Cost of living – It’s notably cheaper than the UK, particularly the utility services. Supermarket food is comparable but eating out is unbelievably good value – for example, a ‘workers lunch’ of half a carafe of wine or beer, bread, olives, huge main course, coffee (with local fire water – ‘aguardente’) is just 5.00€!

eather – In Central Portugal you get great weather with summer temperatures reaching into the 30s, and warm winters with temperatures rarely below 10 degrees. During the summer months (April–October) it gets beautifully warm and we even spend a couple of weeks sleeping under a mosquito net a la ‘Out of Africa’. In general we live a very alfresco lifestyle throughout the year – eating outside on your own verandah in December is hard to beat! If it does get a little chilly for you, all our properties have thick walls, good insulation and a wood burner (with plenty of fuel all around!) and also the option of plugging in electric back up heaters. Happily, there’s no need for central heating!