Overview

The Portuguese Property Market

In recent years, there has been a true construction and real estate boom in some parts of Portugal. Along the coastal regions of Portugal, a great deal of real estate development has taken place. This development has included everything from luxurious housing developments to vacation communities that have attracted visitors and investors from across Europe and indeed much of the world.

Beyond the very fast paced development that has taken place along the coastal regions of Portugal, there has also been a great deal of new construction in some of the more rural areas of the country. Rural Portugal has proven to be a fertile area in which many people from other European nations (and from a good share of other nations from around the world) are taking to constructing second homes, lovely and relaxing retreats tucked away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Investment Property in Portugal

When it comes to investment real estate in Portugal, many foreign nationals have focused their attention on real estate opportunities along the coastal regions in Portugal. By way of example, these foreign nationals are involving themselves in some of the massive residential developments that have been initiated in these coastal regions over the course of the past ten years.

In addition to investing in the residential developments themselves, some of these foreign nationals are also putting their money into those commercial real estate ventures that accompany a burgeoning residential market. For example, these foreign nationals are investing in shopping centers or districts as well as other types of necessary commercial properties.

Residential Real Estate in Portugal – Single Family Properties

As has been referenced, there has been a great deal of activity in the residential real estate market in the coastal regions of Portugal. The trend towards buying homes along the coastal regions of the country has been fast paced for nearly a decade. Most real estate analysts in Portugal believe that this high rate of activity in the coastal Portugal residential real estate market will continue unabated well into the next decade.

In addition to a fast paced market along the coast, residential real estate has also been selling briskly in some of the rural areas in the Portuguese interior.

While high end housing has been the most rapidly selling area of the residential real estate market, in Portugal, when it comes to residential real estate, there really is something for every budget. This is particularly the case in the more major cities in the country. For example, the real estate market in Lisbon is very active and varied — the old adage that there is something for everyone really holds true.

Residential Real Estate in Portugal – Apartments

As is the case through much of the European Union, the demand for residential apartments is strong in Portugal. Apartment living provides a more carefree and, oftentimes, a less expensive way of living.

Apartments in Lisbon have been selling at a particularly brisk rate. Many foreign nationals have taken to purchasing apartments in Lisbon and in a few of the more major cities in the country. There are three primary reasons who apartments have been selling so briskly in Lisbon and in a few of the other more urban centers in Portugal.

First, with the advent and creation of the European Union, and with the trans-European economic culture that was created by the EU, and ever growing number of foreign nationals have taken to spending at least part of the year in Portugal on business. Apartments provide a practical and affordable housing solution for these business men and women in the 21st century.

Second, many people have taken to purchasing apartments in the urban centers of Portugal for vacation or holiday purposes. As with the business owner of an apartment in an urban center in Portugal, these holiday visitors find apartments an economical and practical means of vacationing in the country. This has proven particularly to be the case with families.

Finally, some foreign nationals have taken to purchasing apartments which they then turn around and rent or lease to other people. Many of these foreign investors have found buying and then leasing apartments in Portugal to be a very solid method of generating a reliable source of income.

Holiday Property in Portugal

The coastal areas of Portugal have become the locations of some of the most sought after real estate in all of Europe. The demand for vacation properties in these areas rivals even the demand for real estate in such prime European travel areas such as the French Riviera.

Many foreign nationals have taken to buying real estate along the coastal regions for vacation or holiday purposes. As mentioned previously, oftentimes these investors are buying vacation properties in Portugal for dual purposes. Of course, they are buying these properties to provide a vacation destination for themselves and their families. In addition, they are making these purchases to allow them an investment income which they obtain by leasing or renting these properties to other holiday travelers.

In addition to the coastal regions of Portugal, many foreign nationals have taken to buying residences in rural communities. Finally, in large, urban areas such as Lisbon, foreign nationals regularly are purchasing apartments which they are utilizing for vacation or holiday purposes.

Specific steps to buying real estate property in Portugal

As in many countries the world over, the first step in the real estate purchase process is the execution of a preliminary contract for sale. In Portugal, this initial contract is called the contrato de promessa de compra e venda. This particular agreement is a legally binding contract that sets forth the conditions of the sale.

