Sandradmrsp

I've just found this forum as myself and my husband are planning to move abroad in 3 years from now when our children have all finished college.

We are starting to research now and I thought this would be a good place to start talking to people about making this kind of move.

We've been looking at Spain and Portugal so I am looking forward to reading about the experiences other people have had, in particular with regards to learning a new language and taking pets.

Rosemary

Hello and a big welcome to BE.

Excellent information can be found in the BE Wiki, not forgetting the Living and Moving Abroad forum that will help you, there is also a lot more information in the Europe Forums. Yet another set of great help is the permanent threads at the TOP of each forum, they are very pertinent to that particular forum and makes sensible reading.

Moderators deal with any problems that arise such as inappropriate posts, spammers etc, you will find their names at the bottom right hand side of each forum's index in bold font.

Please contact me if I can give you any further help.

Rosemary

Rosemary

Have moved your thread into the Spain forum as this seems to be more suitable to your needs. I would suggest that you also start a thread in the Portugal forum to gain ideas from there.

Hope this helps you.

Rosemary

Chiclanagir

The only thing I would say is that Portugal is more expensive than Spain.

Jur

Beer´s cheaper in Portugal.

Chiclanagir

I doubt it! Here it is 1.00 to 1.20 for a small beer.

Petrol is dearer there too.

Jur

Paid €1 for a bottle at an English owned Quinta last Saturday. In April 0,60 cents for a beer in Pomarao.


Petrol´s dearer, tobacco´s cheaper, houses dearer, textile products cheaper.

But I prefer Spain overall too.

Chiclanagir

60 cents is cheap I presume that a Quinta is a bar?

What about food in bars/restaurants?

bxpuser24710519

hi and welcome, I have heard people say Portugal is cleaner, the building laws are strange, maybe just different ( more strange than Spain ? ) and it is full golf courses, not that I know nor necessarily believe it all.

Beer prices are not something I would bother about, food, housing and transport, health care, leisure/hobby possibilities.

I did like a lot of the food in Portugal too.

Good luck with your research.

Jur

This particular one is a rural hotel, ofcourse if you go drinking in Vilamoura´s marina you pay top dollar.

Haven´t been for a meal in Portugal for years so can´t comment on that.

Mitzyboy

Can we please concentrate on the OP's questions rather than the price of worldwide beer

Sandradmrsp

Thanks for all of the replies! Beer prices are not really important as I'm a wine drinker and the hubby like bourbon!

Seriously we have plenty of time to research, he runs his own business online and we have no reason to stay where we are in Lincolnshire once the kids have finished college, so we have decided to move somewhere where we can enjoy a warm and relaxed lifestyle.

I'm looking to see what areas people recommend, and where it's best to avoid, we don't want to end up in Little Britain near a resort, we're looking for something inland and rural preferably. I'm quite happy to learn a new language, and early planning will give me the time to do that.

I'd be interested to know what kind of pets people have moved with them, I currenly have reptiles, parrots and skunks as well as the usual cats and dogs. I would prefer to keep my parrots and skunks and the dogs, but would happily rehome the rest if necessary.

Domino

Careful !! Bourbon? In my experience Spain doesn't seem to hold with these nasty foreign things, especially if they have a local equivalent or if they come out of France. Mind you they seem to have a defective eye when it comes to UK's whiskey - oodles of the stuff around and at good prices in the major supermarkets such as Al Campo. Have even seen the girls from the chinese round the corner struggling with a trolley load.

Food doesn't have to be expensive, the locals save the best for home and ship the poorer stuff to the UK. Just the cucumbers to Germany. Inland the problem can be getting rashers of bacon and SAUSAGES. Olive oil spread from Sainsbury's can't be had as they use olive oil out of the bottle. . But then you can't have everything, and thats what people move for - the local experience, the good weather - has it stopped raining in Granada today ??

Oh and welcome

john1979

The pet travel company in my sig can help with your lovely pets.

Good luck in your planning and eventual move

Dick Dasterdly

In that case you need to be in my neck of the woods, no Little Britain colonies, lovely pretty rural area, all mod cons and all you need within easy reach, very friendly folk, local farmers co-op right beside me selling local wine at 75 cents a ltr.
Lots of country properties at knock down prices with plenty of scope for your livestock and lots of reptiles in the campo to replace the ones you have to leave behind.

I move back and forth regularly with my Mutt, by road and sea no problem.
I have neighbours with everything from peacocks and donkeys to ostriches running around in their gardens fairly close by, but don't get the wrong idea it's still very peaceful and quiet.