Which part of Europe would you live in and why?

Why not start us off with where you would live and why?

Is this without a budget or considerations regarding Schengen rules?

I prefer living on an island off the coast of South Georgia and traveling to Europe.

However, you did ask the question.

I have lived in Augsburg, Germany and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for a total of 9 years and traveled a lot during those days. Also, since I retired 9 years ago, I have traveled even more.

My favorite countries in Europe to visit are Italy, UK and Portugal.

Portugal would be the cheapest of those three places. It has the advantage over the UK for warm weather.
The UK, has the history that I love and is the home of the vast majority of my ancestors (as well as Ireland). The people speak my language and the country functions more like the USA than the other two. Driving there is on the left, but British people are polite and drive more consistently than Italians.

I love Roman history and Italy has that the most. Love the food as well, even through Portuguese food is great and British Fish and Chips, I give Italy the edge for food.

I think that Italy would be my choice, but the other two would be great. Although, if I picked the UK, I would probably have to visit the Med a lot during the Winter.

We lived in Germany for eight years so there would be a comfort factor going back there, but ... we've already done that.

I'm thinking Wales, the west coast of Ireland, or Scotland. Maybe I should first consider the weather, which is often dreary for most of the year.

OK I'm going to equivocate and opt for a summer home in those areas with a winter home somewhere in the southern US.

Im going to have to think about that for a while. ...................... naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Budapest. Besides being the most beautiful city in Europe, its about a third cheaper than the cheapest state in the US and its a hub for Wizzair, and I love Eastern Europe. So seeing the region is just a $60 plane ticket. The wine is good and the foie gras is cheap. The people are kind and its safe and devoid of political violence and terrorism. I say this as sit here eating foie gras and sip wine on the corner of Vasvari Pal utca and Kiraly utca. If I were younger, I would add the allure of the pulchra femina. But alas, I discovered Budapest 30 years too late.....

So, I get out of the taxi from the airport at the corner of Kiraly utca and Vasvari Pal utca. My street is rather narrow and I didnt want the taxi to have to manuver it. Walking up Vasvari Pal utca I feel a finger in my back and I hear. "welcome home James". Its a waiter from the neighborhood wine bar. I am greeted at the AirBnb by another old friend. I clean up a bit and head to to the wine bar for a drink, to do this and eat. Already there is a table reserved for TEXAS. The owner and the waiters all come out and treat me like royality. My internet guru who lives in a small town a 3 hour bus ride away has already written to say she is on the way to Budapest. Tomorrow I see my dentist, the next day my cardiologist. Both will welcome me like family. Why do I love this place? Geeeee, no idea.

London is and probably will be the financial capital of Europe, so probably there. I know Frankfurt is also a financial centre, but I’ve never been so can’t comment.

If a job wasn’t important, I’d live in Liverpool. Love it and have friends there.

It all depends on your financial situation. Lots of places are great to visit but unaffordable to live in, unless you have a lot of money. I would also not live where I did not have a pretty good grasp of the language.

Yorkshire. Beautiful countryside, great villages, towns and cities, sensible people, tasty food, plus they play cricket/football/rugby and it's part of a monarchy. The weather is nice and temperate, but day-to-day varied and with none of the extreme heat or cold of some places. Perfection.

Lived in England already. This time I would start in Sicily to live with family and really nail my Italian. Then I'd go somewhere like Trieste where I could easily travel to Croatia and Slovenia and deeper into Central Europe.

hm tough one to answer! I'd probably go with Budapest - so many other great places are close by, it's fairly affordable, and all-around beautiful city packed full of wonderful people.

When I report of my travel adventures to friends and family, some of them suspect I am shopping for a new "home". This is not the case - I would not rather live anywhere other than here.
However, here's my idiotic list of the major European cities I've visited that seem to attract me the most from a residential point of view:

1. Budapest
2. Lisbon
3. Oslo
4. Madrid
5. Stockholm

I think I could live in any of them and be happy.....unless the climate did me in. Maybe Lisbon just got promoted.