The contrato de promessa de compra e venda is drawn up by a notary. At the time that this contract is executed and signed, the purchaser of the real estate is called upon to place a deposit for the real property that is subject to the transaction. In Portugal, the deposit that normally is paid by a buyer of real estate is between ten and twelve percent. If a seller elects not to follow through with the sale, he or she will forfeit the deposit that has been paid. Of course, there are instances when a buyer is justified in not closing on a contract for the sale of real estate. For example, if a seller cannot provide to the buyer a title free and clear, the buyer then does have the right to walk away from the contract and will not forfeit his or her deposit.

An interesting feature of the preliminary contract in Portugal is the fact that if the buyer decides to walk away from the contract, the buyer is obliged to pay to the seller a penalty in the amount of twice the deposit placed by the buyer in the first instance. Thus, in Portugal, the purchaser of real estate is provided with a level of protection that is found in very few other countries around the world. Indeed, this level of protection really is almost unheard of anywhere else in the world.

Another requirement that is unique to Portugal when it comes to the purchase of real estate is one in which the buyer of real estate is obliged to obtain a “Fiscal Number” from the local Tax Office. This requirement applies to foreign nationals who are interested in buying real estate in Portugal as well as to citizens of that country. The process of applying for and obtaining a Fiscal Number is very simple and does not require a great deal of time. Indeed, the process really involves completing what is in reality a very simple form and submitting it to the local Tax Office where it can be processed in no time whatsoever.

The real estate sales process in Portugal moves at a pretty fast clip. Generally speaking, the signing of the final contract and deed — which is known as the escitura de compra e venda — will occur within three to four weeks of the execution of the initial contract for sale. Once this agreement and related documentation is executed, the ownership of the real estate will transfer by operation of the law from the seller to the buyer. Although the buyer will become the legal owner of the real estate at that juncture, there still is a bit more work to do to completely conclude the real estate purchase process.

The final step that a person needs to take when purchasing real estate in Portugal is the payment of the Imposto Municipal Sobre, a tax imposed on real estate transactions in that country. In addition, the buyer will be obliged to register — either personally or through a lawyer — the deed with the Land Registry Office.

Overall, there are no added obligations on a foreign national who purchases real estate in Portugal. The rules, regulations and legal schemes that apply to citizens of Portugal apply similarly to foreign nationals who are interested in buying real estate in that country.

Property Abroad always recommends using a Solicitor or Lawyer



By: Les Calvert

About the Author:

Portugal’s property market is without doubt one of the future development areas of Europe more and more investors are looking to cash in on the cheap property still available in many areas.

Real estate is being developed at pace in the coastal and more especially in the Silver coast region, although property in the Algarve still remains the favourite with overseas investors.

There is little doubt that the emphasis is shifting on to the Silver coast and rural areas especially in the Central Portugal region.

In the rural areas, property in Portugal has become more sought after with plenty of value left in the market. Property investors are taking a very keen interest not only in the buy to let holiday home market, but in second homes for future investment and retirement. With the temperate climate and increasingly good infrastructure the Portugal property market is looking to make more and more sense.

Investment Property in Portugal particularly along the coastal regions of Portugal is attracting investors professional and amateur alike, many overseas investors are looking not only at residential property but also they are getting involved in the bigger property developments; resorts, shopping centres, commercial property, industrial units and leisure facilities.

Real Estate in Portugal without doubt there is an increase in demand for not only the buy to let and investment property aspects of real estate, but also for people who are making the move permanent. The people are friendly and although the paperwork can be a bit of a drag there is plenty of help on hand from the real estate professionals.

The real estate professionals in Portugal are called Imobiliaria and must have an AMI number. It is very important to use these companies as they are insured against any complications in any transaction and are responsible for searching problems concerning the property you choose to buy.

The more traditional high end market in the Algarve and golf resorts have been the fast sellers and that is still correct today in those regions, however, if you look in Portugal there are houses for sale throughout the spectrum and whatever your budget there is something for you.

Apartments are becoming far more sought after in the cities and resort areas partly because it is an easier and often cheaper way to live. If you want a holiday home or a convenient place to stay on a business trip an apartment can offer the ideal solution.

It is interesting to note that there is a position in Portugal where if you put down a deposit and the seller pulls out then he is obliged to pay you back double the deposit paid making gazumping a most unlikely option.

