Pure Portugal Blog

Christmas in Portugal

Some of us are preparing for our first Christmas in Portugal! Some of us are well-seasoned stayers for Portuguese Festivities! This year Christmas 2020 will be different of course, we will likely have to make some changes to plans and lots of traditional celebrations will be postponed or cancelled but I wanted to share my experience of Christmas in Portugal all the same, ready for 2021 maybe!… I have spent Christmas in many different countries over the years which has ...Read more

Visiting Castelo de Vide

Hello Portugal Lovers! During our travels we visited Castelo de Vide, a village in Alto Alentejo that still very much in its original state. So we made a short video about it. In Castelo de Vide we can still see the births in the cages outside the houses and the clothes drying on the walls of the houses. At this point it reminds us our city Porto, a few years ago… A city full of history and small details, which ...Read more

Join Us At Pure Portugal Plus

We are thrilled to announce that after huge demand (and a lot of background work) we have just opened up a members group called Pure Portugal Plus. Pure Portugal Plus is a dedicated space to connect on a deeper level, with even more professional advice for people moving to and living in Portugal. Membership is only 20€ per year, (just to cover some of the extra administration needed to build, organise and plan the many interviews and webinars we have ...Read more

Living In Portugal – The Algarve

The Algarve has long been the favourite among foreigners, both as an area to holiday and to live in Portugal, there is estimated to be around 100,000 people who originate from outside Portugal that now call the Algarve home. The Algarve is (like all of Portugal) a very safe region, it has little crime and the usual laid-back lifestyle people expect to find in Portugal. Perfect for people of all ages, the Algarve caters for families and retirees alike, mainly ...Read more

Communities In Portugal

Communities in Portugal have existed for many decades, but it’s fair to say the interest in living this way has grown massively in recent years and with this more and more communities have formed. COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN PORTUGAL Aldeia de Cabrum Amakura/Ecoaldeia de Cabrum – Cabrum A Portuguese-speaking community project, running regular events, open to volunteers and visitors. “A aldeia é um pequeno paraíso” Quinta das Relvas – Branca An artist’s community farm, open to collaborations, artist’s residencies, volunteering, and ...Read more

Living In Portugal – Coastal Central Portugal

The Silver Coast is located in the central region of Portugal with 150km of coastline. A great alternative to the Algarve for people looking for a lifestyle by the sea. The weather here is not always as idyllic or settled as can be found in the Algarve but unspoilt coastlines and bustling little villages and towns can be found in plentiful supply and prices for property here are as a rule, still notably lower than in the Southern/Algarve area. The ...Read more

Living In Portugal – Inland Central Portugal

It seems a lot of visitors to Portugal never make it inland in Portugal, those who do consider Central Portugal to be the ‘real’ Portugal. It has a village called Monsanto which was voted as the most Portuguese village in Portugal so maybe there is a lot of truth in this! (read more about Monsanto here). Central Portugal is scenic and beautiful, there are broad, winding rivers, river beaches, lakes and rolling hills, the air is pure and much of ...Read more

Living In Portugal – Northern Portugal

Portugal was founded in the North in the 12th century. It is the most populous regions after Lisbon and the third largest by area. Known for Port its wine, natural wonder and rich heritage which includes ancient monuments, churches and modern buildings alike. The River Douro is one of the main rivers crossing the Iberian Peninsula and can be explored by boat or train. Northern Portugal’s only national park is called Peneda-Gerês, boasting beautiful wilderness, mountains, waterfalls and abundant wildlife. ...Read more

The Pure Portugal Guide To Portuguese Public Holidays & Celebrations 2020

Whether you are just visiting Portugal or already living here you will want to be sure you know the important dates and public holidays which happen through the year, many businesses close over holidays and there are some great celebrations to join in with too! Not all businesses close for a public holiday, generally you can still find supermarkets and main shops open especially in larger places, public transport will still run usually also, but expect to find the local ...Read more

Moving To Portugal – June’s Story

We thought it would be helpful to have some Q&A’s from real people who have made the move already. Some are newly arrived, others have been here for much longer, meaning you can get a broad range of experiences from people to get a real feel for what it is like to move to Portugal and start living your dream! Today we meet June Da Silva who moved from South Africa to Portugal in 2006 Have you lived in ...Read more

