Why Move To Portugal?

Portugal is home to Europe’s best beaches, 1,115 miles of coastline, and 300 days a year (3,300 hours) of sunny skies… but to think of this special place as merely a beach getaway is a mistake…

Portugal’s borders date back to 1139 B.C., officially making it the oldest country in the Old World. To state the obvious, that’s thousands of years—more history has happened here than most places in the world. The upside of all of this history is that you’ll never run out of ancient places to discover…

The entire country is a cross between a national park, a museum, and a coastal resort—all with the constant, ever-present charm of the Old World.

Sure, if you wanted, you could spend all of your time relaxing and enjoying the beach, but there’s so much more than summer fun to be had here…

In the mornings, you could explore the caves and coves of the world’s most fascinating coast…

Hike the Roman walls and medieval castles around noon…

Play a round of golf at one of the world’s best golf courses, located right here…

Or ride a rickety tram up narrow cobblestone streets to get to the Castelo de São Jorge overlooking the ancient city of Lisbon…

And, to cap it all off, you could enjoy dinner at a vineyard where the local chef has put together a tasting menu.

You can indulge in any interest you could imagine here, from boating, diving, and hiking to regular nights out at the theater and museum and gallery afternoons.

And all this comes as a bargain price. One couple we know is living in a villa close to the beach with a charming town for about US$1,600 a month.

Fresh fish is always available, Wi-Fi is fast and everywhere, the people are friendly and most important for them… it’s safe.

In fact, Portugal is one of the most peaceful nations on Earth… Portugal came in as the #3 safest country in the world in the 2019 Global Peace Index. If you’re wondering, the #1 and #2 places are Iceland and New Zealand. Both are beautiful and worthwhile places, but neither place is easy for residency… especially if you’re retired.

Portugal boasts beaches, a can’t-beat location, and, of course, a welcoming list of tax incentives and easy-to-get visas for foreigners… In other words, Portugal rolls out the welcome mat.

And it’s all neatly wrapped up with the peace of mind of living in the world’s 3rd safest place.

An estimated 50,000 of Portugal’s more than 100,000 resident foreigners are reportedly British. The fact that a near majority of expats are Anglophones means meeting people is easy—and also means that most Portuguese speak English pretty well. No matter where in the country you settle, you’re sure to be able to plug into a strong network of English-speaking expats.

Plus, the Portuguese are extremely welcoming to expats. If you get lost, they’ll point you in the right direction. If you are about to spend 6 euros on a glass of wine, they’ll tell you where to get it for half the price.

And the language? They know it’s tough for outsiders, so the government made it a rule that every child must take English classes for nine years.

The infrastructure is top-notch. The health care is world-class… and a fraction of the cost of care in North America. Become a resident, and health care is free (no kidding).

Retirement income is not taxed. Various other income is not taxed either…

And property can be an absolute bargain, both to buy and to rent.