Brits remain among the biggest buyers of Spain’s most expensive homes, new data has shown.

According to Idealista, the Costa del Sol continues to dominate the ultra-luxury property market – followed by Madrid and Mallorca.

Figures reveal that Marbella, Estepona and Benahavis – known collectively as the ‘Golden Triangle’ – now boast more than 5,000 homes on the market worth at least €3million.

The trio has cemented its status as a premier destination for super-prime real estate, attracting affluent buyers from across the world.

The properties range from €3million to well over €20million, making them some of the most expensive homes available anywhere in Spain.

Outside Andalucia, only Madrid and the Mallorcan municipality of Calvia come close, each offering between 500 and 1,000 homes in the same price bracket.

Brits among the biggest buyers

Foreign demand is particularly strong in the coastal hotspots.

Almost half (48.8%) of all demand for ultra-luxury homes in Calvia comes from overseas buyers, followed by Benahavia (42.6%), Estepona (42.8%) and Marbella (41.5%) – all far above the national average.

In Madrid, international demand accounts for a smaller but growing 10.7%.

The research shows British buyers remain one of the dominant nationalities shopping for Spain’s most expensive homes.

Britons are the number one foreign buyers in Estepona, where they account for 15% of demand for homes worth more than €3million.

They are also joint second in Marbella, where British, American and German buyers each account for around 11% of international demand.

In Benahavis, British buyers again rank second, behind Germans, while in Calvia they are also the second-largest foreign group after German purchasers.

Americans top the rankings in Marbella and Madrid, while German buyers dominate Benahavis and Calvia.

Dutch buyers feature strongly in Estepona, Swedes have a significant presence in both Benahavis and Calvia, while wealthy Mexican buyers are increasingly active in Madrid’s luxury market.

Villas dominate on the Costa del Sol

The study also highlights clear differences in the type of property sought by wealthy buyers.

Detached villas overwhelmingly dominate demand across the Costa del Sol.

In Benahavis, 77% of buyers are searching for luxury villas, the highest proportion of any market analysed.

Marbella follows with almost 68%, while nearly 67% of buyers in Calvia are looking for standalone homes.

Even in Estepona, where the market is slightly more varied, villas account for almost 55% of demand.

Madrid is the exception, where luxury apartments – particularly in the prestigious Salamanca district – remain the preferred option for wealthy international buyers.

Benahavis attracts the biggest spenders

While €3million to €5million remains the most popular price bracket in most luxury destinations, Benahavis stands apart.

It is the only market where buyers are more likely to be searching for homes priced between €5million and €10million than those at the lower end of the super-prime market.

Some 40% of international demand in Benahavis falls into the €5-10 million bracket, while an impressive 27% of buyers are looking for homes worth more than €10million.

That makes it Spain’s most exclusive market in terms of purchasing power.

Marbella also continues to attract buyers at the very top of the market, with almost one in five international purchasers searching for homes valued between €10million and €20million.

The figures underline the continuing strength of Spain’s luxury property market, with the Costa del Sol’s Golden Triangle firmly established as one of Europe’s most sought-after destinations for wealthy international buyers.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.