Moving Expats To The Algarve For Over 30 Years
Posted on 20th January 2022 at 12:57
Portugal is a friendly, welcoming country, and most of the population speaks English, which are two good reasons for moving there, whether you are retiring, or just want to live in the sun. Indeed, if the latter is the case, then you should consider the Algarve because it has 3,000 hours of sunshine every year – that’s over 8 hours a day! Yet there are cooling breezes coming off the Atlantic in the summer, so it doesn’t get over-heated.
There is also a sizable expat community on the Algarve, with over half of them being British or Irish. Indeed, Britons have been living in the Algarve for more than 30 years now, and at Movers International we have been responsible for Portugal removals for many of them. They are well represented in local businesses and social communities.
Not only that, but you can get to the Algarve on a flight to Faro which only takes 2½ hours, so it is easy if you want to take a trip back to the UK to visit family and friends. There is a fast motorway network on the Algarve, and in the towns and villages the traffic is light, there is no congestion, and you can park almost anywhere.
The food and drink in the Algarve is great. Since it is on the coast, there is plenty of fresh fish to be had from the Atlantic including sea bass, cod, stone bass, and golden bream, along with mussels, clams, and oysters, and the local delicacy goose barnacles. There is a wide choice of seasonal fruit and veg including things such as sweet potatoes, and olives, grapes, figs, almonds, oranges, and limes. There is also the famous black pork from pigs fed on acorns, and a lot of cured hams and soft cheeses.
As for the wine, Portugal has been making it for hundreds of years, so there are plenty of vineyards with a wide choice of varieties, and of course there is also port.
Portugal is also a cheap country as regards living expenses. What with all the locally produced food and wine, there are also low property prices which are even less than in Spain next door, and public transport is also cheap. There is also a very favourable tax rate for foreigners who move to Portugal, and if you have income from overseas, there is no tax to pay on it provided it has already been taxed at source under an applicable double-taxation treaty.
There is a free health service in Portugal and the cost of prescription medicines is subsidised and tax-deductible. Dental and veterinary costs are low and of a high standard, and private health insurance is also reasonable.
If you are a golfer, you will love the Algarve. It has 35 golf courses including some of the best in Europe. Since you have the Atlantic, there are plenty of water sports available including fishing, windsurfing, water-skiing, parasailing, scuba diving, yacht charters, and more. There are also plenty of tennis courts, facilities for bowls and squash, areas for mountain biking, and even opportunities for flying a microlite. In addition, there are theme parks, and there is also a zoo with 120 different species.
Whether you are moving a whole houseful of belongings or just a few items, we can help you with Portugal removals. We have a regular run to Portugal every couple of weeks. Our packing team are experts and will pack all of your belongings in such a way that they will not move about in transit and will arrive at your new home in the sun in perfect condition.
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