PORTIMÃO Unfiltered: Candid Talks with the Town's Residents

[@patrislemair1754]

Thanks for the video. I live in Portimão since Nov 22 and I love this place. It’s authentic and doesn’t become a ghost town after the tourist season. The beaches are amazing.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Thanks for sharing! 👍🏼

[@radar4536]

Where did you come from?

[@hillarylopes7557]

Absolutely love Portimao. Being here 18 months. Moved from South Africa , studied what we needed and like your guest Kat said hospitals, lots of shops, no need for a car, great beaches, activities throughout the year, love it.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Excellent stuff, I didn't know that was your homebase.

[@hillarylopes7557]

@@AlgarveAddicts Yes Nick made it post covid and loving it here.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Fantastic, we should organise a meetup in Portimão one day.

[@hillarylopes7557]

@@AlgarveAddicts Sounds like a plan.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

I wouldn't say easy as it's a long walk. However you could get an Uber.

[@vermessi]

Amazing video!! ❤ It's hard for us to tell everything that made us fall in love with Portimão!!! Thank you for the interview! We love it! ❤

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Thanks for jumping on, you guys are fun 👊🏼

[@cryptoboomr3302]

My wife and I live half-way between Portimão and Lagos. We have friends and spend time in both cities and enjoy the differences between the two. The beaches are beautiful and accessible in Portimão and liked how you featured them. Really like the new video format and looking forward to your video featuring Lagos (hint, hint).

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Heheh, I'll get over there soon-ish. It's about time I did more filming in Lagos. Check out all my videos on a map www.algarveaddicts.com/videos

[@Nubianette]

I spent 6 days in Portimão, mid June. I stayed in Praia da Rocha. It was crazy, to stay a block away from the beach, for just over $100 per night. Yes, in one of those generic high rises. I also visited people who live there for their retirement. The landscape is beautiful. I’m not sure what I’d do there, but I definitely enjoyed my visit. For now, I’m still a city person. I plan to spend a few days in Faro, in February. I only spent 1 day there, in June. So, I haven’t given up on the Algarve yet.

[@geryaeschlimann8316]

Hi Nick, you made an amazing video. I came here to Portimao in September '21 and like the place very much. As mentioned in the video renting an apartment long term is not easy, especially a quiet one. I have a plethora of "balcony dogs" in my neighborhood, barking day and night. The wind from the Atlantic is indeed an issue in the western Algarve. By day it can be nice, but as soon as the hot sun sets this cool wind remains for a few hours. Yesterday in Alvor it blew all bottles and glasses from the tables. Not for nothing is the place a hotspot for Kite surfers.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Thanks so much for sharing, Gery 🙏🏼

[@nicolastocker9461]

Enjoyed finding out more about Portimao 👌 keep them coming, always find your videos very informative as we are moving over soon.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Thanks Nicola, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@lukehutton1]

Hey Nick! Just watched your video about Portimao. Vanessa and I missed meeting up with you earlier in the year, wires crossed on location etc. We eventually settled just outside Portimao in Oasis Parque. You know what... this area has so much going for it. We can be on Alvor in 10 mins, Monchique in 20 mins, Faro airport in 45 mins, not too mention proximity to Carvoeiro and Ferragudo. It has everything! Yes the high rises are not too attractive but the beaches the facilities, restaurants, central location for all destinations ticks so many boxes. Bring your dog down to Alvor for an early walk with us and you'll see a whole new side to this area. Keep up the good work, your videos brought us here from the UK! And now, we're living the PT dream!! 🙏🏼❤🇵🇹

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Great stuff, sounds like you're enjoying it 👍🏼

[@Larry-jh8gf]

It's very interesting to hear the perspective from different people Nick. Sounds like a common reason for here or Faro is the year round activity.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Yup, it makes sense with both Faro and Portimão being the biggest towns.

[@IberianLife]

Thank you for the video, Nick. I chose Portimão, moving 1 May. I can’t relate when people say it’s ugly. Being from NYC, the tall buildings were a huge plus for me. I had no idea there was a regional airport. Now I am convinced Portimão is the right decision!

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Awesome. Check out flysevenair.com/

[@AshleeJohnsonPHB]

Nick S is great! I spoke to him and he answer a lot of my concerns! You have a great team!

