Sustainability and taking care of the environment are more important than ever before. According to the Observatory of Sustainability, climate change poses a significant threat to Spain. The good news is that the country is making great strides to be greener and combat these issues.
At least 60 cities in Spain are members of the smart cities network, which is committed to sustainability and improving quality of life through environmental protection. Steps they’re taking include retaining rainwater, eliminating pollutants, creating greener spaces, and introducing sustainable transport. Take a look at our list of the best green destinations in Spain to buy a property.
Valencia city has been awarded European Green Capital 2024, recognised for its efforts to improve the environment. The city is expanding its green spaces to reduce its carbon footprint, improving its energy efficiency and creating more sustainable mobility options. This includes creating more pedestrianised spaces, smart recycling, reducing noise pollution and further protecting the nearby Albufera Natural Park, an important wetland area. It also aims to be CO2 neutral by 2030 with the help of wave power. All this makes it one of the most sustainable cities in Spain.
Other reasons to move to Valencia:
Valencia’s green award is certainly not the only reason to move there. The third-largest city in the country, it’s packed full of culture and entertainment options, with several areas for outdoor sports and recreation. Of course there are the beaches, but there’s also the Turia Gardens that wind their way 9km throughout the city.
The organisation Turismo y Planificación de Costa del Sol is aiming to make the province of Málaga a CO2 net zero destination by reducing emissions and offsetting those that can’t be eliminated. This includes projects such as reforestation, research into conservation and involvement in projects to reduce tourists’ carbon footprints. The charming hilltop village of Ojén is committed to promoting green practices with the building of energy-efficient houses, while the resort town Estepona has become the first destination in the Costa del Sol to create a low emission zone.
Other reasons to move to Málaga province:
Málaga is one of the most popular provinces in the country for foreign residents due to its mild winters, hot summers and proximity to both the mountains and the Mediterranean. Choose Málaga city if you love art and vibrant nightlife, choose the historic cities of Ronda and Antequera for epic views and magnificent architecture, the Costa del Sol towns to be near the beach all year round or the hilltop white villages of the Axarquía for charm and authenticity. A popular province for foreign residents, Málaga has many international schools making it a great place for families to move to as well.
The capital of the region of Aragón, Zaragoza may be the fifth largest city in the country, but that doesn’t mean its commitments to the environment are lacking. Global leaders in environmental action, ambition and transparency, CDP placed Zaragoza on its annual cities A-list for its green efforts. Zaragoza aims to create 400 per cent of its own energy demand within four years and reduce CO2 emissions by 40 per cent by 2030. It was also named the Ibero-American Capital of Sustainable Gastronomy in 2022/23 because of its offering of local and organic produce.
Other reasons to move Zaragoza:
Zaragoza may not be as well-known as some of the other cities on this list, but it’s a vibrant cultural destination filled with magnificent architecture and packed with history. It has a compact and walkable city centre and if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, its flat landscape is ideal for cycling too. Situated halfway between Barcelona and Madrid, it’s easy to reach both via the high speed train network.
The north-western part of Spain – the Basque Country, Cantabria, Galicia and Asturias are known as Green Spain because of their countless natural offerings and verdant landscapes. One of the best green locations in Spain is the coastal city of Gijón, which was shortlisted for European Green Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism in 2023. In 2019 Gijón was also awarded the Biosphere Gold Destination certification, a credential granted by the Responsible Tourism Institute associated with UNESCO to destinations committed to their Sustainable Development Goals.
Other reasons to move to Gijón:
Gijón may not be the capital of Asturias, but it is its largest city, meaning it has all the services you’ll need. It’s also full of attractive architecture and countless bustling cider houses. But, of course it offers a much more laidback lifestyle than the likes of Madrid and Barcelona with plenty of nature nearby from natural parks to dramatic coastlines. Its vast and wild beaches are also a haven for surfers.
