Buy a mainland-Spain rental on real numbers, not brochures.
Every villa scored on realistic, after-tax net yield from live Airbnb calendars — the deep Costa del Sol and the premium, tightly-licensed Costa Brava.
Choose your coast
Highest-scoring Spanish Mainland villas
Ranked by BrixfoxScore — real, after-tax net yield from live Airbnb data, not asking-price guesswork.
Detached house in Calle de la Cova d'en Gispert, Fornells - Aiguablava, Begur
Detached house in Calle de la Cova d'en Gispert, 5, Fornells - Aiguablava, Begur
Detached house in Calle del Port de Malaespina, Tamariu, Palafrugell
Detached house in Camino del Higueral, La Quinta, Benahavís
Detached house in Passatge Gessamins Nn, Serra Brava, Lloret de Mar
Detached house in Urbanizacion Alborada, 2, La Quinta, Benahavís
Detached house in Avenida dels Arbres, Serra Brava, Lloret de Mar
Detached house in Urbanizacion el Herrojo, 116, La Quinta, Benahavís
Detached house in Calle Rec de Sa Tuna, 18, Aiguafreda - Sa Tuna, Begur
Short-Term Rental Rules in Spanish Mainland
Licensing is the single biggest factor in Spanish STR underwriting — it determines whether projected income is achievable at all.
New licences
The two mainland coasts run opposite regimes. Andalusia (Costa del Sol) keeps VUT registration open in most municipalities — Málaga city is the main exception, with caps in saturated districts. Catalonia (Costa Brava) caps tourist licences at 10 per 100 residents in “stressed” municipalities, which now cover most of that coastline.
When you buy
Both the VUT and the HUT number transfer with the property. In Catalonia a capped-municipality HUT must be renewed under the 5-yearly urban-planning regime before 9 November 2028 — renewal is where the risk sits.
Buyer checkpoint
Check which coast and municipality you are buying in: Costa del Sol licences are generally obtainable; Costa Brava licences in capped towns may not be renewable. Verify the municipal quota position before you commit.
National registry (all of Spain)
Since 1 July 2025 every short-term rental in Spain must hold a national registration number (NRA) from the Registro Único (Royal Decree 1312/2024). Platforms like Airbnb must delist properties without one within 48 hours. The NRA sits on top of each region’s own licence regime — you need both.
Regulation overview only, current as of June 2026 — not legal advice. Verify with a local lawyer before purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Costa del Sol or Costa Brava for Airbnb investment?
Costa del Sol offers the deepest market and the easiest licence (Andalusia VUT), at the cost of more competition. Costa Brava offers premium French/Catalan demand and scarcer supply, but Catalonia’s 10-per-100 cap and the 2028 renewal deadline make it the higher-regulatory-risk choice.
Do mainland licences transfer when I buy?
Yes — both the Andalusian VUT and the Catalan HUT transfer with the property. The catch is Catalonia: a HUT in a capped municipality must be renewed before 9 November 2028, and renewal is not guaranteed in over-quota towns.
Is the mainland less seasonal than the islands?
The Costa del Sol has the broadest shoulder-season demand in Spain (golf, Málaga city tourism); the Costa Brava is more summer-peaked but drive-to resilient. The monthly data on each coast’s page shows the curve.