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Thanks Ashlee. Yes, he's getting a lot of excellent work done.

[@jenifermessina6673]

Our lovely home 🫶🏻❤️

[@zeb747]

Another outstanding episode. Thanks very much 👍

[@AlgarveAddicts]

You're welcome Zé 👍🏼

[@luisagil4217]

Thanks Nick. We’ve been watching your videos for a few years now while we researched and got ready to move to Algarve permanently. After living in New York for 30 years, even though we’re Portuguese, we felt we needed to get reacquainted with the Portuguese frame of mind, and your videos helped immensely (along with some others too). We enjoy your perspective as a foreigner and your experience as a native. We’re now living in Armação de Pêra (we arrived a month ago) and today, as I watched your latest video, I thought you might be the perfect person to ask about how to find associations/clubs/organizations where I could get involved with hobbies/activities/volunteering; just options to keep active and engaged. And I mean both paid and free options. Would you consider doing a video about that?

[@AlgarveAddicts]

I've been wanting to do a video about that for ages. Maybe you'd like to help me with my research? Drop me a line on www.algarveaddicts.com/contact

[@Luckyamor]

I always spend my holidays in Portimão near Praia da Rocha and I love it.

[@kellyfj]

Alvor is the best kept secret in the Algarve IMHO. Portimao was just too touristy when I visited in 2022.

[@DarthFurball]

shhh

[@AlgarveAddicts]

I've always found Alvor a little too touristy...

[@mikebrhodes]

Appreciate your upbeat and informative videos. My wife and I are planning on our first visit to the Algarve soon. Always look forward to a new video. YES….would like a weekly video! Would like to see more on real estate 10 miles or so inland from the coast.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Hey Mike, I've been doing weekly videos more or less since November 2020. Check out my map of videos on www.algarveaddicts.com/videos Some are of towns away from the coast.

[@psicologianodiaadiacommari800]

Thank you ❤️ I Love this City ❤️🍀

[@AlgarveAddicts]

You're welcome 👍🏼

[@grandadan]

Nice good work: I agree with the couple from Peru. Faro is much nicer than Portimão and easy to travel but Faro doesn't have those stunning beaches of Portimão and you cannot take a beach walk before going to bed as you can do in Portimão/praia da Rocha. So, I prefer Faro to live and have the Airport almost at a walking distance, having nice gardens, better train connections crazy beautiful islands etc. But still Portimão can be better if you like praia da Rocha and if you can live right there enjoying those beautiful cliffs and excellent sandy beaches. Another point about Faro is the fact that people arrive to Faro and go to other places, so the city is never so crowded and never so boring empty.

[@Wil_Dsense]

I miss Portugal So Much, it felt like true home! I was there in 2018 and 2019 and it was paradise, some of the best times of my life and I felt so free. Now life is not so kind, I have an unknown chronic condition. But I look back on these times in Portugal with great reverence and love! I encourage anyone thinking of moving to Portugal, visiting for vacation or travelling to go for it! 100 it is a perfect place. It would be a dream to live there one day. I hear it’s also relatively cheap to aquire land there. I was in the south coast Algarve, I miss driving a 125 scooter all along the south coast and visiting the beaches in Lagos and all along the south coast. I would love very much to go back there one day. These videos are Gold, I appreciate seeing These places again!

[@FractalTrades]

fantastic shots. Some of the best editing out there

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Thank you! 😎👍🏽

[@PauloCarnaxide]

I live close to Lisbon but I bought an apartment in Alvor. It's my second home!

[@MrAndree1973]

Amazing video.. I will be there in 2 weeks after 6 years. I totally love the atmosphere of city life and beach time. The last place you filmed at the waterfront, this unbelievable bar is my favourite place. Can’t wait to be there again and this time I go with my good friend and I’m happy to show him this beautiful place on earth

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Aaah, the bar restaurante called Claque! It's a beautiful spot with a funny name.

[@gary22223]

Something about Portimao keeps bringing us back after 8 years

[@JoaoCarvalho-gk1bn]

One of my favourite cities. Favourite in Algarve, for sure. Lots of memories there. Regarding the videos: every week, sure 😄

[@Ziro-w4w]

Glad I found this video as we just came back from Portugal holiday and stayed in Portimao. Our family really enjoyed this city. Easy access to the beach and also kinda in the middle of the Algarve region so most other towns were a short drive away. Now looking to see how to find resources to connect with expats to get some answers about how to invest/retire there, since the golden visa is no longer an option.

