Some Of The Many Reasons To Move To Portugal
Posted on 12th August 2021 at 11:42
If you are thinking of moving to Portugal, you are not alone. Many people who have been to Portugal for a holiday become instantly enchanted by the relaxed way of life, the relatively cheap cost of living, the sun, and in some cases the golf courses. Of course, having mentioned the sun, while there is a lot of it, in December and January the temperature in central and northern Portugal can go below freezing, and even the Algarve has been known to have a drop of snow. Nonetheless, according to Live And Invest Overseas, Portugal, and especially the Algarve, was the No 1 best place in the world to retire in 2020.
As with moving to any country, there is a different way of life and there are things that you should know before making a decision. The language is Portuguese, not Spanish, and although the two languages have many similarities, nonetheless The Spanish have difficult understanding the Portuguese and vice versa. So, if you did “O” level Spanish at school, you will still probably need to undertake some lessons in Portuguese.
There is more to Portugal than just the part of it that is on the west of Spain. There are the Azores and Madeira which are islands (somewhat like the isle of Wight) that are 900 miles and 600 miles out into the North Atlantic respectively.
The beaches in Portugal are fabulous. When you get to Portugal, just head south or west until the land runs out, and you will be delighted.
The cost of living in Portugal is way below that of the UK. To give you an idea, the average salary in Portugal in 2020 was €17,560 compared with €36,850 in the UK. So, your pension will go a lot further in Portugal than it ever will here.
Another good reason to move to Portugal is if you like fish. Cod is on the menu just about everywhere, and so are sardines which are eaten freshly grilled on a slice of bread. You will also find Atlantic sea bass, stone bass, golden bream, oysters, clams, and mussels in the local fish markets. There is also a wide range of locally grown fresh vegetables including sweet potatoes, several types of cheeses - especially soft cheeses – and the famous acorn-fed black pork. In addition, there are olives, figs, almonds, pine nuts, grapes, and citrus. There is also a huge choice of different wines, and of course there is port from the Douro Valley.
It is also easy to buy a property in Portugal. In most cases, all you need is a personal fiscal number which you can get from the local tax office. Furthermore, expats are in demand. If you move to the Algarve, there are a lot of expats from the UK there already, so you will be among a lot of fellow countrymen. It is also easy to obtain a work visa if you need one.
If you don’t go to the Algarve, there are plenty of other beautiful places to live such as the rugged and dramatic mountains on Portugal’s eastern border (especially the Serra de São mountain park), the elegant lakes of the Minho region in the northwest, and the forested Rota Vicentina coastal trails of the southwest. There is also a great national park in the north.
Of course, moving furniture to Portugal is something that you will need to consider, but at Movers International we have over 30 years’ experience. In fact, we make moving furniture to Portugal a doddle because we can not only move a whole houseful, but we also undertake regular runs to Portugal every couple of weeks. That means that if you only need to move a few items they can go on one of those regular runs as a part load, and it will save you a lot of money too.
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