Assuming money isn’t a factor in this fantasy: Paris

Work and live in Sweden 9 months of the year, Say March-November.
I haven't found my deep winter home yet, but I am looking!

I have never lived overseas at all, not even as an exchange student doing a study program at an overseas university. To answer this presupposes I would have to put up with the winters but if money is no problem, my top two choices are France and Germany.

France would be more far challenging linguistically since I am nowhere as adept in French as I am in German, which poses no problem at all as it pertains to writing, reading and speaking it. True.. they can still get me on idioms, slang, Umgangssprache, etc.

Where in particular? Amiens, Arras, or Paris, Fontainebleau, etc..

In Germany somewhere north of Frankfurt, medium size or smaller towns,... lots of them I've visited and traveled to back and forth. Big cities...depends on which one, say Hamburg, and in which neighborhood, likewise with Berlin and Potsdam.

My choices would be, in no particular order and for no other reason than I have spent some time in the areas and would feel comfortable there:

• Berlin Germany or some mid-sized town nearby with good transportation - I have no German other than what I picked up from my mom and dad who both grew up in homes where their grandparents spoke German - mostly just swear words and greetings, but I'm willing to learn.☺
• A mid-sized town within 2 hrs or less of London (would be nice to have no language barrier).
• A mid-sized town within 2 hrs or less of Paris - again my French is very little, mostly high school many years ago but I'm sure I could learn enough to get by.
• A small to mid-sized town in the west of Ireland (ditto the no language barrier).

Now, of course, it's never going to happen due to $$ constraints but it's nice to dream and I do get a lottery ticket now and then so one never knows.

Juan never nose?

Funny my retired Hubby and I had this conversation last night...

IF money were not an issue I would pick The Netherlands or Belgium. I like the developed, modern, educated feeling I get visiting there. Not Amsterdam but most every other place we visited in The Netherlands... Rotterdam caught my attention. Belgium - somewhere between Antwerp and Brugge if I remember my train trip right.
Hubby would pick France but not Paris. He likes the climate of Provence. To me it's too rural. But I do like the economy of France (& the "solid" government)
Although I did like Antibes (Cote d Azure) and could probably suffer there. I thought I could live in Copenhagen when we visited so that's still on the list
We do have friends in Bologna, Italy. I could maybe live in Italy if the government wasn't such a mess.

Juan never nose?

I can always count on you to give me chuckle Doug.

I wouldn't want to live in Europe in the winter months, but in terms of late spring thru some time in October, I have some ideas.
A big town small city in Umbria like Perugia, a lovely Swiss city like Luzerne, or somewhere in Germany with lots of nearby easy to do day trips like Berlin or Munich or some Hapsburg city like Vienna or Budapest might very well work.

Maybe there should be two categories:

1) Realistic
2) Fantasy

Here in West Virginia you can get a nice 3 bedroom, two bath house with a good sized yard for $150,000. I'd guess one would have to look at eastern Europe for a similar cost of living.

The long, cold, foggy, and rainy winters of Germany got to us after awhile.

Realistic: Budapest or somewhere in the east.
Fantasy: A summer house in western Ireland or Bavaria.

For us, it would have to be somewhere a version of the King's English is spoken. Too old learn a new language fluently and England allows a six month stay without a visa.

Nancy, maybe blow your next paycheck on lottery tickets and keep your fingers crossed?

Well, I haven't been everywhere in Europe yet, but from where I have been, I would choose the west coast of Ireland.

I do toss this about in my mind although I know hubby will never go for more than a couple of months.

Having lived in Italy, Rome specifically, I know I would not gravitate to a big noisy city again. So my day dreams of “what if” include

• a small town in the Dolomites where I can hike year round on beautiful trails and enjoy Italian food and language not to mention great espresso for €1.00. I love how they seize the winter here and one can still hike and it won’t be as cold as my native Minnesota in winter.