Explore Portugal – The Dão Valley

This blog is bought to you with many thanks to The Caminho do Dão project, a new long-distance hiking trail in the Dão Valley in Northern Portugal. The Caminho do Dão is a week-long nature pilgrimage through the beautiful valley, from the source to the mouth of the river. For more info and booking see here. The Dão valley and its rich patchwork of landscapes that tell the story of what is happening in and to nature in the entire ...Read more

The Pure Portugal Festivals Guide – 2020

Portugal knows how to party, this we already know! But if the year-round festas are not enough for you, fear not! Festivals are making more and more of an appearance in Portugal each year and 2020 is set to be one of the biggest and best yet! To help you decide which festivals are a total must we have compiled a month by month list so you can enjoy Portugal and the festival season to the max…From small one day ...Read more

Portuguese bread (and a little rant)

Some days ago I ranted a bit on Facebook and Instagram because of the insane amount of tourists today who are worried, mostly, with collecting stamps on their passports and taking selfies for the gram – you know what I mean. Years ago I stopped reading travel blogs (except for a select few) because of how most of them just seemed to have a checklist of places to visit but apparently didn’t really reap any real, life-enriching benefit from all ...Read more

My Portuguese House

We are really excited to share this short piece from Herbert Daybell who wrote a fantastic book about the ups and downs of falling in love with, and renovating an old house (and not just any old house!) in Portugal in his book My Portuguese House: A Palacial purchase available from Amazon here. So, it’s the dream isn’t it? Find a property in sunny Portugal and live there happily ever after. But how many people buy part of a royal palace? ...Read more

The Perfect Place To Create A Community

We bring you not one but three incredible properties, all are available as separate units but come with the unique situation of being set next to each other, which, for those people who wish to start a community is a dream come true! Property 1 – Land Of Oaks – 3 ruins with 180m2, another ruin footprint showing 73m2. Land with 12ha, a cork oak plantation, a lake with fresh water perfect for swimming in! Click here for more info. ...Read more

A Guide To Off-Grid Water

We bring you this guest blog from The Mud Home where they share their experience of off-grid water. Water is one of the top priorities when you’re building an off-grid world (for the full list see here). Having suffered plenty of experience in doing it the wrong way, I was a little obsessed about water this second time around. I’ve made sure in my new off-grid world that water is in abundance. I can tell you now, the difference it ...Read more

Moving to Portugal – Vaila’s Story

Hello Portugal Lovers! On our our team members Raquel and Daniel road trip, they visited a rental we are advertising at the Pure Portugal Holidays website and spoke with Vaila and her husband, a couple of tenants that rented this place via our website, and we instantly felt connected with them! Vaila would love to work with communities in Portugal and be connected to retreat centers and therapies, as she has experience on these areas. So, we asked them to ...Read more

Pure Portugal Holidays YouTube Channel

Hello Portugal Lovers! We are adding videos to our newly YouTube Channel for Pure Portugal Holidays and Rentals, from the visits we’ve been doing on our road trip through Portugal. It has been amazing to meet our partners and the properties we are advertising on the site! We believe that we are building a stronger relationship with the community, that will be a key to serve better the clients who are looking for a place to rent in Portugal. We ...Read more

Our visit to Quinta das Mil Flores

On our road trip we slept at Quinta das Mil Flores, in Pedrógrão Grande, with the smell of roses and aromatic herbs! This farm is open to the public with guided tours of its beautiful gardens. Also hosts events. It has an organic vegetable garden, and also several species of plants and trees. For example, they grow 40 different species of citrus and over 300 species of Roses! It is a lovely place for a wedding, for sure, as it ...Read more

The Harvest Fair in Arouca

While doing this road trip through the EN2, visiting partners and the Pure Portugal community, we’ve had the chance of participating in some events. Last weekend we went to the “75ª Feira das Colheitas”, the harvest fair in Arouca. It is an annual big event with crafts and arts, regional products and many activities for families. We saw a parade of ox carts bringing the crops, in gratitude to the mother earth and we met some inspiring eco social projects ...Read more

