If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Here in good old Brum. We have everything we need/want with lovely parks, a beautiful arboretum and lakes within a short drive. However if we are talking dream destinations, I am in love with Venice. We went for the fifth time this year. I would go back in a heartbeat but DH says NO

Right here in Bedfordshire. Having lived in various parts of the UK I have found my home here, and always get a wonderful feeling of contentment when I cross the county boundary on the way home whether I’ve been away for a day or for weeks.

Oreo

Def here in England, but would find a quiet small town in maybe Dorset to move to when we retire.Having said that, Mum and my girls and DGC are all local to where I live now so would be hard to leave at all.In the end people matter more than places.

Yes would agree, people matter more than places. Do love Somerset though.

It's not about the place; it's about the people. I would have liked to retire to Scotland, the land of my birth, but my sons and their families are in the south of England and I have ended up there to be close to them.

I was far more inclined to be a wanderer in my earlier years and had dreams of living somewhere on the Mediterranean such as Italy or France, but I've decided I like living in England now, it's home. Although I also enjoy living where I am, I have a constant desire to be near the sea even just to sit and mindlessly stare at it, so somewhere on the Devon or Dorset coasts appeal, but too much upheaval our move of 4 plus or so years ago is still fresh in my mind.

Anywhere but here! Not that I dislike my home area but we have lived in our present house for25 years and in the area for more than 50. The advantage is that I know loads of people here but I feel there is so much of Britain I could have experienced by living elsewhere especially as much of my childhood was peripatetic having been a £10 Pom. My dream would be to live in the Western Isles where my ancestors came from and we have visited several times on holiday but I do agree with the posters who say family comes first and all my AC live in this area.

I’d like to live within easy reach of London, where my family are and where I can see opera and ballet. I used to live there, but work brought me north. Although where I live is quite nice, I’d still rather be in the south.

I’m not asking much, but I’d like a flat in Paris, one in London and one in Rome.
Apart from that, I’d add a cottage in Oxfordshire!

There's nowhere in the world better than Devon,, so right here is where I always want to stay.
But, we almost emigrated to Australia back when our children were young, and, having since visited Australia and loved it,
I do wonder whether we might have had a better life there.
It's just a whimsical thought though. Devon is heaven.

That brought a memory for me henetha. Years ago my friend's little girl had one grandmother who had gone to heaven and she knew the other one lived in Devon. She asked if Devon was next to heaven.

David49

For me NZ is a long way from anywhere, a nice place to holiday but very restrictive in activity, better is small town Australia we have visited many and the community spirit is better than most in the UK, so that would be my choice if I was looking to move.

However my family is in the UK so we will continue to rough it in our leafy corner of the south midlands.

New Zealand:
A long way from Europe - yes.
A nice place to visit - absolutely.
I’ll accept expensive.
But ‘restrictive in activity’ from someone who doesn’t or I suspect has never lived here, takes some swallowing.

Isle of Man. Most beautiful, relaxing place in the world.

Oh, that's lovely, Kate1949. In my opinion she was absolutely right.

Yes Devon is beautiful.

Here, in England but somewhere leafier and nearer to the south coast.

For those thinking of NZ I heard on r4 news a few days ago that people are leaving NZ in droves. It’s causing concern for the authorities.
Most go to Australia but many are off to also further flung places too. So plenty of room presumably for everyone.
I havnt been there but heard it’s very nice and reminiscent of the UK in its glory days, but obviously don’t know.
It’s probably the furthest of all places from the uk, so for me, far too far away.

I wouldn’t want to be seen as an outsider or immigrant in another country. I am quite happy with where I live and am lucky to have my son and daughter and their families nearby.

I don’t think we are immigrants, definitely not, we are ex pats.

There's so many variables imo.

All else being equal (ie I'm thinking of the main street being a steep hill - coupled with the fact I'm still currently dealing with chest issues) = Totnes I think. Quite a bit of an "alternative" type slant, a lot of places where I can eat out my type of food or buy it for consumption at home. Attractive.

To be perfect though - I'd want to take it back to the 1980s. Mind you I'd want to take everywhere back to the (early) 1980s - before our Normal Society started on its downwards slope.

It's not bad though and has even stood up pretty well to having gone through Lockdown - which decimated a lot of other places. Most recent visit there revealed it still felt "normal" and shops etc still open and just a few Lockdown reminders (eg stickers on the outside of shop windows - easily removed......ahem...).

My southern English city I'm from - also reverted to the 1980s (as it has been hit by events since then and also hit by a huge building programme).

“But ‘restrictive in activity’ from someone who doesn’t or I suspect has never lived here, takes some swallowing.”

I’ve friends living there and I have visited, a lot the variety we take for granted in Europe simply is not available in NZ, whether business, cultural or employment the choices are not there.
There is a very good reason why so many Kiwis live in other places

Our friends in NZ have been taking month-long holidays in parts of southern Europe almost every year of late. I think they miss the sense of history that they grew up with in Britain. Although NZ does look a perfect place, beautiful scenery and diverse, quite glacial in the south island I believe. Certainly less punishing heat than Australia who have some of the world's deadliest spiders to boot.

I think the main reason might be jobs. Not a lot of employment for New Zealanders. The ones I have met recently and over the years are all lovely people with a great sense of humour. I’m not sure about the restricted thing - shops are great, food is fantastic and there are plenty of live activities - just expensive.

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Barbados

(If you need to ask why, then you've never been there!!)
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As a young person Barbados would have been my choice too.
Over my lifetime I have visited many countries, but never Barbados unfortunately.

I'd choose to live in the 1970's. So much nicer than today.