Updated 2026
I originally wrote this post in 2019 when I had only been living in Portugal for 3 years. I am now celebrating my 10th year as a resident and so much has changed since those early days. I’ve learnt a lot about Portugal, faced extreme challenges and even built my business around the country I chose to call home. It hasn’t always been easy (far from it) but Portugal has now become more of a home to me than anywhere else in my life.
This post has been updated over the years but I have tried not to edit any of the original thought and feelings (even though some of them feel embarrassing) because it shows the true naivity of expatriate/ immigrant life which I think is important to consider if you are moving to Portugal.
Planning a trip to Portugal? You’re in the right place! Welcome to Travel Planning and Itinerary design by Candy. Olá! I’m an independent travel advisor living in Portugal (since 2016). I help people plan their dream trip to Portugal, Spain and Italy. You’re currently reading a post from my collection of travel guides. I also offer personal travel consultation and a bespoke itinerary service.
My Portugal Timeline
2016: Moved to Portugal from the UK with my partner at the time. I had visited Portugal several times before this. Lived in an apartment block in Lagos for 7 months to “test the waters”. This was before Brexit.
2017: My partner purchased a house in a small village with a windmill and the best piri-piri chicken shop in Portugal (I still claim this today). We lived here for 3 years but then went out separate ways.
2020: Brexit. I was granted official residency. It was this year I started discovering other parts of Portugal and began to understand how diverse and beautiful the country really is. I had a particularly soul-finding journey in Alentejo this same year which prompted me to make a big life change and move to a different part of the country. I moved myself to Lisbon for a brief stint before remembering that I am a beach girl not a city girl. In an incredible stroke of luck I found an apartment in Cascais. (I was supposed to stay for one month, 6 years later I am still here).
2021 & 2022: I went through several health crises including a cancer diagnosis that tested what it really meant to live in a country not your “own”. I came out the other side scarred but more in love with Portugal than ever before. Over this period of time, in a bid to make the most of life I started traveling to other parts of Portugal whenever I could. This year was the first (of many) trips to Madeira.
2023: The same year as diagnosis I launched my travel planning business, helping others plan their trip to Portugal. This year I grew the business as I traveled deeper into Portugal and its archipelagos.
2024: I finally reconnected with my love of the outdoors (one of the main reasons I moved to Portugal in the first place). I started hiking and open-water swimming again. I hiked the entire Fisherman’s Trail and summited Portugal’s highest point – Mt. Pico in Azores.
2025: I trained for and completed my first Ironman 70.3 in Cascais and found a wonderful community who have turned into my best friends (9 years after moving to Portugal – important point!)
2026: I am more in love with Portugal than ever before and I finally feel settled. I’m currently training for my first full Ironman. On my list of trips this year is the remote north east, a carnival road trip, the N2 and as always, more time drinking wine in Alentejo. In addition to this I’ve pledged to get to know Lisbon better.
Moving to Portugal – First Thoughts
I was really naive when I first moved to Portugal. I genuinely expected it to be easy especially because the country is in Europe and is so close to the UK. I wasn’t scared or apprehensive in any way, just majorly excited. The decision to move to Portugal wasn’t a particularly hard one and for the first year it did feel very easy. However when we actually moved into a house and started to settle the challenging aspects became much more obvious.
I often get asked questions such as :
Why did you choose Portugal?
What is the hardest thing about living in Portugal?
Is it easy to meet people?
I’ll try my best to answer these questions from a personal perspective throughout this post.
Although this is a personal account of moving to Portugal and some parts of this journey are unique to me I hope it may help others who are thinking of making the move too. There is plenty of information online about the physical process of moving abroad but it is pretty difficult to find personal experiences that take into account emotional factors too.
Why I left the UK.
I was living in Cornwall working as a beach lifeguard and surf instructor and traveling for a few months every winter for about 7 years. I started feeling the need for a change. I wasn’t unhappy but I wasn’t bursting with life either. I wasn’t progressing and I knew I had to find a new direction.
My partner at the time could already work remotely and I wanted to find a way I could do the same.I took a “happiness mission” to Thailand and Indonesia which is where and when Soi 55 / Travel by Candy was born. After that trip I quit my job and started Soi 55 full time. This was the first step in working remotely (long before it came the norm). In 2016 we decided to try living and working abroad.
