The #1 most frequently asked question I’ve received over the more than 30 years that I’ve been covering the live-and-invest-overseas beat has been this one:
Where is the best place in the world to live?
For decades, my response was the same…
“I have no idea,” I’d explain…
Because, I’d continue, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all overseas haven… no one place that’s ideal for everyone.
Only you can identify the destination that’s best for you, I’d say to everyone who asked.
Then, six years ago, I traveled to a corner of the world where I’d never been before… to a place I’d somehow overlooked in decades of travel… even though I’d been just next door many times.
This place is beautiful, affordable, welcoming, friendly, and safe.
It serves up 3,300 hours of sunshine annually and a mild climate year-round.
It boasts some of the world’s best beaches… and best golf courses…
Plus one of the world’s best cities that nobody talks about.
This is a place with a long and interesting history where you can indulge any interest you could imagine… from boating, diving, and hiking to regular nights out at the theater and museum and gallery afternoons…
The infrastructure is top-notch. This is not the developing world.
The health care is world-class… and a fraction the cost of care in North America. Become a resident, and it’s free (no kidding).
English is widely spoken. You would not have to learn a new language if you didn’t want to.
Residency is easy and cheap… for anyone of any age.
Retirement income is not taxed. Various other income is not taxed either…
Property can be an absolute bargain… both to buy and to rent…
Indeed, the cost of everything here is better than affordable… as good as it gets for bona fide first-world living.
This is one of the world’s best-kept secrets, a place that will captivate you… and also allow you to preserve your nest egg.
This is the best of the Old World… with history, culture, vineyards, mouthwatering cuisine… all the makings of very good living.
Where in the world am I talking about?
Portugal!
I rarely use exclamation points, but I believe one is warranted on this occasion.
As you may know, every year my editorial team and I rate all of our well-researched, tantalizing, life-changing overseas living destinations on 12 specific criteria. While all our featured destinations ace at least several of the categories, it’s uncommon for one haven to earn top scores across the board, but that’s what Portugal has done… for the past four years running.
In fact, this country is several top retirement and lifestyle havens all rolled into one… from its gorgeous Algarve region and jewel of a capital city to its northwestern coastal towns and dazzling Douro River Valley and vineyards.
This country is an eye-candy explosion across over 943 kilometers of ocean shoreline, fruit orchards, world-class golf courses, and museum-class cities… offering a lifestyle that only feels expensive.
Why Retire In Portugal?
In Portugal, you have access to:
- Sizzling real estate bargains for living or investing—or both—that will have friends back home packing to follow your lead…
- Affordable, simple gourmet food and wine—rivaling Europe’s finest—as direct from the earth and sea as it gets…
- A home where you won’t be able to remember the last time you had to turn on the heat or air conditioning…
- Simple and easy residency procedures and easy access to Europe…
- Old-world charm all around…
- World-class health care whenever you need it… and without worrying about the cost…
- Open arms—and hearts—to expats…
- Affordable trendsetting lifestyle options for seniors… like nothing else available anywhere in the world…
This is your overseas retirement wish list coming to life before your eyes.
We pride ourselves on being straight. When we tell you about life in some appealing corner of the world, we give you the full story—the good, the bad, and the ugly. We call it our “warts-and-all” approach.
The better we’ve gotten to know Portugal over the past six years, the more we like it. Honestly, this is one time when the “warts” have proven few indeed.
Honestly… you might be hard-pressed to come up with a reason not to make this move. I know we have been.
My team and I were the first (we’re proud to point out) to begin focusing the world’s attention on this country. However, we are not alone in recognizing the potential of this little David taking on all the Goliaths of global retirement havens.
Now other international publications rank Portugal at or near the top of the world’s best travel and retirement destinations. The country was named as Travel & Leisure‘s 2016 Destination of the Year. It ranked third on Lonely Planet’s 2018 Best In Travel Top Countries list, fifth on InterNations’ 2017 Expat Insider survey, and is one of Fodor’s 2018 Go List destinations.
Huffington Post has called it “the country everybody will be visiting”…
And now it’s time for a “road map” for how to get there… which is exactly what my team and I—with unprecedented exuberance—have been working on for years. There’s no time to lose on this one… so I’m writing to you today about how you can get your foot in the door—and not miss out.
You could, of course, just put this thought on the back burner. But I believe that would be a mistake. You owe it to yourself to take a good, up-close look at all this charming, welcoming, safe, sun-filled, affordable corner of Europe has to offer.
I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this is everything you’re looking for in an overseas retirement haven.
You really should see this magical corner of Europe for yourself.
Kathleen Peddicord
This article was originally published in November 2018 and has been recently updated.
