Connie Pombo

Though we moved to picturesque colonial city of Cuenca, Ecuador in 2010, we left again two years ago. That's right...we left our retirement paradise to try out life on the Central Coast of California in San Luis Obispo where we spent our honeymoon 40 years ago. We were 20 minutes from the Pacific Ocean with its spectacular fireball sunsets and enjoyed some of California's best beaches, including Pismo, Morro Bay, and Avila. It was our good fortune, to find a 1,200-square-foot apartment on Craigslist—fully furnished—for $895 a month (with utilities and internet it came to $960). It was a bargain.

Have you ever been to a place so breathtakingly beautiful you never wanted to leave? And once you did, you couldn't stop thinking about it? Los Frailes is that place for my husband and me. Better yet, it's one of Ecuador's best kept secrets...one I am going to share with you... The first time we visited this unspoiled piece of paradise I let out an audible gasp when I caught a glimpse of the beach's turquoise-blue waters and its white sand. I turned to my husband, Mark, and whispered, "You have to promise me you'll never tell anyone about this place." It reminded me of Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda where we spent our 25th wedding anniversary.

A little distance away from Ecuador’s famed colonial city of Cuenca lies a small city that you might never have heard of…but which is rapidly becoming a retiree favorite. Just about an hour away from Cuenca, you’ll find Paute, a destination with a population of about 30,000 people—a tenth of Cuenca’s population. It’s fast becoming known as “Little Cuenca” as more “Norte Americanos” are finding their way to the outskirts of the city with its laidback lifestyle. Randy and Karen Kimbler are just two of the expats who are enjoying the slower pace of life in Paute.

I'll be honest; Cuenca, Ecuador was not my number one retirement destination—it was Italy. My husband, Mark, and I lived there for six years in our 20s and 30s, our older son was born there, and it was the birthplace of Mark's grandparents. Yes, I married into one big, loud, happy Italian family. It was the best of times—la dolce vita—a life of pleasure and simple luxuries. And what a life we had there...living in a villa on the Mediterranean...enjoying fresh fish and pasta every day...taking walks along the "lungomare" (seafront)...and watching spectacular sunsets from our terrazza every evening. I desperately wanted it all back when we retired at 55. But then we discovered Cuenca, Ecuador while doing an Internet search for the best places in the world to retire. Mark made his first exploratory trip in February of 2010 without me.

While most New Yorkers are busy trying to make a living and not a life, Diane and Jim Shanley are enjoying the fun life in sunny Cuenca, Ecuador. There was a lot to draw the couple to this city. Cuenca, the "pearl" of Ecuador nestled high in the Andes Mountains at 8,314 feet, boasts spring-like temperatures in the 50s to high 70s all year long. It's the cultural capital of Ecuador with free concerts, an international film festival, and plentiful gourmet restaurants. It's also a UNESCO World Heritage site with stunning colonial architecture, which attracts tourists from around the world.

Like so many baby boomers, Suzy Giles felt she was destined to continue working full-time in the U.S. She wasn't working a bad gig—conducting wine tours in Napa Valley, California—but it didn't leave much time to pursue her passion for painting. So she began to explore her options overseas for a location affordable enough to allow her to retire...and discovered Cuenca, Ecuador. After visiting the colonial city twice, Suzy took the leap. That was almost two years ago and the decision has proven to be a good one. "I wanted an adventure," says Suzy. "I needed to stay out of life's ruts and to get out of my comfort zone."

Every morning, my husband, Mark, and I wake up to a view of Cuenca's Old-World charm...majestic cathedral spires rising before us. Then we take our morning walk along the Yununcay River where cultured gardens line the bike and walking trails. Ecuador reminds me of Italy. We spent time in Europe as a young couple and planned to retire to Italy...until we discovered Ecuador. We fell in love with the cobblestone streets, terracotta-roofed brick buildings, colonial churches, plazas, outdoor cafés, and wrought-iron balconies draped in bougainvillea. Mark and I retired to Cuenca, Ecuador, four years ago on a pensioner's visa which we live on. Our monthly budget is $1,317 a month—my husband's pension from UPS—but we earn that much or more on our new incomes.