IL Magazine: Discover the World's Best Retirement Haven for 2022 + 24 more
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Spain boasts an affordable cost of living, but it also offers options for every budget with no scarcity of luxuries for those with the wherewithal to splurge. From ocean view penthouses to urban studios, from Michelin-star restaurants to $12 menús del dia, Spain has something to fit every retirement plan.
"The view from my terrace is the best ever. I overlook the Mediterranean Sea!" gushes retired American teacher and mental health professional Patti Addington. When she walked the Camino de Santiago in 2018, Patti fell in love with Spain and Spanish culture. "I came home from Spain not wanting to leave and began to concentrate on how, where, and when to move.
Spain’s Mediterranean beach resorts and dynamic cities are alluring destinations for most expats. However, for those seeking a quieter life immersed in traditional Spanish culture, small pueblos off the beaten path offer tranquil pieces of paradise. Spain has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to gorgeous tiny towns.
The Costa del Sol is aptly named. This stretch of Mediterranean shoreline promises 320 days of sunshine a year, making it popular with expats escaping northern Europe’s frigid winters. International communities thrive in small cities strung like pearls along the coast. This geology, flora, coastline, and bright winter sun remind me...
North Americans are discovering Spain’s sunshine, first-world amenities, easy-going lifestyle, and remarkable safety. Besides the well-publicized expat meccas of Málaga, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, and Madrid, check out these five smaller alternatives for a relaxed retirement. Although nowhere in Spain can...
“I love everything about Spain,” declares retired American Steve Aronberg. “I love the culture. I love the food. I love the wine. I love the beautiful weather with 300 days of sun a year. There are just so many wonderful things here.” Best of all, according to Steve, is the quality of life on the Costa del Sol. “It’s very easy to live here.”
“The outdoor life here is phenomenal,” says Canadian-born Maggi Jones. “Everybody goes out and does whatever they can. The weather is always good, and even if it’s not good, it is nothing like my experience of the Canadian winter.” When Maggi and her husband, Geoff Norris, arrived in sunny southern Spain 16 years ago, they already had a business plan...
If you’re planning a move to Madrid, the first thing you’ll need to do is find a place to call home. Start by choosing the neighborhood that is best for you. Madrid has many different areas with distinct lifestyles in various price ranges. Here’s a brief, but by no means exhaustive, overview...
Spain is the safest place I have ever lived. In fact, before visiting Spain, I had no idea that such a carefree life was even possible. The combination of Spain’s social safety net and strict gun laws creates a welcoming cocoon of safety. The 2020 Global Peace Index, which considers crime, as well as war and terrorism, named Spain...
After living in Spain for a year, I was impatient to ramp up my Spanish language skills. I’d hit a point where I could handle all the basic transactions of life, as long as the replies to my questions were short and simple, but my ambitions in Spain go beyond the basic stuff. I really wanted to delve into life here, and that meant getting a grip on the language...