IL Magazine: Discover the World's Best Retirement Haven for 2023 + 15 more
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Lagoa, with a population of 26,000, is both a city and municipality in the Faro district of southern Portugal. A typical Portuguese village of white-washed buildings, narrow cobbled streets, and tiled plazas that glow with sunshine year-round. The existence of man in Lagoa dates to pre-historic times, evident by the standing stones...
The sun glistened against the snowy white villas that sat precariously on the hillside, seemingly stacked one upon the other. An alluring, idyllic, fairy tale setting of ivory villas overshadowed by the Moorish castle above. This is the magical hilltop village of Olvera, one of the famous “pueblos blancos,” or white villages of Andalusia Spain.
We have traveled through much of Portugal, visiting castles in medieval villages, exploring the bustling city of Lisbon on foot, and strolling along the Atlantic coastline’s golden beaches. Never have we felt unsafe in any way. But everyone knows that there is no perfect place to live so let’s take a realistic look at Portugal with regards to safety.
Rhonda took a solo trip to Portugal to explore the country on a real estate tour offered by Ronan McMahon's Real Estate Trend Alert and Ideal Homes. It was love at first sight when she laid eyes on Tavira, in Portugal's sunny Algarve region. "Tavira ticked all of my boxes," Rhonda says. "I wanted a large, well-established expat community so that I could communicate...
Often, I get asked why we left Panama and which country is better. Comparing two, totally different countries is like comparing night and day, but I will attempt to give a brief rundown of each, according to my opinion…
Although small in size compared to other countries in Europe, Portugal packs plenty into its borders. From bustling cities like Lisbon in the heart of the country and Porto in the north, to coastal gems in the southern Algarve region like Albufeira, the country has something for everyone. But not to be missed are the tiny towns...
We signed up on our first house-sitting website and created a profile that included our experience with animals, home ownership, photos, ages, occupation, and more. Literally, within a few weeks, we were offered our first sit in Ajijic, Mexico where we spent one month with a cat. The next month we were off to Ambato, Ecuador where we lived in the shadow...
A career as an electrical engineer in the oil industry whisked Rafael Ferreira, age 67, and his wife Claudia, 63, around the world. But when it came time to settle down and find a happy ever after, this adventurous two-some chose Portugal. “We have been expats for 40 years," Claudia explains.
Although compact in size, Portugal offers something for almost every budget. With such diversity among its expat population, there are those who relocate from expensive areas of North America like New York City, Los Angeles, or Montreal, and others who migrate from simple, small-town life.
The couple's home is a six-bedroom, three-bathroom townhome in Old Town Albufeira, in the central Algarve. It features double kitchens, two terraces, and is less than 100 yards from the beach. They paid $333,775. With a home so big, they have room to spare. In fact, the house features an upstairs apartment that they rent out on Airbnb...