Article prepared for Doorways International by António Barbosa, Infinite Solutions, Portugal

North Americans are just starting to realize what Europeans have known for decades: Portugal offers comfortable and cultured living at a low cost. Whether you’re looking to live in Europe full-time or part-time, sunny, pleasant Portugal deserves a look.

For those of you who have never visited Portugal, here’s some background…

Portugal is a member of the European Union and sits right on the Western edge of Europe, bordering Spain. Its climate is generally similar to Spain, but it sits on the Atlantic coast, which means its seas are wavier and colder, making it a surfers paradise.

The population sits at around 10 million, healthcare is ranked among the best worldwide, the local population is considered very friendly, and one can feel safe in the streets. The crime level is very low, and it ranks as the 3rd safest Country in the world on the Global Peace Index.

The big attraction of Portugal, apart from its BEAUTIFUL CITIES; CLIMATE (Portugal has over 3,300 hours of sunshine per year); SATISFACTION (people who visit Portugal do come back year after year, and some make it their permanent residence); RICH GASTRONOMIC & WINE CULTURE; NATURE; world-class GOLF and FRIENDLY English-speaking (for the most part) POPULATION, is the Golden Visa Residency Program and the NHR (Non-Habitual Resident) program. If you qualify for the NHR, you can get foreign dividends tax-free, and there are also allowances for specific types of professions and jobs that can also get their foreign income at 0% tax.