At a sure level in a single’s life — involving monetary safety, luxurious tastes and the nearing of retirement age — avid vacationers might wish to select trip locations with an eye fixed towards relocation. You could also be critical in regards to the chance, or it might simply be a back-of-mind fantasy. But such journeys might be life-changing.
“When retirees are in ‘splurge mode,’ I encourage them to be strategic about it: choose a blow-out trip in a place you could actually imagine living one day, then just enjoy it as a holiday,” counsels Federica Grazi, founder and managing director of Mitos Relocation Solutions, which focuses on retirement in Greece. “If the idea of staying longer keeps nudging you while you’re having your morning coffee or evening drink, that’s a powerful data point before you ever open a spreadsheet about taxes, visa or cost of living.”
Grazi says that a luxury stay is not about replicating your future retirement abroad; it’s about removing friction so you can really feel the country. “Great service, beautiful surroundings and no day-to-day stress give you a clear emotional signal: Do I feel at home here, or not?”
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However, she says, “The real risk with ultra-luxury is that you become too disconnected from the country you’re trying to ‘test’. If your goal is to explore a place as a potential retirement destination, the sweet spot is luxury that’s deeply rooted in the local territory — local food, local culture, local people — with five-star comfort layered on top.”
Here are some splurge experiences (each metropolis resorts and self-contained resorts) that possibly, simply possibly, flip into one thing extra everlasting.
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The ivy-covered Hotel Raphaël is probably not the most costly place to remain in Rome’s historic heart, however its location, simply to the west of Piazza Navona, is incomparable.
It’s beautiful, non-public and unique, to most vacationers, a hidden treasure (try the rooftop bar), however inside strolling distance to the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. Ristorante Santa Lucia, featured prominently within the movie Eat, Pray, Love, is simply steps away.
Price: When Romans flood again residence after the boiling warmth of summer season, anticipate costs to spike to over $600/night time in September at Hotel Raphaël.
Accessibility: Taxis will be tough to flag down within the Eternal City, however the resort’s workers will hook you up very quickly.
Health Care: Hospitals in Rome are top-rated.
Safety: Rome is usually protected, however preserve an eye fixed out for pickpockets. Secure your valuables.
2. Antigua, Caribbean
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“In Antigua, the standout experience is Jumby Bay — a private island that has long been a favorite of high-profile guests for its exclusivity, arriving by private jet and private ferry,” says Joe Rice, head of citizenship programs at Global Citizen Solutions.
“For a paired experience, you can take a boat to Barbuda for a day at Nobu. From November to April, which is peak yacht season, rent a yacht in Barbuda for a few days on the water. Many travelers use local concierge services, such as CaribLife, to organize their time there.” Real property choices on Jumby Bay are expansive and numerous.
Price: A Jumby Bay cottage is $3,000+ in excessive season
Accessibility: Buggies and boats will take you wherever you wish to go.
Health Care: To search medical care on the primary island of Antigua, expats acquire journey insurance coverage to entry the non-public system.
Safety: Security is ultra-high on this non-public island.
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“Madeira is a favorite among affluent Portuguese families, especially over New Year’s Eve when the fireworks light up the entire bay,” enthuses Patricia Casaburi, CEO of Global Citizen Solutions. “It’s a beautiful and comfortable escape with mild weather all year and a relaxed pace, making it ideal for retirees looking for somewhere easy yet with impressive landscapes.”
Price: Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, an establishment set on a seaside rock outcropping, presents rooms beginning at round $850 throughout excessive season.
Accessibility: It’s most likely finest to hire a automotive for consolation and freedom to discover, however buses and taxis can be found.
Health Care: The island’s Hospital Particular da Madeira is your finest wager.
Safety: Rated extraordinarily protected.
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“Swimmers and epicureans will swoon over the Belle Epoque Four Seasons Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, located on a hill that overlooks the Mediterranean on the French Riviera,” says luxurious journey adviser Becca Hensley.
“Do laps within the oceanside pool the place Picasso, Paul McCartney and Elton John — amongst others — jumped in, then eat a well-deserved dinner at Michelin-starred Le Cap. The property encompasses some 17 acres of gardens and epitomizes traditional French glitz.”
Price: Over $3,000/night time is a typical high-season fee, however you might be able to snag a $2,000 room in October, on the finish of the season. Note that the resort is closed for winter refurbishment till March 6, 2026
Accessibility: The French Riviera has all of the conveniences of a extremely developed space. There is ample practice service on the coast and deeper into France.
Health Care: High-quality service, with a public possibility for residents and personal insurance coverage for higher service.
Safety: The Riviera is usually protected, however as in all touristed areas, take precautions in opposition to pickpockets.
