Several weeks ago my husband said to me that he has been reading an article about Retiring in Europe. He actually sounded quite serious about it too. This was a very big shock for me to hear. The idea was very exciting to me. I am not sure how realistic the idea is, but it seemed like a fun avenue to explore.
You know the first thing I do when I get an idea, RESEARCH! I started Googling articles and reading up on this idea that was new to me. Sometimes on Sundays we watch a few travel related shows. I find them comforting, informative and they often give me ideas for places to visit next. The Sunday after this new idea of Retiring to Europe was presented, we watched some videos that discussed the subject. Most of them seemed to agree on the same countries being the best for Ex-Pats based on a list of requirements:
- Cost of living
- Crime Rate
- Cost of real estate
- Retirement Visas
- Environmental conditions
- Health care
- Recreation
- How easily someone who only speaks English can get by
Here are Some of the Best Places based on my Research
Porto, Lisbon or the Algarve Region of Portugal
Valetta, Malta
Bled, Slovenia
Le Marais area of Paris, France
Zagreb or Dubrovnik, Croatia
Alicante or San Sebastian Spain
Sicily, Calabria, Sardinia, Italy
This one is probably the most alluring of all of them for me!
Lonely Planet: Seniors Could Live Tax free for 10 years in Southern Italy Under New Plan
As tempting as the idea of retiring to Europe may sound to me, the reality is that I couldn’t live that far away from my kids. Getting just a vacation home there would limit my travels to mostly that one place. Travel is about the adventure for me, the need to always be exploring somewhere new. I would rather pick one of these towns every year to visit for 2-4 weeks and really see what it’s about. Then the next year, choose another.
There is Wanderlust in my Soul!
If you are interested in this topic, here are some other Good Articles that you should check out:
Europe’s Top 5 Affordable Retirement Havens – International Living
9 Best Retirement Destinations – CNBC
10 Best Places to Retire Overseas – US News & World Report/Money
