Best Places to Retire: Southern Europe

Southern Europe offers world class cuisine.

If Europe is your preferred destination of choice, then Southern Europe may be one of the best places to retire. Southern Europe offers a pleasant climate, nice beaches, world class cuisine, and a strong sense of history. For purposes of this article, Southern Europe includes the Mediterranean countries of Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece. It also includes smaller countries and territories such as Andorra, Gibraltar, Monaco, the Vatican City and San Marino.

The Mediterranean climate and beaches are natural attractions to this particular region if you wish to retire abroad. The close proximity to other European destinations and the rich cultural history of Europe also make a Southern European retirement attractive. Combined with the ancestral links that many Americans have to Southern Europe and one of the lower costs of living in Europe, this region ranks as one of the best places to retire in Europe.

Southern European Retirement: Physical Landscape

The countries of Southern Europe possess a mild Mediterranean climate. The Mediterranean climate has a distinct wet and dry season, combined with warm and mild temperatures year round. This type of climate can also be found in Southern California and as a result, you will find similar types of crops grown in both regions. Depending on other climatic factors, summers may be warmer or colder than the norm, but overall this is a region with a mild climate.

Lisbon, Portugal offers a mild Mediterranean climate.

In fact, there are many similarities between the Mediterranean vegetation and agriculture of Southern California and Southern Europe. Vegetation in both places is typically dense scrub vegetation that consists of shrubs and small trees. Agricultural products similar to both regions include grapes, oranges, and olives.

The wet-dry season makes the region susceptible to fires during the dry season. The Mediterranean physical landscape is also vulnerable to environmental hazards such as soil erosion, logging, water shortages, and overgrazing. Some go as far to suggest that the rise and fall of empires in the region is associated with environmental degradation which lead to the decline of one particular civilization or another.

Geologically speaking, the region is characterized by mountains and plateaus with an abundance of beaches due to the peninsular nature of the region (Iberian, Italian and Balkan peninsulas). Part of the region lies on the border where the European and African tectonic plates are colliding and makes for a geologically active area with volcanic and earthquake risks. A number of volcanoes such as Mount Vesuvius are well known in this area.

This geological risks are greatest on Italian and Balkan peninsulas. The volcanic and earthquake risks also create a tsunami hazard should a major eruption or quake occur that could effect surrounding coastal areas. Despite these risks, major events do not occur frequently and the region supports a relatively large population and thriving economy.

Southern European Retirement: Cultural Landscape

Due to its location, Southern Europe has been influenced by and in turn, has influenced  other regions of the world. Around 300 BC, the Greek Empire has spread as far west as India and forever shaped modern thinking with the development of democratic ideals. By 100 BC, the Roman Empire had emerged as the European powerhouse leaving its influence on the entire Mediterranean region and into Western Europe.

By 300 AD, Germanic tribes from Western Europe began to assert their dominance over the region and shaped much of European history until about 700 AD when the Middle Eastern Islamic Empire expanded across the Mediterranean region and established their presence in Spain and the southern parts of Italy.

In the 1400’s Spain and Portugal, rose to prominence as they began to shape the global economy with their discovery and colonization of the Americas. Some historians believe that this stimulated the Renaissance and emergence of Europe as a world power. By the 1700’s Western Europe began to emerge as the global powerhouse with the Industrial Revolution and eventual colonization of much of Asia, the Americas, and Africa. This period of global European dominance lasted well into the 1900’s.

The roots of much of the Modern world lie in Southern Europe through its religious, philosophical, scientific and political innovations. Today, democratic traditions which began in Ancient Greece shape much of world politics. The Roman Empire has left its linguistic imprint on much of Mediterranean Europe through the presence of Romance languages (e.g. French, Spanish, Portugeuse and Italian). The Spanish and French have left their cultural imprint on the Americas, Africa, and Asia through the introduction of their languages, religion (Catholicism) and land tenure systems.

Southern European Retirement: Economic Landscape

Portugal Retirement: Portugal is probably the most affordable country to retire abroad among the major Southern European countries. Its per capita income is about $21,000 a year. This represents a relatively low cost of living. Combined with a modern infrastructure (healthcare, transportation, communications) and mild climate, Portugal has emerged as one of the best places to retire in Southern Europe.

It is a particularly popular retirement destination for retirees from the United Kingdom and Scandinavian Europe who are drawn to the Mediterranean climate and affordable cost of living.

Italy, Greece, and Spain Retirements: the per capita incomes for these countries are about $31,000 a year. This compares well against the United States which has a higher per capita income and cost of living of about $46,000 a year. Like Portugal, these countries boast a modern infrastructure, mild climate, but with a slightly higher cost of living.

If history is a hobby of yours, these are ideal retirement destinations centered in those European countries that have shaped much of the thinking that underlies modern world. Their locations are very central to Northern Europe, Asia, and Africa – which makes it convenient for world travelers to explore much of the “Old World”.

The economies of these countries are fairly stable. And, these countries possess relatively stable political systems as well. A good part of their stability is associated with the establishment of strong and stable democracies, coupled with relatively strong economies. As a result, the Southern European countries represent ideal retirement destinations.

In comparative terms, Southern Europe is one of the more affordable regions to retire in among the most developed countries in the world. Although the cost of living is higher than Southeast Asia, Southern Europe boasts stable governments, strong economies, solid infrastructures, a pleasant climate, many great beaches, and lies in the heart of many cultural and historical places of interest. If your budget is willing, Southern Europe is truly one of the best places to retire in the world.

(Photos by: BigEvil600, H Brinkman, and Jarekst)

Popularity: 33% [?]