We moved to Portugal. Just writing those words still makes me cock my head and say, “We did what?” I have to say that some days I’m sitting here at my desk in Cascais, Portugal looking out the window at the foothills of Sintra and have to pinch myself. Is this a dream? Nope. It’s real.

It’s been thirty days and life in Portugal is what we dreamed it would be. Great food, wonderful people, fantastic weather, and full of surprises, too.

It’s Been A Month? 

When we arrived in Lisbon just about a month ago. There had been much planning and so many logistics to work out. Just making sure that our two cats arrived safe and sound was enough to make your head spin. But we made it. We had to have our photo taken by the lovely Portuguese man who had agreed to pick us up with his vehicle that would hold us, the cats, 8 large suitcases (you know the ones that you look at when you’re at the airport and wonder, who packs suitcases that big, yep, those), two very full carry-on bags, and two over-stuffed backpacks. It proves that we all arrived safe and sound. In the Facebook groups that anyone who is moving to Portugal belongs to, these photos provide hope that it’s possible for those going through the same arduous process.

We’re Here

We arrived in Lisbon in the late morning so we had plenty of time to settle in and go to the nearby grocery store to get a few things we needed (cat litter) and food to eat. We brought plenty of snacks because we were warned that the day we arrived was a Sunday and a holiday. There are LOTS of holidays in Portugal. We thought nothing would be open. Turns out that it was Sunday and a holiday but our neighborhood Pingo Doce grocery was open. Seems like it’s always open. It reminds me of a small Jewel (midwest folks), Ralphs (west coast folks), or Publix (Southern friends) with a little bit of everything. Even a walk-up counter that has freshly made bakery (that changes all day long), and prepared foods that are actually really good (see photo below).

We started our adventure with a grilled chicken (these are everywhere here in Portugal – and they are good) like the ones you get from Jewel or Costco, but lightly seasoned and not overly salty. And it was 4 euros. One of the joys of living in Portugal is that the cost of living is about 26% less than living in the United States.

They typically cook their chickens the spatchcock style. It’s laid flat on the grill. I’m guessing because it cooks faster and more evenly. Everyone has a slightly different spice mix and you can always add the local piri-piri chili pepper sauce if you like your food with more heat. We got some lovely sides of roasted potatoes and sautéed spinach. We rounded out our first dinner at home with some pastéis de nata to celebrate our arrival. Our rental agent left us a bottle of Vinho Verde and a bag of cat treats so we were all good to settle in for the evening.

The Sun Also Rises in Cascais

In the morning, we began the game of which suitcase is that in? As organized as I am we moved things around so many times in those last couple of days before we left it was anyone’s guess. One tip I can give you if you ever attempt a move like this – get rid of as much as you can. You won’t need it, really. But…make a list of things you will need especially when you first get there that will make your life easier. Like simple kitchen gadgets and toiletries. 

We had all of those things packed but as the clock ran down on our time to leave Wisconsin we found ourselves adding last-minute items to every bag. We used this rechargeable luggage scale multiple times a day. We’d stick “one more thing” in a bag throughout the day and threw off the whole game. 

Downsize and then Downsize Again

We are shipping about 30 boxes of personal items and about 20 boxes of artwork via a shipper that will be here in a few more weeks. This was the stuff we couldn’t part with or need. I wish we had thought a little bit harder about what was going in those boxes. We could have used a few of those things now but so it goes. 

I also had instant regret when we arrived at our 1,000 sq. ft. apartment thinking, “Where are we going to put all those boxes?” This kept me up for several nights contemplating how to arrange them. I finally gave up and we decided that we’ll be making cat trees and cat play areas out of them. The cats will love climbing up and having higher vantage points especially Amelia who’s our high flyer.

Our plan was to stay in this Cascais apartment for 6-months (you need a lease to get your temporary residency on the D7 visa here in Portugal). Get here and start to explore the other areas we love in Portugal for our next home. We hope to find a larger apartment, villa, or house to rent with some outdoor space. Stay tuned on that. 

Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork

The first week was full of paperwork to handle, meetings, and figuring out how to get around. We opted not to rent a car these first few months because we’re close to public transportation. Lisbon is easily accessible by train. Walking in new places is our favorite because we feel like this is the best way to really figure out your neighborhood and start to blend in with the locals. So far, this is working out just fine.

