Yes, You CAN Upgrade Your Lifestyle in Europe

A life less rushed awaits in Italy, Spain, Greece and beyond. Here’s how to find your place—and your pace—on the Old Continent.

It’s not just the wine and scenery—it’s the community, calm, and cost of living.

“I’ll admit I was infuriated at times by the slow pace of life, but I was also kind of in love,” says Melinda Borysevicz, of Savannah, Georgia, from her new home in Padula, in southern Italy. “Small conversations turned into invitations. Quick errands turned into all-day affairs.

“I mentioned to my friend Luigi that I wanted some really local cheese, so he invited me to come along the next time he went to pick up some cheese from a local shepherd. This errand turned into lunch. Then the shepherd invited friends, which turned into drinks. Now it’s too late to go back and cook, so why not stay for dinner?

“Entire days just disappeared," she says. "And I realized I couldn’t measure things by minutes or days anymore. Here, they measure things in years and centuries.”

She’s not alone in her appreciation of the slower pace (learned as it may have been)...

“Our reason for living part of the year in Spain is not really to do anything more than just live and experience the wonderful culture,” says Maria DiCicco, who decamps from Orlando, FL, to Zaragoza, Spain with her husband several times a year.

“The long days of eating, the post-meal lull where people just converse; the walkable street scene and the cheap wine… they are all part of me now.”

Karen LeFebre-Christou shares a similar sentiment from the island of Syros in Greece, saying, “Embracing the slower pace of life here feels like putting on a comfortable pair of jeans. It simply fits and feels like me. I look back on how I used to run through my days in the US and wonder what was so important.

“My life is far from solitary. The community in Syros has embraced me—Greeks and expats alike. I participate in Greek dance lessons, volunteer teaching art classes to local kids, attend a weekly Sunday swim and potluck with a group of expats, and can be found at various cultural and social events around the island if the mood strikes. I have a full, enjoyable life here.”

If trading in the frenetic pace of life in the US for a more unhurried, take-your-days-as-they-come pace in Europe sounds appealing to you, we can help you make it happen—even if you’re simply looking for a part-time getaway.

Our Fast Track Europe: Lifestyle and Opportunity Conference is coming up April 10-12, 2026, in Rome—seats are filling fast—but it’s not too late to grab yours at a discount. (Don’t wait, though, as we expect a sell-out crowd.)

A 4-Bedroom Apartment in Italy... €65,000

Piazza Italia, the heart of Acqui Terme, is a hub of local life and Roman history.|©iStock/Flavio Vallenari

Greg Cook, a commercial airline pilot, has seen the world, and not too long ago, he decided he wanted to own a piece of it outside the States. So he invested in an apartment in Acqui Terme, in Northern Italy, with a plan to spend part of each year there.

“One of my main draws to Acqui was the low cost and the number of housing options available,” says Greg. “Through Idealista, I found an abundance of apartments close to the town center, ranging from fixer-uppers for €30,000, to fully renovated and new units starting at around €80,000.

“In just three days, I found my place—a large apartment of over 1,400 square feet with four bedrooms, plus a large living room, bath, and kitchen. Located in a 10-unit, five-story detached building, it was listed for just €65,000. On a hilltop just across the street from the historic district, my 4th-floor unit features balconies on three sides, with views of the surrounding hills, town, and church steeples.

“It needed a facelift due to old peeling wallpaper in every room, but the terrazzo floors, bathroom fixtures, tiles, doors, and windows were all in good shape. I would also need to upgrade the electrical system and install a kitchen (most Italians take kitchen appliances and fixtures when they move).

“All in all, I found tremendous value. With renovations now completed and the apartment furnished, I intend to enjoy visits from family and friends during my 90 days [which Americans can spend in the EU on a tourist visa], then make it available for short-term rentals.”

You don’t have to decamp full-time to benefit from good-value properties, a healthier diet, saner pace, and the joys of art, culture, and historic architecture across the European continent. Join us in Rome this spring, and our experts from all around Europe will share their insights about how and where you should consider living, traveling, and investing. You’ll find all the details here.

We’ll focus on the best Europe has to offer... gathering our extensive team... attorneys and visa facilitators, healthcare experts, real estate professionals, and insightful expats... from Europe’s top lifestyle destinations.

They’ll share their advice, insights, and recommendations and deliver the inside scoop on where—and how—to make your dreams of a new, better life in Europe come true.

You’ll discover all sorts of good-value, culturally rich retreats where you can live well for as little as $36,000 a year. And we’ll guide you through all the steps necessary to make your move there, including important information about your tax obligations both at home and in Europe.

This conference is the very best way to get a complete and unfettered download of everything you need to know and the contacts and strategies that can help you find your sweet spot in Europe with ease and confidence. Click here for details and a discounted ticket.

— Jennifer Stevens, IL Executive Editor