Discovering
The Good Life Abroad
Discovering The Good Life Abroad: A Month of Community-Based Living in Europe
What if you could live like a local in Europe for a month—without the stress of planning every detail? In our recent webinar, founder Andrew Motiwalla and program participant Susan Barnes shared insights into how The Good Life Abroad makes extended European living accessible, comfortable, and truly community-centered for adults 55 and older.
From Dream to Reality: Why The Good Life Abroad Was Created
After 30 years in the travel industry, Andrew Motiwalla noticed a recurring pattern. Travelers loved visiting Europe but dreamed of something more—actually living there. Not rushing from sight to sight on a tour bus, but settling into a neighborhood, shopping at local markets, and becoming part of the community.
Yet when asked why they hadn't pursued this dream, people voiced the same concerns: What if I get lonely? What if the apartment doesn't match the photos? What if I choose the wrong neighborhood? What if something goes wrong?
The answer became clear: community is the secret sauce. Having other like-minded travelers around makes the experience less lonely, safer, and infinitely more enjoyable. The Good Life Abroad was born from this insight—combining vetted apartments, local support, and a built-in community to create an experience that's both independent and connected.
What Makes The Good Life Abroad Different
Every program includes these core features designed specifically for travelers 55 and older:
Modern, Vetted Apartments
Forget cramped European bathrooms where you can't turn around. The Good Life Abroad apartments are selected with your comfort in mind—walk-in showers, elevators (except in rare cases where you're notified in advance), and fully equipped kitchens. As Susan Barnes, who spent a month in Florence, shared:
"Our apartment was beautiful. You say they're small. They are compared to what we have here, but compared to the rest of Europe, and we've stayed in a lot of apartments, they're very spacious."
The apartments aren't just places to sleep—they're your home base. Located in residential neighborhoods just outside the tourist zones, they put you within walking distance of attractions while surrounding you with grocery stores, cafes, and the rhythm of local life.
Your Built-In Community
This isn't just group travel—it's cohort-based community living. Everyone arrives on the same day and begins together with an orientation and welcome party. From there, connections naturally form around shared interests.
Susan described the experience: "It's kind of like moving into the dorm when you're in college. It takes a while to kind of feel people out and see what you're interested in, but within a day or two, you know who's going to want to do what."
Through WhatsApp groups, community members organize everything from morning runs to book clubs, weekend getaways to impromptu dinners. One group even stayed in touch months after their program ended, checking in about travel adventures and offering support.
Local Community Managers
Your community manager is more than a tour guide—they're your local insider, problem-solver, and cultural bridge. These staff members come from tourism or hospitality backgrounds and are there to help you get the most from your month abroad.
They meet with you one-on-one at the start of your program to understand your goals. Want to improve your Italian? Interested in Renaissance history? Planning a weekend trip to Venice? Your community manager provides suggestions and recommendations tailored to your interests.
Susan praised her Florence community managers, Giacomo and Martina: "They were fantastic. Martina alerted us about the lighting of the tree in the Duomo Plaza, which we wouldn't have known about if she hadn't told us that."
Structured Activities—With Plenty of Freedom
The Good Life Abroad strikes a balance between organized activities and independent exploration. Each week includes:
Tuesday Lunch Club: Multi-hour meals at local restaurants, often in different neighborhoods or nearby towns
Wednesday Cultural Activities: Cooking classes, craft workshops, painting sessions—experiences that connect you to local culture
Thursday Happy Hours: More than just drinks—these are opportunities to share weekend plans and build community
Welcome Orientation and Party: Start your journey with practical knowledge and new friendships
But notice what's missing from the schedule? Long stretches of unplanned time. Friday through Monday are yours to explore, rest, or pursue personal interests. This isn't a tour—it's your month to design.
Living Like a Local: The Florence Experience
Susan's month in the Oltrarno neighborhood of Florence illustrates what daily life looks like. Located across the Arno River, less than a mile from the city center, the neighborhood offered an authentic slice of Florentine life.
