7 Reasons to move to the Algarve
6th Jul 2023 Places To Visit
Tempted to turn your Portuguese holiday into a permanent relocation? Here’s why you should consider a move to the Algarve
The Algarve in southern Portugal is home to more than 100 beaches and enjoys over 300 sunny days per year, while Numbeo reports that the cost of living in Portugal is 27.6 per cent lower than it is in the UK. Could it be the place to start afresh? Here are seven reasons why it’s worth considering a new life in the Algarve.
1. Gastronomy
The Michelin-starred Al Sud is a culinary delight. Credit: Palmares Ocean Living & Golf
The Algarve is impressing foodies both within Portugal and beyond right now. A new Michelin Portugal Guide 2024 is soon to be launched—the first ever Michelin Guide dedicated to Portugal. Meanwhile, the Algarve stole the show at the 2023 Mesa Marcada awards, taking home the Best Pastry Chef and Best Restaurant accolades (among others)—the first time in the awards’ 14-year history that a venue outside Lisbon took home the latter.
Restaurants such as the Michelin-starred Al Sud are showcasing why the Algarve should be on every gourmand’s radar. Overlooking the stunning Alvor Estauary, the restaurant is delivering innovative celebrations of traditional Algarve flavours. Chef Jeferson Dias has just won Portugal’s prestigious Chef of the Year award, becoming the third member of the Al Sud team to earn the honour, while the Michelin website praises the creative work of Executive Chef Louis Anjos.
"Restaurants such as the Michelin-starred Al Sud are showcasing why the Algarve should be on every gourmand’s radar"
Alda Filipe, Sales and Marketing Director at Kronos Homes, which manages Palmares Ocean Living & Golf, where Al Sud is based, comments:
“The Algarve has developed a stellar reputation for its gastronomy in recent years. We are delighted to have such a talented and award-winning team here at Al Sud, serving up innovative tasting menus that celebrate the flavours of the Algarve. An on-site restaurant of this calibre is a very special part of our offering to those who buy homes at Palmares Ocean Living & Golf.”
2. Weather
Summers in the Algarve are long and winters are mild, presenting year-round opportunities to spend time on the beach and golf course. From June to September, average temperatures sit firmly above 20°C, reaching an average of 24°C in July and August. And from May through August, locals can enjoy 12 hours of sunshine per day. Even in the depths of winter, the average temperature only drops to 12°C.
3. Golf
Palmares Ocean Living & Golf offers a 27-hole course next to the apartments. Credit: Palmares Ocean Living & Golf
The Algarve’s lush green fairways attract golfers from around the world. Playing with the sparkling blue sea as a backdrop is a wonderful experience—as the 27-hole course at Palmares Ocean Living & Golf ably demonstrates.
Both retirees and younger players enjoy the course, along with the dozens of others to which the Algarve is home.
4. Wellbeing
Fresh, local food, sea air, vitamin D from the sunshine… the Algarve has plenty to offer when it comes to physical and mental wellbeing. The climate promotes an active outdoor lifestyle, with running, golf, swimming, horse-riding and pretty much any water sport available locally.
"The Algarve has plenty to offer when it comes to physical and mental wellbeing—running, golf, swimming, horse-riding and water sports available locally"
The Algarve (and Portugal as a whole) also benefits from a low crime rate and free public healthcare—ideal for feeling safe and living well.
5. Work/life balance
The Algarve has an excellent digital infrastructure, making remote work easy. The country offers a range of visas and routes to residency, including self-employment, tech, startup and qualified worker visas.
Balancing this are beaches, mountains, sunshine, restaurants, quaint villages, bustling towns and so much more, all of which are available to enjoy the moment you close your laptop.
6. Property prices
The beautiful Palmares Apartments. Credit: Palmares Ocean Living & Golf
In Portugal, unlike the UK right now, there’s plenty to be positive about when it comes to housing affordability. According to Numbeo, the average cost per square metre to buy an apartment outside of a city centre in the UK is £3,343.21, while in Portugal it is just €1,970.12 (£1,694.77).
This means that property buyers can get far more for their money. At Palmares Ocean Living & Golf, for example, buyers can pick up a fully furnished Signature Apartment designed by Pritzker Prize-winners RCR Arquitectes, in a stunning natural setting with ocean views, from €600,000.
7. Easy access
Portugal is easily accessible from the UK. Faro Airport is the Algarve’s regional hub and the third largest airport in Portugal, with 21 airlines serving 63 destinations, including airports across the UK. This excellent connectivity makes it affordable and easy to stay in regular contact with friends and family back home.
"Portugal is easily accessible from the UK and this excellent connectivity makes it affordable and easy to stay in regular contact with friends and family back home"
People of all ages are discovering a new life in the Algarve. Kronos Homes’ Alda Filipe sums it up:
“The Algarve is a wonderful place to live year-round, with a welcoming local community, a richly diverse natural landscape and a relaxed lifestyle. It has a well-established expat community, with residents hailing from around the globe, who are here to enjoy the myriad benefits that moving to the Algarve encompasses.”
Banner credit: Palmares Ocean Living & Golf
Read more: Algarve: A flourishing wine region
Read more: 5 Reasons to visit Portugal
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