Why move to Portugal?
Before we moved my partner and I spent my 27th birthday in Algarve. We spent 4 days wild camping, surfing and drinking cheap beer in the sunshine (this is one of the things I wanted to delete when I updated this post but in the spirit of staying honest about those early years it can stay) The blue sky, warmth and simple living filled me with happiness and I wanted more. We had also both visited Portugal before this trip and loved it. My 27th birthday trip confirmed the fact we were ready for a change and that Portugal might be just the change we were looking for.
We decided on the Algarve region because (like most people) one of the biggest reasons we wanted to move to Portugal was the weather. The summers are hot, the winters are warm and vitamin D is available in abundance. Something I cannot live without.
We chose Lagos to base ourselves as we wanted to be close to a town with enough going on to keep us busy whilst remaining close to some of the surf beaches on the west coast. We ended up settling in a small local village 10 minute drive from Lagos called Odiáxere. It had a very authentic feel and I still miss it now that I live in bigger and busier Cascais.
LAGOS, PORTUGAL – MY FIRST EVER TRAVEL GUIDE
My story of moving to and living in Portugal
We booked an apartment for 7 months to test the waters but within a few weeks I knew we would stay. When we first moved it didn’t feel like a big deal for me at all. The first 7months felt like a holiday even though I was working on Soi 55/ Travel by Candy full time. I loved discovering a new culture, new food, new beaches. It was my first real experience of working from home and I loved it. I felt very free and I was absolutely buzzing.
When we moved into the house the time had come to settle into actually living in Portugal. The first year was extremely busy and hectic. We adopted a stray (crazy) german shepherd and had builders around us 12 hours a day. During this time I applied for a start up business loan and started trying to grow Soi 55. To be honest that year was a massive blur and I was pretty dishevelled at the end of it.
Year 3 was much more settled but probably the hardest (up until that point) for me personally.
House work slowed down and Zavi (the crazy German shepherd) became less crazy but my work became tougher. Alongside this my boyfriend had to start traveling away for work regularly meaning I was suddenly on my own a lot more than usual. This was when the realisation of what it really means to live abroad came into play fully.
In 2020 I went through a big life change and ended up moving to Cascais on my own. It was the middle of a pandemic and after the initial novelty of being in a new place things got really difficult.
What are the hardest parts of moving to Portugal?
This took me almost three years to realise but the hardest thing about moving to Portugal (especially when working from home) is making friends. I’m an only child so have always been comfortable to spend time and do things my own. I have definitely found it more difficult to establish a friendship group here.
For the first few years not knowing many people here didn’t matter; everything was new and exciting and I was lucky to be able to share it all with my partner. As we started to settle into life here the lack of additional personal relationships became an obvious problem.
The fact that I work for myself from home has been the biggest reason why meeting people and making friends has been difficult but there are a few other factors involved too. In Algarve we lived in a seasonal location so finding people who are here for a long time not just a good time can be difficult.
One of the reasons I moved to Lisbon was the form more connections. It is definitely easier to do that in the city but the pandemic lockdowns and personal health problems got in the way. Which brings me to the next point.
Facing an Emergency in Portugal
I’m a resident and have a numero de utente (healthcare number) so I have access to public healthcare, most of which is free or heavily subsidised, but I never thought I would have to use it. Unfortunately just after I moved to Cascais (in the middle of a lockdown) I was diagnosed with advanced glaucoma, and for a short period of time the doctors thought I was going to go blind. After two operations and a lot of medication we finally got the glaucoma under control, but fast forward to the beginning of this year (2022) and I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
I wanted to include this story here because it shows the importance of having a healthcare plan before moving to Portugal (or anywhere!).
Hard Truth
I never expected something like this to happen at my age but it did, and I wans’t prepared. The healthcare I have received here has been brilliant. At no point have a felt like my treatment would have been better in the UK, in fact I’m pretty sure my treatment has been much quicker here. I am lucky that my local hospital in Portugal happens to be a very good public hospital. This is only my experience but I’ve had almost 100 hospital visits in 18 months and I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I am so grateful and it has truly made me form deeper connection and appreciation for Portugal.
