- My wife and I retired in England, then retired in Cyprus instead. We absolutely love it.
- Cyprus has a lot of history, sunshine, beautiful beaches, and fresh produce.
- Our life in Cyprus is laid-back and filled with joy, so we have no plans to leave.
In 2013, my wife and I retired in England.
We both have family connections there and thought we'd enjoy England's culture and beautiful countryside. Plus, it was fairly easy to do as my mother was Scottish and my wife had been born in Yorkshire.
After three years, we realized our home just didn't feel like the right fit for us, and we'd grown tired of the short summers and the long gray winters.
Our next move became clear when I needed cataract surgery and began to explore medical-tourism options in Europe.
We found a lot of local clinics in Cyprus that seemed like a good fit for me, so we traveled there for a week to check them out. In that short time, we fell in love with the island.
Six months later, in the spring of 2017, we moved into our new retirement home in a lovely apartment overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
At the time, England was still part of the European Union, so gaining permanent residency in Cyprus was a fairly simple process. We've now been retired here for almost a decade and love it.
Here's why we have no plans to leave.
Life is pretty laid-back in Cyprus, but we're never bored
Many are drawn to Cyprus for its sun, sand, and sea, but we've found so much more on the island in the Mediterranean Sea.
The country has over 10,000 years of history, and we never run out of things to learn and explore here. On our many local adventures, we've seen 600-year-old monasteries, Crusader villages, Roman ruins, botanical gardens, secluded beaches, mountain villages, spas, and more.
Plus, Cyprus has world-class golf, car rallies, marathons, scuba diving, and surfing. We're also spoiled with easy access to symphonies, ballets, operas, and film festivals.
Despite having so much to do, we still get to have a pretty laid-back lifestyle here.
On a typical day, we have a quiet breakfast of strong Cypriot coffee and fresh fruit and take a quick dip in the sea. In the afternoon, we explore the island or visit friends, then take a Cypriot siesta (a midday nap that's popular with locals).
We usually end our night with a dinner made with fresh local ingredients or a meal with friends at a nearby tavern.
Our food and beverage options feel fresh and varied
Speaking of meals, we feel lucky that the local Cypriot Mediterranean diet offers us so many excellent traditional, healthy choices.
Given its favorable climate, Cyprus is able to grow many crops and maintain a lot of livestock. We're never lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables, and the local chicken and pork seem tastier than what we've had back home.
We also have many options when it comes to drinking, with dozens of wineries on the island. Cyprus is also known for its beer (especially its lagers), and there are numerous festivals dedicated to it come October.
Of course, the sunny weather is a highlight
Cyprus is sunny about 75% of the year, and we adore it. We have long summers that typically stretch from May to October.
They can be very dry and hot, with temperatures often hitting over 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, but we've gotten acclimatized after a couple of years.
Spring and autumn are the most pleasant times of the year, with comfortably warm temperatures and, again, lots of sunshine.
The cool days of December and January bring the yearly rainfall with lots of thunderstorms. As residents, we don't mind since we need the rain to fill the reservoirs with water to prepare for the long summers.
The island experiences dust storms a few times a year, but they have been manageable. During the worst of them, we just avoid doing anything strenuous outside.
We've been happy with our healthcare, too
We appreciate having access to high-quality medical care and many modern general hospitals in cities throughout the country, especially as we get older.
Through the country's healthcare system, we've been able to access free and low-cost healthcare services, plus medication at a subsidized cost.
All that said, it's perhaps no surprise that Cyprus seems to be a pretty popular place for retirees — we've even met many from Europe.
