If your idea of paradise is a wildflower-covered hillside, wide-open spaces and plenty of nature all around, you may want to consider a mountain retreat for retirement. The weather is cooler and less humid at higher altitudes, and the year-round view from your bedroom window could be scenic peaks and waterfalls. You might spend your days hiking, bird watching, gardening and horseback riding. If that describes your idea of the ideal lifestyle, here’s where to find it:
[See: The Best Places to Retire in 2018.]
1. El Valle, Panama. El Valle de Antón sits in a volcanic crater about two hours outside Panama City. All around the city tower jagged 10,000-foot mountains covered in a humid cloud forest that tumbles down to the flat but equally green and fertile crater floor. El Valle is approximately 2,000 feet above sea level, in the province of Coclé. The population of almost 7,000 is made up of natives, retired and working Panamanians and retired and in-business expats. It’s an enclave with a surprisingly international feel.
El Valle’s primary attraction is its altitude, which offers cool respite from the heat and humidity of Panama City. Another appeal is the verdant green of its vistas. While there is a small expat population in El Valle, this town is a well-kept Panamanian secret. For generations, Panamanians from the capital have looked to El Valle for regular weekend and holiday escape. As a result, this is a top mountain choice for going local.
Living in El Valle, you’d have to learn to speak Spanish and to assimilate among the friendly and welcoming Panamanian community.
[Read: 3 Options for a Mosquito-Free Retirement Overseas.]
2. Istria, Croatia. This region of Croatia, a triangular peninsula running alongside the coast of Italy, is a beguiling patchwork of meadows, vineyards and olive groves. Its rolling hills and mountainsides are dotted with white-stone villages, some dating to the Middle Ages. This is Europe’s undiscovered Riviera.
Often compared with Tuscany, Istria is less discovered, less touristy, more green and boasts better infrastructure. Croatia’s war of independence ended in late 1995. Since then, the Croatians have been working ambitiously and aggressively to rebuild their country. Croatia’s highways, bridges and mountain tunnels are state of the art, while the towns, villages and olive groves in Istria are ancient.
And while Istria is a place to seek out pastoral living at its best, it’s also an increasingly cosmopolitan region. There are world-famous truffle festivals every fall, when hundreds of truffle hunters and their sniffing dogs trawl Istria’s woodlands in search of white and black truffles. Istria’s best winemakers present their offerings at the internationally recognized Festival of New Wine at the end of fall. There’s also an annual summer film festival that attracts the international jet set.
[Read: The 3 Best Places to Retire on the Beach.]
3. Medellín, Colombia. Formerly drug- and crime-ridden Medellín has been cleaned up. Medellín is no longer unsafe or unsavory, and is establishing a name for itself as one of the world’s most progressive cities.
Medellín has many things going for it, including its geography. This pretty, tidy city has a near-perfect climate thanks to its elevation of about 5,000 feet. This mountain city has mild temperatures and impressive vistas. Medellín is also a cosmopolitan retirement spot for anyone who appreciates Euro chic, but doesn’t want to travel all the way to Europe.
Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group.
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The 3 Best Mountain Escapes for Retirement originally appeared on usnews.com
