In a major coastal city, you have the best of both worlds.
You have access to big city services and amenities like top-notch shopping, fine dining, entertainment, museums, modern rapid transit, and the like…while enjoying access to beaches, boating, and other seaside activities.
You could be lingering over an espresso at a sidewalk café on a plaza with a centuries-old church belltower looming above in the morning…enjoying fresh catch seafood with a view over the water at lunch time…and then take a dip in the sea…before heading home in the afternoon to get ready for a concert that evening.
All those types of activities—and more—are on offer in the properties my team found below in some of the world’s best seaside cities—with the added bonus that they are in mild weather locales where a day by the water is a good idea most of the year.
Naples, Italy
Listing Price: €90,000 ($106,663)
Founded by Greeks, taken over by Romans, invaded by Gothic barbarians, ruled as an independent kingdom for years until made part of a few European empires…Naples’s history mirrors that of much of Europe.
Today, it’s a vibrant and frenetic port city—in southern Italy life is lived out loud and in the streets—that looks to the future with one foot firmly in the past. It’s a city of churches, piazzas, and palazzos…grand avenues and narrow alleys in quiet neighborhoods. And its streets are lined with historic architecture and populated with museums of ancient artifacts and Renaissance treasures.
You’ll also find plenty of places to enjoy one of the most famous inventions and exports of this Mediterranean port: pizza—baked in a wood-fired oven, of course, with fresh mozzarella and basil.
In the heart of the city and close to Piazza Garibaldi, one of the main plazas in town, is the above two-bedroom apartment. It’s on the second floor, but there is an elevator.
Mazatlán, Mexico
Listing Price: 1,480,000 Mexican peso ($74,208)
Known as the Pearl of the Pacific, Mazatlán is a rare seaside colonial city that mixes centuries-old architecture in its historic centro with a long stretch of golden-sand beach along the expansive bay lined with modern condos, hotels, and resorts.
The Malecon, or seaside promenade, is nearly five miles long. The perfect place to take a long walk, then enjoy a cold drink and taco from a street vendor as you watch the sun sink over the horizon.
It’s an expat favorite, especially during winter, when retirees from the northern U.S. and Canada flock here to flee chilly weather.
A centrally located two-bedroom condo is close to the beach, as well as the old town. You’ll be just minutes from some of the city’s best restaurants, museums, shopping, and other sights.
Montevideo, Uruguay
Listing Price: $83,000
Uruguay has been described as the “Switzerland of South America,” thanks to its reputation for safety and stability in a sometimes-turbulent continent…as well as a focus on banking privacy.
In the inland regions, you have vast grasslands where cattle graze, well-regarded vineyards, and other agricultural operations.
Along the coast, you have the jet-set destination of Punta del Este, quieter villages, and, of course, the capital, Montevideo. Founded in 1724, it mixes colonial, Art Deco, and cutting-edge architecture. About one-third of the country’s population lives here.
In the historic district is a modern, one-bedroom loft-style apartment in a restored building. It’s perfectly situated, walking distance to the best the city has to offer.
