# moving from USA in 90 days



## JM15 (Jun 30, 2015)

I am studying where to live, Creete seems like the most activities, but please any suggestions am open to any island, looking for some activities but mostly want to be near the water/beach, don't need to find work just looking for an early retirement, thanks


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## concertina (Oct 18, 2012)

JM15 said:


> I am studying where to live, Creete seems like the most activities, but please any suggestions am open to any island, looking for some activities but mostly want to be near the water/beach, don't need to find work just looking for an early retirement, thanks


hi,well you have so many places to choose and it may have been best to travel round greece first to see where you liked best.Crete is obviously gorgeous,lots of xpats to mingle with.I actually like the idea of Ikaria,the blue zone where they live long and with so little stress,beautiful place for walking routes and natural spa waters,some in natural environment and some enclosed by the council,fabulous and Samos is one of my favorites,gorgeous.My husband and I cosied down one winter evening in the bed and went island hopping with Utube,it was lovely,we decided on 3 or 4 that we would like to live on,Anti Paros was indeed lovely but too set up for tourism and all those restaurants,hundreds one after the other made us dizzy in the end,beautiful but contrived.Samos,Ikaria,Crete,Lesvos is lovely but remember you need services for your health,ferries,some ferries to Islands have packed up but the Turks have actually stepped in and replaced them which is good business and good for the islanders.So its not just about what looks lovely its also about your needs especially as we grow into senior citizens,think where will be the nearest hospital,many islands have no hospitals and people will be transferred to the nearest island that has a hospital or to the mainland.Samos has a hospital but is running on a very low budget.Crete will have good facilities.Corfu has lots of expats and lots of things going on,activities to do,lots of music,many famous musicians have come out of Corfu over the years and of course near to Athens should you need it.Have you thought of mainland Greece,thats lovely too,we have a house near Loutraki and Old Corinthos,the lanscape is spectakular and only one hor twenty mins from Athens and yet has the splendor of the islands.Where ever you shall lay your hat you will certainly love it here in Greece despite all the turmoil which of course one day soon will subside and leave the people and Greece to find happiness again we hope.


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## OldPro (Feb 18, 2015)

Ignoring the current crisis, what allows you to live in Greece? Have you citizenship in an EU country or have you investigated getting a visa to live in Greece? You may have got that covered but you would not be the first person to think they can just go live in any country they want either. So I think you have to first make it clear that you have the legal right to live in Greece covered in some way. I've learned never to assume that someone posting in a forum has done their homework first.

If you have that covered then you have many choices (again ignoring the current crisis). I agree with Concertina that you need to consider far more criteria than just beaches. Those you will find without trying. 

Somewhere near Athens or Thessaloniki for access to a major city. Bear in mind for example that on a small island, everything has to be brought to the island by boat usually which means a TV or a refrigerator costs more. Also the hospital etc. factor that Concertina mentioned can matter eventually.

You may want to look at the major islands of Crete, Corfu or Rhodes (where I used to live) as they have more infrastructure etc. than the smaller islands. But which one is best is almost like asking would you prefer an apple or an apple. In some ways, they're all great. Even international flights (you may want to visit the US from time to time I'd guess) can connect to them easily.

My main advice to anyone thinking of living in Greece (or any other country) is NEVER to buy a home before living there for at least one and preferably 2 years. Everywhere is great during the 'honeymoon period'. So plan to rent, not buy initially. 

I have to say that if asked (as you are) where to live in Greece, I couldn't come up with one answer as being the 'best' choice. I'm biased towards Rhodes but can't give evidence to say it is any better than where Concertina lives, or Corfu or Crete or a dozen other places. It's almost a case of you can't go very far wrong no matter where you choose. The only possible factor I might mention is weather.

The farther south you go, the milder the winter weather is likely to be. Having blue skies and 20C/68F at Xmas on Rhodes is not uncommon at all. Snow very rarely if ever falls anywhere on the island. I'm talking like once in 25-50 years. Crete on the other hand doesn't see snow near the coat either but has some mountainous areas high enough to see it regularly. Would you want to ski? You can on Crete, you never will on Rhodes.


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## JM15 (Jun 30, 2015)

concertina said:


> hi,well you have so many places to choose and it may have been best to travel round greece first to see where you liked best.Crete is obviously gorgeous,lots of xpats to mingle with.I actually like the idea of Ikaria,the blue zone where they live long and with so little stress,beautiful place for walking routes and natural spa waters,some in natural environment and some enclosed by the council,fabulous and Samos is one of my favorites,gorgeous.My husband and I cosied down one winter evening in the bed and went island hopping with Utube,it was lovely,we decided on 3 or 4 that we would like to live on,Anti Paros was indeed lovely but too set up for tourism and all those restaurants,hundreds one after the other made us dizzy in the end,beautiful but contrived.Samos,Ikaria,Crete,Lesvos is lovely but remember you need services for your health,ferries,some ferries to Islands have packed up but the Turks have actually stepped in and replaced them which is good business and good for the islanders.So its not just about what looks lovely its also about your needs especially as we grow into senior citizens,think where will be the nearest hospital,many islands have no hospitals and people will be transferred to the nearest island that has a hospital or to the mainland.Samos has a hospital but is running on a very low budget.Crete will have good facilities.Corfu has lots of expats and lots of things going on,activities to do,lots of music,many famous musicians have come out of Corfu over the years and of course near to Athens should you need it.Have you thought of mainland Greece,thats lovely too,we have a house near Loutraki and Old Corinthos,the lanscape is spectakular and only one hor twenty mins from Athens and yet has the splendor of the islands.Where ever you shall lay your hat you will certainly love it here in Greece despite all the turmoil which of course one day soon will subside and leave the people and Greece to find happiness again we hope.


concertina, thank you for all of your information, you have given me much to think of,


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## concertina (Oct 18, 2012)

And of course Aegina island is gorgeous,just a short boat trip from Pireas port of Athens,you could come in for the day and be home by night fall,there is a metro into Athens from Pireas.I think you will have a hard time choosing where to land.


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## DavidFontaine (Jan 30, 2014)

Lots of nice islands off Athens with easy access. In can see some from my balcony. As above, rent first and then buy. A place may look amazing to live in at first sight but prove not to be.


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## JM15 (Jun 30, 2015)

Thanks to all of you for the information, I think I get it: ever where is wonderful but not have exactly what I want, yest rent before buying, ofcourse: and no I am not so stupid as to think that I could just showup and live somewhere longturm whithout checking out the government policies first.


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## akeeley (Oct 2, 2015)

Did you make it to Crete? My wife and I just moved from the States, if you are here, we should meet up.
Cheers,
Alex


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