Fire Resistants – Documentary Film

It gives us great pleasure to share and support the making of this documentary which shares stories of resistance and rebirth following the 2017 Portugal wildfires. Two Italian anthropologists, along with a team of Portuguese filmmakers decided to make a documentary about the new opportunities the fire brought to the lives of five families of the area and also talk about the pulp plantation policies, which are, of course, the main cause of the massive dimension of the wildfires. Offering ...Read more

Discover Portugal: Tomar

The historic town of Tomar is set along the banks of the Nabão River and filled with ancient churches, cobbled streets and traditional houses. Rightly known as a jewel in the crown of Central Portugal, Tomar offers a true key destination to visit, bursting with stunning architecture and surrounding lush mountains. The fascinating history of Tomar includes being known as one of the religious centres for The Knights Templar, a powerful and secretive order who once ruled from their ...Read more

Hidden Treasures In Central Portugal

Thanks to our friend and partner Melanie, we share this guest blog post about another Treasure in Central Portugal! The undulated valleys and dramatic, forested mountainscapes of Central Portugal quietly guard a modest and timeless beauty. Sleepy villages, waiting to be discovered, reachable by winding rustic roads, nestle into a landscape laced with idyllic river spots and spectacular panoramic viewpoints. There truly is a sense that time slows here, and that life continues as it always has, with a simple ...Read more

The Best Cities In Portugal For Expat Arrivals

Home to a diverse mix of inspiring cities, quaint cobblestone villages and endless stretches of golden sands, Portugal is a truly attractive destination for both expats and visitors alike. As well as being awarded 6th place out of 68 countries in Internations Expat Insider 2018, Portugal gained fifth place for ease of settling in and second spot for quality of life – further emphasising the country’s alluring power. The cities of Porto, Lisbon and Braga in particular, regularly crop up ...Read more

Carnaval In Portugal!

There is no doubt that being in Portugal for Carnival (Carnaval) is one of the most memorable times to be there, the whole country seems to explode into a big bundle of colour, smiles and music, excitement fills the air even in the weeks leading up to the big celebration. Many cities and towns come to a complete stop while long parades of adults and children in fancy dress, and beautifully decorated carnival floats glitter their way through the streets. ...Read more

Moving To Portugal – Faith’s Story

We thought it would be helpful to have some Q&A’s from real people who have made the move already. Some are newly arrived, others have been here for much longer, meaning you can get a broad range of experiences from people to get a real feel for what it is like to move to Portugal and start living your dream! Today we meet Faith Canter who moved to Portugal from the UK in 2018. How did you find out about ...Read more

Moving To Portugal – Alison’s Story

We thought it would be helpful to have some Q&A’s from real people who have made the move already. Some are newly arrived, others have been here for much longer, meaning you can get a broad range of experiences from people to get a real feel for what it is like to move to Portugal and start living your dream! Today we meet Alison Kearin who moved to Portugal from the UK 8 years ago. How did you find out ...Read more

Discover Portugal: Serra da Estrela

Our place of the month this month is the Serra da Estrela mountains. This months blog is kindly bought to us by Faith Canter at Project Roots which is located near Vale de Prazerers, Fundao The Serra da Estrela happen to be not all that far from us. This is quite a result for the hiker in me (Faith Canter) and I intend to explore much more of this mountain range over the coming years. Serra da Estrela is the highest ...Read more

Let’s meet in 2019!

Our team members Raquel and Daniel, from the Pure Portugal Holidays website, are finally on the road making connections and visiting partners! 2018 was a great year for us, with big challenges and dreams coming true! Taking care of the Pure Portugal Holidays and Rentals site and starting our vanlife has been one of the most amazing experience in our lives! We are so happy that we can travel more, meet our partners and make new connections! Some of the places ...Read more

My Little Casa – Alentejo Discovery

Thanks to author, Lee Middlenam who mentioned Pure Portugal in his recent book – My Little Casa, as thanks to us for being a part of his journey. Here you can read a little more from Paul about his book which is available to buy on Amazon now! Deep in the rich and diverse agricultural heartlands of the Alentejo region in Portugal, villagers were going about their simple everyday life, with some tending to their farms, while others dine ...Read more

