Living in Portugal

Living in Portugal

Imagine yourself living in a country where you can find a great diversity of landscapes and environments in a small area: sandy beaches as far as the eye can see, mountains and golden plains, vibrant and cosmopolitan cities and a millennial heritage. Here you can practice water sports, play golf on the best courses in the world, contemplate nature, experience the latest in wellness treatments or discover the unique heritage, wines and cuisine.

Portugal has become increasingly recognized as one of the best countries to live in today, both in terms of working or investing, or even if the goal is merely to enjoy the exceptional quality of life that the country has to offer. Here are some of the most important facts:

• Portugal offers a full range of services: international schools, attractive housing, education systems and high-quality health, shopping centers, recreational and cultural facilities, among others.
• Portugal is also one of the best countries for buying a house because it has clear and transparent tax rules and offers facilities for obtaining residence permits, as part of new legal provisions which are more attractive to foreign investors. It has also a special regime for non-regular residents, aimed at attracting foreign investors through very favorable income tax rates.

Why?

• With almost nine centuries of well-defined geographical borders, a democratic parliamentary regime prevails in Portugal.
• Portugal has been a member of the european union for 26 years and is part of the european monetary system, using the european single currency.
• Portugal is the 3rd most peaceful country in the world out of a sample of 153 countries (global peace index 2016).
• Portugal has been ranked number 12 on the list of the best health systems in the latest survey of world health organization.  The portuguese health system is divided between private and public. The public offers good quality care and support, however, requires time that may vary, depending on the severity and case priority. So many people opt for private practices.
• With an excellent geographical location, the meeting point of three continents – europe, africa and america – it has always been central to the most important international routes. Here you can find international airports all over the country – Lisbon, Funchal and Oporto have regular connections to major cities in the world.
• Most foreigners consider the cost of living to be low.
• The portuguese are warm and friendly.
• In terms of climate, winters are mild and summers are hot and dry.
• Did you know that the number of hours of sunshine reaches values as high as 3300 in the south of the country and 1600 in the north, some of the highest in europe? Lisbon has the highest average annual sunshine hours in europe. In the summer – particularly in july and august – temperatures reach 30°c and more. During winter temperatures are not lower (on average) than 7ºc, but there might be long periods of rain.
• In Portugal you can practice water sports, play golf on the best courses in the world, contemplate nature, experience the latest in wellness treatments or discover the unique heritage, wines and cuisine.

Welcome to Portugal! You will feel at home!