The Spanish Soccer team aside, the doom and gloom in Europe runs deep. But there is a story not being told…one of opportunity borne of this crisis. A story of places where you could own your own piece of the Old World…for less than half the price of a budget family sedan.
As Ronan McMahon, our real estate expert, puts it, “In time, the crisis will pass and there will be a new normal. Who knows what that will look like? But I’m pretty sure that the Greek Islands will still be among the most special places on earth.”
Right now—in Greece and beyond—prices are falling like a rock. And for anybody who ever mused about a European retreat, that’s the silver lining. It’s our focus in this issue, where we take you to Greece, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and beyond.
We’ve turned to Europe now not merely because there are bargains to be had, but because the other untold Europe story is one of an extraordinary quality of life. The story of a slower pace, of good food shared among friends, of living with beauty all around.
See below for all the articles in your August 2012 issue. If you’d prefer to read your issue in PDF format, click here.
The Spanish Soccer team aside, the doom and gloom in Europe runs deep. But there is a story not being told…one of opportunity borne of this crisis. A story of places where you could own your own piece of the Old World…for less than half the price of a budget family sedan.
Any weekend from August 4 to September 16, head to the Parc Floral near the Château de Vincennes in Paris for the Festival Classique au Vert (Classical Festival on the Green). This year, performers will set the words of famous poets and authors to classical music. Bring a picnic and blanket: It’s a gorgeous park.
Veraguas is Panama’s only province to span the country from Atlantic to Pacific, offering everything from sandy beaches to cloud-draped mountains. Nearly in the center of the province, where the fertile ranching savannahs start their climb toward the pine-covered slopes, is the town of San Francisco de la Montaña, where you’ll find one of the most extraordinary churches in the Americas.
Greece faces a great crisis today and its real estate is about to get dirt cheap. The country is in a classic “blood in the streets” situation…one that looks so hopeless that the public believes only a fool would want to buy real estate in the shadow of Athen’s Acropolis or on one of the country’s stunning Aegean islands.
From the first moment that Marilyn Cullen heard the strains of traditional Irish music in Ennis, County Clare, she knew she had found her retirement destination. “The music, the creativity, and the arts here are a magnet for expats from all over the world,” says the 65-year-old Californian.
From the first moment that Marilyn Cullen heard the strains of traditional Irish music in Ennis, County Clare, she knew she had found her retirement destination. “The music, the creativity, and the arts here are a magnet for expats from all over the world,” says the 65-year-old Californian.
It’s 6:30 a.m. and I’m out the door for my daily run along the winding mountain roads. Cowherds and their cattle pass me; they are on their way to new grazing grounds. The salt-water wind kisses my face as I make my way past fields of wheat and myrtle. After four years of running these roads, I no longer get strange looks. The locals are used to the crazy Canadian!
It was the most spectacular view I have ever seen. One entire wall of the room opened onto a direct view of the Arenal volcano, framed by the lushest vegetation imaginable. I gasped in delight when I saw the hot tub on the terrace, and I’d never seen anything like my shower: a rock wall with plants in the crevices and water pouring out from a basin at the top. And this was just my hotel room!
I’m writing this on a stunning terrace café overlooking the Louvre. Later, I may stroll along the banks of the Seine or among the city’s elegant boulevards. Life in Paris is good. And it’s no surprise to me that so many expats are here enjoying a better quality of life… After all, I’m one of them.
Boredom is the only thing you won’t find in Berlin. Despite being small for a capital city—only three million people—it’s Europe’s happening hub. Packed into its districts—each its own urban adventure—you’ll find more than 200 museums, large tracts of parkland, countless restaurants, bars and clubs to suit every taste, elegant old buildings, and ultra-modern architecture. You can boat on the canals, cycle, stroll, or just sit in a deck chair at an outdoor café and watch the world go by.