The little restaurant wasn’t the fanciest I’ve been in. Sturdy wooden tables and chairs and deep wine tablecloths gave it a “mama’s kitchen” feel. The waitress set a massive plate in front of me with half a dozen pieces of succulent pork, a colorful salad, and a heap of fries…all delicious. I was in Castelo Branco, Portugal having dinner with our IL correspondent there, Tricia Pimental, and her husband Keith.
The place was a local favorite, Tricia told me—a spot I’d never have found on my own. It’s just one reason why having a network of insiders—people who know an area well—is an important tool in any move-overseas kit.
And as an IL subscriber, you’re automatically connected to our on-the-ground insiders who work on your behalf. This month, IL Italy Correspondent Valarie Fortney-Schneider, who has lived there for 10 years and in three different locations, explores the best of affordable Italy…where you can buy your dream home from $58,400.
Over in Southeast Asia, IL Editor Victoria Harmer uncovered Bali’s best beach town: gentle seaside Sanur. She says life there is all about “welcoming neighborhoods, frangipani-scented evenings, and sunset strolls on the beach.” Victoria spent time there with expats Steve and Carolin Dowler, who shared their insights, including how they live on $2,225 a month.
In another white-sand beach location, Bocas del Toro, IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch discovered a range of excellent rentals from $400 a month…meaning a Caribbean lifestyle is more affordable than you might imagine.
If you’re looking for year-round sunshine, warm waters, and festivals galore, then you’ll want to join Tricia Mitchell on her tour of all that Malta has to offer. From captivating historic sites to charming communities to stunning natural attractions, Tricia and her husband Shawn spent a year getting to know this little Mediterranean island. And now you can benefit from their insider picks…
And that’s just the beginning of the insights our guys on the ground have ferreted out…read on for more…
Several European countries offer the option of obtaining legal residence through investment—often investment in real estate—in the country. These so-called “Golden Visa programs” aim at offering citizens of non-European Union countries a legal (and easy) way to gain residence and access to the EU. Here are the programs in two popular countries...
You, my friend, are the very definition of a man living the overseas dream.” Steve Dowler laughed, but he didn’t disagree with me. Tanned and smiling, he skillfully steered his gleaming black motorbike at a snail’s pace down Sanur’s quiet backstreets, as I strolled alongside. The sun was beating down and cheery shopkeepers called out friendly hellos as we passed by...
Welcome to ‘Finca Good Life’! That’s what Michele Martin and her husband Ray say the moment you arrive for a visit. By the way, that’s not just the name of their place; it’s their personal philosophy, too. Living the good life is what they say they do every day on their mountain ridge in the province of Cartago...
I am sitting in the House of Jesús. It’s not a chapel, but a barbershop in the little mountain city of Sóller on the island of Mallorca, off Spain’s eastern Mediterranean Coast. Next to me a man of around 50 years old strums, plucks, and slaps a guitar with a virtuoso’s touch. He is Mario López, renowned...
Sipping Aperol spritz at an outdoor café while watching the high-fashion parade of the evening passaggiata unfold along marble-lined promenades…or lazing on the terrace of a centuries-old stone farmhouse as the heat haze shimmers on a vista of cypress trees and olive groves… Everyone has their own personal dream of Italy...
If you want art and culture, Italy has plenty of that. The world’s most acclaimed artists and composers lived and worked here, defining the concepts and ideals of their fields. There are countless places to enjoy world-class museums filled with archaeological artifacts and exquisite art. But a region that stands out for its quality of life and beautiful cities is Emilia-Romagna. It’s one of the wealthiest regions in the country and offers great lifestyle, with a blend of outdoor activities and cultural pursuits.
Lately it feels as though you can’t turn on CNN, or NBC, or flick through the lifestyle pages of a newspaper without seeing something about either micro-condos or tiny homes. Most reports focus on London, Toronto, New York, and the like. They’re the places where the media is starting to pay attention to the phenomenon. But it’s old news already in cities like Hong Kong or Tokyo. The best opportunities to profit from this micro-condo trend are in the places that resemble the Londons or Tokyos of 20, 30, or 40 years ago...
You are breaking a federal law,” screamed my financial advisor, as we Skyped between Madrid, Spain, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. “You must return to the United States immediately!” My alleged crime? Taking disbursements from my IRA account. “Surely that can’t be right,” I said. “There are thousands of American retirees living abroad...
Byron and Kelly Harker enjoyed their life in Canada. Both natives of Vancouver, their roots went deep, with family, friends, and jobs in the area. But adventure often comes calling at unexpected times, and this was the case with the Canadian couple. Today their home is nestled in the bucolic riverside landscape of France’s picturesque Loire Valley...
A GPS system, a rental car, and a few wrong turns. That’s how Debbie and Patrick Fishell found their way to the coastal town of Puerto Armuelles, Panama. Originally from Oahu, Hawaii, the couple were always keen travelers. “We spent eight years in Micronesia running a charter boat business, and all three of our children were born overseas...