Moving to Portugal - Kristina's story

Today we present a guest post by Kristina from My Portugal.

Hello, my name is Kristina and I have moved to Portugal from Sweden. There are two of us but only I have moved, my other half is moving down a little later. In this guest post I want to tell you about my experiences in connection with the move. Moving to a completely new country where you don't know the language and most things are new is no walk in the park. It was a journey that was not always easy, but I have no regrets. I usually say that my only regret is that I didn't move sooner.

Moving to Portugal - My story

This is my story, this is how I experience it and someone else may experience it differently. I started a blog, www.mittportugal.se, when I moved down and there I will tell you more. Something that is good to keep in mind when reading my story is that I live in the centre of the Algarve and my experiences are from there. Something I have noticed during my years in Portugal is that it can be so different in any other part of the country.

The sun and heat in Portugal

Sun and warmth have always attracted me, it took time but now I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Here in the Algarve the sun shines most of the time. Winter is like Swedish summer, it's warmer than I thought. In winter we usually have around 20 degrees and the sun warms all year round here, so it's wonderful. You can lie in the sunbed all year round if you wish.

Summer is hot, 30-35 degrees, sometimes hotter. Many people think it is too hot, but it is not as hot as you might think. The Atlantic Ocean cools and there is usually low humidity, so it cools down in the shade. There is no comparison with the summer along the Mediterranean coast, there is a big difference. A "fresh" heat I usually explain it as.

We rented a flat the first year

We started by renting an apartment for a year. It was a very good option and is something I recommend to anyone who wants to move abroad. In this way, you can calmly look around and see where you would like to live. Because it is not always possible to find your favourite place right away. After a year, we found an apartment that we bought and where we live today.

Buying a home in Portugal is a little different from buying a home in Sweden. There is no rent and when the mortgage is paid, you only have to pay the running costs. So with paid accommodation, you live very cheaply.

Finding a monthly or yearly rental in the Algarve is not easy. But it can be found, with reliable contacts and recommendations. There are no landlords like in Sweden, but you rent directly from the owner. Generally speaking, it is easier to find accommodation to rent on a monthly or yearly basis away from the coast and tourist resorts. In central and northern Portugal, it is cheapest to buy and rent.

Here you can find useful Portugal links

Practicalities of moving to Portugal

When you move to Portugal or another new country there is a lot to organise, the bureaucracy is probably the hardest part. It takes time, you have to find all the information and you have to do the right thing. You have to organise health care, get insurance, register in the country. Then you have to arrange accommodation, maybe buy furniture, buy a car if you want it.

There is a lot to be done in connection with the move and the initial period. Everything comes at once, so it's extra difficult. But hang in there, there is an end to it and the next time something bureaucratic needs to be fixed, it will be much easier. In Sweden, we are now used to doing most things electronically, we have BankID and log in and do most things. This is not so well developed in Portugal, so it takes a little longer. A large portion of patience is good to have. Everything will work out in the end.

We chose to transport some furniture and a lot of boxes in a container that we shared with our friends. The fact that find a removal company to Portugal moving household goods for a reasonable price from Sweden to Portugal was not easy. But the moving company we found is Portuguese and had really good prices and everything worked perfectly. I write about that moving company on the blog, contact me and I will pass on that contact.

Advantages and disadvantages of moving to Portugal

I'll start with the easiest one, the downside of moving to Portugal. It's the bureaucracy, it's not fun, but the only thing you can do is look at the positive side. You always learn something new, because when you live in a new country you have a lot of new things to learn.

The advantages are so many that they far outweigh the disadvantages of bureaucracy. The sun shines almost every day, avoiding snow and sub-zero temperatures. But Portugal is so much more than sun, heat and climate. The people are amazing, so kind and helpful, genuinely genuine people, I love the Portuguese!

In Portugal you don't stress, you take it easy, which is good in many ways. But as a Swede it can be frustrating, we Swedes are so used to keeping to the minute and that everything is fixed quickly and easily. But you get used to it, it takes some time but when you get used to it, it feels really good to avoid the stress you are used to. And as everyone knows, stress is not good for your health.

