerous restaurants, bars, discos and nightclubs…

Popularity or exclusivity?
The decrease in real estate prices also affected Costa Dorada, and Costa Brava. The reason is the drop in demand, which is aggravated by the current policy of banks regarding mortgage loans. If a few years ago a loan could cover the entire purchase price, today the state Bank of Spain officially does not recommend lending to buyers for more than 80% of the value of the property.
"We are witnessing stagnation in the primary real estate market, including in the resort housing sector," says Andres Calvo, a representative of the Marysol real estate agency, which began its activities in the early 1990s in the city of Salou. – Now sellers are ready to give up on average about 20% of the initial price of the object. The factors affecting the cost of housing remain the same as they were a few years ago. This is the location, the age of the building, and the proximity to the beach."
Interestingly, while privacy and exclusivity of location are often appreciated on the Costa Brava, apartments in noisy urban areas with developed infrastructure may be more expensive on the Costa Dorada. For example, a two-bedroom apartment in the town of La Pineda near the crowded Salou will cost 175,000 euros. Similar apartments in the town of La Ampolla, which is also located on the Costa Dorada, but is not so popular among tourists, cost almost 50,000 euros cheaper.
However, the offer on the Costa Dorada is very diverse, so the price range is very significant. Another thing is the Costa Brava with a rather limited selection of beach properties.
Having avoided massive developments due to numerous restrictions imposed by the authorities, as well as due to the difficult terrain for construction, the Costa Brava retains its exclusivity. Although bargaining is appropriate here, the discount is unlikely to exceed 20%.
According to many experts, prices in this region have already reached a level where owners can no longer sell cheaper. And this is especially true for high-quality housing.
One of the main factors affecting the cost of housing on the Costa Brava was a decrease in interest from the British, French and Germans. They were the ones who appreciated the tranquility of the coastal towns of the province of Girona. As soon as the activity of European buyers began to wane a few years ago, property owners began to reduce the price. But the period of economic recession dragged on, and the boom under the motto "Fly – it's cheaper!" did not happen. Now we can talk about a situation where a buyer can weigh the pros and cons of a particular offer without haste, think about what he can really afford – a mansion on the first line for 400,000 or a two-bedroom apartment ten minutes walk from the beach for 120,000 euros. A leisurely inspection of the property, unhurried bidding, enough time to make a final decision, plus attractive prices – perhaps this is all you need for a successful purchase.
A few years ago, experts in the Spanish resort real estate market spoke with alarm about the growing interest of potential buyers in cheaper, albeit lower-quality foreign resorts. Times, and with them prices in Spain, have changed. Today's trump card of "beach" Spain is the traditional quality of the local resorts at a reasonable price. And also – a much better service from the players of the real estate market. After all, today Spanish sellers are no longer competing with distant foreign offers, but with each other. And the buyer only benefits from such competition.