European adventures
Europe is a more affordable retirement overseas option than it’s been in a long time. If you’ve got dollars to spend in Europe, you might be surprised by your buying power. The European retirement of your dreams is increasingly realistic, even for those with a tight budget. Here are five places where it is particularly appealing to enjoy a European lifestyle at a low cost:
Marais, Paris, France
Narrow cobblestoned streets, exposed stone walls and beamed buildings with slanting rooflines are common sights and testaments to the district’s medieval history. Today, the Marais is a trendy and desirable neighborhood with restaurants, cafés and boutiques. To live in the Marais is to live in the heart — geographic, cultural, historical, architectural and social — of a city that is considered by many to be the heart of refined Western culture. Within a 20-minute walk are Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, La Conciergerie, the Pantheon and the Louvre. Retirement in the heart of Paris doesn’t get better than this.
Carcassonne, France
Walt Disney is said to have been inspired by its towers, turrets and ramparts, and you can understand why when the sun rises up over the medieval city of Carcassonne in southeast France. Today, the city of Carcassonne has two parts: the medieval Cité (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) up on a plateau on the right bank of the river Aude, and the Bastide Saint Louis below the Cité on the left bank. Within the Cité are the medieval castle, St. Nazarius Basilica, boutiques, artists’ workshops and Michelin-starred restaurants. Life in the Bastide is centered on the Place Carnot, with its pretty fountain, streetside cafés and restaurants. Within an hour of Carcassonne are the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean, and 90 minutes away is skiing in the Pyrenees.
Abruzzo, Italy
This region is one of Italy’s secret treasures. Relatively unknown to foreign visitors, sparsely populated Abruzzo is where central Italy merges into the languid realms of the deep south. Even though many parts of the area are only an hour’s drive from Rome, it clings onto its secret feel. The main town in the region, Pescara, has one of the best city beaches in Europe, and not far away is some of the best skiing outside of the Alps. In spring, it’s possible to combine a morning on the Apennine ski slopes with an afternoon at the beach.
Barcelona, Spain
This city has a great deal to offer, from fantastic art and architecture, to theaters, restaurants and shopping. Despite being Spain’s second-biggest city, Barcelona has a compact design that is easy to explore. Its 100 square kilometers contain about 1.6 million people in the city center and another 4 million in the suburbs. Barcelona is the economic, cultural and administrative capital of Catalonia, situated in the northeast of Spain on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. All the amenities of the world’s best cities are here, plus you have easy access to the beautiful Costa Brava to the north and the Costa Dorada to the south.
Algarve, Portugal
Located at the Continent’s westernmost tip and boasting 100 miles of Atlantic coastline, the Algarve could be Europe’s most famous secret. This region boasts some of Europe’s best beaches and golf courses, as well as friendly folk and a low cost of living. European retirees have recognized all that the Algarve has to offer for a long time, and this sunny coastal region is the chosen destination for more than 100,000 of them. If you’re looking for a Continental lifestyle and don’t have the budget for France, Italy or Spain, this could be just the spot for you. Retirement on Portugal’s coast can be as good as life gets.
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5 Top Options for Affordable Retirement in Europe originally appeared on usnews.com