[@Innessofficial]

Beautiful footage, we ve been in portimao last summer and i absolutely adored it. Thank you for bringing back the beautiful memories by filming various places))) In this though noone mentioned if moving with kids is a good idea, would like more in depth look in how people find the creches ,the schools, the kindergartens, the healthcare for kids,if it s any good for moving as a family.❤👍

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Hi Inness, it's the largest urban area in the Algarve and has tons of options for kids. Many families are moving to the Loulé/Almancil area for English speaking schools, but kids pick up Portuguese so quickly, it's not the only option. Ours went to a Portuguese school and loved it.

[@BerylLaPeril]

PDN are the nicest group of people. I wish portimão old town had a bit more going on, it could be amazing... Maybe in time... Thanks for the video Nick

[@AlgarveAddicts]

You're welcome. Head down to Portimão during the sardine festival in August. Lots going on.

[@droops63]

Catching up on your videos, 2023 was a horrid year for me and I fell behind on so many people that I follow. I did get to Lisbon in August, that was a bit discouraging. Appreciate the content, hopefully I can make it to that part of Portugal soon.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Let our Robin know if you want a personalized tour 👍🏼

[@donalfano4177]

Nick, another informative video, thank you for the great work. Please do continue to make videos every week,. The dream for my wife and I is to retire in 3 years and move to the Algarve from the US. Keep up the good work Nick!!

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Cheers Don 👍🏼

[@kilted4567]

Thank you Nick, I’m following your videos as I’d like to move to the Algarve within the next 2 years. Just back from Burgau where I had a lovely meal in the SA restaurant. Burgau is beautiful but my favourite is Faro - going back there for a couple of months in winter.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

They're good people in Burgau! Yes, Faro is a fascinating spot, some amazing new apartments finishing soon. Let me know if you need some help, lots to prepare for in those two years.

[@kilted4567]

@@AlgarveAddicts Hi Nick, thank you and yes I fell madly in love with Burgau although I think it’d probably be too quiet in winter for me. Yes, I do need to get things sorted, the first and most important is the arrival of my Irish passport and that’s taking years!

[@Pakistanimominamericarecipe]

So beautiful 2017 we have been there

[@ronnymb67]

If that's ugly in Portugal, I'm quite sure I will enjoy living anywhere in the country once I get there lol.

[@retired_in_portugal]

Great video Nick, I was in the Algarve in February of this year scouting locations. I found and rented a place in Portimao and I have to agree with the digital nomad folks. Portimao has everything you need and still has things to do in the off season, its a large city for the Algarve but still a smaller city than where I lived in Canada which is also a beach town that gets busy in the summer so thats something I'm already used to. I live about 500m from Modelo /Continente and 1km for the Museum, in the short time I've been there it seems to me that Faro and Portimao are cities where Portuguese people go to work and live, I've talked to many restaurant workers, uber drivers and sales people that say the smaller towns just don't offer enough opportunities. So they live in Portimao and visit the other towns rather than live there. Is it ugly? I would say its more "lived in" were as many of the other towns in the Algarve are made pretty for tourists but thats mho. Oh and yes it seems there is always a bit of a breeze in Portimao which cools things down in the evening

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Thanks for sharing Steve👍🏼

[@guspecunia5887]

I love your drone footage! planning to go in spring of ‘24 I have a part 107 in the states, do they have as many restrictions on flying there??

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Cheers Gus, not if your drone is under 250g 👍🏼

[@margaretmedeiros2269]

Thank you for the video very informative.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

You're welcome Margaret. Have you been to Portimão?

