Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Hi.

My partner and I are 37 and have a 6 year old boy. We are moving to the Algarve around June 2021, with the aim to rent for 12 months before deciding where to settle down and possibly buy a house. We'll be visiting later this year to spend a week trying to find an area we like.

My partner is super-sociable, so will be miserable unless she has a handful of women to hang around with. We're also looking to have another child, so the female support network will be more important still.

I've been checking out Vale do Lobo and Vilamoura online, and have recently been looking at Portimao too.

Finding an area with a high number of expats in the 30-50 year old range is really important to us, but I don't know where to start. Does anybody have any suggestions or advice, please?

Thanks!

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Can only give general advice I know from friends and be aware that most people (Expats) your age won't have that luxury and need to make money before they move to the Algarve. Yes, you'll always find the odd Artist, the hippe couple and people opening an Irish Bar within that age bracket. However, it's mainly retired people who settle and the others don't last very long, are younger and work in the tourism sector (seasonal), or just own a holiday home. You're better off learning the language and mixing with locals from day 1, rather than focusing on areas with a high number of expats. With a 6 year old you can meet people at the local school and joining a sport club/doing charity work is always helpful.

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

I think it might help people respond if you said a bit more about what you do and how you intend to fund in Portugal. Are you UK based ? ( In which case might it be beneficial to establish residency before January when the residency rules change, as I understand it ? )

Is there some particular reason you are plumping for Portugal / Algarve ? Do you speak Portuguese ? ( If not for sure start learning asap and include your 6 year old in the tuition.
Do you have to delay your actual move until summer 2021 ?

I would think your initial visit needs to be at least a fortnight, rather than a week.

I would subscribe immediately to the printed / postal edition of Algarve Resident, which has a lot of info about stuff going on relating to both expats and locals. AlgarveDailyNews is an online publication you should tap into as well.

I second what Moses says about the relative paucity of expat persons your age ish . If they are really really that important to your relocation ~might you be better off in the Lisbon area ? Lots of working age expats there ?

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

We’ve been in the Algarve over 5 months now and still not sure its for us. I think the heat and increased tourists might be too much for us in the summer. Spring was nice and we are hoping Autumn winter will be OK but a full year is needed to really have any idea. Check the Expat facebook groups for more help.

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

the Algarve is pretty dead in the winter, (Oct to March) and cold at night, can be very wet as well, so more people go to the Canaries. 80% of cafes etc close up.

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Maybe the more toursity places shut, but where I lived, everything stayed open all year.

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Hi Andy... What are your motives for moving to the Algarve ? Serious question . From your post it would seem that the social life takes precedence over everything else .or is it your main worry.?
If it is ,and you are looking to replicate a busy life in say London,Manchester or other large city. the Algarve will disappoint . What you see in towns like Albufeira in the height of a ( normal ) summer is not the real Algarve.One month of mad partying ,and then eleven months of quiet ,low key, seaside life. As Moses has pointed out , the ex-pat community is mainly made up of retirees from all over Europe and now even America and Canada. Attracted for just this reason ,a quiet seaside life. and a cheaper way of living in a good climate
Having said that ,there are more and more young people like yourselves who are making the move here, starting small business's and trying to make a life in this gorgeous country. They are living in the( mainly ) cheaper countryside areas'. Schools like the International one in Burgau have been joined by others like the Montessori ( like ?) one near Salema ..Naturally these areas are quiet.too and somewhat isolated . Does that appeal to you or your partner.? Are you prepared to learn Portuguese ? Not trying to put you off ,my youngest daughter lives and works here and loves it. She would be the first to say that it is a million miles away from her previous London life though.
I would advise a visit..( once Covid 19 restrictions ease) and a tour around .Whilst the 'Golden Triangle ' of Almancil,Vale do Lobo, Quinta da Lago is the magnet for the wealthier ,its not known as a family friendly or pocket friendly area if thats a consideration. For me the best town in the Algarve is Lagos. It fulfils most needs. Lots of surrounding villages ( as I said junior international school in Burgau ...twenty minute drive away ) Senior International school in Lagoa about twenty minutes away.in the other direction. If it were me I would start there ;) Good luck in your search

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Not where I Iive .;).. Lagos and Luz are open all year round

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

:( Oh dear.. You have come at such bad time. Covid 19 has changed the face of the Algarve this year. We are all feeling it. Don't recognise the place The heat this year has also been very unusual. More like Spain in the med,than the Algarve in the Atlantic. For the first time in ten years we considered 'Air Co' ( resisted it though. :lol:) Why do you think an increase in tourists would put you off? There are so many areas that are quiet and almost tourist free... We usually go away in August , as we would normally have done living in the Netherlands ( as we used to ) or the UK. A reverse policy ,go to the cooler climes instead. Hope life improves for you

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

hi, butting in from the France forum, but these are pan-European issues.
You haven't said where your combined source of income would come from (working? UK rentals? ....). Whatever, you should research healthcare insurance for you both, depending on your respective status, and also, if you eventually buy somewhere jointly without being married, consult a Notario to find the best way of protecting the surviving partner in the event of separation or death. Present regulations will likely change after 1st January 2021, but those on thisl forum will be able to advise.
If this is a forevermore move, why not put your son in a Portuguese school where he'll pick up the language in no time and make friends locally? Your girlfriend could join various clubs to meet like-minded people and make friends, and also make friends at the school gates with your son's pals' mothers. She shouldn't limit her social life to expat acquaintances if you intend to live in Portugal forevermore. As suggested, you should ALL use the coming months to seriously learn Portuguese (careful, make sure you won't be learning Brazilian Portuguese which isn't quite the same).
HTH

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Go West.
I would suggest Lagos or Budens.

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Hi just read your posted earlier in the year. We are moving to Portugal in July 2021. Let me know if you you get sorted my wife is 42 and we have 2 young children she too is sociable. Regards Dave

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Would echo what others have said re not basing a decision on the amount of ex-pats.

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

Geronimal.

Know where you are coming from and can sympathise. We don't live permanently in Portugal but have owned and subsequently spent a lot of time there this past nearly 20 years and there is something I can't quite put my finger on that has stopped us making it a permanent move.

To be fair it may not be Portugal, it could very well be us, we may have had the same feeling if we had chosen Spain or Montenegro or whatever.

Would echo what someone else has said about August, was only there once for that month and was mighty relieved when it was over and started to cool / quieten down.

Good luck with it.

Re: Popular expat areas of Algarve
 

I have visited the Algarve. I did not like the huge pockets of expats focussed on Golf ! In some place I felt that I was in the Home Counties !