Buying & Living in Portugal
Everything you need to know about buying property, moving to Portugal, and settling into life on the south bank — in plain English.
Clear answers to every question buyers ask us
Buying property in Portugal involves a lot of moving parts — tax numbers, legal paperwork, mortgages, residency, and a whole new way of life. The good news is that none of it is particularly complicated once you understand how it fits together.
These guides break it all down step by step. Read them in order if you're at the start of the journey, or jump to the topic you need next. We update them whenever the rules change — so what you read here is always current.
New to the idea of buying on Lisbon's south bank? The five big decisions, the admin you'll need, the timeline, the team around you, and the pitfalls that catch most buyers out — Portuguese and international.
Read the guideMoving to Portugal
Visas, residency, banking, and the admin of relocating.
The passive income visa: who it's for, the income thresholds, and the full application process step by step.
Read the guide →How to open a Portuguese bank account as a foreigner — which banks work best, documents needed, fees, and how to do it before you arrive.
Read the guide →How tax residency works in Portugal, what triggers it, and what it means for your worldwide income.
Read the guide →SNS public health, private insurance options, English-speaking doctors, and what to expect at the GP, specialist, and emergency room.
Read the guide →UK, EU, and non-EU rules for converting a foreign driving licence. The IMT process, AIMA appointments, timing, and pitfalls.
Read the guide →NHR closed in 2024. The narrower IFICI scheme replaced it. Who qualifies, what's different, and what the rest of us pay.
Read the guide →International movers, customs declarations, the bagagem de mudança duty exemption, and what to ship vs buy locally.
Read the guide →Electricity (EDP), water, gas, and fibre internet. Providers, costs, and the order to do things in.
Read the guide →A practical week-by-week settling-in checklist. NIF, bank, residency, healthcare, utilities, driving licence — in the right order.
Read the guide →Day-to-day life
Schools, transport, festivals, and what makes life on the south bank tick.
Geography of the south bank in plain English — the nine municípios, how each connects to Lisbon, and what foreign and local buyers trade by crossing the river.
Read the guide →The festivals, markets, and celebrations that bring the Margem Sul to life from June to September.
Read the guide →International schools, Portuguese colégios, forest schools, and the public system — honest advice on what works at every age.
Read the guide →Transport on the south bank — ferries, trains, light rail, and buses. How to get around without (or with) a car.
Read the guide →Every beach on the south bank. Costa da Caparica, Sesimbra, Arrábida, Meco — character, surf, family-friendliness, parking.
Read the guide →Moscatel de Setúbal, the Castelão grape, family wineries, and where to taste across Azeitão, Palmela, and the Arrábida.
Read the guide →Hiking trails, dramatic viewpoints, beach walks, and the most beautiful landscape within an hour of Lisbon.
Read the guide →Lisbon, Sintra, Évora, Comporta, Tróia — the best day trips from your south bank base.
Read the guide →Golf at Aroeira, surf in Caparica, kitesurf at Lagoa de Albufeira, sailing from Sesimbra, climbing in the Arrábida — and the daily gym scene.
Read the guide →The best things to do with kids on the south bank. Family beaches, water parks, animal places, museums, cycling routes, and rainy-day options.
Read the guide →Phoenicians, Moors, the Discoveries, the 1755 earthquake, the industrial era, and the modern transformation of the south bank.
Read the guide →The Carnation Revolution explained — what happened, the south bank's role, and how Liberdade is still celebrated here today.
Read the guide →