Cyprus or Portugal? Couple nearing retirement looking for a change. Not interested in a TOWIE lifestyle, but nice country, good walking with the option of a beach. Good food a big plus. Which?

[XingMing]

We're ready to think about retiring. We have earned enough money and worked for it, so we are thinking retirement planning. We've lived in the SW UK for 30 years and the busier it gets, the less we like it. So time to move. We don't really want a place that hums with tourism in school holidays and is otherwise dead, which seems to suggest a location with a year-round life and activity. We aren't going to fit into a TOWIE environment comfortably. We will obviously spend time in any promising location. We will not need jobs, but the opportunity to contribute and meet like-minded people would be a big plus for social reasons. Your views or opinions or experiences will be read with interest.

Is it possible to move though if you haven't got EU citizenship? I thought you would be looking at 90 days stay at most? Or is there a visa for retirement?

We shall be moving back and forth with seasons, never summer in Portugal-- much too hot, so spring and autumn in Portugal, the house available in summer for holidays in Portugal for the family with small children in school who don't want much more than a pool and a change of scenery. And Christmas in the UK with anyone who will put up with us. We shall keep a tiny property in the UK too, but small. We would also like the freedom to travel for several months each year, probably in Asia as DH grew up there and loves it.

There is, for Portugal, outside the main destinations, still the option of a retirement visa, but the eligible areas contract every year. Lisbon, the Algarve and the Atlantic coast are not possible contenders, but the rural areas are. And we would actively prefer to be outside a tourist area.

It works in a peculiar way. Because my family, friends and godchildren are spread across the world, a house in north Portugal would be a good compromise for the niece and nephew who live near Oxford and Riyadh to meet up. The Riyadh contingent are likely to end up in Australia long term, so there's a house swap there to be done. And we have been expats, so we know people all over the world. The more I think about it, the better I like it.

For example, I could imagine my niece plus her two small children and niece-in-law plus her babies setting up camp together for three/four weeks and having a lovely time together. There are airports, so husbands could arrive and leave as work commitments dictate.

..

Spanish Algarve.
Not very popular with Brits but most of Mc Madrid decamp there for August. You arrive at Faro and then just pop over the border by Castro Marim
Property a lot cheaper than the Portuguese Algarve and it’s less busy with a lower cost of living BUT you can go into Poetugal by car or ferry very easily.

I used to live in Portugal, near Coimbra, such a lovely place, lovely people and a great lifestyle

Thanks, kind folk. A large map is winging its way to me as I write!

Maybe this won't appeal, but as Brits who have become non-EU citizens by default, have you thought about Gibraltar? It doesn't have the space you'll find in Portugal and learning Spanish is helpful but not essential, but you could buy property there and have no restrictions at all due to your nationality. Try propertygibraltar.com. You can easily travel into Spain and Portugal if you wish and still spend time there with family without having to buy a big house that only a small number of people inhabit, most of the time. Climate is similar too, but cooler than Cyprus for sure (speaking as someone who went on holiday from Dubai to Cyprus last month and loved how much cooler it was - it was still blooming hot!)

Gibraltar is one place that doesn't hold any appeal, although many thanks for considering my post. I don't know why it doesn't appeal: perhaps because I fear it would seem a bit confined. My Dsis spent years in Dubai, and found she needed to escape quite regularly.

I live in the Algarve, though I see you've ruled that out.

A couple of things to be aware of with Northern Portugal - winters can be bloody cold and uncomfortable if you're in an old house that is not designed for it (as we are, and we have mild winters compared with the North). Also, avoid areas that are a forest fire risk, which is anywhere surrounded by the non-native pine and eucalyptus trees.

Aside from those caveats, Northern Portugal is delightful, especially the Douro valley.

We rather like seasons, so are not looking for year round warmth, but I totally take your point that winter can be cold so, as we'd almost certainly be looking at older houses, we'd also be planning woodburning stove and central heating. There is so much we know we don't know about the questions we should be asking, and it's really helpful to have all the contributions. The Douro valley is probably fairly central to our search.

It’s surprisingly seasonal down here actually, though the summers are long of course. I find it more distinctively seasonal than the U.K. Totally get that it’s not your thing though.

We only have a wood burner for heating in the winter, and a house that retains no heat. It feels colder than U.K. winters, even though daytime temps reach 15-16 and it’s often sunny. We really need to sort out some insulation.