Discovering Authentic Portugal

When it came to an overseas retirement, Mandy and Peter knew what they were looking for…

“We wanted to retire somewhere where the weather is better, the pace of life is slower, and the quality of life is higher,” says Mandy. “We’d come to Portugal for years on vacation and the whole family loved it.”

For instance, the couple chose to settle in the interior of the Algarve. The closest city is Loulé. The Algarve is famous for its long coastline and super-sunny weather, so why would anyone relocate here and not choose to live by the sea?

Mandy explains, “We wanted to live here year-round, and we were very aware that the coast could be touristy with lots of holiday-goers. It’s packed out in July and August but empty in the winter.

“Some of the housing complexes are very quiet because people have gone away. We wanted to be somewhere we could live all year with a stable community nearby. Also, we wanted to embrace the Portuguese lifestyle and its people. Most importantly, we wanted to be in authentic Portugal rather than on the coast, where you could be anywhere in Europe, really. For example, in July and August, when it’s very busy, you’ve got the option of going down there. But at the same time, even during the peak of tourist season, it’s quiet here. It’s bliss.”

“You can easily get around, too. And, we really like the people here,” Peter adds. “And it’s less expensive in this area…”

“We knew we wanted to be inland,” says Mandy. “We had been here before, as a friend retired early and introduced us to this area. It’s not too far from civilization… if you want it. In the nearest town there’s a post office, a doctor, supermarket, etc. It’s well-situated. We’re near enough to the motorway up to Lisbon, but not affected by all the traffic.

“We love the view here inland, the lifestyle is very relaxing, and it’s not expensive…

“The local people are wonderful and have embraced us. We’ve never had any issues. People couldn’t be more helpful and there are quite a few expats living near us. There are a lot of like-minded people. I think anywhere in Portugal you’ll find expats nearby, but that wasn’t why we chose to be here. It evolved.”

Peter adds: “We love  the climate here. It’s peaceful, and we can be most places on the coast in 20 minutes.”

Peter chuckles when asked: What do you do in a typical day? “I get asked that a lot. It varies quite a bit. We don’t set an alarm clock anymore. It’s all about relaxation. We’ve got the time to do things for ourselves now, and we can do things more thoroughly. We’ve got a garden, which we never had time for before. We go to northern Portugal and Spain, do a bit of traveling…

“We do quite a lot of walking. We spend time down at the marina. It’s nice; the best of both worlds. You’ve got the coast if you want it, and then, if you want a break, you go to the city.

“We work out, try to keep healthy. Everything is on our doorstep, here. And the great thing is, there aren’t many people or much traffic, and most of the roads have been improved.”

Mandy continues, “We can travel throughout Europe. We’ve just got so much to choose from. We’re enjoying not being up against it, time-wise… doing the things we never had time to do. Then we have the family. We have a lot of visitors. It’s quite busy, but a nice lifestyle.

“Life is so different over here. We spend more time outdoors. Many people play golf, go to the beach… there are so many options…”.

Sincerely,

Cátia Lima

Managing Editor, Portugal Letter