Thanks to its beautiful climate and affordable cost of living, Portugal sees hundreds of Brits make the move each year as retirees look to spend their time in the sunshine.
But one expat revealed the two towns to avoid with “nothing there” – and which area is best to move to. Terry Coles, who moved to Tavira in Portugal, explained why expats should avoid Alentejo and Monsato.
“Portugal is one of the most popular destinations among retirees and for a good reason; the visa process is easy, we boast over 300 days of sunshine a year depending on where you settle in the country,” the content creator said on the YouTube channel International Living.
“There’s a large expat network, excellent healthcare, in both the public and the private system, beautiful scenery, medieval villages and gorgeous coastline and English is widely spoken depending on where you live.”
But Terry said expats should avoid Monsanto, despite being known as one of the most picturesque towns in Portugal.
“There’s nothing there as far as hospitals, grocery stores or expats so it’s a place you want to go visit and not live,” noted Terry.
The second location was Alentejo, described as “very rural” with “not much there”. Terry added: “The city of Evora receives a lot of tourists but other than that, Alentejo in itself is farmland.”
And despite dismissing these two locations as good for expats, Terry did name a few great spots for Brits looking to move to Portugal.
First on the list was Lisbon, with the city being home to dozens of shops, restaurants and bars. “Lisbon combines old-world charm with all the modern conveniences needed to feel at home, with some of the best weather in Europe,” said Terry.
Porto was second on the list, known for its beautiful architecture and charm. Terry said: “It’s rich in culture and history and this is another part of Portugal where English is commonly spoken.”
The Silver Coast – a beautiful coastal region – is also popular and has a great location situated between Porto and Lisbon.
Lagos also made the cut, with Terry saying: “A few hours south of Libson is the Algarve region, with some of the warmest weather in the country.” She added that English is spoken by “almost everyone”.
And last on the list is Tavira, with one of its strongest selling points being that visitors can hop over the Spanish border.
