Well, autumn is already here and there is no need to sound modest – it is highly unlikely that you are thrilled with the bad weather, especially with the memories from the past several summer months still fresh. No matter how much you love your house in Brent, or wherever you live in London, sometimes you probably dream about greener pastures… or in our case, of a beautiful summer/winter residence in some of the magnificent corners of the globe where the notorious British weather is not present.
There are those countries and location that have become synonymous to dream places of residence. Their names alone evoke peaceful pictures in one’s mind and even bring association with wealth, class and quality living. Naturally, we are talking about places like:
- Tuscany in Central Italy, generally considered by many to be the embodiment of Paradise on Earth. The region covers some 23 000 sq. kilometers. The famous city of Florence is in there, but what truly attracts people looking for peace and good weather, is of course the countryside. Tuscany is known for many things – from the beautiful nature responsible for some of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth, to being the birthplace of the Renaissance and Western European high culture, to of course the fine food. Everyone knows that Italian cuisine is one of the best in the world, but did you know that there is a special kind of Tuscan cuisine which is even better. Founded on simplicity, it is notable for the usage of products like olive oil, fine wine, legumes, bread, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms and fresh fruit above all. Purchasing a small house in the Tuscan countryside might very well turn out to be the best retirement plan one can possibly make.
- The French Riviera is another one of those iconic places everyone dreams and talks about. The Riviera has no official boundaries, but it is usually considered to stretch along the coastline of Southern France from the Italian border onwards. Several major towns and cities, as well as the sovereign Kingdom of Monaco are thought to be part of the French Riviera. The towns and cities in question are as follows: Saint-Tropez, Hyères, Toulon and Cassis. Heard of them? Right, there is no way that you do not know about those place, or even have been to some of them during a vacation. The truth is, it is highly unlikely that you visit the Riviera and not fall in love with it instantly – good food, beaches, great culture, atmosphere and architecture all over the place. A curious fact is that as early as the 18th century this was the most beloeved place for recreation for members of the British aristocracy. One of the most important annual events that take place on the Riviera is the Cannes Film Festival in May, and one of the best beaches in these parts of the Mediterranean is namely here - Courtade's Beach on Porquerolles.
- Moving to the east, Dalmatia the coastal region of Croatia and according to a number of authorities on the matter, is one of the most beautiful places in Europe. The nature here, and more specifically the coastline, is truly spectacular, with hundreds of islands, some big, some smaller, being scattered along the mainland, creating an unique view that will remain in your memory forever. The official count is 79 large islands and over 500 isles. The name of the territory, contrary to what some people think, comes not from the famous dog breed, but rather from an ancient Illyrian tribe that lived here during the period of Classical Antiquity. The landscape is occupied mainly by the Dinaric Alps mountain ranges - Dinara, Mosor, Svilaja, Biokovo, Moseć, Veliki Kozjak and Mali Kozjak. Naturally, the best places to live are along the coast. The small towns with peculiar and quite beautiful architecture will leave you with the feeling that you are transported directly in another time.
- Catalonia, which is an autonomous area of Spain, consists of four provinces – Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Now, Barcelona is a well known tourist destination and a huge city of the type that you would probably want to escape from, but the small towns and villages scattered across the countryside would be places that you can easily imagine spending the better part of the rest of your life in. Tranquility, beautiful nature and good people are only some of the benefits of trying to join some of the communities living there.
- If you prefer the northern regions of Europe there are a number of places that you can consider. If you are used to the bad weather of London however, we think that you would not want a place with a similar climate. Cold temperatures do not necessary come with rain though – the real cold is in the north, around the Baltic. Estonia for example you will probably find most appealing. This small nation recently got its independence from Russia. It is really tiny, has great public services and even though it could be a little depressing spending your time in the countryside, you can make a compromise and set up your quarters in the capital of Tallinn – the city is quite small – no more than 300 000 residents, so either way you will not feel like living in a metropolis – because you actually will not. Tallinn is a magnificent little city. The old town looks like something straight out of a fairytale. A curious fact is that Sir Terry Pratchett based the City of Ankh-Morpork partially on the historical Tallinn. If you are a Discworld fan, it should be a destination of top priority for you – even for just a quick visit. If you bound even further north, you will find Finland and Sweden, which are among the richest countries in the world, have great education system and a specific type of nature that you are also going to find attractive if you are in the northern way of life.