Property in Spain is becoming an increasingly attractive option for Russian buyers looking for overseas residences, it has been claimed.

According to Prian.ru, consumers from the country are showing an increased interest in second homes in European nations and Spain is a popular destination, reports the International Herald Tribune.

The publication reported that of the 400,000 searches on its site, 6.5 per cent were looking into property in Spain.

Mikhail Kelim, head of Prian.ru, commented: "[Russian buyers are] reading analytical articles, checking out market situations and are not just buying because the country is cheap or fashionable to do so."

Recent reports have shown that the overall price of housing in Spain has risen in the last year but those in coastal areas, new-builds and big-city developments can still be purchased for less than the same period in 2007.

The overall price of property in Spain rose by 2.4 per cent on the figures from the year before, according to Property Showrooms.