Discover Portugal: Passadicos de Paiva

If you’re anywhere near the North/Center of Portugal, a fun day outing fit for all ages is to go walk the Passadicos de Paiva. Located in Arouca, 85km away from Porto (a bit under a 90min drive), this boardwalk has won the World Traveler Award every year since 2016. An 8km boardwalk snakes through a gorgeous valley in the Arouca Geopark, running parallel to a river and with access to three river beaches. The walk is linear, so you can ...Read more

Meet Dan Kruger Of The Merkaba Community

What bought you to Portugal in the first place? Too much work in the UK really, I had jobs coming in from all areas, and lots of customers, I always want to take on so much as I am really passionate about what I do but, it wore me down to the point of feeling like I was having a breakdown. I had already been sick for a while before this with Crohn’s disease and had to have 6 ...Read more

Discover Portugal – Mira de Aire Caves

Our pick of the month this month is the beautiful Mira de Aire Caves, located in the small mountain town of Porto de Mós, Leiria, approximately one hour from Lisbon. The drive there itself is a feast for the eyes, winding through stunning mountain roads with the most breath taking views of the Serra de Aire e Candeeiros National Park. The formations date back as far as 150 million years ago, when the dinosaurs roamed, but the caves ...Read more

Road Tripping in Portugal: Hidden Gems and Sleepy Secrets

While over 20 million visitors a year flock to Portugal, each comes in search of their own unique experience. From delicious wine to cascading coastal cities, Portugal has something to offer everybody, but there is one way to make your experience even better. Driving through a country is undoubtedly one of the best ways to see all of the beauty it has to offer. Exploring Portugal’s beautiful coastal towns and delightful inland villages is best when done by car, and ...Read more

Folha Verde – Natural Education and Community Project

Folha Verde is a project initiated and carried out by the local community of around 150 like-minded adults and 50 children, most of whom have moved to the central region of Portugal to be closer to nature and to live a more sustainable life. The project is situated in a central valley next to the river in Benfeita, which makes it easily accessible for all of those living in the surrounding villages of Luadas, Esculca, Pai das Dona, Pardieiros, ...Read more

Discover Portugal: Mata do Bussaco

We had heard whispers about a magical palace reconverted into a hotel, with a restaurant and wine produced exclusively for that estate. When we finally went to explore, we discovered a lush, green forest full of trails and vestiges of an almost forgotten era, with at its heart a legendary convent turned hotel. Welcome to the fairytale that is Mata do Bussaco (also spelled Buçaco). The Buçaco forest bears two papal bulls on one of its gates, forbidding women from ...Read more

Discover Portugal: Praia da Arrifana, Algarve

The South of Portugal is a popular destination, but it’s a big place. If you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy the beach, gorgeous views, and fun activities that are family-friendly, you might want to look into Praia da Arrifana. Located 1h30 up the coast from Faro, or a 3h drive from Lisbon, this beach is in the Vicentine Coast Natural Park. With its surprising turquoise waters, Praia da Arrifana is surrounded by dramatic cliffs that provide a stunning view as ...Read more

Moving To Portugal – Bruce’s Story

We thought it would be helpful to have some Q&A’s from real people who have made the move already. Some are newly arrived, others have been here for much longer, meaning you can get a broad range of experiences from people to get a real feel for what it is like to move to Portugal and start living your dream! Today we meet Bruce and Russ who moved to Portugal from America in May 2018! How did you find Pure ...Read more

Festa Time! Óbidos Medieval Festa & Market

One of the most talked about Festas in Portugal is the Óbidos Medieval Festa & Market, which runs Thursday’s to Sunday’s between the 12th of July and the 5th of August, offering visitors the chance to feel as though they have been catapulted in time. Many people get dressed up for the occasion (fancy dress hire is available locally) so you can walk down the narrow cobbled streets, mingling with actors and friends alike, all dressed in historic ...Read more

Moving To Portugal – Tipping Point

We thought it would be helpful to have some Q&A’s from real people who have made the move already. Some are newly arrived, others have been here for much longer, meaning you can get a broad range of experiences from people to get a real feel for what it is like to move to Portugal and start living your dream! Today we meet Pam and Mark Tipping who found themselves in Portugal in 2012 after they had left UK ...Read more

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