More and more Brits are looking beyond the UK for their retirement years, and if you're thinking about doing the same, there are a few top spots worth considering.
Here are six European countries that tick a lot of the right boxes.
1. Spain
Spain has long been the poster child for British retirees. It’s easy to get to all year round, with a ready-made expat community or off-the-beaten-track options.
The healthcare is excellent, the sun shines pretty much throughout the year and the Mediterranean diet will keep you fit and healthy.
Spain defies the ‘Little Englander’ cliches. Yes there are crowded costas, but also some of Europe’s most stylish cities which are packed with art (Picassos, Miro, Goya, to name a few) and culture, of both the high and café variety.
The rain may fall on the plain but the snow falls on the mountains and you can ski even as far south as Andalusia’s Sierra Nevada. Spain is a country where life is best lived outside, whether out for a stroll (or paseo) on a warm evening or dancing in the streets at fiesta time.
And this is a country that makes time for an afternoon nap, so what’s not to love?
House prices in Spain
You can buy a two-bedroom flat in Alicante or Valencia from around €120,000. In the Costa del Sol, expect to pay a bit more - €180,000 to €250,000, depending on proximity to the coast.
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2. Portugal
Portugal has climbed the retirement rankings in recent years, with its affordable living costs, friendly locals and gorgeous coastline.
Portugal welcomes international residents and has given easy visas and low tax schemes to encourage us.
The Algarve is a long-standing favourite for British retirees. You can barely dropkick a football in the Algarve’s Golden Triangle of upmarket resorts without it being headed back by a retired Premier League player.
But areas like the Silver Coast south of Porto and Alentejo south of Lisbon are gaining attention too - even Prince Harry and Meghan have bought property here.
The sunny and warm island of Madeira is a wonderful answer to Spain’s Tenerife and is becoming, like Lisbon and Porto, quite the digital nomad hub too.
For an active retirement, whether golfing in the Algarve, surfing Nazare’s 30-metre waves (no, no, after you) or walking Madeira’s levadas, Portugal is an affordable choice for retirement abroad.
House prices in Portugal
In the Algarve, you can find a two-bedroom apartment from around €250,000. Head inland or north and that figure can drop closer to €100,000–€130,000.
3. Italy
If you want your retirement to come with Roman ruins, medieval hill towns and excellent gelato, Italy’s calling. Life here comes with great food, warm communities and a strong sense of tradition.
The one-euro homes are real – but you’ll be spending a lot of money and emotional energy on the renovation – and why bother when Italy’s property is so inexpensive anyway?
Italy is genuinely wonderful in every corner, from Lake Como and Cinque Terre in the northwest to Puglia in the southeast, so we won’t even suggest where to retire.
For property buyers, Tuscany and Sicily are always popular, but coming up on the outside are Umbria and Abruzzo.
House prices in Italy
Property prices in Italy vary wildly. A countryside house in Le Marche or Abruzzo might cost €70,000. In Tuscany, expect closer to €200,000–€300,000 for something ready to move into.
4. France
Easy to reach, high-quality healthcare and a rich cultural life: France has everything.
Britain and France have shared history (and sometimes even been on the same side) and, while the French have a reputation for being taciturn, we love each other really.
One of the best things about retiring to France is that the French really know how to enjoy life.
The food markets are a thing of wonder, but it’s a sporty nation too, where your adventurous retirement can be spent cycling through the Dordogne, skiing in the Alps or surfing in Biarritz. Or just playing pétanque in the park.
Brittany and Normandy are ideal if you want to stay close to the UK and don’t mind a bit of rain.
The Dordogne and Provence offer the postcard version of French life: lavender fields, vineyards and old, beautiful homes in warm stone.
The visa and residency process for retirees is surprisingly straightforward in France, too.
House prices in France
In the Dordogne, you can pick up a character home for €150,000. In more rural parts of Normandy or Limousin, prices drop closer to €100,000. Provence is at the top end, from €300,000 and up.
5. Cyprus
Cyprus is a Mediterranean island mixed with a hint of British life.
You’re driving on the left and English is widely spoken so you can get away without learning Greek (but why not give it a go?).
Cyprus’s permanent residency scheme makes it one of the easier EU countries to settle in post-Brexit. The sun shines almost all year and despite being a small island, Cyprus has airports at each end with budget flights all year to the UK.
Paphos is the centre of the British expat scene, but towns like Limassol and Larnaca also offer beautiful coastlines and historic centres.
What will you be doing here in your retirement? Cyprus is a super-sociable island with clubs specially for retired expats from walking groups to amateur dramatics. Cyprus has invested heavily in its marinas lately, so maybe it’s time to take that “competent crew” course and explore the Eastern Mediterranean?
House prices in Cyprus
Apartments in Paphos start around €120,000. Villas or bungalows with outside space tend to start at €200,000–€250,000.
6. Greece
It’s that combination of blue and white that will get you. The blue of the sea, the sky and the window shutters, against the white of the buildings, the sandy beaches and a glass of ouzo on the rocks.
You have a few islands to choose from – about 227 of them – but the city of Athens, the Peloponnese peninsula and the rest of the mainland offer a more traditional Greek experience.
Wherever you choose, the cost of living is low, the food is excellent and the weather is warm.
Greece also has highly accessible visas, including the financially independent person visa which allows retirees to settle here if they can show sufficient income. There’s also the golden visa based on property, one of the few remaining in Europe.
Crete and Corfu are the most popular islands for retirees, but the Peloponnese area and other mainland regions like Epirus are gaining fans for their affordability and local charm.
House prices in Greece
On the islands, a small home starts at around €150,000. On the mainland, particularly in less touristy areas, you can still find habitable properties from €70,000–€100,000.
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