Where to go to relax for a couple of months in Europe?

Sounds awesome but for better recommendations you should tell us what time of year.

Yeah, that would have been a good idea huh? It would be summer time. My wife is a teacher and I can work from anywhere, so we have a unique opportunity this coming summer.

Southern France, in the countryside just outside of Avignon, has worked well several times. A wealth of interesting places in the area would offer a chance to do or see things in between your work and relaxation, and each town has a market at least once a week for picking up fresh ingredients for fixing at your temporary home. I don't know whether they'd offer a discount on a 2-month stay, but you might start your search for a place for a country house (they range from tiny to large, and some have swimming pools to appeal to a certain category of vacationers) thru Gites de France ( http://en.gites-de-france.com/), Vacation-Rental-by-Owner ( http://www.vrbo.com/ ), or their sister company HomeAway ( http://www.homeaway.com/ ).

Hi Joe,

I'd suggest the first thing you do is get familiar with the travel restrictions in Europe - for instance in the Schengen Area a tourist is restricted to 90 days in any 180 day period. And the general expectation is that you are travelling around and not staying in one place for very long.

Strictly speaking if you are working from home and renting an apartment, you are no longer a tourist and require a residence permit. And that opens up a whole can of worms - health insurance, taxation, school attendance if you have kids and so on. So for that reason I would not advertise the fact that you will be working from home. I would also avoid Italy because even a single overnight is registered with the police and obviously a long stay would put you well and truly in their radar!

In terms of red tape I would think that somewhere in the British Isles would be the easiest place hang out for a few months.

Jim.

Did you try VRBO? I put in random dates ( mid-June to mid-August) and a whole country ( Germany) and came up with lots of offerings. For Italy it wanted me to specify a region, so I put in Tuscany and then Veneto, and each time it came up with lots. You could do the same with France, England, etc. but you should expect to spend quite a bit more than $2000 a month.

Take a look at Germany. Lots of apartments, some 3 bedroom, rural, non tourist hotspots could be in price range. for most towns, there are lists on the town's wrbsite - usually www.town name.de

One catch is going to be internet access if you are going to work at home- you would need to rent a place that already has service set up. Most internet service providers in Europe require long-term contracts of at least a year, if not more (it's two in Germany).

Also try hostels as an option ie valley hostel in lauterbrunnen Switzerland and st goar youth hostel a converted castle on the Rhine river st goar, Germany. I have stayed in both and I do not usually go to hostels as a 50 yr old. But these were diff in my opinion. Websites show lotsa info.
2000 budget is a challenge in Europe in general. Others say vrbo website gd option but sending money based on a pic and text gives me the creeps.

The guidance above is spot on.

If you are working it is no longer tourism - if it had been a tourism trip it is a maximum of 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area; up to 6 months in the UK.

Thanks all, I hadn't thought of a limit on the time I could be a tourist. I guess I'll have to make it more of a vacation then. Thanks again for your advice. What a great forum!

If you are working from home, self-employed or working for a US company with US clients, not producing anything that is sold in the foreign country and not taking a job away from anyone innthe country, nor generating any income that is taxable in that country, how is that considered "working" in the country? Just because the computer is connected to the Internet there? If that is the case, then aren't all of us who check our work email while on vacation in Europe also "working" there so we need a work visa too?

If "working from home" means continuing to do your US-paid job, then I don't think that should interfere with your short-stay plans. My understanding, not legal advice, is that you can say you are going for "business," not "work." For instance, Rick Steves' staff do this when they travel to Europe to work as tour guides (resident in US, employed in US, paid in US, and working with a closed/pre-booked group). Other US businesses can also send their employees for working conferences. But you wouldn't be able to be paid by European companies or customers. I've also never heard of any necessity for visitors to keep moving from town to town. If you're not exceeding legal limits, then being "on the radar" should not matter.

Most places we've stayed lately, whether a rented apartment, B&B, or hotel, have all had Internet available. To be competetive in the lodging market, most places (at least in Europe and North America) are now offering an Internet connection by Wifi or some other means, so you should be able to find a suitable place if you'd need to "work" using a the computer.

You have some tax advantages for every day you work while in Europe. Check with your tax advisor.

Aside from the work issue, which I really don't think is a factor since it seems you are most likely working online, I have a few places in which I have spent a couple of months that I would recommend.
* Southwest France - there are many lovely towns in the area you could move in a stay a while. Pezenas, Narbonne, Montpellier - all various sizes and tones. We stayed in Pezenas for five weeks once and I would love to go back. Quite hot in the summer, beaches 20 mins away, and lots of lanes to wander. Many things to do in the area.
* England - I know that's a pretty broad recommendation but parts of the country are idyllic and we've spent long periods there as well. The Lake District - lots of rain but stunningly beautiful with exceedingly picturesque countryside and great outdoor activities. York/Yorkshire - again, beautiful with a mix of larger towns and villages that are peaceful and historic. London - a little pricey but so much to do for you and your family.
* Switzerland - again on the pricey side but we've spent weeks there are a time and it can be done for a reasonable price if you shop for your own food and use public transport. Gorgeous, interesting villages, mountains to climb, spectacular!
* Italy - more affordable. I love the Dolomites, the area around Verona, and Umbria. Again, plenty to do.
For rentals, I would try VRBO or Airbnb.
There is also an interesting website I found recently that may work for you. It's called Trustedhousesitters.com. There are many people all over Europe who are looking for people to stay in their houses and watch their properties and/or pets while they are away, some for extended periods. Click on "advanced search" and choose "long term house sits". I plan to try this after quite a few home exchanges that we have done over the last 7 years.
Good for you for taking advantage of the time you have between houses! You'll be glad you did. Enjoy!

What Laura said is spot on. If you are under 90 days, no matter what Eurozone country you are fine without visas.

I was gong to mention Trusted Housesitters, but Anita beat me to it. My latest secret weapon in rentals is Sabbatical Homes. There are some appealing properties all over Europe. In the top menu bar, click on "Browse" then by Country, Type, Map, etc. I have found there is often a great deal of flexibility. For example, they might say a property is available June 1-30, but if you need it June 15-August 15, you should ask.

If I could pick a quiet and scenic place to spend the summer it would be the Italian Dolomites or Abruzzo.

How about Greece? A couple of months on a Greek island could be fun and affordable. You would likely need to pick an island that is a bit off the beaten tourist track, but there are lots to choose from.

I agree that if you are working online you should be fine. Would you consider two bases, with a month in each? I would choose a month in France and a month in Sicily.

Laura and I were posting at the same time!

I am glad the "working" issue has been put to rest.

The National Trust in the UK has homes for rent (or for "let" as they say in the UK). Take a look at their website:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lettings/

Cozy cottages, homes with thatched roofs, old stone homes; most out in the country. I think you would be comfortable in one of these. I don't know if some of these have wi-fi or computer hook-up, so you would have to look through the listings to see which ones have that. Some, of course, will not. Perhaps there would be a coffee shop nearby in the village with wi-fi.