We typically walk to downtown Cascais, it takes about 20 minutes or so but we can take an UBER which gets us there in 5 minutes and it’s usually 2.50 euros. It’s a downhill walk into town so we typically take an UBER back if we’ve been doing a lot of exploring or carrying a lot of bags.

People say that the bureaucracy here is slow and frustrating. For us, it hasn’t been. Everything has pretty much gone as planned except for a few quirky things that we simply didn’t know about. Like you need to get your Portuguese phone number before your Portuguese bank account can be verified. In retrospect, it makes sense because they have to send you a text. Most Portuguese businesses simply don’t pick up or interact with U.S. numbers (or any international numbers). It is one of those things that you just have to accept and move on. No sense in wondering why. It’s just life in Portugal.

Portuguese Way Of Life

It’s hard to believe all the things we have done, seen, and eaten in the short time we’ve been here. For other writers following along, on some days it feels like a really over-scheduled press trip. Some days are more relaxing and some days we’re just working all day at home as we typically do. 

We’re still having a challenging time with the language but we learn more every day. Google Translate and other apps help make it a lot easier. The Portuguese are friendly and patient people. We were trying to get some fresh orange juice at the super-large grocer Continente. It was a self-serve machine that just wasn’t spitting out any juice. A worker behind the counter started saying press that, press that. Which Diana was. Four Portuguese-speaking customers came dashing over to help. They were simultaneously cursing the machine (I think) and trying to make it work. Turns out an orange was stuck. We moved it and oj came squirting out filling our bottle. We all laughed and shared our obrigadas (thank you’s). By the way that was the best and sweetest orange juice I’ve ever had.

We stumble our way through but are always sure to say thank you, hello (olá), good day (bom dia), good afternoon (boa tarde), good night (boa noite) and that really goes a long way. Fortunately, many people speak English here in Cascais and in Lisbon. That is not always the case when you get to small towns and villages so we’ll keep working on that.

Is Portugal A Good Place To Live?

You Just Won’t Believe How Good The Food Is In Portugal

Let’s talk more about the food. You know we’re obsessed with food and Portugal takes its food really seriously. There’s food for the gourmet and food for us every day folks too. We’ve gone to many markets and continue to be impressed by all the fresh foods. Every fruit and veggie is colorful and flavorful. I’m currently in love with the apricots. Eating seasonally is definitely the way to go. Those foods are deliciously ripe and affordable. You do need to buy small quantities unless you’re planning on eating everything right away. Since there are no preservatives, things spoil quickly. Shopping is done nearly every day here which is fun but a different way of life. 

Did We Mention Seafood?

I’ve been particularly spoiled trying all the seafood we come across. I love octopus and have had it more times than I can count already. I’ve had fresh fish almost every day. We discovered that a restaurant in the main downtown market Marisco Na Praça has all its seafood on display. You pick what you want and tell them how you want it prepared. We had these tiny slipper lobsters from Cascais that were sweet and delicious.  And a pitcher of sangria made with Portuguese sparkling wine – Espumante. It was loaded with fresh raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, currants, mint, and cinnamon sticks. 

We learned that after a meal of rich seafood a tradition is to sop up that butter and wine you drank with a beef sandwich called a Prego. Sound strange? Have you ever stopped at White Castle and had a slider or two after a night of drinking? Yep, it’s not that odd. The sandwich they served was a thin slice of beef tenderloin grilled with onions, garlic, and butter on the traditional Portuguese roll. It was eyes-roll back in your head good. The tender beef with the garlic and butter was indeed the perfect ending to that meal. 

We Love Being Near The Water

We walked to Boca do Inferno, or Devil’s Mouth, an ocean cave where the waves splash up creating quite a show, on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. Enjoying the oceanfront stroll we learned sunscreen is not optional here and will be applying it religiously in the future. We just love walking along the water and seeing the ocean sparkling in the sun.

Every time we walk into town we make it a point to go to the water’s edge. We never want to take for granted the fact that we live so close to the beach and the ocean. Even if we just stop and look at it for a few minutes it’s now a thing we must do. Every. Time. Life in Portugal for us means slowing down and enjoying life more. 

Getting Out with Friends and the Rest of the World

We’ve met new friends for dinner, lunch, and drinks which makes us happy to meet kindred spirits here in Portugal. And we look forward to meeting more friends and getting together again with everyone soon. Restaurants here are open and typically not very full – yet. 