5. Vienna, Austria
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“For holiday stays for those with a sweet tooth, check into Vienna’s Hotel Sacher,” Hensley recommends. “Located next to the historic Vienna State Opera House on the renowned shopping street Kärntner Strasse, the lavish hotel is famous for its decadent chocolate Sacher Torte.
Don’t miss the Albertina Museum — and in season, enjoy the plethora of holiday markets located near the hotel.”
Price: Though the bare-bones fee might begin at round $600, as soon as spring hits, anticipate room charges of round $1,200. Prices can drop to round $700 in the summertime, as individuals search out seaside locations.
Accessibility: You title it on this walkable metropolis: apps, buses, trams, trains, bike leases.
Health Care: Vienna has all of the hospital choices of any main metropolis in a extremely developed nation.
Safety: Vienna is a particularly protected metropolis to go to and dwell in.
6. French Polynesia
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To hole up inside an overwater villa at The Four Seasons Bora Bora is to expertise nirvana, and in the event you by no means wish to depart the property, a small variety of non-public properties is out there for buy ($5 million is a typical asking worth).
Price: Per night time, a $2,500 price ticket is typical.
Accessibility: You can stroll or request a golf cart journey throughout this sprawling property. It takes roughly 45 minutes to fly to Tahiti (and a brief ferry journey to close by Moorea), the place it is best to hire a automotive or rent a driver to see the sights.
Health Care: Hospitals are positioned in Tahiti, French Polynesia’s primary island, and on the gateway to its worldwide airport.
Safety: Not a difficulty at one of many world’s high non-public island resorts. Crime is low in Tahiti’s capital of Papeete.
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“For city lovers, a splurge stay in central Athens or on the Athenian Riviera — for example at a grande dame hotel near Syntagma or at the Four Seasons Astir Palace in Glyfada — helps you to take a look at a really completely different retirement mannequin: museums, concert events, glorious healthcare and a global airport inside straightforward attain, plus the islands only a ferry journey away,” Grazi says.
Price: At the beginning of the swim season in April, rooms on the Four Seasons fetch beginning costs over $930.
Accessibility: The metro, buses and taxis are all available, and the town has made strides to make main landmarks extra accessible.
Health Care: Athens has a plethora of high-quality hospitals, and Greece on the whole presents high-quality care. Health care is free or closely sponsored, even for expats.
Safety: Violent crime is low on this usually protected capital.
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“In Cyprus, I’d send a retiree considering Paphos to somewhere like Anassa for their money-is-no-object trip,” Grazi advises. “You get a very soft landing: Mediterranean views, strong spa and wellness offerings, and easy day trips to the harbor, archaeological sites and nearby villages. If that combination of sea, climate and scale feels right, it’s worth exploring what a more everyday version of life there could look like.”
Price: Starting in high season in the last spring, expect pricing of $600-plus per night at Anassa.
Accessibility: Though there is a bus system, most visitors opt for taxis and car rentals.
Health Care: Cyprus boasts high-quality health care in a range of hospitals throughout the island.
Safety: Low crime rate and generally safe.
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The lush InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa gives a smooth touchdown on this far-flung South Pacific archipelago. It’s positioned south of the most important metropolis of Nadi and is encircled by beautiful seashores. Once you are on the resort, all the things is there, from spa to water sports activities to golf.
Price: Fiji’s dry season, from May to October, is the perfect time to go to, with charges starting from $500 to $600 an evening.
Accessibility: The resort presents complimentary self-parking. A automotive is an efficient solution to uncover the island.
Health Care: Nadi’s Pacific Specialist Healthcare is extremely regarded. International medical health insurance is really useful.
Safety: Fiji is a protected place; simply take regular precautions with valuables.
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The one Latin American country that should be on every pre-retiree’s list is the land of “pura vida.” The still relatively undeveloped Papagayo Peninsula, located on the country’s west side (Atlantic coast), features top-tier hotel brands such as Andaz and Four Seasons. Water sports are plentiful, and inland trips to waterfalls and hot springs are readily available.
Price: Rates at the Andaz and the Four Seasons land at round $2,000 an evening, give or take.
Accessibility: Cars are a necessity in the event you dwell off the peninsula (notice that Papagayo presents more and more attention-grabbing actual property choices, with residents allowed entry to the beautiful seaside membership). If you are visiting, you can also make do with resort transport, however if you’re moved to snap up a property, a automotive is a good suggestion.
Health Care: Esteemed hospitals, each private and non-private, are positioned within the capital of San Jose. The well being care system is so revered that San Jose is understood for its medical tourism.
Safety: Papagayo Peninsula is well-guarded and very protected; the nation can be thought-about protected (exterior of some dicey areas in San Jose).