The Best Places in the World to Retire in 2025 Workshop
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Hi, Pat. So sorry to hear that! There are a couple of retirement communities in Lisbon, that they say are similar to what we have in the US, but frankly, I don't think they will have all the services you describe. But I will tell you that there is a senior residence in my little village that is attached to a child day care. What a great idea! The caretakers take care of both, and the seniors can have as much or as little interaction with the kids as they want. My plan is to hire someone to come into my home when I need the help. It is SO much cheaper here to get even skilled nursing care. And people are so much kinder and more respectful to people our age, it's a beautiful life! Glenda
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Hi, Mary,
Portugal is really terrific for bringing pets. Rabies shot, and international chip, and a health sign off from your vet. No quarantine! I sent my friend a really interesting article the other day about a cruise ship that is offering pet cruises to Europe! No worries of plane travel. Glenda
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Hi Ed,
You are correct in that Boquete offers a cooler, springlike climate.
You can read about all these places on the IL website, (www.InternationalLiving.com, search "Boquete" - make sure you spell placenames correctly, otherwise you won't get results).
There are insects in all these places. In Panama I follow regular fumigation guidelines and that keeps my home free from real nuisances like roaches and silverfish. In some parts of the country scorpions are common and you want to shake out items if you're at beach level. In my part of the country we have termite flight season and beetle season (usually May or June-July) they're harmless and it's a non-issue for me.
If you're concerned about diseases read up on vaccinations, health advisories and more: for Panama you can check online sources that offer recommendations specific to the different areas of Panama, including the World Health Organization (website: www.who.int), the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control, website: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/), or the Canadian Foreign Affairs Office (website: www.voyage.gc.ca).
(And remember, if you do plan to look into any vaccinations or pre-trip treatment courses, it’s best you see your healthcare provider at least four to six weeks before you travel.)
While we recommend places we and many expats feel safe in, no city on earth is 100% free from crime. By reading the profiles we feature of expats actually living in these places you can get a true sense for just how safe they feel there and what safety concerns they are able to leave behind when moving out of the US.
Best,
IL Overseas Editor Jess Ramesch -
Boa Tarde, Nora!
It's a beautiful life here in the Algarve, on the Southern coast of Portugal. Like you, I wanted to be warm all year round! If you get away from the coast here, you can find some much cheaper areas to rent or buy. For fun from home, check out idealista.pt. You can enter rent or buy and scroll over an interactive map. The price in the whole country will pop up. You will see the prices drop drastically when you get even 30 minutes north of the beach! Good luck! Glenda
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See my reply, above.
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Portugal, particularly in the Algarve on the Southern coast, has an active senior dating community. There are many ways to meet people, social clubs, fundraisers for a number of worthy causes, facebook groups.....if you are active and interested in meeting someone, you will have lots of options here in the Algarve! Glenda
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Hi Sondra,
There are a number of English-speaking doctors in Panama and in expat communities lots of bilingual help is available. I highly recommend regardless always carrying a description of your meds and relevant conditions in Spanish (or the language of whatever country you are visiting). You can use ChatGPT for good online translation. Google Translate is another option.Yes to moderate temps near a beach. In Panama, the mountain town of Boquete is about 1.5 hours or less from the nearest beach, La Barqueta. The mountain towns of Sorá and El Valle are about 45 minutes from beaches like Coronado and Gorgona.
Best,
IL Panama Editor Jess Ramesch -
Absolutely a must for me, for all of the reasons you describe! I use Traveling Mailbox. I have an address in Miami, they allow me to request a scan, or trash, or to actually forward my mail here to Portugal. A terrific service. Glenda
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Idealista.pt for Portugal! You can scroll over their interactive map (kind of like Zillow) and rental or purchase prices will pop up all over the country. It's how I found my quite villa off the main drag but minutes from the beach and 15 minutes from town. Glenda
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My best friends here are a gay couple who actually married in Portugal 14 years ago. They love the life here, and say they have never felt even uncomfortable since they moved here, even all those years ago!
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I can't answer the "allow you to bring her" question. I can't believe that they would prevent this in Portugal. They are so welcoming and so understanding of disability. A close friend has a brain tumor here and walks with a cane. He is invited to the front of every line, and people do not avoid speaking to him as they might in the States. Also, home health care is much cheaper here. I am on the board of a hospice charity. We employ two nurses and I was amazed at how affordable in home care is here. Definitely investigate Portugal, I think you would be comfortable here. Glenda
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Portugal is very liberated. I live near a surfing town where a lot of young people hang out and surf all day. As a single woman here, I never ran into any macho issues, or felt like the car mechanic didn't want to talk to me. As far as health insurance, my private insurance in Portugal went up to $207 per month when I turned 65. Incredibly cheap and terrific quality of care. Better than the US, frankly. You could also, once a resident, get completely free healthcare, but I understand the waits can be long, unless it's an emergency. I have a lot of health issues, so private makes sense for me.
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You need to show passive income (like social security) to get a retirement visa for Portugal. Of all the questions asked, none was about my health. In my six years here, it has never been asked when I renew my visa.
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Southern Portugal wins this one.
I live there, and I can't even find anyone to practice my Portuguese! Glenda -
My doctor here in the Algarve on the Southern coast of Portugal is South African. Her English is better than mine! I also have many health issues and I am on many meds. The costs would be staggering in the US, very affordable here. The quality of care is also excellent! And I live 8 minutes from the beach.
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Portugal offers very affordable health insurance. I am 66, I pay $207 for private health insurance. You can rent a lovely two bedroom apartment in a number of places in Portugal for less than $1,000 a month. To scout, I always recommend getting a home base and stayingin a neighborhood. I have used Air BnB and VRBO and had great luck here in an number of areas. And a great tip for the cheapest car rentals here: carjet.com.
Good luck! Glenda
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While in the US, you need to apply for your residency visa on line if you plan to stay more than 90 days in Portugal. You go through a website: vfsglobal.com. I did it all myself, a lot of pieces, but not difficult. Give yourself 90 days to get it all together before you get on the plane.
As far as real estate, you must have an attorney in Portugal to do the contract. I would just look for a local Portuguese attorney in the area you decide to settle. To do some fun exploring on line for homes to rent or buy, try idealista.pt. I have spent many fun hours on that site. I found my home there.
Good luck! Glenda
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Where I live, in the Algarve on the southern coast of Portugal, there is always live music to be found. There's a local jazz place at the marina that has live music year round. There are musical events listed in the weekly expat paper of all genres and in all areas here. Of course, the major cities have live music as well. My boyfriend is a musician and he loves living here.
Glenda
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I dumped almost everything, and I am shocked that I really haven't missed my "stuff". I had a LOT of it. Here in Portugal, it's so cheap (and fun!) to replace everything, it's not an issue. My Amazon Prime works here with Amazon Spain, I order something pretty much every week (three boxes today) and get free shipping. Wonderful! No Walmart or QVC that i am aware of, but lots of malls and small stores. I am a shopaholic and I love it in Portugal!
Glenda
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Portugal, particularly on the warm southern coast, is English. Also in the major cities. In the countryside, Goodle Translate will work well.