Retire in the Mediterranean
While not offering a tropical climate, many of the Mediterranean countries have warm to hot summers and very mild winters. When you consider the stunning scenery, history and diverse cultures, Mediterranean retirement is looking good. As we complete our research, you will be able to explore places to retire in Malta, Spain, Sicily, Cyprus, Greece and Croatia. In the meanwhile, we offer these 2 articles courtesy of guest authors. The content of these articles represents the view of the authors and not necessarily GreatRetirementPlaces.com. Enjoy!
Enjoying the Best of the Mediterranean
By Rhiannon Williamson
The calm, unspoilt and pure waters of the Mediterranean Sea are actually part of the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean is almost completely enclosed by the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa and the Sea connects some of the most fascinating, exciting and beautiful countries in the world including Egypt, Spain, Turkey and Cyprus.
The histories of the countries with coastlines brushing the Med are intrinsically linked with this romantic Sea and today they are some of the most attractive and fascinating countries in the world in which to holiday. This article examines some of the main attractions of four of the favourite Mediterranean countries.
Turkey
Turkey is the country where east really does meet west and where European and Asian influences combine to create a vibrant and passionate mix. The Turkish people are sincerely welcoming of overseas visitors and charm growing numbers of tourists every year. These visitors are attracted by the stunning sandy beaches of the Med and the five star resorts, facilities and amenities offered all along the Turkish Riviera.
If you choose to holiday in Turkey you will be visiting a land where many ancient civilisations and cultures were born, where two of the seven wonders of the ancient world were found and where Cleopatra once holidayed and basked in the sumptuous sunshine. Turkey is a land of contrasts where thousands of years of history have been preserved, where brand new state of the art resort facilities can be enjoyed and where the mighty mountains reach right down into the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
Greece
Greece and the Greek Islands like Crete and Corfu are blessed by the inimitable Mediterranean climate that provides long hot and balmy summer days and temperate, mild short winter months. Visiting Greece you will be charmed by the tiny fishing villages that have been little changed for the last hundreds of years and where you can dine in the evening on the days fresh catch whilst watching the sun setting into the sea.
Pristine whitewashed villages are scattered all along the Mediterranean coastline of Greece like pebbles and you can sail from island to island on a mini-Mediterranean cruise and take in the different sights, sounds and flavours offered on each Greek Island.
Spain
Once upon a time the beautiful Spanish coastline was also dotted with tiny fishing communities whose whole lives and histories revolved around the Mediterranean tides and treasures. Today the Spanish coastline to the south of the country is much changed and visitors can enjoy some fantastic five star resorts offering an array and abundance of nightlife, day time excitement and evening entertainment. The resorts on the Costa del Sol, Costa Calida and Costa Blanca are vibrant, beautiful and hugely popular.
For those in search of the old Spain just head north and take in the rugged and impressive Mediterranean coastlines along the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada which are dominated by magnificent cliffs, rocky coves and secret sandy beaches.
Cyprus
Last but not least is possibly the most stunning of all of the Mediterranean Islands namely the island of Cyprus. It is not the Meds largest island but it is the Meds most famous and most popular and it offers visitors acres and acres of lush interior, miles and miles of sandy beaches and two incredible mountain ranges where you can ski in the morning before travelling down to the seaside to enjoy an afternoon swim and a barbeque beneath the setting sun.
The southern two thirds of Cyprus are inhabited by the friendly and lively Greek Cypriots, and the most popular resorts in Southern Cyprus include Ayia Napa and Paphos where the nightlife is world famous and where the daily activities on offer are plentiful.
Northern Cyprus faces the stunning Turkish coastline which is strikingly visible on clear days. The people of the North are probably some of the most friendly and genuinely hospitable people in the entire Mediterranean region and their main resort town is Kyrenia where you can take in the perfectly preserved ancient harbour and the wonders of the ancient castle and the old town before spending your afternoons and evenings lazily whiling away the time dining on beautiful and fresh local food and drinking the best Turkish wines.
Rhiannon Williamson is a freelance writer whose many articles about international travel and living abroad have appeared in publications around the world. Visit this link to read her latest articles about Northern Cyprus
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The Rising Appeal of Malta
By Rhiannon Williamson
Malta, the beautiful Mediterranean island that basks in up to 300 days of sunshine a year is proving more and more popular with those in search of a low tax country with an attractive property market.
The fact that the island is such a popular choice with those seeking to live offshore, those looking to reduce their business and personal taxation burden and even those wishing to retire to the sun means that the real estate market in Malta is a hive of activity and property prices are moving up a gear.
All of these factors make the market ripe for real estate investors and mean that more and more people are profiting from property in Malta.
As stated the country is also an attractive low tax haven all those who achieve residency on the island are only subject to 15% income tax on anything they remit to the island and anyone who purchases property in Malta can get residency and thereby potentially reduce their taxation burden.
The capital an individual uses to purchase their Malta home is not taxed and inheritance tax does not exist in Malta which means more people annually want to move to the island which means that more people annually demand real estate to buy or rent in Malta which gives a potential property investor a large potential customer base to work with.
Malta is also a popular choice for those looking for a low tax haven in which to establish their business which means that there is also a strong demand for commercial property in Malta opening up the range of market opportunities available to a potential real estate investor.
In terms of the range of properties available to purchase in Malta they range from stunning villa properties complete with private pools that are ideal for letting out to the busy tourism market for at least 9 months of the year. There are also a range of town properties from apartments and town houses that can be rented out short term and then sold on for maximum gains in the medium to long term. Of course, as mentioned there are also a lot of commercial property prospects available to an investor in Malta as well from buying and leasing office space to buying into warehouses and retail properties.
The key to successfully profiting from any property market is the appeal of that market and the appeal of the real estate sector in Malta is not only at an all time high it is intensifying creating an ideal environment for an investor looking for an overseas real estate investment opportunity.
Rhiannon Williamson writes about real estate investment in emerging markets worldwide. To read more about property investment in Malta click here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhiannon_Williamson
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