As someone who grew up in South Africa, I watched with anticipation and some sense of pride as the Springboks or the “Bokke”, pulled off a great victory to take the trophy home. But the naturally ebullient and optimistic feeling after a victory of such proportions was short-lived. The victory would, knowing the way the South African population react emotively to such events, convince many people that...
TAX-free Retirement in the Heart of Europe Anyone who is nearing or at retirement age wants to protect his or her hard-earned pension. What better way to do this than via tax-free retirement? Many want to do this in a safe country with a warm climate, friendly people and a great lifestyle. And in a region voted Europe’s best golfing destination by the World Travel Awards. Now one country has...
Live Like A King For Less - Budget Comparisons The cost to live in Portugal is generally among the lowest in Western Europe. Some items, such as fuel (around €1.30/ liter or about US$5/gallon), electricity, second hand cars (Ford Focus 2012 diesel between €12,000 and €20,000, Audi A4 Avant diesel starting at €40,000) and electronic items such as appliances and technology, are much more expensive...
Low-Cost, Universal-Access Healthcare Portugal’s healthcare system is broadly based on a universal franchise, which will not turn anyone away. Most hospitals will put patient before price (one of the reasons that the health system runs a deficit, but also the reason the country is generally known for its personalized and humane treatment of patients). With the tightening of financial controls, expect...
Viva Culture! Empty streets, closed cafés and restaurants, hotels which give their staff a long winter off, and even beach bars which are disassembled, only to miraculously reappear in the spring, are well-recognised signs of life in a summer tourist destination. Walkers are in their element as they have trails to themselves. Cyclists find that the only traffic are the few locals who also venture...
Accessibility: Levelling the Playing Field for Senior Tourists At the World Travel Market in London a panel discussion on accessible tourism included panellists from around the world, among them Paralympian Ade Adepitan. The participants expressed their frustration at the slow pace of change in levelling accessibility in the playing field for travellers with disabilities, starting with those with physical...
SKATTEFRI PENSIONERING I HJÄRTAT AV EUROPA Vem som helst som närmar sig pensionsåldern vill skydda sin välförtjänta pension. Många vill göra detta i ett tryggt land med ett varmt klimat, med vänliga människor och med en fantastisk livsstil. Inget enskilt land har en särskilt underlättad procedur till ovanstående. Portugal, som röstats Europas bästa golf och strand destination av...
The Algarve: Best Place in the World to Retire! Finally it is official! It has been coming for some time, it must be said. Europe’s leading beach destination – World Travel Awards. 2nd best place to retire overseas – The Telegraph. 7thfriendliest nation in the world (among 140 surveyed) – CNN. World’s leading Golf Destination – WTA. And now: Algarve, Portugal: Best Place in the World to Retire...
The Non Habitual Resident law: a Case Study I thought that Börje Forsberg looked tanned and relaxed. Although we had never met before, I assumed that this was because he was now retired to the Algarve. He was quick to confirm my first impressions. By his own admission, he now has a very different lifestyle to the one before his retirement four years ago, all due to the Non Habitual Resident law...
Europe’s Best Kept Secret Europe’s best kept secret. That’s how this part of the world is often described. Why? Because it has Europe’s best beaches, Europe’s best golf courses, one of Europe’s friendliest folk, it’s the chosen retirement destination for over 100,000 resident expatriates, and, added to all that, it’s Europe’s newest tax haven. Several international publications have...