James Bond, one of the world’s best loved action heroes is back with his latest adventure, Quantum of Solace. The films are notorious for taking place in some of the world’s most stunning locations and, if you want to follow in his footsteps and live where Bond’s been, here’s a round-up of some of the top property locations 007 films have featured.

Panama City
Panama makes its appearance in Quantum of Solace and it’s a very well-timed inclusion, as property in the country is booming at the moment. Located between Colombia and Costa Rica, Panama’s a comparable size to Ireland and has coastlines bordering the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. It’s already very popular with North American buyers and tourism in Panama has become one of the fastest growing in Central America. As well as areas around the coastline, Panama City is one of the hottest places to invest in property.

Montenegro
The film Casino Royale was partially set in Montenegro, with a particularly high stakes poker game located in a Montenegrin casino. The country has recently become even more accessible for property buyers, thanks to the launch of direct flights from the UK. With tourism increasing, there are likely to be good opportunities for renting out properties too.

The Bahamas
The sandy white beaches and pure blue seas of the Caribbean islands in the Bahamas have featured in several Bond films (no wonder, as they’re gorgeous), including Thunderball with Sean Connery and Casino Royale with Daniel Craig. The Caribbean is one of the ultimate dream locations for foreign property buyers and, with no income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax, it’s got definite perks.

Cagliari, Sardinia

Sardinia
The beautiful Italian island of Sardinia, the second largest in the Mediterranean, was included as a location in The Spy Who Loved Me. Located 120 miles from mainland Italy, it’s blessed with a diverse landscape and numerous sheltered sandy beaches. Already favoured by many rich and famous stars, Bond fits into the lifestyle here perfectly. The Spy Who Loved Me was filmed in the Porto Cervo area of Sardinia, one of the most popular areas of the Costa Smeralda on the north-western shores of the island.

Spain continues to be one of the top location choices for overseas buyers, but do you know where you can find an area with the best coastal property price growth rate in Spain, great transport links and a coastline that’s well protected from overdevelopment?

The answer lies in Andalucia and the Costa de la Luz, which stretches along the western coast of Spain.

In the province of Huelva, property prices rose by 7.6% in 2007, which was the best property growth out of all of the coastal areas of Spain. Yet it remains one of the least built-up coastal areas in the country, with less than 13% of the coastline affected by urban development. Although several new developments are occurring, retaining as much of the natural environment and beauty as possible is an issue locals are keen to uphold and there are strict environmental controls in place.

With 417km of coastline and great beaches to choose from, it’s the perfect location for both a beach holiday and a holiday home. Compared to the beaches in the Costa del Sol, the sand in this part of Spain tends to be finer in texture and have a more golden hue, and the beaches themselves are often picturesquely backed by pine trees and sand dunes.

There’s good news for golfers too, as the area already boasts a number of great golf courses and neighbouring golf property developments and more are on the horizon. The average price of a round of golf in Huelva costs up to 50% less than it would in the nearby Algarve or Costa del Sol, so you can get more rounds for your money. Many experts have dubbed Huelva the ‘fastest growing destination for golf tourism in Spain’, so buying in the area now could get you in at the forefront of a golfing revolution.

One of the reasons Spain always appeals to UK property buyers is its close location – only a short haul flight away. Huelva is easily accessed via the airports in Faro, Portugal, Seville or other local airports, but earlier this year it was announced that it would finally be getting its own International Airport. It’s been a while coming, but should be functioning by 2012 and will be a blessing for property owners.

Properties with add-on factors that enhance your lifestyle are high on the priority list for many second home buyers, and one of the current trends that’s growing in popularity is to buy property in or near marinas.

Previously it’s been golfing or skiing properties that have topped the charts for many property buyers and, although still very popular, marinas have now sailed into the picture too.

For existing yacht owners, there’s an obvious attraction of being able to buy a property with a berth thrown in as part of the package. It can make enjoying sailing holidays all the more appealing when there’s somewhere to moor the boat at the beginning or end of a break, and offers the chance of going out on day trips while making the most of a holiday home.

But marina properties also appeal to lots of other buyers, and you needn’t necessarily even own a yacht. Many people merely love living by the waterside, and properties in or close to a marina often have fantastic views, plus lots of other facilities on hand too. Some buyers aren’t yet into sailing, but feel inspired to take it up and want to have the option of a berth, should they end up buying a yacht in the future. Plus, there’s the fact that owning some marina properties is hugely desirable and, as properties with berths are snapped up quickly, it’s a nice extra asset to own.

There are several categories of marina properties – those that are part of the marina development and have a berth included in the price, those where you get the option of a berth and discounted rates when buying your property, and properties that are located nearby and gain the benefit of looking out over the marina.

The good news is that there are a wide range of marina properties available on the market, from well-established marinas to newly built developments, and they’re located in many countries around the world. Prices vary, but if you’re buying a marina property in a well-known resort, expect to pay a premium price for a property with a berth included.

It’s often said that Port Grimaud, in the south of France, is where the idea and popularity of marina developments originated, back in the mid-1980s. Properties in the exclusive private marina, overlooking St Tropez, do come on the market from time to time, like this renovated waterfront property, and boast private boat moorings and other appealing features.

Elsewhere, at the Marina de Sotogrande in Spain, two-bedroom apartments such as this are built to make the most of uninterrupted views of the marina and Mediterranean Sea, plus come with the option of purchasing a 15m berth along with the property.

Whether you’re a yachting fan, or just want to get close to the action and hang out with the sailing crowd, then marina properties may be the option to go for.

While the UK property market may be slowing down, international property in many countries is still buoyant. One country where the outlook for international buyers is looking particularly good – and is set to get even better – is Croatia.

Blessed with long stretches of wonderful coastlines (5,835km, if you want to be precise about it), no less than 1,185 islands, historic towns and cities, and a fabulous Mediterranean climate along the Adriatic coast, it’s obvious why Croatia is so appealing. Interest in the country has grown over the last five years, with the property market seeing price rises of 10% to 15%, and it could be set to increase more, thanks to a new, forthcoming law.

The Croatian government recently announced that, from 01 February 2009, all buyers from EU member states – which of course include the UK – will have exactly the same property buying rights as Croatian nationals, other than when buying some land. This is great news for UK buyers and is likely to encourage even more international buyers to take the plunge and buy in Croatia.

Croatia itself isn’t yet a member of the EU, but is set to join within the next few years. Even before the change in law was announced, property analysts were predicting that prices in Croatia could rise by a further 15% to 20% in the next year. If previous examples of countries joining the EU recur in this instance, then demand for property in Croatia could increase, coupled with property price rises.

For now, though, properties are well priced and there’s something there for all budgets and buyers. There are many areas of Croatia worth checking out, not least the multitude of islands, which each seem to have their own unique personality. But it’s the areas around the picturesque Istrian Peninsular that many buyers fall in love with.

Easily reached from the UK via a 2.5 hour flight, the Istrian Peninsula is in the northwest of Croatia and still has a touch of Italian influence about it, left over from earlier Venetian rule. In fact, sometimes it’s still affectionately called the ‘Croatian Tuscany.’ Pula, Istria’s largest city, boasts one of the biggest and best preserved amphitheatres in the world, and coastal towns such as Umag and Novigrad are popular with property buyers.

Whatever your Croatian property dream, you’ll find a wide variety of properties in Istria, from traditional stone homes, to luxurious new villas and apartments. So whether you’re planning to buy a second home, holiday home, retirement nest egg or investment property, Croatia has plenty to offer the discerning buyer.