However it’s also important to share that, navigating the public healthcare system without fluent Portuguese can be stressful and doing it without a solid support system is difficult. So make sure you fully consider what your healthcare options are before you move. Even if you are young think about getting health insurance and/or have a back up plan for if something goes wrong. I had nothing in place and I’ve had to learn very quickly how to do this on my own.
OK so that’s my story so far. I hope that gives you a little background and also makes you think about whats important when making the move. Now let’s do the pro’s and con’s.
At the risk of sounding like over negative I want to share some other downsides of moving to Portugal now so that I can end with all the amazing benefits of living here.
The Hardest Parts of Living in Portugal
The Bureaucracy – One thing I wasn’t prepared for was the bureaucracy in Portugal. Until I moved here I didn’t even understand the full meaning of bureaucracy. Well now I know. To do even the simplest of tasks takes superhuman patience. Paperwork is never ending and your patience will be tested, over and over again. I have since become a tax resident and let’s just say life didn’t get any easier after that.
The Postal System – CTT is the bane of my life (first world problems, I know). Even living in the Lisbon metropolitan area the postal system sucks. Things have got better over the years and the other courier companies ae decent but CTT is terrible.
Learning the Language– The truth is (updated 2026) this is STILL the hardest part of living in Portugal. As much as a love learning a new language and have enjoyed the challenge of learning Portuguese some situations are still incredibly difficult. Scenarios like taking cars to local garages, dealing with police and talking with couriers have caused more than a few headaches and tears.
In the early years, before learning some basic (but essential) phrases my partner at the time somehow negotiated the sale of our car for €400 and 4 ducks. We’ve found ourselves in scenarios like this on more than one occasion due to the language barrier. In most situations it is annoying but manageable but when facing an emergency it can be extremely stresfull not being fluent.
I’ve tried everything from private lessons, group lessons, university courses, online lessons and I am still not fluent. The Portuguese are notoriously good at languages and the majority of people these days have a good level of English (and often Spanish too). This means that even when you try and use Portuguese, more often than not you are replied to in English. It’s really frustrating. On the opposite end of the scale public run companies and services like the hospital are very hard on non-native speakers. What this means is its almost. impossible to practice conversational skills in daily life because the majority want to speak with you in English but then when emergency hits you can only fumble through in Portuguese. These experiences remain the most challenging for a non-fluent speaker.
10 years in I can understand and read well, but speaking remains a challenge in some situations.
Apparently the secret is getting a Portuguese husband?
I do want to caveat this and say although it is very easy to get by without Portuguese, especially in Lisbon, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn the language. Language is culture and it is OUR responsibility to learn it and protect it.
The Houses are Cold! – Winter in Portugal is no joke. The south of the country remains sunny most of the time and warm days can be abundant in Algarve but there is one thing no one tells you before you move. You will be freezing in your house in the middle of January. All but extremely modern houses do not have heating built in. are built for hot weather so they are designed to stay cool. This means in those few cold months during the winter it can be colder inside the house than out. Most people aren’t prepared for this and I’ve seen it break more than a few people.
It’s not as cheap as you think living in Portugal – If you are anything like I was you believe that Portugal is one of the cheapest places to live in Western Europe. Unfortunately that is not the case. In many ways Portugal is cheap; local produce (fruit, veggies, meat, dairy etc) here is cheap and very good. Eating out at local restaurants in generally cheap, you can get a lunch with soup, wine, dessert and coffee for €10. Beer and wine is also very cheap; a very decent bottle for €3-4? hell yes! – I wrote this in 2019 and I can tell you 7 years later, €10 lunches are almost impossible to find now. The wine is still exceptional and exceptionally cheap.
What you probably don’t realise…
The most basic household items are expensive here. White goods in particular can be very expensive in comparison to the UK. Cars are amongst the most expensive necessities in Portugal and you can expect to pay 4 times or more than you would in the UK. Want to import a car from another country? That’ll be a couple of grand please. Taxes are ridiculous (but we’ll save that for another post!).
