To ask for your suggestions on where to live in the UK, south of France, Northern Italy or Spain

[Kigali78]

I’d value your suggestions.

I work in Asia and will soon be selling a house in the UK near London. I’d like to buy a small place (2-3 bedrooms / apartment or townhouse) in a pines town/city but have no idea where - somewhere around the Mediterranean, or in the UK.

I’m looking for:
-somewhere coastal or on a river
-somewhere pretty - an attractive town/city
-somewhere where I can walk to restaurants, bars and cafes
-somewhere with stunning countryside nearby
-low crime
-if not in the UK, then within 30km from a decent airport

In terms of prices - if not in the UK, then to about £150k. In the UK - up to about £250-£300k

Thanks ☺️ if you like where you live, please suggest it!

Not in Scotland it's not.

Frejus in southern France.

Just be aware that the Cote d'Azure gets mega busy in the summer months. If you want to travel anywhere along that coast you'd be better getting a train.

Villefranche-sur-mer is also a lovely town. If you're fine with cities, we've always loved Nice. We always look in immobliers and can usually find something for the price you're looking at providing you avoid St Tropez, Juan les pins and Antibes.

Nice does not have remotely low crime.

Edinburgh?

I don't know it other than a few days' visit here and there so can't comment on the crime rate etc, but RightMove suggests you might get a 2-3 bed flat for your budget.

Also, Newcastle u Tyne and the neighbouring coast, as you have mentioned.

Newcastle/Northumberland

I was also thinking Portugal. Visas are much more forthcoming.
Coimbra gets good reviews.

Although it’s not 30km from an airport. That may need to be your compromise op.

Worcester? You could buy in the Tything or Northwick area and be a short walk to the river. The city is attractive with lots of bars and restaurants. Very close to the beautiful Malvern Hills.

Would you consider being closer to a train station with excellent fast trains rather than travelling by air? If so, it would open up a host of other cities and be a more restful way to travel, in my opinion.

While not the South of France, which is way too hot for me, if I could live anywhere I'd choose Brittany. The coast, the history, the wonderful holidays I've had there!

Northern Italy is expensive and the weather often terrible much of the year.

What you’re describing would suit Dorset or Devon in England (Devon probably not close enough to London), but your budget won’t get you a property there for that, so go for Italy.

But no cities do. The op is open to cities.

I’d look at the NW Lake District, beaches, stunning scenery, ticks all the boxes.

Id also look at Algarve in Portugal

Lots of cities have relatively low crime. I wouldn’t suggest Naples but there are plenty of smaller cities and towns that are lovely safe places to live

Buying in Italy is quite hard, you have a lot of red tape to deal with. I live in Milan, in the better areas of the city you might get a one bedroom flat that's around 20 square metres for around £200,000 - £350,000 (area depending)
We have around 5 months a year of hot humid weather (and a lot of mosquitoes!) and then rest is cold damp, and smoggy/ foggy, often colder than UK. Saying all that I love living here.

Probably being dim here, but won't the UK apartment for your daughter need to be local to whatever uni she's going to? Or have I misunderstood?