BALTIMORE, June 25, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/
-- "Portugal offers
Western Europe's best-value living
today," says Dan Prescher, Senior
Editor, International Living. "People often assume life in
Europe is out of reach, but that's
not true. Portugal, in particular,
provides all the modern comforts you'd expect, but at an Old World
price and pace.
"On a $30,000 budget, which could
easily have a retiree scrimping and saving at home, it's possible
to live very comfortably in Portugal—enjoying the rich culture,
dining out, going to the beach or hiking in the hills. This country
offers a very easy lifestyle, for less."
Though it faces the Atlantic, Portugal has a Mediterranean vibe, with the
warm weather and lifestyle associated with Mediterranean
countries.
With a long coastline and an interior that harks back centuries
in time, Portugal in many ways
still belongs to an earlier era. People are friendly and courteous,
with an almost courtly manner. Family and friends are important,
and people know their neighbors and the local shopkeepers. Ancient
buildings look worn and lived-in, and quiet, cobbled lanes wind
through seaside villages.
This is Europe as it used to
be. And though modernity is overtaking Portugal quickly, it's still possible to enjoy
a slower-paced, Old World, genteel lifestyle here—for $30,000 per year, or even less.
Here are safe, welcoming, beautiful, big-value Portuguese
destinations International Living's editors recommend:
Mafra
Mafra lies just 30 minutes northwest of Lisbon International Airport. A population of
about 76,000 spread over 112 square miles translates to the feel of
a thriving yet pleasantly-paced small city. Most of the tree-lined
streets, including the main boulevard of Avenida da Liberdade, are
covered with calçada Portuguesa, the traditional black-and-white
Portuguese pavement. Lots of green areas dot the community,
bursting with blossoms year-round.
Mafra is home to Portugal's
National Palace, built in 1717 and a royal domicile until 1910. The
Palace lends its Baroque and Neo-classical charm to the city.
Summers are warm, dry, and mostly sunny in Mafra. Winter is the
rainy season, and average annual temperatures range from 46 F to 80
F, with extremes being 39 F and 91 F. A couple can live well in
Mafra on about $2,400 a month
including rent, which comes to $28,800 a year.
Coimbra
Two hours north of Lisbon lies
Portugal's former capital,
Coimbra, home to one of the oldest continually operating
universities in Europe. With a
population of 144,000 spread over 123 square miles, Coimbra is a
busy metropolis, yet it retains the mellow undertone that
Portugal is famous for.
August is the hottest month in Coimbra, with an average of 73 F,
and January the coldest, averaging 51 F. January is also the
wettest month, delivering about six inches of rain. For beach time
in the summer months, just head west to Figueira da Foz, which has
an active expat community.
Fado is the traditional music form of Portugal, and other than Lisbon, there's no place better to hear it
than Coimbra, where it is sung only by men, and where it plays a
big part in University life.
Between tourism and the youthful student population, English is
widely spoken in Coimbra, so being able to speak Portuguese is not
a requisite to enjoying all Coimbra has to offer.
A couple can live comfortably in Coimbra for $2,430 per month including rent, which comes to
$29,160 a year.
Porto
Porto, the second largest
metropolitan area in Portugal
after Lisbon, is located on the
Douro River where it flows into the Atlantic. The city is home less
than 240,000 people in the city center (about 2.4 million in the
greater metropolitan area) and has a small city's feel and
friendliness. But it's also a thriving international business city,
with many expats finding all the amenities they need, including an
international airport.
The richness of culture available makes the city an ideal place
for retirement surrounded by elegant parks with fountains, statues,
and exotic plants, leafy boulevards, and cobbled streets lined with
historic buildings. Porto's cool,
mild, climate means temperature averages around 65 F in the dry
summer season, and 50 F in winter, which lasts from December
through March and can be wet.
For all Porto's natural and
architectural beauty, fine food and wine, and pleasurable pastimes,
it's surprisingly affordable to live here. A couple can live well
in Porto, including rent for a
one-bedroom apartment, for about $1,550 per month, or $18,600 a year.
For four additional locales worth attention in Portugal, see the full report, Seven Places to
Retire in Portugal for Under
$30,000 per Year, posted here: Seven
Places to Retire in Portugal for
Under $30,000 per Year
Editor's Note: Members of the media have permission to republish
the article linked above once credit is given to
Internationalliving.com
Further information, as well as interviews with expert authors for
radio, TV or print, is available on request. Photos are also
available.
For information about InternationalLiving.com content
republishing, source material or to book an interview with one of
our experts, contact PR Managing Editor, Marita Kelly, +001 667 312 3532,
mkelly(at)internationalliving(dot)com
Twitter: @inliving
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/International.Living/
About International Living
Since 1979, Internationaliving.com has been the leading
authority for anyone looking for global retirement or relocation
opportunities. Through its monthly magazine and related e-letters,
extensive website, podcasts, online bookstore, and events held
around the world, InternationalLiving.com provides information and
services to help its readers live better, travel farther, have more
fun, save more money, and find better business opportunities when
they expand their world beyond their own shores.
InternationalLiving.com has more than 200 correspondents traveling
the globe, investigating the best opportunities for travel,
retirement, real estate, and investment.
SOURCE International Living