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Original poster

Have you ever fallen in love with a place...

182 replies

vivacian · 03/11/2019 12:42

...and if so, did you do anything about it?

Recently I spent a couple of nights at the coast and the best way I can describe it is that my soul fell in love with the place. I’m seriously thinking of upping stocks and moving there. (I am in a bit of a midlife rethink place in general).

Has anyone else ever felt like this and what did you do about it?

OP posts:
Jenala · 03/11/2019 19:27

The eastern coast of Sardinia, below the developed part. I'm not sure if it's actually special or if it's just special to me.

dontalltalkatonce · 03/11/2019 19:34

I'd rather not say, but I really took an axe to my life, moved thousands of miles, married someone unsuited to me and we are now pretty much stuck together (although it's not a horrific situation at all). We have children together and all of us are affected by my love for that place. People paid dearly for it, most of all me. We no longer live there, it is an expensive place, and live in one also considered or astonishing beauty, it may as well be a jewelled sword to me, and I still yearn for that place and would move us all back there in a second (in that, my H would willingly come along as he is from there). It never left off enchanting me and never will. Other than my family, I never loved anyone or anything as much as I love that place and never will.

But I warn whoever I can to think very carefully when you fall in love with a place and will stop at nothing to have it. It is not like other affairs because it does not care and is going nowhere and can become, quite literally, a hill you die on, and possibly take others with you in a way.

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 03/11/2019 19:35

Glasgow, and Venice.

I first visited Glasgow when dp (who is from there) went back early on in our relationship to study. I flew in from London on a late evening flight, all the lights were on in the city, I was so excited to see him, and I just fell in love with the place. It feels like home.

Venice is an old love...I went there first when I was 18 and it was one of those formative experiences that actually change you as a person. I've been back a few times now and have never lost the thrill of being there.

dontalltalkatonce · 03/11/2019 19:36

Do I regret it? I wish I had never clapped eyes on the place, to be honest, a lot of people would have been the much better for it.

VenusClapTrap · 03/11/2019 19:36

Brighton. Moved there almost by accident when I was 22, and felt instantly at home. Stayed for over a decade, and when I grudgingly left I then pined for it for years.

Catalonia. Loved it since a family holiday when I was a small child. We scattered dm’s ashes there.

Norway. It has always called to me. Too expensive to go regularly but would always, always be my first choice holiday destination. I feel like a piece of my soul is from there. Maybe I’m a reincarnated Viking.

dementedma · 03/11/2019 19:38

Orkney. One day....

Nextphonewontbesamsung · 03/11/2019 19:39

Every single year without fail I fall in love with the place I go to on our summer holiday, wherever that might be. Just 2 weeks of sunshine is enough to sway me. But then I put my rational hat on and realise I wouldn't actually like to live anywhere significantly far away from my loved ones. I've done it before (moved 200 miles away) and didn't like it and came back.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 03/11/2019 19:49

DickAmbush - we share the same soul place. I fell in love with the city instantly, and now get an ache in my chest if I haven't been there for a while. It quite seriously feels as if it is calling to me.

Sometimes, all it takes is for me to see the sun shining through a tree, or the glitter of sun on a building for me to feel a physical longing for the place. Before this happened, I really felt people were bonkers for saying such things!

WorldEndingFire · 03/11/2019 19:49

I did and I did it - best choice I ever made - but the thing that made me overwhelmingly fall in love was the sense of community and kindness shown by locals.

BoomyBooms · 03/11/2019 19:55

Yes, the city I live in now! Absolutely fell in love with it after an old boyfriend moved here after uni. Best thing about that relationship was that it introduced me to this place. Husband and I moved away a few years ago for cheaper housing and to be nearer family, we gave it 2 years and realised we missed being here too much. Moved back after 4 years away and love everything about being back here! Half the house for twice the mortgage but now we know it is worth it for the location and lifestyle. I'll never move again!

HoldMyLobster · 03/11/2019 20:00

I lived in America for a while at 21 and realised I'd found my people, but had no way to move there permanently.

10 years later I married an American (not for his nationality), and we've gone back and forth between the US and UK, but been living here in the US for 12 years now. I still love the people, and I also particularly love the bit of it where I live.

Original poster
vivacian · 03/11/2019 20:15

Thank you for sharing your stories everyone (so far). Very thought-provoking, inspiring and in some cases sobering.

OP posts:
Original poster
vivacian · 03/11/2019 20:16

My compromise is that I spend eight weeks or so on the island (spring and autumn) and come back to my relatively anonymous small town for the rest of the year.

@user1471453601 how do you manage to spend so much time there?

OP posts:
AdultFishcakes · 03/11/2019 20:20

Going by your username @HoldMyLobster are you in Boston/NJ?

Poetryinaction · 03/11/2019 20:24

Urubamba in Peru. Beautiful, sunny by day, cold at night, clear mountain air, kind people, simple existence, belief in living in and alongside nature. Met the kindest souls and I still see them 15 years later. I was so content every day for 3 months.
I later got a chance to live there but I didn't take the job as I had just met my husband. I long to go back.
Funny what makes us tick. So many saying NYC. I just visited and really disliked it.

SweetAsSpice · 03/11/2019 20:26

Yes. From London. Fell in love with the coast. So moved there 😍

Poetryinaction · 03/11/2019 20:27

I also spent 6 months in Aix-en-Provence. It was like living in a dream. The climate, architecture, food, wine, surroundings were perfect. And the language is like poetry.

JessicaRarebit · 03/11/2019 20:29

Poland - Krakow and Warsaw

London. So much so I upped sticks from lovely Wales and moved there.

Rainycloudyday · 03/11/2019 20:30

Perth, NYC and the city I live in here in the UK. I often toy with the idea of moving somewhere with cheaper house prices but even the thought of not living here makes me shudder and I know I would cry just looking at a picture of the place so I daren’t risk leaving!

UrbanMage · 03/11/2019 20:33

New York. Extra special because it was our honeymoon location, but I loved it. If DH and I could keep our British working perks, then I'd be harping on about moving there daily as opposed to weekly atm

The only other place is London. I get misty eyed whenever I can go in for the day. Good job DH is a Londoner so I can go in a few times per year when he gets his parents to mind DD. We both miss living there, but couldn't afford it anymore once DD arrived.

Andahelterskelterroundmylittle · 03/11/2019 20:36

South Africa .. something in my very soul sighed when my feet touched the ground. Truly a besotted love affair.
I also love a little village on the far NW coast of Scotland. ..and Edinburgh

Clawdy · 03/11/2019 20:37

The Lake District, particularly the Bassenthwaite area. Every few months, I get a real longing to go back.

Bunnybigears · 03/11/2019 20:41

Gothenburg, I seriously looked into moving but then realised I wasnt rich enough to give up work or clever enough to learn Swedish so I stayed where I am.

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 03/11/2019 20:44

London. I lived there for 2 years, and whenever I go back it settles on me like a well fitting coat. Outside the touristy bits, you're reminded that it doesn't where you come from, you're a local now.

MaudBaileysGreenTurban · 03/11/2019 20:44

I think NYC would be on my list of 'places I could happily live in' too. We stayed on the Upper West Side last year and it is very livable - more relaxed and with a community feel (I was surprised about that tbh) but still obviously 'New York'.

As for London, can't wait to leave. Never, ever thought I'd say that, but I am so over it. Just feel drained by my home city these days.