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BGordonB wrote:

Hi, my name is Ben, I live in one of the suburbs of Nashville Tennessee, USA.  My wife and I are looking at retiring to Europe in 2021 and the Algarve region of Portugal is currently our top choice of destinations.  We are in the process of planning a trip there later this year (probably mid September).  I am hoping to get some opinions as to which cities in that region we should target.  We will have approximately a week and a half to explore the region.  Thanks in advance! Ben

Dear BGordonB,
You could do a lot worse than checking out this link as the owner is himself Portuguese and has an well established business.

:               

Thank you, I will definitely take a look at the web page this afternoon.

Hi Ben . Base yourself in Albufeira  as it is more or less in the centre and you can drive an hour or so East and West  to explore . ***

Hi Ben,
If you've not visited the Algarve before it definitely pays to do as much research as possible. It's often forgotten that while the region is crammed full in summer, certain areas do become extremely quiet in the winter -    in fact some coastal towns practically resemble ghost towns. That's the time to get out & explore - Spain is in easy reach via the express bus services.
You might find our European culture erm ... a little slow against that of the 24/7 vibrancy of Nashvillle, but perhaps you have some interests/ hobbies you want to concentrate on?
That said there’s a lot to recommend the region and I’d agree with Vedel’s comments on Albefuira. A little "steak & chips" maybe, but it will give you a good base.
Good luck,

My wife actually booked our trip back in May.  We are going to be in Portugal for the last two weeks of September.  She has us splitting time between 2 hotels.  One is in Lagos and the other one is the Hilton Vilamoura (Hilton Points).  Hoping to hit at least a half dozen locations to get a feel for the area.

Hi Ben,
Well I see you're way up-market from me! Vilamoura is all plush casa's & villas and from memory, the Hilton overlooks the very jet-set marina used by the up-market international yachting set though locals use it too.
Lagos is to the west and is a beautiful coastal town. The beaches are clean and the beach caves stunning. These quality resorts will still be busy in September and you may, particularly in Lagos, note high numbers of Russian °µÍø½ûÇøs buying up the real estate... bluntly, they have the cash.......

Not knowing very much about the area, we selected Vilamoura because we had Hilton credit card points that allowed us to stay at the hotel for free.  It also gave us a second location to explore the area from.

I was under the impression that Lagos had a lot of British °µÍø½ûÇøs, didn't realize it attracted Russians also.  Based on the pictures, Lagos looks beautiful.  I'm really looking forward to this part of the trip.  Based on my limited research, Lagos is the area that is currently on the top of my list as a potential retirement destination.

Do you know much about the real estate market in Lagos?  My wife and I were looking on line at some of the condos that appear to be in the planning stages.  Initially we were planning on waiting until we actually retire, but if it makes sense, we might look at purchasing prior to making the move if it allows us to get a better price (if the market is appreciating in that area).

B gordon.

Please us the peole who are Portuguesse and live i the area as I mentioned before. www. algarveseniorliving.com and talk to my friend Luis who will guide you throgh every step of the way, Dont listen to others who think they know and can help.

Is Luis the owner of Algarve Senior Living?

He certainly is.

Hi Bill, for your first trip, I would recommend finding a place around Faro. This way, you can explore east and west and are near the airport since some flights leave VERY early in the morning. There are cheap car rentals...... Have FUN :-)

Hi Bill, I replied before reading that you had already booked your accomodations! Heck, good place to use your Hilton points...... there is a Club Med nearby also.

Ben please post what you discover in September as we are also looking at Portugal as a retirement place.  Would be interested to know what your experience was....

Ditto,  my wife and I are interested in possible retirement in The Algarve.  We will be visiting in November.  We will probably stay in or near Lagos.
Please post any info.

Thanks

Vedel is here to push her business which is against the rules of this forum! She has been warned time and time again and keep it it up, shame on you!

I'll definitely share our experience when I return.  If I haven't posted sometime during the first week in October, someone prompt me.

Hi, what happened in the end, what was your experience and did you move to the Algarve ?