Hi! I'm Amy!

[NestAbroad]

I'm a retired teacher, currently working and helping my young adult children get on their feet, but I've given them a hard deadline of Fall 2026. I'm looking to retire somewhere along the southern coast of Europe, but want to make sure it's the right fit before settling in. Make no mistake, I am a NEST person. I want to have a home base and then take trips from there. I'm doing my research, but would appreciate thoughts and suggestions on not-to-touristy places that would be good home bases (NOT someplace that's HOT all the time). Any thoughts?

 

[MarieIG]

Welcome to the forum NestAbroad.

I am not a go-to for this type of information but, as with any "dream" retirement location, I would suggest that you make a list of those items which are important to you, i.e. beach, country-side, forests, hiking, culture, space, community, libraries, walk-ability, public transportation, health care, visa considerations, cost-of-living constraints or not, etc. When you have narrowed down possibilities, I would suggest extended stays in potential candidates. You may discover that you love it/ them, or there is something about the potential location which would eliminate it as a candidate. I would also not wait until your kiddos are off the dole to travel, as if one or more are living with you they can watch the home when you are away.

Best of luck!

 

[Gumby]

Welcome, NestAbroad. Do you speak any of the relevant languages already? Living in a place is quite different than going on vacation there, and it would be more important to speak the language well. I have been to Italy many times and found the people to be charming, but it does get quite hot in most of Italy during the summer. If I lived there, I would live up in the lake region in the north. Perhaps even Lugano, Switzerland (where they also speak Italian). Greece is also lovely and the people are nice, but again, it's hot in the summer, although cooler up in the mountains. I also have been to the Cote d'Azur in France, but it was long ago, in the winter, and I didn't spend enough time to develop an opinion about its suitability for permanent living. Sadly, I have never been to Spain.

In any event, your choice of location may be dependent on the ability to get a residency visa, so that's one of the first things I would research.

 

[Koolau]

I only moved states (full disclosure: it was 5000 miles from my Midwest address.) I visited 12 times before moving - I spent a total of 6 months in Hawaii before moving there. I was still a bit freaked out about the move (it has w*rked out well.)

I'd want to be very sure about a move OUS. There are lots of issues (some technical stuff like bank accounts and brokerage accounts OUS) that complicate things. Big thing is language, of course and local culture (that was our biggest challenge - culture. We joke that Hawaii is the USA but it's not America.)

 

[yakers]

I felt I could live in Portugal from some visits there. I have lived in the UK and liked it a lot. Big questions are how expensive? Norwar & Swittzerland are beautiful and expensive. Since you want a nest/home base finding a supporting community is important.
I'm a city boy, drop me back in London.

 

[Lagniappe]

I live in Portugal, and it meets most of your criteria, except the "not too touristy" part. I would suggest following Facebook groups set up for immigrants/ expats to whatever area you are interested in, and see the types of issues that are raised to give you a better sense of what you might be facing.

Portugal, for instance, is beautiful and safe but the bureaucracy will make you tear your hair out, and is discussed frequently in these groups. I can't leave the country right now because my residence permit expired and I can't get an appointment for renewal. I finally got an appointment for two weeks fro now but an announcement just came out yesterday that the department that issues residence permits is going on strike from date x until the end of the year. Date x+1 is when my appointment is scheduled.

Everyplace will have something that is not so great, including the place you are leaving. I would suggest understanding a little about the good and not-so-good of anyplace on your list, then visiting each for a month or so before investing in a residence permit.

 

[marko]

We lived in France for many years ( and Japan for a few). Be sure that you fully understand what you can and cannot do legally as an expat as well as what can be done only after 5,000 pages of paperwork.

At the time ( maybe still now) opening a bank account--key to renting or buying and a lot of other things-- was a huge, huge hassle. Even getting a home phone line was almost impossible.

 

[Koolau]

I'm a retired teacher, currently working and helping my young adult children get on their feet, but I've given them a hard deadline of Fall 2026. I'm looking to retire somewhere along the southern coast of Europe, but want to make sure it's the right fit before settling in. Make no mistake, I am a NEST person. I want to have a home base and then take trips from there. I'm doing my research, but would appreciate thoughts and suggestions on not-to-touristy places that would be good home bases (NOT someplace that's HOT all the time). Any thoughts?

Back in the day (before I retired) I followed all the stories (here and elsewhere) about Expat life. Primarily, I was curious because there were definite cost advantages to some locations (things like lower housing and medical care resonated at the time.) Is that a major issue you are addressing? If not, what is the appeal of Expat life to you - if I may ask?

 

[Diogenes]

Back in the day (before I retired) I followed all the stories (here and elsewhere) about Expat life. Primarily, I was curious because there were definite cost advantages to some locations (things like lower housing and medical care resonated at the time.) Is that a major issue you are addressing? If not, what is the appeal of Expat life to you - if I may ask?

I have the same question (with, as goes without saying, all due respect). The key point is that the US will tax its citizens, regardless of where they reside, or from where they draw their income. Country XYZ might be fantastic for reasons ABC - even financial ones (housing, healthcare, leisure, food,...) - but for some of us, the principal cost in life, is taxes... there is no escaping those, short of switching passports... a move that seems, how shall I put it - drastic?

 

[Surewhitey]

We lived in Mexico for 3 years, but the weather would be extreme in much of the country.

Visited Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. Italy is up our alley and also possibly Azores (Portuguese islands). Spain can be hot in the south. France can be cooler except for maybe the coastal areas.

We paid cash for everything in Mexico, getting pesos from ATM's on occasion. Credit card for most things too. I would probably not do a bank account unless absolutely necessary, personally.

 

[Lorenzo]

I live in Portugal, and it meets most of your criteria ....

Spain and Portugal are on our list of candidates, but a concern is that, like the OP here, we want to use our home as a base for travel, and Portugal does not seem as well connected via high-speed rail with the rest of Europe as Spain. As for touristy, we loved Algarve, despite all the Brits. It felt like Southern California, which I hear is a common comparison.

 

[Lagniappe]

Spain and Portugal are on our list of candidates, but a concern is that, like the OP here, we want to use our home as a base for travel, and Portugal does not seem as well connected via high-speed rail with the rest of Europe as Spain. As for touristy, we loved Algarve, despite all the Brits. It felt like Southern California, which I hear is a common comparison.

It is true that Portugal is not well connected by rail to the rest of Europe. A high speed rail line connecting Lisbon and Madrid has been approved by the EU, but no one is sure when it will be completed. Short flights to every European capital are available from Lisbon, Porto and Faro for less than the cost of trains in many cases.