Holiday Accommodation in Portugal Of course the Coastal areas of Portugal have been coveted in similar style to that of the French Riviera but now with the upturn in demand for rural tourism people are looking to invest in property inland especially when they are close to one of the rivers or various golf courses that are springing up in the central Portugal region. http://www.perfectportugalproperty.co.uk/”>Property in Portugal is without doubt one of the top and perhaps the last real value place left in Europe with a great climate.



By: Paul Stubbs

About the Author:

Banks and bank services have existed throughout history; it is believed they predate currency and traces of bank records are estimated to have been present in the third millennium B.C. In the ancient world they held grain, cattle and precious metals such as gold and are believed to have carried out their business in temples and palaces as these were the safest places to contain wealth.

The business bank relationship is believed to have begun in ancient Babylon where temple priests granted loans to merchants. It is believed that the first laws in society contained rules for banking and a bank code of conduct. Showing the extent at which banks and society are intertwined.

Ancient Greece took banking further by creating a centralised grain bank network and created credit slips for customers. These slips were used in business and consisted of instructions to bank tellers to perform deposits and withdrawals. This can be seen as a strengthening of the business bank relationship.

The Roman Empire perfected banking; being obsessed with administration, banks took a more recognisable form as increasing amounts of paperwork were involved in transactions. Detailed bank regulations and laws were also created to define the industry. The Romans also created the first bank charges in the form of interest. The business however experienced a downturn with the rise of Christianity as interest charges were seen as immoral; subsequently bank services dwindled in Western Europe until the time of the crusades.

The medieval period saw a revival for the business bank relationship. Trade fairs present in most major European cities began to create bills of exchange where notes were given in exchange for hard currency. These bills were redeemable at other cities and hence eliminated the necessity to carry huge fortunes across country; forming a far safer option for merchants. This need for the transfer of large sums of money was a direct result of the crusades and as the banks redeemed the bills in line with exchange rates and inflation, bank services started to become profitable.

Throughout the later medieval period the Italian bankers of Lombardy and Genoa became the financial powerhouses of the Mediterranean. Their loans allowed business to flourish as overseas trade became a mainstay of any nation’s economy. Italian bankers spread throughout Europe and appeared in many European cities. Although problems did arise when defaulted payments by monarchs caused the bank services to become political issues.

During the beginning of the modern period the business bank relationship was further enhanced. Expeditions to the new world were funded by banks in Spain and Portugal; such journeys became profitable for the bank tellers as the returns became vast after the initial outlay. In Britain, new trade businesses used banks to fund their activities in the new world with tobacco and coffee imports from the Indies being extremely profitable.

Bank services and loans were the backbone of the industrial revolution in Britain. Without the funding that supported the entrepreneurs the improvements to the transport network and creation of evermore complex steam engines would not have been possible. It is thanks to the banking that Britain became the richest nation in the world, the empire was dependent upon loans and the reason it expanded to such a huge extent was the desire to repay these sums of money.

In the modern world global bank services have shrunk the world. Transfers are now instantaneous and banks fund vast projects on a worldwide basis. The profits they gain break records on a regular basis, figures of twenty and thirty billion are not uncommon for the world’s largest banks. These sums make some banks wealthier than nations and subsequently the favour they hold in politics and business is seemingly unassailable.

Bank services have provided financial support for the business world since the beginnings of civilisation; today they hold a position of power as entrenched as many political systems. In many cases bank services have been fundamental in the formation of nations and political systems and have funded the exploration and empire building that has created the world we see today. The close business bank relationship is profitable for both sides, as long as banks are willing to fund entrepreneurial schemes the relationship is set to continue indefinitely.



By: Shaun Parker

About the Author:

This is www.buypropertyportugal.com ‘s next chapter of how to buy a property in Portugal, here we focus on the Algarve as it’s currently one of the most attractive places to invest and to enjoy investment growth while enjoying the sunshine on the beach

 

The Property Market

 

Why not choose to base yourself in an area with over 3000 hours of sunshine each year and give yourself the quality of life you deserve?

 

 

Portugal is an attractive location for house buyers, with the Algarve being the most popular area for British buyers, mainly due to the weather, golden beaches, and the abundance of golf courses. It is Portugal’s busiest, most developed region and it is reported that 90 percent of all property sales to foreign buyers are in the Algarve.