It is cheap to live in Portugal, the food is often cheaper, you have fresh vegetables and fruit. In every small village there is a Mercado, where they sell fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish at good prices. Internet and TV are generally cheaper and broadband and fibre is well developed.

Ikea is in Portugal, also Jysk, Aldi, Lidl and then there are some shops that sell e.g. English groceries. In the Algarve that shop is called Iceland. Personally, I don't miss much food from Sweden, most of it can be bought in Portugal.

Portugal is the safest country in Europe according to ThePortugalNews

According to ThePortugalNews, Portugal is the third safest country in the world and the safest country in Europe, They wrote this on 12 June 2020 here. This is very true, here in Portugal you can feel safe, I do. I can walk home alone in the evening/night without feeling unsafe. But even if Portugal is a safe country, you should always be careful. Of course, things happen in Portugal too, but far from what you are used to in Sweden and other European countries.

In the winter when you are out walking it is so beautiful, green meadows with yellow flowers and many other flowers in full bloom, it is so incredibly beautiful. In the beginning I was completely enchanted, such beautiful flowers and colours in December-January. Now I have got used to it, but it is just as beautiful. See the picture below, a giant bougainvillea that is so incredibly beautiful.

Have I learnt Portuguese?

Hmmm, this question is not fun to answer, because the answer is, well, not so good. But yes, I have learnt some Portuguese and try to speak it whenever I can. Even though I am bad at Portuguese, I try. The Portuguese are so happy when I at least try and they help me to pronounce the word correctly. They are so helpful and I think they appreciate that you at least try.

Personally, I think you should learn the language of the country you live in. With respect to the Portuguese and also to Portugal. Then it can be difficult, especially when you live in the Algarve and in a tourist town like me. It's easy to get lazy, because most people know English. But I've decided to start studying Portuguese seriously, it's high time I did.

There are many different options for learning Portuguese online. The one I use and which suits me well is Mondly which I have as an app on my phone but which I also have on my computer. This costs money but they have pretty good prices and often promotions so it's really cheap.

For translation, there are many different options, the one I use both on the computer and on my mobile phone is iTranslate, which I think is good, it's free but you can upgrade to the paid version and avoid advertising. What you should pay attention to when learning Portuguese online or in translation programmes. It is that it is Portuguese Portuguese and not Brazilian Portuguese.

This is how I feel after living in Portugal for a few years.

I have now been living in Portugal for about four years and I am enjoying it so much, more than I expected actually. I rarely go to Sweden but it happens sometimes, then I stay for a few weeks and then go home again. Home, where is home for me? It's both in Portugal and Sweden, I've lived my whole life in Sweden, so it would feel strange not to call it home.

After these years I have made friends, learnt how most things work and find what I need. Plus I have contacts when something needs to be done. For example, craftsmen, which bank is good, where to buy insurance, how to buy a car in Portugal and much more.

Another thing I have learnt is that it is essential to have reliable contacts. As everywhere, there are those who want to make money from e.g. foreigners like me, these I have so far managed to avoid. This is because I have had good contacts from the beginning. Much of it I share with me on Mittportugal.se, where I only write about what I myself have experienced and have experience of.

Thinking about moving to Portugal?

It's a good idea if you ask me. It is a wonderful country to live in, the cost of living is low compared to Sweden. Some things are more expensive but most things are cheaper. The Portuguese are wonderful people, the climate is really nice and if you have ailments, the climate can be an advantage for you.

My advice to you who want to move to Portugal is that you rent something first and look around. It is best to do this in the winter months as it is cheaper to rent when you rent on a monthly basis. Car hire in the winter is also cheaper, less traffic and easier to drive around and look around. Driving a car in Portugal is much like driving in Sweden, although they drive a little more "hot" in Portugal.

There is so much more to write about Portugalbut this was one part. I hope you find my article interesting and that you got some of the information you were looking for. Once again, I would like to point out that these are my experiences, someone else may perceive it in a completely different way.

Be well everyone! Sunny greetings from Kristina