• a small town in Switzerland (Lauterbrunnen or Pontresina so far have my attention after visiting several) also for year round walking and incredible beauty plus that oh-so-organized and environmentally conscious Swiss culture. Money must be no object, of course. Ditto weather in winter not a problem here.

• a small town in the coast of the UK. Language friendly, still easy to get to the continent, country walking, pubs. Winter won’t be any worse than Oregon.

Winter won’t be any worse than Oregon.

Not to mention that winter getaways to warmer parts of Europe are close and easy to get to.

Abruzzo, Italy. Headed over in September to find a rental apartment. Reasons: health, both physical and mental; lifestyle - living small, walking more, less stuff; history and culture of course; perfect my language skills; and this: 7% flat tax for retirees. Can't really afford to stay home, apartments I like with a yard for the dog are all under $1000/month, which is less than my property tax and utilities at home, and taxes will shrink dramatically. Time to get out of the big-house-two-cars-downtown-cubicle life!

I would live in many places, but would love to live in Provence or Annecy in France, or along the Rhine in Germany, or in the Peak District of England or in one of the villages along Lake Como in Italy. It's more likely, though, that I'll end up in Galicia in Spain as a group of friends are looking at property to purchase there together for retirement traveling OR in Donegal, Ireland as I have some wonderful friends in Derry (but across the border in Donegal is cheaper).

Abruzzo, Italy. Headed over in September to find a rental apartment. Reasons: health, both physical and mental; lifestyle - living small, walking more, less stuff; history and culture of course; perfect my language skills; and this: 7% flat tax for retirees. Can't really afford to stay home, apartments I like with a yard for the dog are all under $1000/month, which is less than my property tax and utilities at home, and taxes will shrink dramatically. Time to get out of the big-house-two-cars-downtown-cubicle life!
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Nelly, that all sounds fantastic. I see you are from Calgary. I wonder if this would apply to US retirees as well with social security payments plus our investment income? Hmmm...very tempting.

My husband and I have been talking about downsizing as well.

@Wendy - unfortunately there’s a major hiccup for Americans. You are taxed on worldwide income no matter where you reside. So while you would pay 7% in Italy on your worldwide income, the U.S. would also tax your worldwide income. The only way to get out of that is to renounce your citizenship. Which, after 30 years in Canada, I finally did. It was hard emotionally but I’m not coming back to the States, so I bit the bullet. Canada, like every other country in the world bar the U.S. and Eritrea, taxes on your actual residency, so I will be able to get the full benefit of the 7% tax election for five years. More decisions after that, but five years in Southern Italy sounds pretty darn good for a start.

Wales, Yorkshire, Provence or Umbria would be my choices.

I believe the US tax law allows you to offset foreign taxes so that in no event do you pay more in combined foreign US taxes than your US tax alone. Has that changed? Or was I misinformed? There used to be another exception if you remained out of the country for two years ... I remember that from the 1970's, I guess that no longer exists?

I actually really love living in Frankfurt. It has everything I want in a city. Big enough to feel cosmopolitan, small enough that I run into people I know downtown every day. Love the history, the festivals, the food, the farmer's markets, the fact that I don't need a car and the ease of going almost any place else in Europe by train or possibly by plane since we are quite the hub for both. Only drawback is the winter, as it is rather gray and damp. Summers though, with the sun coming up at 4:30 now and light out until almost 23:00, is great. Cafe culture is lovely.

Winters, would like to go live in Portugal, someplace where the sun shines a lot more than in Germany and there are beaches and the ocean.

Those interested in taxes, you are supposed to file in the US every year, but you don't have to pay taxes on your foreign earned income unless it goes over 85,000$. Still, it is a pain in the neck, it costs people money for no reason at all and it is bizarre that they make their citizens do this. We get nothing for it, we have no representation in Congress, and then there is FATCA. This is what makes people renounce their citizenship.

