What makes the perfect beach town?
Dear Reader,
In much of North America and Europe, the classic seashore experience has been lost to time. Out go the single family homes, family-run shops and quiet charm…replaced by apartment complexes lining the beach…chain stores, faceless restaurants and fast food outlets crowding the busy streets…and amusement rides and water parks that promise loud and frenzied fun.
And what’s worse, affordable properties disappear along with the quaint charm…pushing prices out of reach for the average person.
So it’s a relief to discover that there are alternatives…simpler, more relaxed beach towns…that remind you of small friendly beach towns from the 1950s…
Today, we’ll look at what makes the perfect beach town—and an example in Uruguay that fits the bill—with pocket-friendly property prices.
#1. A great beach. You should be able to take this as a given…but I’ve seen popular beach towns where the beaches were, quite frankly, disappointing. For starters, the town should have a sandy beach that’s both clean and pretty.
Piriapolis has a lovely curved white sand beach, tucked into a tranquil cove, with an attractive boardwalk alongside the beach. The beach fills with bathers and sun worshipers in summer season.
The coastline running east of the town is home to Uruguay’s finest beaches. You won’t run short of choice…from the celebrity-studded beaches in Punta del Este to the unspoiled stretches of sand further east in the province of Rocha.
#2. A good location. You don’t want to spend all day driving to the beach…and you also don’t want to spend all day driving from your beach home to buy groceries, go to a mall, or get to the airport.
Piriapolis is just over an hour’s drive from Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital city. Montevideo has a modern international airport, first-rate hospitals, fine dining, culture and entertainment, and big-city shopping. A twenty-minute drive in the other direction, the seaside resort of Punta del Este offers a tempting mix of chic restaurants, fun nightlife, and a glamorous moneyed feel that’s unique in Uruguay.
#3. The Setting. Along with a nice beach, the perfect beach town should have a picturesque setting. Piriapolis’ setting is gorgeously rustic. You wouldn’t know you were so close to Montevideo or Punta.
Pastureland and meadows drop down to the coastline from the craggy Sugar Loaf Mountain. The sparkling blue ocean rolls white-capped waves onto the sandy coastline. The scent of wildflowers hangs in the air. Gauchos on horseback round up sheep and cattle. The rolling fields conceal a fairy-tale castle, old haciendas, and small farms. This place is a rural idyll…with a strong Mediterranean touch.
#4. Amenities. For me, the right combination is some amenities…but not rampant over-development.
Piriapolis was Uruguay’s first beach resort. Founded in the 1890s, the town was developed in a European style. The grand Hotel Argentino, built in the 1930s, sits proudly facing the boardwalk. You can try your luck at the hotel’s casino or relax with one of the thermal spa’s a soothing treatments. You can enjoy a fresh seafood dinner at one of the town’s restaurants…catch a show…or spend the day sailing on the calm ocean (Piriapolis has a small Marina with low rates).
Piriapolis isn’t about crazy nightlife or 24/7 entertainment. Life is simpler here…sunbathing and swimming on the beach… enjoying friendly banter over a barbeque dinner with family or friends…walking or riding in the countryside. And for big-city buzz, it’s on your doorstep in Montevideo or Punta…when you want it.
#5. Charm. A town can have a nice beach, and nice amenities…even friendly locals…but it needs to have charm, too. It’s hard to describe, and what qualifies as “charming” varies from one person to another. Loosely put, it’s a town that puts a big smile on your face…somewhere that makes you comfortable and relaxed… a place that reminds you of childhood summers at the beach…
…a feeling that makes you want to return, and spend more time in a place. And even want to own a piece of it for yourself. Using these criteria, Piriapolis definitely has charm.
Only five minutes from Piriapolis, you can buy lots in a private community from £40,275. In the town itself, a home only 200 meters from the sea, with two beds, is on the market for £68,265. And a luxury apartment overlooking the Marina costs £96,205.
Property prices in the town are significantly lower than those in Punta del Este. That’s because Punta is much better-known…has a certain cachet (it eclipsed Piriapolis as Uruguay’s premier seashore resort)…and is much more developed. But Piriapolis is increasingly popular with expats and second-home owners (it now boasts two expat groups), and that popularity should push property prices upwards. It’s worth taking a look now…while prices are still low.
Source: Pathfinder International