 

The age of Internet and ADSL means that mobility of labour is very much a reality and it is easily possible to maintain instant contact with colleagues anywhere in the world. Satellite TV means access to English language television and VOIP systems give you a U.K. telephone number and U.K. calls at low rates.

 

There are excellent air connections to anywhere in Europe and intercontinentally from Faro or Lisbon airports, making it perfectly possible to base yourself in Portugal and ‘commute’ back to the U.K. Many of the ‘budget’ airlines fly into Faro from Stanstead, Luton, Bristol, Gatwick, Heathrow, East Midlands, Dublin or Manchester and offer excellent value charter fares. Additional routes come on stream during the summer months.



 

Where to Buy

 

The Portuguese property market is showing consistent growth, strong rental demand, relative living costs and safe environment.

 

 

There is a wide choice of great properties in wonderful locations and often less expensive than the equivalent in France or Spain.

 

Remember that the summer months in the Algarve, especially August, are very busy in terms of traffic and there are visitors from the north of Portugal and from Spain as well as holidaymakers from all over Europe, all expecting good access to the beach. Unless you enjoy being part of the crowd you may appreciate being a little removed from the bustle. Being just a few kilometers inland can have considerable benefit.

 

Don’t forget to take into account your proposed usage of the property, if you are expecting to live in Portugal permanently then the factors that affect your decision on what to purchase will vary from those required if you are planning to rent the property out for part of the year.

 

Many properties inland or ‘up in the hills’ do not have mains water or drainage. Instead they rely on a system of cisternas (tanks) to collect rainwater and store water brought in by or pumped from a ‘furo’ (a bore-hole), whilst a ‘fossa’ or sceptic tank contains and treats sewage waste.

 

All of these facilities are reliable and capable of many years of unattended operation. Bear in mind if you plan to re-plant the garden, water can be at a premium in the summer months and a new garden may require a bore-hole to be drilled to obtain the necessary extra water needed for irrigation.

 

Drilling companies charge per metre for drilling and then the cost of the pump, control equipment and electrical installation must be added.

 

At Exclusive Algarve Villas, we  try our hardest to give you the latest and most up to date information on the Portugal property market and costs.

 

Please feel free to question our consultants about anything to do with buying and investing in Portugal, in person, via email at info@eavillas.com or on the telephone (+351) 282 353 019

 

Portugal remains an exclusive location, with fewer of the ‘over development’ problems of some of its neighbours. The opportunity to buy quality property in a great location remains excellent but, like all good things in life, availability can’t last. Portugal is slowly but surely being ‘discovered’ and if you’re going to do it, now could be the perfect time to step in to this beautiful country!

 

Portugal is an utterly charming country and relatively speaking still overlooked by second-homebuyers.

 

Many areas have an exclusive feel and second-homebuyers and investors are waking up to the advantages of buying in a country which has not suffered the mass development of other parts of Europe, which is quick and easy to get to, and where the cost of living is still relatively cheap.

 

The Portuguese market is very active, with purchasers from across Europe.  There are plenty of Dutch, French, Spanish and Scandinavians buying, as well as the British. This means that to buy your dream property, quick and decisive action is often required. New developments are selling particularly quickly at the moment and many properties are sold from plans.

 



By: Buy Property Portugal

About the Author:

This is about as controversial a subject as we can get in the network marketing or MLM industry. That is at least in some markets in Europe and USA. However talk to the successful business leaders in your company in Portugal, Italy, Spain, Israel and many more, and I will wager it isn’t a tricky topic for them in the least. The only tricky thing for them is trying to understand why one would not share their opportunity with their friends and family! I personally know people who have reached the Diamond level in their first months just by focussing on inviting their trusted friends, family members and business contacts to review their company opportunity. So why is it such a thorny issue for some?

Let’s evaluate building your business this way. Well we naturally start with warm market for many reasons. Here are just some of them:

It is free to invite them to look!

An experienced business leader I know says ‘why pay to talk to someone about your business when you can talk to people you know for free?!!’

Well he does have a point. Of course it’s all in how you talk to them and which process you follow. There is a professional way to do it using 3rd party tools and following a system.

It is quick!