Anything would have to be affordable living. I don't plan to have unlimited money when I retire. Right now, I could see myself living in the Languedoc region of France. I like the mountains, forests, farms, medieval villages and the proximity to the sea. Most places I've visited wouldn't get the nod because they're either too hot, too cold, too expensive and/or too crowded. I thought Burgundy was as beautiful as it gets but quite cold off season. Languedoc has similar forests and green rolling hills with fewer villages, plus ski resorts and the ocean.

True with the sun appearing at 04:30 or so. You take the night train in Germany and find that in the summer you'll wake up prior to 05:00 because it's day light already, and the train has two more hours before reaching its destination!!

Not to drag this lovely fantasy thread down to the tax underworlds - but a quick response to James E. Yes, in the ordinary scheme of international tax treaties, you can deduct foreign taxes paid from your U.S. taxes and end up paying worldwide taxes at your U.S. marginal tax rate. This Italian 7% elective flat tax is outside that framework. Taxes paid under this election are not eligible for foreign tax credits. However, it is elective. You can choose to move to Italy, elect to pay normal tax rates (23%-43%), and deduct those taxes on your U.S. tax return. You can thus avail yourself of a lower cost of living while paying more or less what you would pay in the U.S.

However, if you have never been an expat, let me warn you this is fiendishly complicated and you will have to pay a U.S. tax accountant to do it right. I am a CPA by training and could not do my own U.S. taxes. The Foreign Tax Credit and Foreign Income Exclusion forms are very complex, FATCA is a nightmare as Ms. Jo reports. And, if you are in a country whose tax rates are higher than the U.S., you will pay more in total than if you stayed home. Essentially, you pay tax at the higher rate between your country of residence and the U.S. While paying high accountant's bills to figure it out for you.

So, long story short, the 7% tax election is beneficial to Americans only in two scenarios: 1. renounce and pay only 7%. 2. Be willing to pay your U.S. tax rate + 7%. This could actually work out ok - less complexity than tax treaty offsets, similar total tax. But check with an accountant. And bear in mind the 7% election is only good for 5 tax years at the moment. That could change, but renunciation would be a big price to pay for most Americans in return for 5 years of low taxes. It only worked for me because Canada is my real home now.

Mallorca in the winter and the South Coast of England in the summer. There is little that beats the perfect English summer, not too hot, everything still green, long nights eating al fresco (and light early mornings, I don't bother closing the blinds in my bedroom during the summer and find myself waking up naturally around 05:30-06:00 which is far more refreshing that being jolted awake by an alarm).

The only problem with hot, dry countries is that the animal meat isn't anywhere good as British (or Irish) meat. When you see what the sheep and cattle have to graze on in southern Spain or Italy for example you can understand why the meat isn't as rich and flavoursome as meat from sheep raised in the Welsh valleys or beef from cattle who spent their lives grazing in the Scottish Highlands and whilst Iberico pork is fantastic you have to pay through the nose to get the best stuff. However, I've had pork from a butcher friend of mine that spent several seasons foraging for acorns and chestnuts in the New Forest during the autumn and it was as good as any Iberico pork that I've eaten.

Thanks Nelly. Yup, tax law is a pain. I run a couple of short term rentals in Hungary. Currently my Hungarian taxes are a few hundred dollars a year. While they make money, its not my retirement nest egg, that is invested in the US. So if I live here or there the tax is the same on my retirement investments. So now it only comes down ot cost of living; here vs there. On average Hungary is about 1/3rd less than the cost of living in my home in the US. If I lived in CA or NY, I could say half the cost or more. But there are exceptions. Electronics and luxury items cost more in Hungary; as does some clothing. But food and rent and health care are much cheaper. Utilities are more per unit, but life here is suitable in a smaller home, so thats cheaper too. I dont think Americans have any idea how "compact" Europeans live.

