What European country would you move to in a heartbeat?

[carolineofcanton]

If you had the chance to. Feel free to be more specific as some countries have wide regional disparities. I would move to Belgium.

Why Denmark? Why Sweden?

Sounds like an amazing childhood you had there. I've seen Norway a number of times on this thread, so there must be a lot going for it. Where did you live in Norway as a child? Was it Oslo or Bergen?

We were in a town called Kristiansund, which is around 500km north of Bergen. It’s a gorgeous wee place that consists of four main islands and lots of smaller ones. I think we were placed there due to proximity to underwater oilfields. (My dad worked for Shell.)

Look how pretty it is 😍

Cyprus. Absolutely love the place.

France or Switzerland. I'd say The Netherlands too but their far right politicians are far too popular.

It does vary as you say quite a lot between regions. But you do get a fair amount of the negatives of both France and the Netherlands, with few of the redeeming qualities of either .

What a magical childhood you must have had! I bet the views must have been breathtaking for you to recollect your time there so fondly. There must have been so many family weekends spent in natural and scenic escapes. Obviously the quality of life in that prosperous town is superb (love the name of it! So Nordic!)

Austria or Norway.

So happy to be out of the UK

Why not?

Ignore me. I see the question has been answered.

Have you seen this course? https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/lets-learn-portuguese-language

I think Futurelearn offers another one as well.

I saw someone mentioned Freiburg, it is a lovely city and very well located for France and Switzerland too. But the locals are seriously up themselves. There's a reason it's twinned with Guildford (which inhabitants an MN non-scientific survey decided were similarly up themselves a couple of years ago - I think it came second to Bath).

I love your list!

The Zurich HB is a major interchange in Europe. You're well situated to reach anywhere basically.

It's like a cross between France and Holland

I've lived in Copenhagen for those saying Denmark - lovely and good lifestyle but it really is Denmark for the Danes- it has some very odd things too that are Danish specific - personally having also been there a lot I would pick Stockholm or Lund in Sweden . Very similar feel but a bit cheaper ' more Anglophile and more stuff I am used to like Amazon, Uber , being able to afford a car etc ( Dane's don't allow either and car buying is ludicrous ) the Danes are really hardball on Brexit too - we were quizzed vigorously every single time post Jan 2021 - even with residents visa - and they charge big handling charges for receiving anything from UK - as I say, I love many things about it but it's not an easy option and you can't get citizenship without speaking Danish which is a very hard language.

@sharpclawedkitten I live in Bath and like Freiburg, Guildford and Bath and definitely am not up myself- I'm an ex mining town gal from the Midlands- anywhere that's 'a bit posh/ attractive ' will have a mix of people - personally I thought the most up itself places I've been to were Solihull and bits off Bristol ( we lived there too) , with not that much reason to be up themselves .

Wales! Except I already did, after 25 years working in Scandinavia I have retired blissfully in scenic Wales.

There was a thread a few years ago and Bath came first on the list, sorry

Edited: it might have been this thread: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4245827-Snobbiest-places-in-the-UK

I don't live very far from Guildford and used to work there for a while, and there's definitely a vibe of being up oneself there. And I've come across more stuck up people in Freiburg than in the rest of Germany put together.

Possibly Italy. Although I've never been. The food and climate would suit me.

Been looking at jobs i could apply for in Poland since this thread started and dusting off my pimsleur cds, maybe something I might looked to at least try and do in a year or so.

@sharpclawedkitten I know- I don't get it I must admit and I've lived all over-

If you were to draw a big circle around Slovenia to include Austria, Croatia, and Italy (and of course Slovenia itself) I think I'd be quite happy anywhere in that region! You get the best of the Germanic, Mediterranean, and Balkan cultures all rolled into one.

Such good wine and pumpkin seed oil.

@exhauste off to Vienna at New year- no idea why we haven't been before but looks excellent