_The new developments across Europe that property investors should have on their radars this year

As a post-pandemic Europe comes closer in to focus, a cautious sense of optimism thaws Europe's biggest cities as everything that makes them so great - restaurants, theatres, museums and cafes - slowly reopens.

Simple pleasures such as sharing petisco with friends in a Lisbon tasca or watching the world go by from a table in a streetside cafe in Paris  are all things that we can look forward to doing as cities awake from their year-long slumber.

Property investment, dulled by travel restrictions and dampened by market uncertainty also sees renewed activity as the appeal of a handful of Europe's best cities is buoyed by their Covid-era resilience and lifestyle and wellness opportunities that offer a better way of living.

Our brand-new digital publication Europa Cities looks at the why the city is far from over, with our experts instead anticipating a renewed desire for property in the European hubs that came out on top. One thing is for certain: time spent in numerous lockdown has forced many of us to reflect on what really matters - more specifically, how and where we live propelled, perhaps, by a degree of throwing caution to wind and rationalised by "life's to short" and, "let's just do it".

Our experts also identify Europe's investment hotspots which will be the places to live and invest in in the post-Covid world, combining  strong infrastructure and healthcare with lifestyle appeal. Cities, for example, by the coast such as zesty Barcelona or highly 'liveable' cities such as Vienna offer excellent work life balance alongside good connectivity once Europe, and the wider world, fully opens for business.

Developers are also continuing with their pipelines in urban hubs, an idea supported by the Knight Frank Global Development Report 2020, which found that out of 160 global developers, the majority are still looking to develop in cities, opposed to rural locations and second homes.

Currently listing through Knight Frank are five exciting new developments that we'd be happy to discuss with you or offer you a virtual tour. For any international property queries, please get in touch with our team of experts who have wonderful insight into a pipeline of new investment opportunities and international properties for pleasure. 

Antares - ultra-contemporary 1-4 bedroom apartments in Barcelona

Prices starting from: €850,000

Barcelona, already one of the world's most good looking cities, has given us another reason to fall even harder for this head-turning spot on Catalonian coast. Freshly launched is the latest masterpiece from world-renowned architect and visionary Odile Decq and her first residential tower - Antares.

Part sculpture, part iconic new landmark blending into Barcelona's spread of remarkable shoreline, Antares sets a new benchmark in contemporary living and avant-garde building design in a city which wears it modern architecture boldly.

Groundbreaking doesn't touch the side here - from each of the 1-4 bedroom apartments are staggering vistas from balconies and the volumes of floor-to-ceiling windows offering heart fluttering views across the city, the Mediterranean and surrounding mountains.

Amenities include a yoga pod, paddle courts, golf simulator, spa, private cinema room, ground floor restaurant and breathtaking views from the Sky Terrace and infinity pool.

Crown Towers, Bucharest, Romania

Prices from: €440,000

A collaboration between some of Romania's top developers and architects, raising the profile of Bucharest's nascent luxury property market is Crown Towers in the north of the city. A standout mixed use mega project made up of three towers released in two phases, it will bring to market 236, 2-4 bedroom luxury apartments across retail and office space alongside standout leisure facilities.

The first phase involves the development of 156 apartments with areas between 90 and 650 sqm and an office building with a total area of 4,530 sqm.

Futuristic design, a unique facade and jaw-dropping atrium come together to create a stand out, architecturally significant development offering 236 luxury apartments dressed in the finest materials with double ceiling heights and oversized windows offering cinematic views across the city.

FOUR, Frankfurt, Germany

Prices from: €740,000

Touted as an architectural masterpiece from the world-renowned architect Ben van Berkel, FOUR - made up of 4 residential and commercial towers that a busy rewriting Frankfurt's skyline - rise up to a lofty 233 meters, featuring 600 apartments, office space, retail and hotels offering breath-taking views across the German city.

Around FOUR a new sustainable quarter is being built: new squares, paths and arcades lay the foundations for an urban, mixed-use quarter, combining day-care centres, apartments and offices with hotels, retail and dining. A public rooftop garden will act as a green conduit between the high-rises, which directly border the downtown shopping and pedestrian streets.

Les Résidences de la Tour Carrée, Geneva, Switzerland

Les Résidences de la Tour Carrée is a boutique, gated new development - four residences, four penthouses and two Hôtels Particuliers - of only 10 units built to the highest luxury standards by Swiss starchitect Bernard Ebeia with far-reaching views across Lake Geneva and the Jura mountain range beyond at its centrepiece.

On a clear, sunny day there are few better places to be in the Swiss city. Set in beautiful grounds surrounded by a wooded park in the upscale Geneva neighbourhood of Cologny with its leafy, tree-lined streets and grand homes.

Each of the properties have been crafted using the very best materials with 5-star facilities including a wellness area with sauna, on-site security, private elevator access from the underground garage and totally unobstructed views.

The Shore, Vienna, Austria

Prices from: €269,900

Completing in Autumn 2022 and fronting an exclusive position on the Danube river in Vienna's upscale 19th District is The Shore.

A 'lifestyle concept' focused around waterfront living and strong community, the riverside development is centered around 10 villas offering a total of 125 1-5 bedroom apartments and penthouses with stand out smart technologies and high-end interiors.

Making every day a holiday are private beaches and bathing piers exclusive to The Shore residents as well as boat moorings and watersports facilities such as stand-up paddling. You're hard pressed to remember that this urban oasis is just 15 minutes from Vienna city centre.

Wellness and cultural activities focused on community building include group bike tours and excursions. An on-site community space encourages residents to get together at organised book clubs, yoga sessions or to celebrate a birthday. Other facilities include concierge service. 

You may have noticed something about the name Knight Frank. The second of those two words in particular. Frank. We’ve been providing frank property advice for 125 years. Whether it’s buying, selling, renting – and everything in between – you can ask us anything about buying property overseas.