I once took a girl to the opera. It was Carmen, all about love, jealousy and desire. It sounded good; romantic and bound to impress. Three hours in, I didn’t feel that way about it. Carmen’s tragic death in the final act, was a long time coming. The highlight was when a donkey ran across the stage, and the frantic singers lured the animal back into position with a carrot. So no, I’m not a big opera fan.
But I absolutely like to be in cities where I can attend one.
The best cities offer us all sorts of opportunities to enrich and entertain ourselves, to thoughtfully while away afternoons in a museum, at a gallery, or watch passersby from a restaurant terrace. More boomers are seeking walkable urban spaces for retirement—neighborhoods with communities, places at the heart of things. If you want to ditch the car and stroll from your home to a fine-dining restaurant, a museum, a gallery…even an opera…you can do so in North American cities, it’s just that they’re regularly ranked among the most expensive in the world.
That’s why this month, we bring you the best cities from our global beat for an arts-rich and cultured retirement. These are places where you can rent for as little as $357 a month, and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle from $1,800 a month.
Also this month, discover the upscale neighborhoods in a secret South American capital where a “high life” retirement close to the beach will cost a couple just $2,500 a month or less. If urban beaches are your thing, then read about where Jersey-native Pat Cox reveals the charms of Vietnam’s most livable city…
Scott and Nikki Hed built their dream home close to Nicaragua’s most attractive city… and perhaps nowhere beats Italy for cultured, walkable and low cost city living. So, we give you the three best cities to savor authentic Italy.
Eoin Bassett, International Executive Editor
The postcard-perfect towns of Provence, in the south of France, are a joy to explore but difficult to appreciate when you’re shoulder to shoulder with other visitors. Best to get off the beaten path. The Provençal region of Var is home to dozens of...
As my wife Diane and I drove around the city, snapping photos, we heard ourselves say repeatedly, “This is a really nice city.” And it is. I was just surprised I hadn’t heard more about it. We had loaded the jeep two days early and set out on...
Chiang Mai, Thailand, is famed for its universities and vibrant culture. It’s also home to more secondhand bookshops than probably anywhere else in Southeast Asia. “Thapae Gate, on the fringe of the old city, is the epicenter of secondhand...
The gold price is a complicated beast. It’s like a seesaw, with gold sitting on one seat. But instead of one seat across from it, there are several, because each country has its own currency. Those currencies go up and down against each other. Years ago, a brilliant analyst found that you couldn’t use any single currency to figure out bull or bear markets for gold.
When Roger Azevedo first bought a house for retirement he was seeking out warm weather and a relaxed lifestyle, so understandably his first port of call was Florida. But he soon discovered this “traditional” retirement wasn’t for him...
We celebrate our lives every night at sunset, with a glass or two of wine while enjoying the view from one of our decks.” This is the nightly routine Lawrie Lock and his wife Lynda get to enjoy in their home on the Mexican island of Isla...
A lively seaside promenade and downtown district full of bars, restaurants, and cute shops. Goldensand beaches bustling with activity. Live entertainment galore. And for less than $150,000, you can have a penthouse condo right at the heart...
“Without exception, everyone I have met has been friendly and welcoming. Perhaps this all has something to do with the idea that ‘rushing’ isn’t living. It seems everyone has time to say ‘bonjour’ or ‘bonsoir’ as we encounter each other on the...
Imagine a life lived outdoors…surrounded by lush green rainforest and breathing brisk mountain air. With sunny mornings, afternoon showers, and clear skies again at sunset. Temperatures never fall below 65 F and rarely climb above 85 F. Five-minute...
“I love this island,” Brian Gruber says of his new tropical home. “I can be alone when I want to be, but have everything I need at my fingertips. I take regular yoga lessons, but can also enjoy more hedonistic pleasures. The reggae bar near my home...