Expatriates who are looking to buy a property now can find some real bargains, as many banks are ordering foreclosures on properties. It's no secret that due to the sun and sand and the added bonus of fantastic night-life, Spain is often first choice for holidays. However, Spain can now add another proverbial feather to its already overbrimming cap.

According to a study recently conducted by on-line travel agent sunshine.co.uk, British people staying in Spain give the country an average safety rating of 9.8 out of 10. This research has shown that Spain is widely perceived a safe country to live, meaning expatriates would do well to take a closer look at properties here before looking at options around the rest of the world. This makes the Costa Del Sol a safe visit.

Over 2,000 Britons from the over-21 age group were surveyed by the company and the results were then collated to find the top five “safest” and “unsafe” destinations, based on the average score of how secure tourists felt whilst staying there. With regards to the rest of the world, France was also viewed as a safe country, receiving another high score of 9.5.

New Zealand was the only country in the top five outside of Europe, suggesting that the majority of Britons feel more at ease taking holidays just that little bit closer to home. Mexico was (perhaps unsurprisingly) voted “least safe” with a truly embarrassing score of 1.8, with South Africa and Bulgaria not far behind with 2 and 2.5 respectively. This poll was part of Sunshine.co.uk's ongoing research into Briton's views on destinations around the globe. The results of the poll are as follows:

Top 5 Safest

1. Spain 9.8

2. France 9.5

3. Cyprus 9.4

4. New Zealand 8.3

5. Denmark 8

Top 5 Unsafe

1. Mexico 1.8

2. South Africa 2

3. Bulgaria 2.5

4. Jamaica 3.2

5. Dubai 3.4