[@basementstudio7574]

I understand that as a Portuguese, 400,000 Euros for a T2 in a beach community is expensive but from the very expensive suburb that I'm from that is still very cheap. Don't know how it is in Portugal but here in the States, when you live in a condo or even most planned communities there is an H.O.A, (Home Owners Association fee) that needs to be paid. Depending on the community amenities it could range anywhere from a couple hundred dollars a month to a thousand or more for luxury buildings. Add to that the real estate tax that is usually paid with the mortgage payment. I live in a house 35 miles from Washington DC and my real estate tax is nearly $5000,00 a year. So a high value condo in a resort town would probably be around the same as far as real estate taxes go. Our plan is to sell the house when we retire and get one of these T2s for about half the price of our house and with our pension, 401K, and social security live large in the Algarve. Not sure where at this point but Portimao checks off a lot of boxes.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Good luck, let me know if you need help with your search, we have a rocking real estate team.

[@basementstudio7574]

@@AlgarveAddicts Thanks, definitely keep you in mind but it's gonna be a couple years out. Just starting our research. First with a vacation that just ended. 5 days in Porto then 5 in Lisbon then 5 in Albufeira.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Awesome, enjoy the journey!

[@maisondesalbertins]

As always, amazing video Nick, It makes me change my way of seeing Portimao. However, I must admit that when I visited - a decade ago - Portimao, I found that town a little bit “trendy, bourgeois”, it was like being in a Soho House vibe all the time with beautiful people. Faro and the Eastern coast were more authentic which I loved the most. I'm currently studying Portuguese but it's so difficult🙄, who knows one day I might succeed. Anyways, your videos make me want to move and settle in the Algarve 😂 and give it a try... Good wishes to you and your team! Albertino.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Thanks 👍🏼

[@peterferreira1025]

No doubt putting a video together takes time and effort but we the viewer want more. Lol Cheers 🍻

[@AlgarveAddicts]

What more do you need? 😎👍🏼

[@user-cj9zx1me7b]

Can Nick be any more real and honest? Yes, I look forward to every video of yours, every week. Please continue... M

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Wow, thank you so much 🙏🏼 I strive for that.

[@aidanmcgale533]

Flying from Belfast to faro going to pradia da rocha for 11 days can you suggest a taxi from faro on Sunday 27th at 10.30 am seems expensive with the main companies any suggestions thanks

[@AlgarveAddicts]

It is expensive, I think you'd be lucky to get away with €70. A company called Yellowfish does transfers. Otherwise you could take the bus or the train.

[@onePeaceMaker]

How fast is the WiFi there

[@AlgarveAddicts]

It depends where you are and what connection you have but we can get 500mbps on Fibre.

[@lousilva3053]

Best place for living

[@pauloramos2209]

Beautiful amazing

[@AlgarveAddicts]

👍🏼

[@pplusbthrust]

There is an urban vibe that moves me in a direction the other way. Thank you but, no thank you. To each his own while you can continue to make a choice. It may become to warm to be at the beach soon.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Possibly, but that's what the water is there for 😎👍🏼 You're right though, each to his own, some people prefer living in the country, like me.

[@pures1n]

is algarve more flat than Lisbon? I find lisbon way too hilly, while porto was way more flat and enjoyable for me.

[@beretta51]

❤

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Hola Eduardo! 👋🏼

[@andrewrobinson28]

Has wing foiling found its way to Portugal? Wing dinging..

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Yes! Actually in Alvor lagoon. My buddy Guilherme teaches it. Come over and we'll go wingdinging.

[@kellyfj]

Yes absolutely - saw a bunch of windfoilers near Portimao in July 2022

[@andrewrobinson28]

Fantastic, thanks guys. Looks like Portimao is the perfect place to do this. 👍👍

[@jacobs1763]

😅 some interesting zoom edits left in by accident

[@AlgarveAddicts]

😉

[@steviebuoy320]

I have been coming to Portimao on holiday for ten years and i have noticed the town has gone down big time. The people look so serious and unfriendly, of course there are the odd people who are nice but overall the people are cold and not friendly. The men are very aggressive. The old town is very dodgy with drunks and drug addicts all over the place. I was with my girlfriend walking through the old town we were looking in a shop window when my girlfriend felt something on her leg a black guy had spat on her and when I confronted him he wanted to fight with me. There were no police around to help us. There is no police presence protection for tourists or locals. Its a total disgrace i will never come back to this horrible depressing town ever again.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

That's ok Stevie, that's totally understandable. I wouldn't either if that happened to me.

