If you’re looking for the ultimate Valentine’s gift this year, why not bag an overseas love nest where you and your partner can spend time together? To get you in the mood, here are some suggestions for where to buy for guaranteed romance…
Article written by The Overseas Guides Company
Follow your nose to France!
The language, the culture, the cuisine… everything about France oozes romance and nowhere more so than Paris, the indisputable City of Love. For a more laid-back and affordable option though, follow your nose south to a place where the sweet smell of love literally hangs in the air. Grasse, in the Provencal foothills just inland of Cannes, is the world’s capital of perfume, giving the town a truly fragrant edge. For something close to the action choose a cosy apartment in the old town, but for more space and intimacy, try this converted character house in the hilly outskirts of town.
Turn up the heat in steamy Seville
The home of flamenco and the setting for numerous operas, Seville in southern Spain bursts with raw passion, its residents famous for their seductive joie de vivre. Couples who enjoy long, wine-fuelled nights that conclude with watching the sun rise over the Andalusian landscape with fall in love with this city. Bank repossessions can be excellent value there, including this two-bedroom duplex apartment close to the city centre. Meanwhile, one of the whitewashed villages a short drive from the city could be a calmer alternative, and somewhere to base yourself between forays into town.
Find love by the Lakes in Italy
Why not wow your sweetheart with the breathtaking scenery and idyllic lifestyle of the Italian Lakes, a popular destination with the jet set and honeymooners? With a home there, you could take romantic strolls by the lake, relax in a spa together, do a spot of water sports and round off your days with romantic meals – the local food is famous. Lake Como is deemed the ritziest and most expensive area, making it a favourite with celebrities, but Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore are more affordable alternatives. How about this three-bedroom apartment, part of a historic block overlooking Lake Garda in the pretty town of Toscolano Maderno?
Be seduced by the sunset in Sagres!
Stunning sunsets never fail to ignite fires of passion and nowhere does them quite like Sagres in the Algarve, the most south-westerly point in Europe. True romantics might even take advantage of another quirk of the area, and get up to watch the sun rise out of the sea at Praia do Martinhal beach. The resort is less developed than others on the Algarve, so it retains an authentic charm ideal for those who enjoy intimate couply weekends amongst pretty coastal scenery. Townhouses and villas, including new-build, are popular in Sagres.
Beachside bliss in Florida
For a bolt-hole that offers winter sunshine and easy access to idyllic sandy beaches, consider the Gulf Coast of Florida. Some of the most secluded stretches of golden sand anywhere in Florida can be found in the aptly named Lover’s Key State Park near Bonita Springs, where Captiva Island also happens to be one of the best places in the state for watching the sun go down. Typical of many homes, this three bedroom single family home in Bonita Springs has access to the Gulf via the Imperial River.
Find out more
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If you are considering an overseas property purchase in 2015, whether for lifestyle or investment, opening a no-obligation account with FCA-authorised Smart Currency Exchange will enable you to benefit from their competitive exchange rates and specialist currency knowledge, ultimately saving you money and time. For more information, download Smart Currency Exchange’s free report or visit the Currency Zone.