"We really began to feel like natives," Susan explained. "You'd be going down the street and you'd see somebody, you know, hey, how are you? Let's go get coffee. We learned the grocery stores. The little checker at the store we went to knew us."
Rather than the Costco culture of America, Susan and her husband adopted the European rhythm: stopping at the grocery store every couple of days, buying fresh local produce, and cooking it that day or the next. They typically made breakfast at home, enjoyed lunch out, then had a light dinner of soup or sandwiches with their leftovers.
The cultural activities brought special depth. During the leather craft workshop, participants made their own belts while learning to distinguish authentic Florentine leather from imports. At the cooking class that doubled as a Tuesday Lunch Club, they made fresh pasta from scratch and enjoyed it together.
One memorable lunch featured a full traditional Italian meal—antipasti, primi piatti, secondi—courses that might feel overwhelming to order alone but became a shared adventure among new friends.
Two Program Options: Signature and Short Stays
One-Month Signature Programs
The signature programs offer a full month in cities like Florence, Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Madrid. These feature independent apartments in residential neighborhoods where you truly settle in and create your home away from home.
Two-Week Short Stays
For those with less time or wanting to explore multiple destinations, short stay programs offer two weeks in smaller towns like Porto, Edinburgh, Nice, Granada, Lake Como, and Heraklion (Crete). These use full-service apart-hotels, allowing you to hit the ground running without worrying about household setup.
Many travelers combine programs—spending a month in Lisbon, then two weeks in Porto, for example. Or they create custom experiences by mixing two different two-week destinations.
Solo Traveler Sessions
While solo travelers are welcome in all programs (making up about 25-30% of participants), some sessions are designated specifically for solo travelers. These guarantee you'll be surrounded by others traveling alone, though Susan noted that in Florence, "We had several [solo travelers]... All were well-traveled and traveled alone for years. They do The Good Life because they really said they enjoy being with the other solo travelers, but also the couples that were on the trip. We just sort of all melded together."
The Details That Matter
Travel Medical Insurance Included
Every program includes travel medical insurance and evacuation coverage, providing peace of mind as you explore.
Visitors Welcome
Want your grandchildren to visit while you're living in Rome? They're welcome. Visitors can join informal community activities, though official scheduled activities are reserved for program participants.
Bring Your Own Housing Option
Some cities allow you to find your own accommodation while still participating in all community activities—ideal if you want to bring a pet, need specific amenities, or prefer a different budget point.
Who Thrives in This Community
The typical participant is around 67 years old, with about 90% coming from the United States or Canada. But what really unites them isn't geography or age—it's a shared appreciation for cultural immersion and meaningful travel.
These are well-traveled people who understand that the value of extended stays lies not in checking off sights but in the small daily pleasures: morning coffee at a neighborhood cafe, conversations with shopkeepers, discovering the flower show at the convention center, or simply watching daily life unfold from a park bench.
Making Your European Living Dream Real
The beauty of The Good Life Abroad is how it removes the obstacles that keep people from pursuing extended European stays. You don't need to:
Research neighborhoods and apartments
Navigate foreign lease agreements
Worry about being lonely
Figure out healthcare logistics
Plan every activity and meal
Instead, you arrive to a vetted apartment in a community of like-minded travelers, with local support and a framework for both structured activities and independent exploration.
As Susan reflected: "The Good Life Abroad was one of the most pleasant experiences we've done. It takes a lot of burden off me as the trip planner not to pick out the wrong apartment."
Ready to Explore?
Whether you're drawn to Tuscan hills, Spanish plazas, Portuguese coastal towns, or Parisian boulevards, The Good Life Abroad offers a way to truly live—not just visit—Europe's most beautiful cities.
Join an upcoming webinar to learn more about specific destinations, ask questions, and connect with others who share your dream of extended European living. Your month abroad is waiting.