Last Updated on 6th September 2024
Portugal has a lot to offer, including some of the most stunning beaches and landscapes in Europe, beautifully warm summers and mild winters, and a relaxed lifestyle.
Having regularly been voted among the top ten international destinations for quality of life in the annual InterNations Expat Insider Survey, the country is one of the most popular destinations for foreign nationals to relocate to.
Moving to a new country is incredibly exciting and can also be very daunting. There are many differences to get accustomed to, from the food, lifestyle, medical facilities, and customs to local regulations.
Many expats find that local forums help them adapt and make friends within their new community. Forums can also provide access to work opportunities, tips about services, and recommendations for schools.
Portugal is a fantastic place to live , thanks to its welcoming communities, the near-perfect climate, and affordable property market. If you are considering taking the leap, joining local expat forums is a great place to start.
The Benefits of Connecting with Expat Forums
Choosing the most relevant forums to join may, of course, depend on your circumstances and reasons for moving abroad.
Families may be interested in learning about the experiences other expats have had with international schools or childcare facilities. In contrast, others might be keen to find the best nearby golf courses or restaurants.
The advantages of speaking with other expats who have made the same transition to life in Portugal can include:
- Tips and advice about local markets and the best places to shop.
- Finding tranquil, quiet beaches and outdoor spaces that only residents know about.
- Working out the best places to live, where to send your kids to school, and which areas offer the most appealing business or work opportunities.
- Immersing yourself in the local culture with information about events, traditions and social activities and networking with other expats with similar interests.
- Seeking support with connecting with utility providers, builders and any other trades you might need, particularly if you are learning Portuguese and require a contractor or provider who can communicate in English.
Having help and assistance in your native language from foreign nationals with first-hand experience of an international relocation is hugely valuable. However, the caveat is that we’d advise against relying on information from forums about financial or legal matters.
Reforms to visa eligibility criteria, tax regimes, and cross-border laws mean it is vital to consult an experienced, professional financial adviser, wealth manager, or solicitor if you have questions about any financial or legal affairs. Forums remain a source of local on-the-ground information about everything else.
Next, we’ll highlight a selection of the most popular expat forums in Portugal that you may wish to join.
Expats Portugal
This forum, founded in 2005, is dedicated to Portuguese expats and those planning a move. With over 14,000 members, it provides access to advice and knowledge from users who have been through the relocation process and are happy to share their experiences.
All posts are in English, so the forum is easy to use whether or not you’ve had time yet to learn the language. It also offers a business directory to help find the services you are looking for.
Expats Portugal has a wide array of forums around topics such as public holidays, Portuguese food and the weather, understanding the education system, driving and buying a car, and how the property market works, amongst others.
Expat Focus
With a database of content related to moving home, building a property and renovating, anybody considering relocating will find everything they need to know here – although the site operates more as a knowledge bank than an interactive community forum.
The moving guide is comprehensive and provides advice in stages depending on how far along you are in your move, whether you are planning for a future move or need practical advice about moving your home and family to a new country, such as storage, shipping, renting or buying a home and finding a job.
You can also find trade pages and a second-hand buying and selling page, alongside property for sale or rent listings. This is a good way to stay up to date with local knowledge, with advertised job posts and invitations to attend events and sporting activities. However, be conscious that some of the content is sponsored – rather than an independent opinion or recommendation.
Just Landed
Like many expat forums, Just Landed offers services at favourable rates to members alongside the forum itself. You can look through offers and promotions for local schools, moving companies, language tuition and community clubs and groups.
The forum covers numerous topics, with a housing and rentals page containing advice, shared experiences, and listings for properties for sale, for rent, or being sought in a particular area. As always, property listings should be verified since renting or purchasing real estate from an unknown party can be very risky.
Elsewhere, the culture page is a go-to for information to help new expats understand how things work. It offers insights into aspects such as normal opening hours for shops and banks, and traditions and events that will help make sense of the local culture.
Members also share advice about amenities and services to make your relocation as smooth and stress-free as possible – from installing a new telephone line to finding the cheapest flights.
Expatica
Expatica is another site that functions more as a series of guides than a public forum but provides a great deal of useful information. The guides are straightforward and created to help people moving to Portugal to settle in. They are separated into guides, jobs, housing, and a business directory.
For people intending to work or run a business, the guides covering Portuguese working regulations are worth reviewing before considering any job opportunities. The education guides also explain options and systems for schooling children, attending higher education, and learning the language through accredited tuition providers.
The news section is also handy for keeping up to date with upcoming events and government announcements, and the cultural integration section covers some relevant information, such as the culture, social etiquette, and suggestions for things to do during your first week living in Portugal.
Expat Exchange
A worldwide forum for international expats, the Portugal pages include guides for everyday life in the most popular areas such as Cascais, Lagos, Lisbon and Porches. There are individual forums for specific cities, pages to introduce yourself to other members, and the option of starting a new thread if you have a particular question.
Joining a forum is a great way for new residents to be proactive about meeting new people, and with a sociable and friendly atmosphere, this is a good place to start. There are new posts and threads daily with either new expats or existing community members seeking advice, recommendations and support.
These include information about obtaining a driving licence, help with finding tradespeople nearby, and advice about applying to schools, finding a job and joining sports clubs.
Accessing Support and Guidance When Relocating to Portugal
Each of the Portuguese expat forums or resources mentioned here can be helpful for anybody relocating, and provide tips, recommendations, and suggestions.
These are often especially useful for foreign nationals who haven’t spent significant time in Portugal beforehand, don’t speak the language, or are unsure how to go about a move, renovating a property, or finding a school placement.
However, we’d reiterate that forums related to managing your finances, purchasing insurance, applying for a visa or permit and handling important tasks such as pension transfers should always be used purely from an informative perspective rather than considered factual, dependable advice.
If you require guidance around your wealth, investments, savings, tax position, or any other aspect of your finances, please contact the Chase Buchanan Portuguese office. As a highly regulated wealth management company that specialises in global financial advice, our Portuguese team is on hand to assist.
* Updated August 2024