10 Things to Know About Portugal Before Moving There

1. They don't speak Spanish

The Portuguese don’t speak Spanish. They speak Portuguese.

The Romans brought Vulgar Latin over to the Iberian Peninsula (i.e. where Spain and Portugal are) in the 3rd century BC, and this was still being spoken all over Portugal by the 13th century AD. In 1290, King Denis of Portugal decided to make Vulgar Latin the official language of Portugal, calling it ‘Portuguese’. 

There are up to 220 million native speakers of Portuguese around the world, making it the sixth most popular language worldwide. Yes, it is similar to Spanish (Speakt reckons the two languages share a lexical similarity of 90%), but Spaniards still have a tough time understanding Portuguese speakers, and vice versa.

2. There used to be an empire

There’s a reason so many people who don’t live in Portugal are native speakers of Portuguese. Back in the day, Portugal colonised land in North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. 

Starting in 1415 and concluding in 1999 (when Macau was handed back to China), Portugal created the first ever global empire. Its territories included Brazil, Goa (in India), Angola, Mozambique, East Timor, and Macau. This rapacious landgrabbing exercise was once a badge of honour for Portugal, but today it is (quite rightly) seen as a badge of shame.

3. There's more than one bit of land

Physically speaking, Portugal is a bit more than one slab of land stapled onto the west of Spain. The country has a fistful of islands to show for its past colonial exploits, namely Madeira, the Azores, and the Savage Islands. 

Madeira and the Azores are both located in the North Atlantic Ocean, around 600 miles and 900 miles from mainland Portugal, respectively. They’re popular spots for holidaymakers all over the world, and can make a Portuguese ‘staycation’ very glamorous indeed. 

Meanwhile, the Savage Islands (also in the North Atlantic, south of Madeira) are about as rough and barren as you’d expect, home to some big rocks, birds, and around 2-5 reserve staff/scientists. Not a typical holiday destination.

4. They've got great healthcare options

Socialism is very popular in Portugal (more on that later), so a thoroughly socialised healthcare system is to be expected. The Serviço Nacional de Saúde (SNS) is available to all Portuguese citizens, free for under-18s and over-65s, and heavily subsidised for everyone else. 

Fortunately, the SNS is also available to non-citizens, although prices are a little less subsidized. All you need to do is get your Portuguese social security number, and register as a resident. More on this process in our guide to Portugese healthcare. 

It’s a pretty successful system, too. A ranking of 195 national healthcare systems around the world by The Lancet in 2018 put Portugal in 32nd place, which isn’t bad at all.

5. Expats are in demand

A lot of anti-immigrant rhetoric (and policy) has swept across America and western Europe in recent years, but Portugal really bucks the trend. The country wants immigrants – including you.

In January 2020, Portugal's interior minister proudly announced that “in 2019, for the first time in our history, the barrier of half a million foreign citizens residing in Portugal has been overcome”. With an overall population of 10.3 million people, that means just under 5% of Portugal’s people are foreign-born.   

The country’s workforce was severely depleted by heavy emigration between 2011-16, and now the government is doing all it can to bring people back in. The most attractive policy is a 50% income tax cut until 2023 for any Portuguese people who have left the country for more than three years. 

If you’re not an absconded Portuguese person, don’t worry – the government has also made it easier for foreigners to acquire work visas and purchase properties.

If you want to apply for a residency visa, you can do at a consulate in Australia. You must have:

• Proof that you can financially support yourself with at least €40 (AU$62) per day, or a letter from a citizen vouching for you
• A valid passport or other travel document
• Travel insurance that covers you for the entire period you plan to stay in Portugal

6. There's stunning countryside…

Almost every country in the world has natural beauty that’s worth talking about, and Portugal is no exception. Despite Spain hogging most of the Iberian bed, there’s still lots to enjoy on Portugal’s side. 

Particular highlights include the rugged and dramatic mountains on Portugal’s eastern border (especially the Serra de São mountain park), the elegant lakes of the Minho region in the northwest, and the forested Rota Vicentina coastal trails of the southwest. 

To top it all off, there’s Peneda-Gerês National Park. Located in the north, not far from the Spanish border, this park is home to wolves, deer, golden eagles, and wide-eyed walkers. In between bouts of hilly countryside, you’ll find beautiful little medieval villages and shrines.

7. …and stunning beaches, too

Portuguese beaches are invariably sublime, so they deserved a section all to themselves. Once you’re in Portugal, just head west or south until the land stops, and it’s likely you’ll be delighted with the result. 

If you’re looking for some white-sand-and-turquoise-sea vibes, or if you’re looking for something a bit more crash-and-awe, Portugal has both in abundance. Our particular favourite is Castelejo beach, located on the west coast of the Algarve, but defying the typical features of an Algarve beach. Instead of soft sand and warm waters, Castelejo offers massive black schist cliffs, thunderous Atlantic waves, and stretches of misty golden sand. 

Yes, this is ultimately a surfer’s beach.