So these are a few niggles we have come up against since moving to Portugal but the reality is I love living here. I enjoy the fact that many aspects are different from the UK – thats why I moved in the first place. Once you get your head around some of the differences I mentioned above there is a tonne of benefits to living in Portugal.
Best Things About Living in Portugal
The Ever Changing Landscape – The scenery is always changing here in Portugal, you only have to drive an hour and you’ll find yourself in a completely different landscape with different history, food, people and culture. For a relatively small country it is so diverse.
MEMORABLE ROAD TRIPS IN PORTUGAL
Blue Sky (almost) Every Day – I mentioned it earlier but I can’t explain enough about how much of a difference sun makes to my mental health. I often forget how good it makes me feel until I go back to the UK and realise the air and light is completely different over there. We wake up to blue skies for more than 3/4 of the year and we can plan a BBQ weeks in advance without having to worry what the weather might be doing. I’ve lived in both Algarve and Lisbon. Algarve does have slightly better temps year round but both places get plenty of sun year round. -I now living in Cascais where the weather isn’t quite as warm and stable as Algarve but this remains true for the majority of the year.
Diverse Culture and Experiences – This remains my favourite thing about living in portugal. For a small country, Portugal is diverse. You only have to drive an hour or so in any direction and you’ll find a completely different landscape, food, wine, attitude and quirky traditions. I love discovering culture and taking part in new experiences and even after all these years travelling around I am still finding them.
Great Transport Links – Living in continental Europe has its benefits when it comes to travel. Flights, trains and buses are generally cheap and easy. Since living in Portugal I traveled extensively round the country and also taken several trips to Spain, Italy and Morocco. Being a short hop back to the UK is also useful. Lisbon is extremely well connected these days (but the airport is not for the feint of heart in summer).
The Freshest, Tastiest Produce Ever – Imported food can be more expensive in Portugal but the local produce is cheap, fresh and tasty. Farmer’s markets are a regular thing in most towns/villages and you can pick up fresh fruit, veg, bread and eggs that have potentially traveled from less than a couple of km away. This is one of th biggest differences to living in the UK. The food tastes completely different. I have a much healthier diet here than I ever did in the UK.
A few to add to your shopping list…
Figos (Figs) – During a good fig year pick up a kilo for a couple of euros in July/August
Laranjas (Oranges) – Very good year round but especially during first few months on the year
Melancia (Melons )- Best in summer when they are sweet, juicy and less than €2 a pop
Quejo Mistura (Sheep and goats cheese) – Creamy and delicious. I had never eaten sheep’s cheese before moving to Portugal and now i love it.
Sardinhas (sardines) – Ok I still haven’t got my head around these yet but I’m trying. If Portugal has a ‘smell’ it would be sardines cooking on a BBQ. These aren’t available year round because of fishing restrictions so best to get them in summer.
Tomates (Tomatoes obvs) – Don’t even try and entertain me with your perfectly round and shiny tomatoes in the UK because they don’t have a touch on Portugal’s wonky but ridiculously tasty tomates.
Pasteis de Natas – It feels like these custard tarts are currently basking in worldwide fame but let me tell you this. Unless you have eaten one fresh from a Pastelaria in Portugal you’ve haven’t eaten one.
Oh and did I mention the wine?
Outdoor Lifestyle– Probably my number one favourite thing about living in Portugal is the lifestyle it allows me to have. I’m active and I love being outdoor in nature. The weather is obviously a huge factor in making this possible but I also wanted to point out how easy it is to access nature here. Even in Lisbon or Porto you are only a short distance from the beach. In Alentejo you are surrounded by farmland and cork forests. In the north you can find mountains. Nature is everywhere and if you like being active there is no shortage of activities.
Original Fisherman’s Trail Hike
So there we have it. A list of pros and cons of living in Portugal that are linked with my personal experiences.
There has been a whole range of highs and lows over the last ten years. Some of them I was expecting and some crept up out of nowhere. It certainly hasn’t been easy moving to Portugal but the experience has opened up my world, I’ve grown in a way i don’t think I would have if I still lived in the UK. I’m beyond grateful for the care i have received during very difficult times. My love for Portugal runs deep and I will always champion it.
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