If you have ever considered to move abroad after your retirement, then you should check up the options to spend these years of well-deserved rest in one of the most popular destinations in the world.
Sun, sea, sand and history. Have you already guessed what is this place?
If you think that it comes to Greece, you’re right.
You will probably say the country is a luxury vacation spot and prices are very high, and definitely you will be partially right.
However, this is not applicable to the entire territory of the country.
Some areas in Greece are really affordable and quiet.
As long as you stay far from the busiest tourist centers, you will be able to find out why people describe the Balkans as a cheap place to visit.
One of the places you have to think about is Peloponnese.
The peninsula is located in the southern parts of Greece and offers all the advantages that the life in Greece offers but in combination with lower prices.
We have selected 10 very important aspects that could be crucial for your choice.
Of course, some of them are more important than others but for sure you will be able to find the most important for you.
1. Mild and healthy climate
Thousands of elderly people from different countries in Northern Europe and North America every year search for a place with a nice climate to retire.
Peloponnese enjoys a warm subtropical climate with temperatures around 32°C in the shade in summer.
Spring and autumn bring mild weather and pleasant temperatures of 23 – 25°C on average.
Winters in Peloponnese are mild, and snowfalls are really rare along the coast but not in the mountains.
In Nafplio, the capital of the peninsula, the average daytime temperature in January is about 13°C.
Beach season of Peloponnese could be longer or shorter from one year to another.
In warmer years, the beach season lasts from April to early November, while in cooler years it lasts from May to October.
2. Museum under the open sky
According to many, Peloponnese is the place with the highest concentration of archaeological sites in Europe and in the world.
If you decide to retire in the area, you will be able to visit thousands of places such as Olympia (the site of the ancient Olympic Games), Sparta, Mycenae and dozens of other important ancient historical sites and settlements.
Some of the archaeological sites of Peloponnese date back to the Bronze Age.
The area is very rich in fascinating monuments of the incredible Byzantine culture.
In many historical and public buildings in Peloponnese you can also clearly see and recognize the influence of the refined Venetian culture.
3. Gorgeous beaches
The coast of Peloponnese seems endless. It is dotted with numerous small and large bays and peninsulas with superb beaches, most of which extremely quiet, peaceful and secluded.
The coastline of the peninsula is so long that it practically allows you to find some lonely beach even during the busiest months of the year, such as July and August.
Although here you can find some of the best beaches in Greece, the peninsula is a relatively less popular spot for summer holidays compared to other top destinations such as Crete, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes or Halkidiki.
However, local beaches are for sure not less beautiful, and living here, you will see they are actually among the best in Europe.
Some of them are covered with fine white or golden sands while others are covered with small pebbles and their water is crystal clear and transparent.
One of the most famous is Voidokilia Beach, which is located in a small bay in the Southwest of Peloponnese.
4. Romantic landscape
The landscape of Peloponnese is considered to be among of the most romantic and enchanting in Europe, and they often call it the Greek Tuscany.
Due to its natural diversity, traveling in this part of Greece could be an extraordinary experience.
It offers high mountains alternating with fertile valleys, which makes the area attractive for photographers and artists.
In summers, the tall and thin dark-green cypresses are surrounded by golden and sun-bathed fields, which in winters turn green.
Here and there you will find green vineyards. Probably this is the place to say that the grapes that grow in this region are considered some of the best in Europe.
The landscape is dotted with citrus and olive groves, which offer pleasant shade and coolness.
Walking around, you will hear only the song of crickets and nothing else.
5. Affordable properties for sale or to rent
As a retiree, you are probably searching for an affordable place to live.
Perhaps your pension is not very large, so it is important to choose a place where prices are really acceptable.
In fact, some parts of Greece are quite expensive but Peloponnese is not one of them.
It is possible to find really affordable real estates in various small towns and villages throughout the province.
Of course, here are some very expensive properties too. In most cases, however, this applies only to the truly luxurious houses and apartments.
The same applies if you want to rent a property.
Away from the capital Athens, and when it comes to long term renting, you will be quite surprised by the low prices.
You will be able to find quite good apartments to rent for less than € 200 per month!
And here you should know that it doesn’t matter whether we talk about the coast or the interior of the peninsula, because aside from expensive resorts prices are several times lower.
6. Cheap and tasty food
We all should be very careful with the food products we consume. But if you are a retiree, this applies to you to an even greater extent.
And while in the countries in North Europe most of the high quality fresh foods are really expensive, here, in Peloponnese, you will be able to find everything at very good prices.
It is very interesting to mention that this is the place where some of the most delicious fruits and vegetables not only in Europe but in the world originate from.
Citrus fruits, olives, wine, tomatoes, zucchini, cheese and fish are just a small part of all the foods you will here with the highest possible quality and at a very low price.
In addition, if you live in a rural area or at least in a house, you will be able to grow your own fruits and vegetables in your garden at home.
This probably will not be very difficult, especially given the combination between high quality soils and favorable climate.
If you decide to settle down here, you will be able also to get in touch with the incredibly rich Greek cuisine, which is considered one of the most delicious in the world.
7. Safety
In searching for the perfect place to retire, most people put safety first.
Of course, this is quite understandable and is absolutely right because nobody wants to live in areas with high levels of crime.
In this respect Greece, as most the other countries in Europe, is a really great choice and Peloponnese is not an exception.
In the area there are no big cities so it is really very safe, and people could walk around without concerns.
Of course, we don’t have to forget that there are no 100% safe cities and countries so we should always be careful.
Like every other place, the peninsula, especially its tourist areas, also sometimes experience problems with pickpockets and other similar.
Nevertheless, this part of Greece is one of the safest places in Southern Europe and absolutely covers even the highest criteria about safeness.
8. Nice local people
Wherever you live, people are always an important part of you life, and for better or worse, they have a major impact on how you feel at a given city, town or village.
Therefore, when you choose a place to spend the years of you life after retirement, you should always pay attention to what kind of people live in the area and what is their culture and attitude to foreigners.
In this respect Peloponnese is a very good place because usually the people who live in the area are used to see many tourists and foreigners so you won’t feel like an alien here.
Of course, initially will be difficult to make new friendships but Greeks are friendly people so sooner or later you will find friends.
9. High quality medical care
Probably before you move to Peloponnese, you will need to find more detailed information about the health care system in Greece.
While the country is not among the richest in the European Union, it covers the European standards so you can expect a very high quality of medical care.
However, in some respects Greece is even a leader. When it comes to ratio of doctors to population, Greece is first in the world for 2007.
If we talk about Athens, the high level of medical care is not surprising as this is a large city.
The advantage of Greece, however, comes from the fact that even in more remote areas and in smaller towns people rely on decent health care.
10. Good accessibility
Peloponnese peninsula enjoys good connectivity with the countries from across Europe thanks to its proximity to Athens.
Within 2 – 3 hours you can reach to the city from every single point in Peloponnese.
But the airport in the busy Greek capital is not the only one in the area.
In the cities of Kalamata and Patra there are airports too.
They maintain flights to and from different cities in Europe.
The only problem is that they offer only seasonal flights and are only useful during the summer season.