So retiring in Hungary really isnt a fantasy. I do have one edge, I purchased my home before the costs went up 400% in the areas I would want to live. But there are still plenty of good deals on the commutter lines at the edge of town.

I believe the US tax law allows you to offset foreign taxes so that in no event do you pay more in combined foreign US taxes than your US tax alone. Has that changed?

Not exactly.

Once you have been out of the U.S. for 330 days in a 365 day period, you meet the physical presence test. This allows you to exclude a fairly large chunk of your income (around 100K or so) from U.S. income tax. But if you earn more than the specified amount, you pay taxes on the amount above.
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f2555ez--2018.pdf

This is an oversimplification. When I was an expat, I had to keep a detailed calendar which showed my location for every single day of the tax year. The accountants then figured out how much I owed to the U.S., my home state, and my country of residence. Some countries have social security reciprocity agreements (e.g., U.K.) with the U.S. also. It is all very complicated and I know that I could have never figured it out myself.

So true and very accurate on how compact Europeans live. I've been in numerous, numerous homes over the years in France and Germany, in big cities Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Dortmund, etc in houses and in apts, likewise in towns and villages. In France, Amiens, Paris, Toulouse, Colmar, Frevent, Toulon, etc also in both houses and apts. None had AC either.

The size of a German fridge is an indication of being compact. What is impressive and catches one's eye is space utilisation , ie, space is not wasted.

First, thanks for all of the tax advise. Good place to start. Curious how if US held market earnings, 401(k) for instance would be treated if you net the presence test. I suspect as ordinary US income in full. Social Security would be direct deposit to a US account, European Earnings would be limited to income off a couple rental properties. Texas has no income tax, but would I still be a citizen of Texas anyway? My anticipation is no real tax savings at all, but as retired my income would be less and my effective tax rate would go down about 10 points. No, this isnt a dream. It's a work in progress.

Fred, I looked up average home sizes in the US and Europe a while back and the US was about 2000 sf while Europe was about 600 sf (UK was about 700 sf). My places in Hungary are 600 and 700 sf so I am right there.

So, it comes down to cost of living. Eliminate a car and average driving costs and the annual average savings is $6000. But I offset that by half with trips back to the US. Essentials, even with VAT are a third to a half the cost in Hungary. Medical insurance will be about half the cost of the US (necessary because being a resident still leaves me outside the system).

I have 3 years to work out the rest of the details.

Other choices were the coast of Albania, Montenegro and Lviv.

"As retired my income would go down" -- don't forget about the age 70-1/2+ required minimum distributions from your IRA/401(k) assets which are taxed as ordinary income. Even if you don't need the money to live on.
There's no escaping the IRS...

I wish my 401k distribution was going to equivalent to my current income. That would be nice. I calculated that in. I think the only reason this works for me is that I was fortunate enough to stumble into Budapest at a time when a decent flat cost the same as a mid priced car in the US. If I had to redo it now I would head for the Albanian coast to come close to the same initial investment cost.

After our 2011 trip to Italy, and about 10 years from retirement, every trip to anywhere involved the conversation “could we retire here”. Fast forward to 2017 and Italy and Costa Rica were on the top of the list. By August, 2017 we decided on Italy and to retire 3 years early in 2018. Based on all our previous conversations, we had a list of criteria we wanted: dog friendly, body of water, train station, city between 10-30k population (not dead in winter), old historic center, lie cost if living, lots of places to safely walk, affordable apartment to rent, and weather considerations, situated to easily take 1-2 week trips within Italy or Europe, not a primary American tourist destination, and no need for a car. So in April 2018 we took a “find a place to live” trip with a short list of 5 places that met our criteria. In order to apply for long term visa we needed to come home with a signed Italian lease.

