Greece is a country “with 300 days of sunshine a year, picturesque beaches, ancient monuments and mild winters”. And all this makes it an attractive destination “not only for those who love to travel, but also for more and more real estate buyers. That is why the country is becoming more and more popular as a refuge for those who retire”, writes the financial review Handelsblatt.

“For conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who […] has put the economy back on track, this is a sustainable business model. By providing tax incentives, Mitsotakis wants to encourage even more pensioners from abroad to move to Greece. And the plan works. […] Besides, among the incentives offered by the government is an income tax of just 7% for anyone who decides to transfer their tax residence to Greece.”

However, there are other reasons for a retiree to come to Greece. “As stated by Christian Zeirer, CEO of the German Global Immobilien-Service specializing in Greece, “after the pandemic, the need for tranquility and privacy is constantly growing”. […] In addition, there is the issue of insurance coverage, which is important for those seniors who decide to migrate. Anyone who receives a pension in Germany, is a member of the compulsory insurance system and has a European Insurance Card, can be served by the Greek health system. On the contrary, anyone working in Greece must be insured there. And the Greek public health system has a good reputation. But when it comes to complex tests or certain surgeries, waiting times can be long.”

THE Handelsblatt also tells the story of a German couple from Munich, who “in 2012, at the height of the Greek debt crisis, bought a holiday home in Aegina – which shortly afterwards became their permanent residence”. At some point it was found that under the foundations of the house “there was a burial place. And according to the estimates of the archaeologists, it was a cemetery from the Byzantine period.”

The house, however, has been legally built. “So what’s it like to sleep with the thought that under the foundations of your house are bones from the Byzantine era? “Very well,” replies the husband. “Ever since we found out, we feel an even stronger connection with the land we live on. We feel a connection with the people who have found eternal peace here, and thus we feel that we also have a responsibility.”