What made me decide to move to Portugal from the US alone in my 50’s? Join me on my story of moving to Portugal alone – from the planning to settling in – and start a new life in Portugal.

First up: 10 reasons to move to Portugal from the US I considered most to take the leap abroad. You may find these helpful if you are considering moving from the US to Portugal, too.

These are not all of the reasons why I decided to move to Portugal, but the following are significant and making the process of starting my life over in Portugal solo in my 50’s completely worth it.

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Out of 163 countries, the Global Peace Index rated Portugal the 7^th peaceful country in terms of safety and security, conflict, etc. The US was ranked 131^st. Yep.

As a single woman, I’ve never felt unsafe traveling in Portugal no matter where I was, day or night.

Of course, I have been to Portugal before. I have traveled around to see and experience many regions, from the Verde to the Algarve, and visited cities like Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon.

My visits to Portugal were always very positive experiences.

If you are thinking of moving to Portugal and planning a scouting trip, or just vacation to start, watch my Portugal travel guide and itinerary videos in tandem with using my Portugal Travel Guide.

The Portuguese are warm and friendly. They are kind, patient, and willing to help you whenever they can. They have a lovely sense of humor, make wonderful food and wine, are lively, and overall make you feel welcome, which I truly appreciate.

Yes, it’s an adjustment to get used to the Portuguese bureaucracy, but the slower pace in Portugal is a blessing.

Life in the US seems to move at such a fast pace, I, for one, was finding it more stressful. I felt I needed an adjustment in lifestyle to improve my overall health and well being. You may also get the same feeling from other US expats.

A Portuguese local who briefly lived in San Diego also concurred, “I could never live in the US permanently because it’s too much. Too much stress.”  All I could do was nod in agreement with him.

Does this resonate with you as well about the US? Post a comment below.

Within Europe, Portugal is close to the US east coast, which is where I my mother’s side of family still lives allowing for a shorter time difference, and travel distance, and making it easier to stay in touch and visit.

My other side of the family lives in California, where I also used to live for many years. California will always hold a special place in my heart, in part to its beaches and outdoor activities, wine tasting and cuisine, and its weather and climate – all of which are similar to Portugal.

This makes my transition to a new life in Portugal even easier. If you speak with other expats from California, they would undoubtedly agree.

California would be my choice states to live and retire in, but can you say “expensive“? Although housing prices have risen, and continue to rise, in Portugal, they are still much less than in California or many other US states.

Additionally, the cost of food, health care, amenities and many activities also cost less.

Larger cities like Lisbon and Porto, and the Algarve region, are more expensive than other areas of Portugal, but Portugal has many lovely towns to choose from that can make budget friendly living in Portugal possible.

I’m sure it’s obvious from this website and my YouTube channel that I have an affinity for traveling in Europe, which I have done since 1995. Living in Portugal opens up the doors on my passion for travel within the E.U., which I hope to incorporate into my Portugal living soon.

When I lived in the US, including the west Los Angeles, I barely drove my car. Working from home, living in walkable neighborhoods, taking public transportation, and biking is how I enjoyed life in the US. So, of course, I wanted a lifestyle in Portugal without a car, which is a more cost effective and eco-friendly way to live and aligns with my personal values.

Like other European countries, getting around within Portugal is very easy with the public trains and buses, and by walking and biking. Again, an easy transition.

Portugal, thankfully, has an immigration process friendly to Americans. I was initially granted a Portuguese D7 visa, a common visa for American expats, which was a fairly straight-forward and timely process.

The temporary Portuguese residency, however, was not so timely due to Portugal playing catch up on visa and residency applications after Covid.

Residency established, I am starting to realize my dream of living in Portugal. After two years, I will have the chance to determine if I wish to continue my life in Portugal and renew my Portugal residency permit. We’ll see!

If you would like to learn of more reasons why I chose to live in Portugal, watch the first video in my Moving to Portugal Over 50 Solo from the USA series.

These above ten reasons are the biggies, however. Talk with other American expats or immigrants and they will give you their reasons why they chose to move to Portugal, but I’m sure you’ll find they, too, share my reasons.

Is Portugal a perfect country? No. I do not believe any place is perfect, but I did much research in order to enter the move to Portugal process with my eyes wide open.

If you want to know if moving to Portugal from the USA is right for you, especially if you are a single female in her 50’s or older, join the CORR Travel email list so you can benefit from my lessons learned living in Portugal.

Let Me Hear From You

If you are considering moving to Portugal from the US or wish to share any tips or reasons why you moved to Portugal, please share in the comments section below so we all can benefit.  Thank you!

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