16 Gorgeous Destinations That Will Make You Want To Retire ASAP

Bonus: Most of these also have pretty nice weather. Let Principal Financial Grouphelp you visualize how you'll live your best life when you retire.

1. Colmar, France

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For those who'd like to permanently live in a fairy tale, there's this charming town in the city of Alsace in northeastern France. An artsy spot, Colmar provides much for its residents to do with a wide variety of shops and restaurants and does so the old-fashioned way ('cause just look at it).

2. Cuenca, Ecuador

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Like many places in Central and South America, Ecuador's low living costs allow retirees to get some fairly decent bang for their buck. Cuenca not only captivates its residents with magnificently green and vibrant sights, it has other priceless benefits, such as providing fantastic health care and fresh produce year-round.

3. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

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Located smack in the middle of Mexico, in Guanajuato (one of Mexico's most historical and beautiful states), San Miguel de Allende has been bewitching visitors and drawing new residents for quite some time. The magical town affords residents city-life entertainment without sacrificing small-town vibes. Charming restaurants, electric sights, friendly locals, and romanticism all coexist merrily in this must-see destination.

4. Cyprus

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Sure, it may be clichéd to retire on an island, but sometimes you just gotta be predictable and retire somewhere where every sunset and sunrise is so overwhelmingly breathtaking you'd need a pair of tissues to bear with it all. Anyway, that island would undoubtedly be Cyprus.

5. Malta

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Malta not only looks like a painting, you can also paint the town red in this impossibly beautiful country. A huge plus of this Mediterranean jewel is that most people speak English, which is convenient as you could venture out to its many archeological wonders as often as you please.

6. Pucisca, Croatia

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Part of Brac Island, you'll feel as if you're anchoring in a corner of heaven upon arrival to Pucisca (bringing a bag in case of hyperventilation doesn't seem outrageous to us). Not only does its name sound fun (come on, "Pucisca!" "Pucisca!" — we could chant it all day long or name a cocktail after it), exciting cultural attractions abound in the village, and each one is as breathtaking as the next.

7. Puglia, Italy

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Located in the south of Italy, the region of Puglia is as beautiful as the rest of Italy but possesses a provincial charm that comes with plenty of perks, such as cheaper wine and real estate too (a small to-be-restored home could cost around €30,00). Surreal towns like Alberobello and Ostun are part of this Italian wonderland.

8. Bequia

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If peace, quiet, and artistic inspiration are what you seek, this remote island could easily become your retirement dream. It's like you'll have no choice but to become a prolific painter or writer here. The beach shores across Bequia are so stunning they look like screensavers and, as they're practically desolate, seem to stand in time, waiting for the adventurous to come relish in their immaculate sights.

9. Andorra

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Andorra sits in the Pyrénées, and its size betrays its flawless charm. The tiny country spoils residents and visitors alike with intoxicating beauty, a variety of monuments rich in history, and over 2,000 shops. You can live in Andorra as a "passive resident" if you're not working in the country.

10. Lexington, Kentucky

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If you're not a fan of traffic but a fan of horses and can envision your future sitting on a porch overlooking green fields and a ravishing sunset as crickets chirp gently in the background, then this gorgeous lil' place is perfect to live your retirement out in full, country-life glory.

11. Bocas del Toro, Panama

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"Bocas del Toro" literally means "Mouths of the Bull," but retiring to this archipelago is more like stepping into the mouth of a perfectly flossed and hygienic angel. Panama has become a retiree hot spot, probably due to its nice weather and relatively inexpensive cost of living. Bocas del Toro specifically is quite multicultural and offers residents plenty of opportunities to have a blast.

12. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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In Puerto Vallarta, locals are friendly and welcoming, fresh fruit and snacks are offered on every corner (not to mention deliciously fresh fish), and the coastline appears to envelop the modest small town in a canopy of ethereal beauty. Basically, it's a magical municipality that just kinda happened to get blessed with a beach. There are about 35,000 U.S. and Canadian retirees in Puerto Vallarta, probably all living their best lives thanks to health care accessibility and low real estate prices.

13. Lake Atlitan, Guatemala

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Guatemala is full of natural wonders, cheap, not too far from the U.S., and the weather is so perfect in Lake Atlitan it's called "The Land of Eternal Spring."

14. Cascais, Portugal

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Apparently, there's nothing Cascais doesn't have. Retiring here is simply dreamy, and it's possible to live in Cascais for €35,000 a year. You'd have plenty of opportunities not only to maximize your time in the city through wonderful dining, fishing, and frolicking, but also to explore nearby countries (read: Spain and France) or just stare down a cliff for 20 hours in complete awe of the area's beauty...'cause why not?

15. Colorado Springs, Colorado

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Any place with a word like "Springs" in its name is bound to be pretty sweet. Enter: Colorado Springs – part shopper's paradise, part nature lover's wonderland.

16. Orvieto, Italy

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Once you retire, you probably want to live a laid-back life, listen to jazz all day, pick grapes as a hobby, and rejoice in seeing your orchids sprouting new blooms. Well, the town to do all that could definitely be Orvieto, a breathtaking Medieval city where being old will never get old.

The first step to your retirement is to visualize it. Share your retirement vision with the Principal Financial Group and they may bring it to life with a custom drawing. #SeeYourRetirement.