Portugal and its 7 Regions
Including the Islands there are seven regions of Portugal, each with its own unique character and all worth a visit. Many traditions and they vary from region to region, the country truly is brimmed with tradition and culture. The Algarve is probably the best known and the first thought for tourists or potential Expats looking to relocate but do not neglect the rest of Portugal, Island regions Madeira or the Azores as well as the North and Lisbon, the variety is almost endless and the opportunities are never-ending.
Sitting between the Atlantic and Spain Portugal an old EU nation has been described as an Expat paradise, the Azores are actually know as Paradise in the Atlantic with Madeira being known as The Pearl. Each region has a lot to offer so lets see what they may hold for you for your holiday or future relocation. Expats consistently rate Portugal as Excellent as a place to live, low living costs and great links to the rest of Europe put Portugal at the top of many best places to live lists. Did we mention the castles?
Portugal Castles
You may not instantly associate Portugal with castles, Scotland and Wales spring to mind before Portugal but you may be surprised to know that Portugal has more than 150 Castles!
Portugals independence has endured many threats from various invaders over the centuries. Not surprisingly the Spanish have frequently tried to take Portugal for their own but earlier threats from both the Arabs and The Moors were warded off. Portugals castles are now great tourist attractions but in past times each served a purpose in defending the lands from being taken. You will see that although there are castles with cities now sprawling around them, towns and even some villages had their own fortifications for defence. Top suggestions for a visit are Pena Palace or perhaps Guimarães Castle which has been fully renovated and has become one of Portugals most famous attractions. ,
REGION BY REGION
THE MAGNIFICENT 7
Northern Portugal
Starting in the North we have the most populous of Portugal’s 7 regions according to the latest censes from 2017 there are over 3.5 Million inhabitants. 1 of the mainlands 5 regions Porto is the best known destination and of course the capital, with its metropolotan area consisting of 1.8 million.
Any trip to Northern Portugal is a trip into landscapes that inspire, mixed in with a fair number of the aforementioned castles it is easy to see why such a dense population has congregated in the north. If you are considering a move to Portugal you would do well looking at this most northern region with property prices significantly lower than in Lisbon or in popular beach side areas of The Algarve.