The first stop, Verbania, Italy, on Lago Maggiore, checked off all the criteria with extra bonuses. First, the driest months of the year are December - March, so while temps are in the 30s and 40s, hardly any rain, and one day with snowflakes. There is so much to do locally with the ferry system, less than an hour to Switzerland, and 1 1/2 hour train to Milan. We are learning Italian and can get by, but no means conversational.

Since arriving here last August, we been to Beaune, Normandy, and Louie, France, Switzerland skiing, Lucern, Berber Oberland, Lugano, Locarno, Turin, Milan, Florence, Lucca, Tuscany Coast, Verona, Padova, and Ivrea, Italy, and South Africa. No, we are not wealthy. We can live here and travel for about the same amount as living in high cost of living California with two cars with no travel.

We lived in Italy for several years, 3 as embassy employees so no Italian Tax issues. We got Elective Res Visas and the precious permesso di soggiorno, but it was the tax complications that, in part, drove a decision to return to the US.

If money were no object, I’d buy a place in the Dolomites, get my Permesso again, then spend 179 days a year there, avoiding the resident tax issue and maintain a US residence for the rest of the days if the year.

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies and your opinions. My question was based on all angles concerned myself being an average earner. One of my favorite place had to be Italy -- at first I was worried the costs would be too high and it did within the tourist hotspots. Definitely it changed my mind realizing local wine for as little as $4 and a cup of coffee on St. mark's square in venice. I'm particularly surprised many have said Budapest -- never been but definitely looking out for next travel! I agree with Portugal as well being very affordable and full of exotic stuff and food.

I'm pretty biased on Budapest. But I'm sitting in Kyiv this morning (one of the advantages of Budapest is that most of Eastern Europe is 1.5 hours and $60 away on a discount airline); and this place has the same feel as did Budapest 15 years ago. Trip number 4 to Ukraine. Love it. (and makes Budapest look expensive).

I'm particularly surprised many have said Budapest

I imagine that for many people Budapest conjures up images of dreary, soviet era concrete monoliths and dowdy people. That was certainly my thoughts in my teenage years (the cold war had barely ended) so I was very pleasantly surprised when I first visited and it was absolutely nothing like I imagined, likewise my wife when I returned with her and our children.

It is certainly one of the first cities I recommend when people ask about the less obvious London/Paris/Barcelona suggestions and I've yet to know anyone who didn't enjoy it.

In Italy, When in a non touristy town (especially non American), cost of living is very reasonable. We can order 2 cappicinos and two croissants at a lakeside cafe for under €4 or 2 glasses of Prosecco for €6.
Two nights ago we ate out with 2 visiting friends and 1 small salad, 3 pizzas, bottle of wine, and large Pellegrini, bill was €49. We also find groceries to be inexpensive along with good wine for €2-5 per bottle.

Oh, Karen, I miss that pricing! Even in Roma we had places we frequented that had such modest prices!

You can go here to get some ideas on cost of living. But dont forget quality of life. Then, if you are old like me, good and immediately available medical care is a must.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries.jsp

We also find groceries to be inexpensive along with good wine for €2-5 per bottle.

That is usually the highlight of my holidays, shopping in a Spanish supermarket and seeing such glorious prices for good wine!

Has it made the nation of Spain rampant alcoholics? Of course not. Has the recent minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland made an impact on alcoholism levels? Of course not and it's unlikely to. My brother in law, A GP in Glasgow knows only too well that higher prices for alcohol have an almost impercetible impact on alcohol consumption, people just go without something else.

Fantasy: Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland. Why fantasy? Cost of living is not reachable for me.
Realistic: Brno in Czech Republic. Why realistic? Because I am moving there in July.

Drawn to the west coast of Ireland or Scotland since that is where my ancestors are from. Love those two countries. Also, Bruce Belgium

A little off topic but I've been reading about a good number of Americans living in Belize and Costa Rica.

I'd also consider the rugged and beautiful west coasts of Ireland, England, or Scotland. In the summer.