[@terrancebee9234]

Viillamoura

[@Pakistanimominamericarecipe]

Without credit you can buy a home or you need credit

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Do you mean a mortgage?

[@MathildeMarieJuliette]

Most of the buildings are abandoned here.. (2024)

[@gerardc.8755]

7:40 ... been working pretty hard to put Portimão on the map 🤯 arrogant... ignorant!? Portimão, and its people don't need any assistance they've been just fine prior to your arrival there!

[@AlgarveAddicts]

She meant on the digital nomad map. No, not arrogant, they are all wonderful people. Try not to take single comments out of context.

[@cmdv42]

🙌💯✨

[@miguelaraujo2116]

Another amazing video 🎩👌 Nick can you speak little more portuguese please :) I saw a video with your daughter she is portuguese she speak like us 😊lol

[@musashimiyamoto586]

You say you talked with residents. Well, to me those few people don't really look like typical and/or permanent residents. I was expecting you to talk to locals and not just a few select people from, say, the upper echelons.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Residents are generally people who live there. These people live there...

[@susanhighfield3370]

I love your videos but take a break after all life is for living and creating memories, take some time with your lovely daughter and wife.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

I LOVE your comment, I'm looking for a gap and we are travelling up north to my wife's "terra". Só that could be the window I'm looking for. 🕊️

[@Pakistanimominamericarecipe]

Expensive

[@sarahmace5139]

Thanks for your thoughtful video. It would be great if you could cover more options for people who need affordable available housing. Telling people a place is beautiful to live in then telling them it’s unaffordable and unavailable to them is a turnoff. Most people have had enough of the ‘only for rich people’ mentality everywhere online…90% of people watching this video are hoping for something affordable accessible… only to be told one more time nothing for you. Think about it? Why would we leave US, Canada, UK etc for the same unaffordable unavailable strangle hold. It’s cruel. Give real people real options!!

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Sarah, unfortunately I'm just doing my best to try and explain the place. The reality is that there are a ton of really expensive houses in the prime areas (which is totally normal). Beachfronts around the world are expensive places to live. I've done a lot more videos about other areas where houses are a little more affordable but unfortunately Portugal has seen radical price rises over the last 5 years.

[@oscarm.1417]

Any local economy supported by digital nomads will be completely decimated by AI. These folks will be forced out of their comfortable resort lives quicker than they imagine.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

No one said that the local economy is supported by digital nomads though... They bring a lot of exciting new thinking to the region. There are always two sides to a coin.

[@oscarm.1417]

@@AlgarveAddicts Digital nomads were the single most significant factor behind the Portuguese success story. Not retirees or brick and mortar entrepreneurs. No other group comes close to representing the economic impact that DNs made in Portugal. Their rapid obsolescence will become an equally important factor in the collapse of this model. The Algarve will be hit especially hard. And I'm not even discussing the end of the Golden Visa and NHR programs; which will act as accelerators of the countertrend.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

That's great insight Oscar, please share some stats and resources, I'm really curious about this stuff.

[@oscarm.1417]

@@AlgarveAddicts Stats are hard to come by when it comes to how disruptive technologies are systematically eliminating the opportunity ecosystems inhabited by digital nomads. But it's happening hard and fast and it's going to affect all those beautiful places in the world where these folks were able to move their working lives to. Places like Costa Rica, Thailand, the Algarve, etc... will be hardest hit. Large cities like Barcelona, Rome, etc... less so because of the size of their legacy populations.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Like I said, I'm curious as to how you created your opinion. If there are no stats, what are you basing this all on?

[@pbohearn]

This was one of your worst videos, Nick. Your contempt, for Portimao grew as the day and the heat wore on. And what’s up videotaping the woman in the string bikini in the water from your birds eye view? Did she sign a waiver?

[@AlgarveAddicts]

Hi Patrick, thanks for your comment. I just rewatched the video and I can see why you commented like that. There is a whole chunk of footage which shouldn't have been included from 20:40 to 24:30 Maybe this gave you the wrong impression, I think there would be a definitely different feel to the video without those 4 minutes. Have a look and maybe you can see what I mean.

[@webMonkey_]

Was in Portimao a few months ago. The place is ugly and boring. Lagos so much better.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

That's absolutely your opinion and you're owning it 👊🏼😎👍🏼