The capital of Spain may not seem like an obvious green destination given its size and population of 3.3 million, but it was placed on the CDP’s Cities A-list for 2023 for its climate leadership action, making it one of the most sustainable cities in Spain. In 2021, Madrid introduced a low-emission zone and even if you don’t have your own car, it has an excellent public transport system with a fleet of fully electric buses and a bicycle rental scheme with 3,000 electric bikes. It has around 300,00 trees within the city and over 55 percent of its streets are tree-lined. This in fact led it to be named Tree City of the World by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Other reasons to move to Madrid:
Madrid is Spain’s buzzing capital with something going on every night of the week. Home to many international companies, it’s also one of the best cities to get a job in Spain. Besides the culture, the gastronomy and the opportunities, Madrid has a surprising number of green spaces with 200 parks and gardens, two of the most important being Retiro Park and Casa de Campo.
The capital of Andalucia was named EU Smart Tourism Capital in 2023. The city plans to transform 264 public buildings in the city centre into energy sustainable properties and also plans to limit the number of tourists in the popular historic barrio of Santa Cruz. Seville offers a sustainable transportation system too with over 120km of bike lanes and a cycle-sharing scheme. There are also plans for the city’s Alamillo Park, home to the Andalucian Contemporary Art Centre and Monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas, to be powered by renewable energy by 2025.
Other reasons to move Seville:
Seville is one of the most attractive cities in Spain, with its gorgeous white and yellow architecture, narrow labyrinth of streets in the old town and fountain-filled plazas. It’s also a top cultural destination with lots of events, museums and culinary options. It’s also one of Spain’s hottest cities with summer temperatures regularly hitting 40C or above. Luckily if you need to escape, it’s just over an hour to the cooler coast and around the same to Doñana National Park, one of Europe’s most important wetlands.
The Balearic Islands may be some of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations, but they’re also some of the greenest and are striving to become even more sustainable. Majorca’s little sister, Menorca is one island that’s making giant leaps in this area. At the beginning of 2023, the government of the Balearics approved Menorca’s plea to allow them to limit the number of cars on the island. It also aims to ban petrol cars completely by 2030 and is striving to get 85 percent of its energy from renewable sources. The island also wants to halve the amount of plastic used by tourists by 2030.
Other reasons to move to Menorca:
Menorca is popular with foreign residents for its stunning landscapes and picturesque secluded beaches. It’s ideal for those who love the outdoors and sports with lots of opportunities for hiking, cycling and water sports. The island is also filled with natural spaces including the s'Albufera des Grau Natural Park, which along with Illa d'en Colom and Cap de Favaritx was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Like the Balearic Islands, the Canaries are important tourist destinations, which also have many natural and protected areas. The Lanzarote-born artist and sculptor César Manrique was a pioneer environmental activist who campaigned for sustainable tourism on the island around 50 years ago. Today, that message still lives on, making it one of the best green locations in Spain. Lanzarote is committed to sustainability and the preservation of the environment. In 1993 it was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and remains one today. Later, in 2015, it also became the first destination to receive a Biosphere Responsible Tourism certification, which was renewed in 2017. The island has several projects underway to continue its green legacy, including the creation of sustainable accommodation offerings.
Other reasons to move to Lanzarote:
Lanzarote is the fourth-largest Canary Island and makes for a great destination to move to due to its excellent year-round weather and fascinating scenery. A volcanic island, Lanzarote is filled with volcanoes, lava fields and bizarre rock formations, as well as stunning beaches and lots of opportunities for outdoor activities.
Vitoria-Gasteiz may not be as well-known as the other Basque cities of Bilbao and San Sebastián, but it is in fact the region’s capital. It was first awarded for its green credentials back in 2012, being named European Green Capital. In 2019, the UN even awarded it the title of Global Green City. But the city’s commitment to the environment didn’t stop there and it was recognised again for its efforts in 2023 when the European Commission awarded it with an EU Mission Label for its plans to reach climate neutrality by 2030. It was one of just 10 cities that was awarded this accolade. Vitoria-Gasteiz has 42 square metres of green space per inhabitant, plus over 150 kilometres of cycle lanes, making it the second best city in Spain when it comes to cycling mobility.
Other reasons to move to Vitoria-Gasteiz:
Like several cities in the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz is one of Spain’s top foodie cities with many Michelin-starred restaurants and countless pintxos bars. It’s also just over one hour’s drive to the beach and some of the Basque Country’s most spectacular coastline. Mid-way between the creative city of Bilbao and the capital of the country’s wine region – Logroño, it offers the best of both worlds.
