Your own private island: not just a pipe dream?

THE vast majority of people who venture to Spain with a view to living far from the madding crowd look to the campo for solace. A few seek more remote dwellings and head to a mountain plateau to ensure their solitude. But only a mere fraction of people require the isolation that a private Island can offer, and surely even fewer can afford it?

Well, if that’s what you have been telling yourself, you might be surprised to learn it’s not just the rich and famous who buy private Islands. Popular locations demand popular prices, but small islands are becoming accessible to the average Joe in lesser-known parts of the world because of their low price.

Although Spain is not the cheapest place in the world to buy an island, it is possible to pick one up for less than the price of a large villa in Marbella. €2.6 million for example would ensure that you owned Isla N’Oliver just north of Menorca, or for a little more you could be the Lord of the manor at Isla Centinela, Avila.

 “It’s a common misconception that private islands are the exclusive domain of millionaires and celebrities,” explains Vladi Private Islands, purveyors of island properties around the globe. “Whilst we certainly count such high-net individuals amongst our clientele, you might be surprised to hear that the number of people of more modest means buying islands is on the up.”

It’s little wonder – for the price of a Volkswagen Beetle you could be the proud owner of a picturesque private island in Canada or Denmark. Indeed, even when taking into account the property taxes, maintenance costs and insurance fees involved in the purchase, a private island often works out to be a more financially attractive option than a car, and, unlike your average automobile, actually increases in value from year to year.

And besides, as Vladi quite rightly points out, “If you’ve got an island, you don’t need a car.”