I have a colleague who is from Scotland and he's retiring to Florida. He's had enough of the cold, wind, and rain of his home country. He jokes that summer is scheduled for July 9th and 20th this year.

Fantasy? Paris or Barcelona. Love both cities but I'd really need significant wealth to live comfortably in either. Have lived in Paris (or just outside) and loved it. I still live a somewhat European lifestyle. I would also love to live in an Art Nouveau building in the Eixample.

More realistic but still a fantasy? Brussels or Valencia. Brussels has many of the fine attributes of Paris, but seems more livable and has some absolutely delightful neighborhoods. And lots of Art Nouveau buildings to choose from. Valencia has many of the attributes of Barcelona but is also more livable and far more laid back with less tourists.

I already live in my favorite place, on the Massachusetts coast. However, I would split my time here with Sweden (Stockholm, but mostly Umeå/ Västernorrland area.) I would live in Sweden because it feels like home, people are so friendly to me, and I fit in there better than at home (I actually have a sense of humor there), and I like their present day beliefs, generally. And their bakeries are almost as good as French patisseries...

If I could afford to, and legally could, live in a normal apartment in a nice neighborhood anywhere in Europe? Maybe Barcelona. Comfortable to me but still different enough to be interesting. I speak some Spanish but would love to improve. Barcelona is better than not-Spain for that, but if language was my main goal I’d consider Madrid. But Granada is my favorite place in Europe, I’m just not sure I’d want to live there full time, I’m a big city person. I’d consider it though, I do love it there. So... my answer is Spain, city to be decided.

My husband would argue for Italy. He’d live in Rome without any hesitation. I’d certainly go along with that plan were it ever possible!

I have already lived overseas twice in my life (Germany & Japan) so I have no interest in doing this again. I cannot imagine leaving NYC to move elsewhere; we have everything we love including an airport whose airlines get us to most European countries NONSTOP allowing us the convenience of traveling over there 2-3 times per year even for a long weekend!

I know someone who moved to Europe about 15 years ago. I don't know whether he is still living abroad. He moved to or near Biarritz in southwestern France near the Spanish border on the ocean. He had traveled often to France and Spain, and for perhaps decades had been a regular at the Festival of San Fermin in Pamplona. For him, the Biarritz area was the perfect location--in France, on the ocean, right next to Spain.

My wife and I have been to several places in Europe that we loved, but the one place we both agreed we could see ourselves living in without question was Scotland. Maybe Pitlochry or another town in that area with good connections to both Edinburgh and Inverness, two of our favorite towns. The people are what make Scotland so enjoyable, and the hiking/scenery, good transportation links (compared to Ireland at least), and pace of life seem to be a good fit for us - even if sometimes the weather seems like it might take some adjustment on a long term basis.

GREECE!!!
To be surrounded by all that history would be a dream, it's a really fascinating country and I just know that living there all year round would never be boring.
Oh, where to start....
The Greek isles, of all of them Santorini is still my tip top. The cliffs, the caldera, the blue of the sea. Hmmm, I can smell the beauty from here. I can just see the contrast I would make against the white washed buildings, like the stars against the dark sky, just blending into the beauty
Then there is zakynthos. As something of a recluse (except when travelling ) I can tell that getting lost in these caves with a ton of books and loads of food would honestly be a slice of heaven on earth.
In the voice of the great Martin Luther king ' I HAVE A DREAM' that one day I would stand on the white tower in Thessaloniki overlooking the Aegean sea with the city lights as a back drop. I would partner with the wind and we would dance the night away to the sounds of the sea waves.
Yes, I am a hopeless romantic, lolllll.
I think I should stop here, duty calls.

Since it would be fantasy for me, I would say western Ireland. I always feel like I am at home when I am there. A little cottage with a thatched roof and a pub close by. Need to take my dog with me so she can walk to the pub and sit by the peat fire in the winter...what a nice day dream!