Everyone is good about wearing their masks and social distancing. Most small shops still only allow a few people in the store at a time. Although the locals want the tourists to return many also worry that another COVID surge might return.

School’s Out For Summer

I finished up the spring semester and thanked my students for their hard work and dedication for another great school year. I have the summer off this semester and will enjoy exploring Portugal and hopefully spending more time drawing and painting. Inspiration is certainly all around me. The Portuguese culture celebrates art, music, and literature everywhere. There are many bookstores and art supplies stores to explore and buy from here. Plenty of art in the gardens and on the streets to admire as well.

What About COVID?

Many people have asked us how things are going with COVID here in Portugal. The good news is that Portugal locked down hard after having a very high spike in cases and overcrowded hospitals after the Christmas holidays. They didn’t want that to happen again. Some rules are still in effect and many people wear masks and stay socially distanced. Every business has a hand sanitizer dispenser and a sign asking you to use it before you enter. Smaller stores only allow a few customers in at a time. You’ll see the lines in front of stores all around town. The larger stores have no limit on customers.

Portugal reopened to visitors from the UK on May 17th, 2021 so more and more people arrive every day.  This past weekend the beaches were starting to fill up and more people were in the restaurants and shops, too. It’s likely that soon Americans will be traveling to more countries in Europe. If you are planning to travel sooner than later be sure to do your research to avoid disappointment. Not all hotels and attractions will be up and running and rules and regulations vary from place to place and can change quickly. 

Pro Tip: If you’re a fan of using Google Maps and Google Translate, like we are,  sign up to get the The Keyword newsletter. It will send you all the latest updates that will make your life easier.

UPDATE MAY 2022: Portugal is pretty much open for business. There are still COVID restrictions like wearing masks on public transportation and in large crowds but otherwise, most things are operating pretty normally. Be sure to check with your airlines and the U.S. Portuguese embassy for the latest news.

We Moved To Portugal! 

We’re still smiling and we’re still glad we made the move. Every day we open our eyes and think, “What will we learn today?” Most days we laugh at ourselves and just keep on going. Every day things get a little easier and we understand more and more. Some days we get a little overloaded and take time out to pet and play with the cats. It’s an instant mood booster and they love it.

We’re going to be writing all about the process of moving to Portugal and important things to keep in mind so stay tuned for more on that front. If you’re thinking of visiting Portugal in the hopes of one day moving here or planning to retire to Portugal, we’d love to hear from you and know your questions.

In the meantime, thanks to everyone who has been following along on our adventure. We’re just getting started! 

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Lots of people have been asking “what are you up to?” and “what have you been doing?” Like so many others we’ve spent the last year or so taking care of ourselves, figuring out ways to fill in the gaps of our travel writing income, and trying to stay positive amidst it all. Unlike many others in our country, we are lucky that we have had a comfortable home and food on our table whenever we wanted it during the pandemic.

Like many of you, we worried, we cried, we laughed, we did puzzles, and we worked from our home.

We wrote a book. What Should I Do Now? that shares all the tips Diana and I have used when trying to decide just that.

And we contemplated our place in the world. We even explored the possibility of moving to Portugal.

Wisconsin Is Beautiful

As many of you know we moved to Madison, Wisconsin three years ago to explore a new place and for me to try living somewhere else. After spending my entire life living in Chicago it was time for this traveler to experience living in a new place. It was to be the first stop in what we hoped would be the beginning of our journey to move around the world and experience different places for longer periods of time.

It was also our first swipe at downsizing. We moved from a two-level house with over 4,000 square feet to an apartment about 1,400 square feet. Getting rid of all the “stuff” we had inadvertently collected was an interesting, emotional, and unexpectedly freeing exercise.

When we first moved to Wisconsin we lingered at supper clubs, sipped Old Fashioneds, ate brats and cheese curds, and sampled many Friday night fish frys.

We explored the Ice Age Trail by walking 40 Miles in 40 Days in the Ice Age Challenge. Experiencing breathtaking views while maintaining social distancing in 2020. We hiked many trails enjoyed the lakes, streams, and beautiful scenery throughout Wisconsin.

We experienced the small-town charm of Beloit, the Cheese Fest in Monroe, and it was like stepping into a Swiss wonderland in New Glarus. Kenosha provided a look at a town close to Illinois on Lake Michigan with friendly beaches and day charter fishing. We saw our first wiener dog races at the Wauktoberfest in Waunakee and celebrated Oktoberfest in Milwaukee and Germantown. We ate at the legendary Ishnala supper club in the Wisconsin Dells and watched the sunset on Lake Mendota.

