Integrating is a marathon rather than a sprint, and one that requires you to learn Portuguese to a very good level. While the Portuguese can be a little closed, even to each other sometimes, very few expats make the required effort to integrate – at least after a few months of trying. Even people who have lived in Portugal for years will usually be able to count the number of close Portuguese friends they have on one hand. In Portugal, the Portuguese and non-Portuguese typically run in different circles. Thankfully, there are one or two things you can do to stay warm inside. Houses here are more designed for summer rather than winter. This isn’t unique to Portugal, and it’s quite common across Southern Europe.
All of that costs money, obviously, but it’s almost definitely worth it.
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You can improve the insulation or install something like gas central heating or an effective pellet heater. However, just because you’ve purchased a cold house, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be cold forever. Finding the right lottery is part knowing what to look for and part lottery. Some properties also have central heating or another heating system while others have better energy ratings. Two identical properties next door to each other could be different due to the ability of one to catch the sun during the day. Some simply require you to put on a sweater while others demand a jacket, gloves, and three or four pairs of socks. However, it varies considerably from property to property. Portuguese houses can be cold in the winter – fridge levels of cold. You’ll come across similar houses in nearby countries like Spain, and of course, anywhere in the North of Europe is going to be cold in the winter months. If warm winters are a priority, these are two locations to prioritise. Madeira, similarly, benefits from pleasant winters. Although there’s usually at least a few weeks of solid rain, it does rain a lot less and the skies are generally blue and the weather pleasant. Internal heating aside, winters in the south of Portugal are definitely easier than in the north. It’s possible to avoid cold winters somewhat, but you need to pick the right location and the right property. Even in the south where it’s often t-shirt weather outside (for foreigners), it can be freezing cold inside due to the lack of heating and insulation in many houses. Winter Aveiro in winterĪlthough most people associate Portugal with beaches and sunshine, a lot of Portugal, particularly the north, can be very damp and wet in the winter. There’s an expense, sure, but it can be worth it for the peace of mind.īureaucracy isn’t unique to Portugal, and it’s something you’ll come across in many European countries like Spain, Italy, and Germany, but Portugal does take bureaucracy to new levels. These days, there are an ever-increasing number of professionals that focus on the expat market and can help you apply for your D7, import your car, obtain your NIF, or anything else that you need to do.
It’s messy and frustrating, and it’s also just something you’ll have to get used to if you live in Portugal – well, to varying degrees. And, it’s quite rare that anyone ever tells you: you will need to figure these things out for yourself and hope that when you speak to a different person they’re looking for the same form. The hardest part is that you never know which form you need to fill in or which person you need to speak to. Most people know that bureaucracy exists in Portugal, and aren’t surprised when they come up against it. The hardest part of bureaucracy isn’t the bureaucracy itself. Try to get anything done in Portugal, whether it’s starting a business or applying for planning permission, and you’ll run into a little thing called bureaucracy.
Instead, weigh up the pros against the cons and then, being honest with yourself, decide if Portugal is right for you. Portugal is Portugal, and you shouldn’t come here hoping for change or expecting change. It’s also not a list of things that Portuguese should change, and it’s definitely not a list of things that Portugal will change – no matter how sensible that change might seem to you. It’s also important to point out that this is a list of the downsides of Portugal primarily from the point of view of an outsider (although Portuguese people often agree with some of the things on this list). As mentioned, there are lots of upsides to living in Portugal, but this website wouldn’t be doing its job if it didn’t give you appropriate expectations.
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But it’s important to get the full picture before you move somewhere new. Most articles, YouTube videos, and estate agents focus on the upsides rather than the downsides. There are lots of pros to living in Portugal – the weather is great, the cost of living is more affordable than in other countries, and the beaches are beautiful – but there are, unsurprisingly, one or two cons as well.
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