Your property in Portugal
Inspiring coastal villas across the Algarve, luxurious houses in the wilds of Comporta, or a pied-à-terre in a prestigious Lisbon neighbourhood or trendy Cascais make property in Portugal some of the most desirable for international buyers seeking second homes.
The country offers exclusive and secure private communes in sought-after resorts while cities including Lisbon and Porto provide energetic living with beaches and the countryside on their doorstep.
Inside Portugal
Quiet and understated, friendly and welcoming, Portugal has a natural beauty and charm that’s relatively undiscovered compared to some of its European neighbours.
Even along the popular tourist hot-spot of the Algarve, finding solace isn’t beyond possibility in the villages surrounding the likes of Praia da Luz and Lagos, while on the western coast, secluded areas such as Comporta offer a truly traditional feel among laid-back surroundings.
The Portuguese capital of Lisbon is an architectural and arty hub, with an ever-expanding stream of exceptional restaurants and high-end boutiques to compliment its lively nightlife, while nearby Cascais entices with its amazing history, beautiful houses and pedestrianised high street.
The country’s temperate climate has increasingly made it a popular destination with celebrities, especially sports stars who enjoy its numerous discrete and high-quality sports facilities.
Landscape
Portugal is a small but geographically diverse country, with low-lying plains all the way through to mountain ranges, with the Estrela Mountains being the tallest.
The north of the country has a wetter climate, while from Lisbon southwards, the weather is typically Mediterranean, with sunshine regularly expected in the Algarve well into autumn with little rainfall during winter.
Education
The country has an excellent selection of international schools for families considering relocating to Portugal.
The majority of these are in Lisbon, which has more than 20 international schools, including Lisbon International School and The British School Lisbon, while the Algarve also boasts several institutions, such as Eupheus International School, and Porto’s Oporto British School is the oldest British school in mainland Europe.
Portugal has 12 universities ranked in the top 1,250 globally, with the Catholic University of Portugal, Nova University of Lisbon and University of Porto being its top three institutions.
Activities and Entertainment
Portugal appeals to outdoor lovers due to its endless, pristine beaches, rolling countryside and wild, mountainous terrain.
The Atlantic coastline makes the country a water sports haven, while its vast countryside entices hikers and cyclists alike.
The nation has an extremely rich history too, with sites such as the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Belém and Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória in Batalha, offering a glimpse into its medieval past, and Roman ruins in places such as Évora transporting visitors even further back.
Art and Culture
Portugal has a thriving art scene, with Lisbon and Porto hosting many notable museums and galleries, including the renowned Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis in Porto’s Miragaia district, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in the capital’s Alcântara district and the Museu de Portimão in the Algarve.
The country is a music-loving nation, with Porto’s Casa da Música hosting everything from jazz to classical music, and Lisbon holding several music events throughout the year, including Somersby Out Jazz and its Mexefest, which spreads itself across a dozen of the city’s venues.
The fun-loving country hosts a range of captivating festivals throughout the year celebrating its vibrant culture, including Porto’s Queima das Fitas, complete with music and entertainment, Mardi Gras in Nazaré, and the two-week seafood celebration in Olhão, near Faro.
Food and Drink
Portuguese cuisine is full of seafood caught along its expansive coast as well as fresh produce grown in its abundant countryside. The country enjoys its meat, with grilled and barbecued meat (including spicy chicken) popular with its large Brazilian population, and specialises in the delightful custard tarts, pastéis de nata.
Regional specialities include bacalhau, a dried and salted cod, often found in Lisbon, while in the Algarve, cataplana de marisco marries onions, garlic and tomatoes with white wine, clams, whole prawns and chorizo, while the signature sandwich of Porto is francesinha, a bold and spicy Portuguese take on the French croque-monsieur. The country’s excellent restaurants - including 28 with Michelin stars – all have their take on these classics as well as international dishes.
Portuguese wine has undergone a revolution in the past two decades, stepping away from its historic focus on fortified wines Port and Madeira, and white Vinho Verde, to develop some prominent red wines, and now boasts around 250 varieties of native grapes.
Accessibility
The country’s three main airports are Lisbon’s Portela Airport, Porto’s Francisco Sá Cameiro Airport and Faro Airport in the Algarve, all serving domestic and international destinations.
Portugal has a comprehensive train network, with its intercity trains connecting major towns and cities with few stops. Its high-speed services connect to Spain and also to Portugal’s main conurbations. Cities such as Lisbon and Porto have suburban commuter trains.
The country’s modern highways connect its main cities and traverse the country to allow easy access to its interior.