5,300 UK passports lost in Spain last year, Marbella property prices reach record high, Ryanair mulls new Pamplona route and more news from Spain this Tuesday October 28th.
5,300 lost UK passports in Spain last year
According to official 2024 statistics, 5,354 requests for emergency documents were recorded by British tourists who had either lost their passports or had them stolen in Spain.
This is an increase of nearly 10 percent compared to the previous year, when 4,886 similar cases were recorded.
This means Spain is consistently the main place where this happens to Brits.
Those who lost their passports or had them stolen were even given an extra blow when new consular fees were implemented in April 2025. It means the cost of emergency documentation has increased by 25 percent, bringing it to €140.
Ryanair mulls new Pamplona route
Budget airline Ryanair is considering starting up new routes to and from Pamplona Airport in Navarre, albeit with one condition. They want Spain’s airport operator Aena to reduce its airport charges.
The company believes that even a temporary reduction in these fees could boost Spain’s small and medium-sized airports, such as those in Pamplona, Granada, and Logroño.
The government of Navarre has announced a €4 million investment to improve air connectivity at Noáin Airport.
This is in contrast with what Ryanair has been doing recently, which as been cutting flights to many of Spain’s smaller regional airports to protest Aena’s fee increase of 6.5 percent by 2026.
The airline already cut 800,000 seats on flights to Spain this summer and will slash a million more for the upcoming winter season.
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Marbella property prices reach record high
The average housing price in Marbella reached €5,410/m² in September 2025, according to the latest report by property portal Idealista. This now places prices in the Andalusian city at an all time high.
This represents a monthly increase of 2.9 percent and a year-on-year increase of nine percent.
The average price of property in Spain stands at €2,517/m², which means Marbella is almost double the national average, which cements its position as one of the most exclusive residential markets in the country.
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READ ALSO: How Valencia is becoming another Barcelona, in the bad sense
Valencia named best city for American retirees
North American economic portal Live and Invest Overseas has put Valencia as the top city to retire to in the world.
The company complied a list of the 10 best countries for Americans to retire in and recommended a specific city in each one.
Spain came out on top and Valencia was the recommended city.
The website describes the capital of the Valencian region as “attractive coastal city ideal for real estate investment” and highlighted its architecture, exotic mosaics, and Mediterranean culture.
It also rates the locals’ English as decent enough for shopping and ordering in a restaurant.
The company highlights Spain’s low cost of living compared to its quality of life, its healthcare system, rich history and culture, gastronomy, viticulture architecture and festivals.
Many locals across the country, particularly in Valencia, will not be happy to hear this, however, due to the ongoing housing crisis and rise in cost of living, which is already partly being blamed on foreigners.
Spain’s main stock index closes at new record high
Spain’s main stock market index closed at a new record high on Monday, signalling strong investor confidence in one of the world’s most dynamic developed economies.
The benchmark IBEX 35 index of most-traded Spanish shares ended the day at 16,000.20 points, surpassing a previous record hit in November 2007 before the global financial crisis upended markets worldwide.
The index has been one of Europe’s top-performing stock markets this year, buoyed by the Spanish economy’s robust growth and healthy corporate earnings.
Spain’s stock market is dominated by service exporters and domestically focused firms, which shield the index from the brunt of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs that mainly target goods, analysts said.
With additional reporting by AFP.