Our home base here in Madison is exactly as advertised. A welcome spot for everyone. A community still growing and learning from each other. One that respects nature and spends a lot of time outdoors enjoying its lakes and countryside. Hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and ice skating make Madison and Wisconsin a year-round outdoor paradise.

Then The Pandemic Hit 

One of the things that we did toward the end of 2019 was decide that we were going to travel less and enjoy our home more. In 2019, we went on 16 press trips, most out of the country. While we love traveling we were exhausted. When we were home we were busy writing and always playing catch up. When Diana’s Mom passed away suddenly in October of 2019 we needed to travel to LA several times to help with family matters and close her home. We even stayed home for Christmas, a first for us in a long, long time.

When 2020 rolled around we passed on our annual trip to NYC in January 2020 for the IMM (International Media Marketplace) travel conference. This is a marquee event for travel writers to meet with destinations and travel brands to discuss potential partnerships and trips. Not wanting to be tempted to plan trips, we just weren’t ready to get back on the road. We didn’t know that any travel we thought we might take in 2020 would never happen.

We started to hear about this strange COVID-19 virus in mid-February from friends in Asia. It sounded scary but surely it wouldn’t come to the U.S. A few weeks later, like the rest of the world, we started planning how to stay in our home and protect ourselves as best we could.

Long-time readers will know that Diana has a set of lungs that went through September 11th in NYC. As someone who lived in nearby Battery Park City, she has what is commonly known as the “WTC cough.” Anytime she gets a cold or any respiratory infection it turns into a bronchial infection and the cough worsens. I made it my personal mission to protect Diana and myself. The first few weeks our apartment looked like a staging area of the movie “Silkwood.” Opening packages in the hallway with a mask on, scrubbing down packages before they could come into the house. Washing up like I was heading into surgery afterward. Our home was never this spotless from top to bottom. Bleach and sanitizers were our new best friends. You all know the drill. It was exhausting.

When things started to settle down a bit in the summer we could a least feel comfortable leaving the house and going for daily walks. Our mood and sanity improved vastly. We still watched the numbers and stayed away from everyone but we felt like things would eventually get better, there was hope.

During that time we started to talk about other places we might want to move to. We fantasized about warmer climates and ocean waves.

Dreaming of Portugal

Since we started Food Travelist we have had the privilege of traveling to many places in this country and around the world. Every destination is unique and special in its own way.

Sometimes when you visit a place you feel a special connection with it. This typically happens immediately. Like the first time, I went to Paris. I had dreamed of going to France since I did a report on Paris in 6th grade. I remember cutting out little pictures and carefully pasting them in my binder (no fancy Powerpoint presentations back in the ’70s!). Just the excitement of the possibility of traveling there someday sent me over the moon. When I first arrived in Paris it was like meeting an old friend. So many familiar places and yet so many new ones to explore.

There have been other places that have felt this way to me. Germany reminds me of my family and I love it there, too. But when I first traveled to Portugal on a press trip by myself I fell in love immediately with the place, the people, and of course all the wonderful food.

I vividly remember calling Diana when I arrived at our hotel that first evening. We were at The Literary Man Hotel in Óbidos, Portugal. Óbidos is a World Heritage literary site. In other words, it’s a mecca for readers and writers alike. There are libraries everywhere in town. The grocery stores, the churches, and yes the hotel had little nooks with bookshelves full of books to curl up with.

I couldn’t wait to tell Diana about the magical place I was lucky enough to be in. Lucky because a friend of mine had been invited on the trip and couldn’t make it. She mentioned to the organizer that I wrote about food & travel and would be a great addition in her place (I’m forever grateful, Barbara!). I know that Diana must have been surprised because frankly, I’m not a gusher. I love to travel but I don’t typically get that excited about a place. Especially a new place. I usually take my time making a judgment. Getting the lay of the land and sussing out the situation. Definitely not the case on this trip.

Every place we went from the beaches to the cathedrals with huge lemon trees in the courtyards drew me in even further.

After spending four days in Portugal I returned and told Diana that we needed to travel there together. I said the magic words, “I think I can live there” and we should consider moving to Portugal. That certainly made Diana’s head spin. As most have figured out by now, Diana is way more adventurous than me. She’s lived in many cities both in the U.S. and abroad. So when she saw my excitement she couldn’t wait to travel to Portugal with me to see if Portugal could become our next home.

