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Considering moving to Portugal as an ex pat.... input welcome.

Astoneroad said:
I'm retired and in my late 60's and considering making my "next to last exit" and moving out of the U.S. (Las Vegas) I'm doing my homework for an ex pat destination and the usual suspects rise to the top, Panama, Albania, Portugal, Costa Rica and a few others including Canada. I only speak English, so being somewhere that this isn't a huge obstacle is a top priority, with cost of living the next check box. Nightlife isn't my scene, but I love art studios, museums, galleries, history and bohemian outlets, along with a cannabis tolerant, if not legal, locale. I'm looking at neighborhoods in Lisbon and Porto and there are several viable candidates. I'm open to any and all thoughts on any aspect of this move, including alternatives and "I wish I knew that before I moved" toe stubs. I intend to not bring anything other than clothes and necessary items. (So look for the gear sale that I'll post here... lol) I know that we have a very diverse group of eclectic members who have traversed the globe and can offer both objectivity and subjective flights of fancy on this topic. Your thoughts?

EDIT: NO POLITICAL NONSENSE or subtext please
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Nevis & St. Kitts? In the Leeward Islands (meaning that USUALLY the bad storms go to the NE of them). English (somehow was at one time British), no taxes (last time I checked was years ago, sometimes things change), no military, great diving, etc.
And the weather is pretty good. At least I think so. It never gets cold.
 
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Shadrach said:
I lived in Catalonia Spain for ten years and I've lived in other countries for shorter periods of time.
Many people get caught in a romantic view of moving to another country as can be seen in this thread.
You need to be quite clear about why one wants to move as a starting point.
You need to be aware of your ability to access the health care system. This can take some years.
You need to be aware that if you are of pensionable age the probability is the country you move to will tax your pension once it enters the country.
If one isn't prepared to learn the language then things are not likely to go well.
For Portugal you are likely to need both Spanish and Portuguese.
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Agree fully except for learning Spanish in Portugal... What is even the point of that?
 
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Astoneroad said:
I'm retired and in my late 60's and considering making my "next to last exit" and moving out of the U.S. (Las Vegas) I'm doing my homework for an ex pat destination and the usual suspects rise to the top, Panama, Albania, Portugal, Costa Rica and a few others including Canada. I only speak English, so being somewhere that this isn't a huge obstacle is a top priority, with cost of living the next check box. Nightlife isn't my scene, but I love art studios, museums, galleries, history and bohemian outlets, along with a cannabis tolerant, if not legal, locale. I'm looking at neighborhoods in Lisbon and Porto and there are several viable candidates. I'm open to any and all thoughts on any aspect of this move, including alternatives and "I wish I knew that before I moved" toe stubs. I intend to not bring anything other than clothes and necessary items. (So look for the gear sale that I'll post here... lol) I know that we have a very diverse group of eclectic members who have traversed the globe and can offer both objectivity and subjective flights of fancy on this topic. Your thoughts?

EDIT: NO POLITICAL NONSENSE or subtext please
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I’m a retired Brit living just outside Lisbon. You are right to focus on Lisbon & Porto, they are the cultural hubs of the country. Last week we saw the opera house symphony orchestra supporting a silent movie in one of the nicest theatres in town. Sunday we’re going to see Richard Bona at CCB, a modern auditorium. Porto is a great city and architecturally interesting houses and apartments are cheaper than Lisbon, but it’s cold and rainy in winter and there are not too many foreigners around.

My strong recommendation is Cascais and environs. It has the best microclimate, easy access to Lisbon, it’s on the coast and there are sufficient foreigners around to establish a friendship group.

Also you can manage without much portuguese beyond please and thank you.
 
My only time in Portugal was last year, for a weeks holiday in Albufeira. Flew in and out of Faro, so spent a few days there too. Loved both. We AirBnbd in the suburbs of Albufeira away from the tourist noise and loved it. Was worried about lack of restaurants where we were, but Google Maps led to the supporters club of the local football team whose stadium was across the road. Possibly the best barbecued food I have had. Open to the public, fresh fish delivered daily. Extremely good, plus local draught beers and wines. Crazy cheap. I am a foody and was blown away. Very friendly people, even tho we had zero Portuguese. I'm a bike fan, so it's MotoGP at Esotoril next hopefully.
I'd definitely live in Portugal!
 
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Chr1 said:
My only time in Portugal was last year, for a weeks holiday in Albufeira. Flew in and out of Faro, so spent a few days there too. Loved both. We AirBnbd in the suburbs away from the tourist noise and loved it. Was worried about lack of restaurants were we where in Albufeira, but Google Maps led to the supporters club of the local football team whose stadium was across the road. Possibly the best barbecued food I have had. Open to the public, fresh fish delivered daily. Extremely good, plus local draught beers and wines. Crazy cheap. I am a foody and was blown away. Very friendly people, even tho we had zero Portuguese. I'm a bike fan, so it's MotoGP at Esotoril next hopefully.
I'd definitely live in
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bluefuzz said:
If you're not prepared to learn the local language then I wouldn't advise moving anywhere where English is not a native language. Even though most under 40s in the EU will have learned some English in school the level varies tremendously. In southern/eastern Europe expect very little English comprehension outside large metropolitan areas or popular tourist spots, and even there only among people who use English regularly through their job. Even here in Denmark where I live, you will find many Danes who speak English as well, if not better, than I do myself but still the majority especially among older generations do not speak English well, if at all.