Should I Move to Portugal?

To make a long story, well, longer… After a long while, we were finally able to get back to Portugal together in 2019. We went on a press trip to Madeira (which is spectacular, highly recommend a visit). By extending our trip and travel around Portugal  Diana could see what had turned me into a Portugal lover.

Thankfully, she fell in love with Portugal and its people immediately. As we drove from Lisbon to Porto and back we stopped at many lovely towns and villages as we thought about the possibility of moving to Portugal.

Fast forward to the beginning of 2020. We started doing some serious research (by we I mean Diana) on what it would take to move to Portugal. We joined many Facebook Groups, like Americans and FriendsPT, which provide wonderful resources and a place to ask tons of questions. We talked to our ex-pat friends who lived in other countries.  When COVID hit we didn’t know what that would mean for our business, for travel in general, and for the possibility of moving abroad.

We slowed down our research and focused on staying safe and taking care of each other. Portugal never left our minds or our conversations. Anyone who regularly on social media was treated to many, many photos of pasteis de natas, limpets, octopus, and beaches that filled our feeds.

By the fall, we were hopeful that COVID would be in control, or at least a vaccine would be available soon so we decided to start the paperwork to obtain a D7 visa. This would allow us to go to Portugal for four months and then meet with the immigration department to register for a two-year visa. It’s typically known as a retirement visa but we can continue work. Since all of our work can be done virtually (thank you, technology) we will continue to work. I’ll still be teaching at Roosevelt University in the Communications department and we’ll both be writing and pursuing our consulting businesses as well as running FoodTravelist.

In the beginning, we kept our plans to ourselves. Only the few people we worked with on getting the necessary paperwork and some other ex-pat friends knew what we were doing. Because we didn’t know if it would all come together, or if COVID would keep us in the U.S. we thought it better to hold off until we were sure we would be going.

We’re Going!

As we always say, we’d rather be lucky than smart, and typically we are very lucky. Our paperwork went through quickly. Faster than usual. There were a few minor glitches and surprises along the way but all in all with a lot of assistance from experts and our guardian angels we received our visas.

We were also lucky to get our COVID -19 vaccines too. Like everyone else who waited and wanted to get the vaccine, we were overcome with relief and gratefulness when we finally got them. Our gratitude to the scientists and healthcare workers during this time cannot be understated.

With our visas and our shots, we were ready to go. What once seemed like a dream was becoming reality. Our journey will begin as a road trip in a few days. A road trip with two little anxious cats, Jake and Amelia, who have no clue why we keep getting rid of comfy chairs and couches they have become so accustomed to.

When we leave Madison, we’ll head to Chicago to kiss and hug my family, then travel to Cleveland for a night before we get to Newark where we will leave for Lisbon, ultimately arriving at our apartment in Cascais about 30 minutes west of Lisbon.

Follow Along Our Moving To Portugal

Excited. Anxious. Scared. Happy. Yep, we’re all of the above. We’re not going to candy-coat the experience. There will be ups and downs, we know that. You will get the facts on why we did it, how we did it, and what it’s like to move to Portugal and live there. We’ll be honest, we’ll be transparent because that’s what we do. We hope that you’ll follow along with us on this exciting journey.

We’ll be talking about learning Portuguese, checking out international moving companies, the cost of living in Portugal, and how many people retire in Portugal.

We’ll be posting here on the site and on social media and through articles on Travel Awaits and Getting on Travel. We’ve already written many articles on Portugal. Check them out and you’ll get a good idea of why we chose Portugal as our next home.

How Portugal Stole Our Hearts

What Happens When You Visit The Beautiful Center of Portugal

Porto vs. Lisbon: 7 Key Differences to Know

Driving Tour of Portugal: 8 Destinations to Visit

A Visit To the Fairy-Tale Town of Obidos, Portugal 

Why Aveiro, The Venice of Portugal, And Costa Nova Are Must-Visit Destinations

Eating Local In Portugal: The Best Food and Drinks to Try

Tantalizing Tastes in the Beautiful Center of Portugal

Why Madeira is Portugal’s Best Kept Secret

Madeira: Portugal’s Hidden Luxury Gem

Exploring Wine From Portugal

If you have any questions along the way please let us know. If you come and visit, and we hope you do, the first pastel de nata is on us. Obrigada!

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