Rules regarding US citizens residency and elligibility to healthcare etc. will be broadly similar throughout the EU with some local gotchas.
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Portuguese people in Lisbon, Porto & Algarve are mostly able to communicate in English. My Portuguese bank helpline has a “press 2” for English, and the portuguese youngster at the bank that i spoke to yesterday on Skype had no problem understanding and sorting my problem. Less so in the deep countryside.
 
Vacceo said:
Portugal has a housing issue in the larger cities like Lisbon, Coimbra, Sintra...

However, if you live in smaller area, prices will be more contained.

My other recommendation is, learn Portuguese. It's not just a matter of daily communication, it's also a way to not be "that asshole". Portuguese people are incredibly polite, nice and welcoming, but if they notice your effort to talk to them, they'll actually love it and become even more welcoming.
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OP is looking for culture, there’s not much outside Lisbon & Porto.
 
Same everywhere if you are talking about big galleries and museums. Big cities always have 'em.
There's more to culture tho obviously. My guess is Portugal has as much as most European countries. For good and bad, it was a colonial and cultural superpower back in the day after all.
My 2c.
 
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SIY said:
I've lived in a few places in Europe. Don't avoid learning the language, it will make a huge difference. You will always be the foreigner (and in Luxembourg, I was always amused that the great grandchildren of foreigners were still thought of as outsiders, "Oh, you know, that Turkish guy" speaking of someone 150 years removed), but it will be the difference between being an outsider and a welcome guest. You'll be amazed at how fast total immersion brings you up to a level of basic competence.

I never understood the expats who made a point of only hanging out with other expats.
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In my experience older Portuguese people are 100% family oriented and not interested in internationally mobile foreigners
Chr1 said:
Same everywhere if you are talking about big galleries and museums. Big cities always have 'em.
There's more to culture tho obviously. My guess is Portugal has as much as most European countries. For good and bad, it was a colonial superpower back in day after all.
My 2c.
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As this is an audiophile website, i was talking about music stuff. Portugal has much, much less than London, Paris, Geneva which are the other big cities I know.
 
+1 for Porto, I spent some days there and liked it almost as much as Lisbon. Very pleasant place. Azores are also cool if you want to live in an island in the middle of nowhere but still be in Portugal.
 
Esprit said:
[…]Italy has the largest cultural heritage in the world. Over 4,000 museums, 6,000 archaeological areas, 85,000 churches subject to protection and 40,000 historic homes registered.[…]
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... well yeah... if you want to get all numbery and everything... lol.
 
Esprit said:
[…]Italy has the largest cultural heritage in the world. Over 4,000 museums, 6,000 archaeological areas, 85,000 churches subject to protection and 40,000 historic homes registered.[…]
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Oh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble
Ancient footprints are everywhere
You can almost think that you're seein' double
On a cold, dark night on the Spanish Stairs
Got to hurry on back to my hotel room
Where I've got me a date with Botticelli's niece
She promised that she'd be right there with me
When I paint my masterpiece
Oh, the hours I've spent inside the Coliseum
Dodging lions and wastin' time
Oh, those mighty kings of the jungle, I could hardly stand to see 'em
Yes, it sure has been a long, hard climb
Train wheels runnin' through the back of my memory
As the daylight hours do retreat
Someday, everything is gonna be smooth like a rhapsody
When I paint my masterpiece
I left Rome and landed in Brussels
With a picture of a tall oak tree by my side
Clergymen in uniform and young girls pullin' muscles
Everyone was there but nobody tried to hide
Newspapermen eating candy
Had to be held down by big police
Someday, everything is gonna be diff'rent
When I paint my masterpiece

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It's funny to see how often those who live in the US aspire to Europe and those who live in Europe would go to the US. If it were closer to Italy I would go to Australia, which I found very beautiful, but even there, the rules for entry are very strict. At my age I can only go as a tourist. On the other hand we sent our daughter to finish university, so we are going back there. I would like to spend some time in the US, which I adore, to tell the truth I also add London and a good part of Great Britain. But then every time I travel and return home, to Italy, I find no incentive to leave. With all its defects, bureaucracy, taxes, improvisation, chronic disorder of the Italians, I have to admit that it is really good, but above all we enjoy a wonderful territory. Yes, if I were already retired, I would go to live in Italy, so I would stay there: I would probably move more to central Italy. The northern regions are a little more strict from every point of view. I have thought a lot in the past years about moving in search of new stimuli, of life, of work, but then how can I say…..home is always home. I have never had the impulse to pack up and go….
 
Swings and roundabouts, as they say. I was born in the US but live in the UK. Doubt I'll be moving back anytime soon. Still love Scotland even though the weather kinda sucks.
No major floods or fires, and not the kind of major political assholeness (that seems to be so prevalent stateside nowadays.)
Or is it "Assholery"?
Whatever.
 
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Astoneroad said:
I live in Vegas, on the edge of the desert with summer temps at 110F. I lived in New Orleans where the swamp is air borne. I went to school in Buffalo. I'm battle born regarding weather... lol.
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Aren't Henderson/Summerlin new hot spots for retirees ? It is sunny, low living cost, zero state tax, good infrastructure, .... I am thinking of moving there eventually for my retirement.
 
astcal said:
Aren't Henderson/Summerlin new hot spots for retirees ? It is sunny, low living cost, zero state tax, good infrastructure, .... I am thinking of moving there eventually for my retirement.
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You can't live in Vegas without draining the Colorado River dry and without running an AC for half the year. Both are bad ecologically and economically.

Between NV and Portugal... I'd definitely go to Portugal.
 
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