There are so many experts online talking about how you can build your business so easily by attracting prospects to you with cold marketing. In the cold hard light of day this is a wonderful approach for those who are very disciplined with their online activities but it takes TIME. What is the number one objection for your prospects not getting started in your business today? Time often comes ahead of lack of money doesn’t it? ’Oh but I don’t have enough time,’ they often say. Ok as experienced networkers we all know the answers to these objections but still those same prospects can slip through your fingers. If you can show your prospects a simple (but not easy!) way to build a business that is producing results and is duplicated by thousands their interest level will rise. If they think they need to know how to create their own website and how to become this ‘expert’ before they can even get started, most people with ‘no time’ will be getting you off the phone quicker than you can say goodbye!

Trust

If you are basically a good person then your friends, family and daily contacts trust you enough to have a look at what you’re doing. Network Marketing is often misrepresented by a ‘come all, anyone can do this’ approach. I don’t know about you but I prospect and introduce sharp, business minded people who plan to succeed. It is simply a bonus if I already know and like them. It is not different in traditional warm market networking. You do your warm market list to get started fast…in this day and age I don’t think even the most backward of companies expects you to be signing up your Aunt Mary who had her 90th birthday last week. If you’re doing warm market select the top 40 people on your list who are sharp and enthusiastic people in other areas of their life. Get the information out to them asap. using 3rd party tools so that they see the business message not you. If I know someone who is toxic and negative they are not on my list to invite to look at my business. Why? Because if I sign them up I will then need to work with them!

Timing

If you have an exciting opportunity with great timing then you need to invite the sharp people in your warm market to take a look. Only last week I contacted someone who has been on my list for a while. He told me he is already planning on attending the event that I spoke of and invited him to! Guess what? He was invited by someone else in my network circle. It happens you know. Granted he lives in a country where people aren’t afraid to share good things with their friends and family but still…You don’t want to be attending your company convention this year only to bump into your best friend from school (whom you hadn’t bothered to contact in case they said no) receiving her rank advancement pin and with her smiling sponsor (not you!) looking on. Ouch…..

Why do cold market?

Well I say don’t!! I avoid cold market like the plague. All the defences of these suspects are up and I feel like they expect me to sell them something. My main goal is to invite people to review my opportunity. Cold market is a thing of the past in my business. So how do I expand my network circle and get enough new people looking at my business? It’s very simple really. I use methods to turn my cold market into a warm one. This doesn’t mean that these prospects need to be coming round for dinner or I need to be meeting them for coffee. What it does mean is that I have learned to be a professional networker, both on and offline. I use websites and 3rd party cutting edge tools to introduce my opportunity to people who contact me as a result of online marketing, or whom I meet along the way by being an active participant of this thing called ‘Life.’

If you want to do cold market then bear in mind that you need some practice first. Where better to get that practice than with free lead generation: i.e.; warm market. You are not looking to enrol people who don’t want to be enrolled. You are not looking to bug people or twist people’s arms. You are simply inviting positive people that you know to attend your business reception or to have a look at a website, DVD or magazine about your opportunity. If they are not interested there is no drama. You don’t need to cry. Remember the old adage, some will, some won’t, so what, NEXT!

A Final Word about Posture

I have learned that this business is all about posture. If you are new to the business and don’t yet have experience of prospecting ‘cold market’ on the telephone but you insist on jumping in with that you are likely to drown in this business. You need strong posture, confidence and knowledge of your step by step system. Work closely with your upline leader and make sure you have all of these things in place before you dive into the cold market.

Better still. Don’t dive in there at all… Learn how to become a professional networker.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rachel Henke coaches people to work from home with a proven system and millionaire mentors. Find out how you can escape the rat race at her website: Escape The Rat Race Free Tour



By: Rachel Henke

About the Author:

Property buyers who love Portugal should take a good hard look at one region slightly off the tourist beaten track this area is the Alentejo region.

A recent visit to this region with its historic towns, miles and miles of olive tree clad hills impressed me so much I wondered why more overseas buyers had not sought a home in the area.

Portugal’s Algarve region has been the country’s major summer hotspot for years, and it continues to attract visitors from near and far. New developments and infrastructure improvements are drawing more interest from tourists and investors as the region looks to continue as the most popular destination in the country for the future.

Alentejo occupies the south central part of the country and stretches from the Tagus River in the north to just above the Algarve in the south. It borders Spain on the east, the Lisbon metro area in the west and has a stretch of mostly pristine beaches along the southwest of the region. There are only a couple of cities of any major size: Ever is the region’s capital in the north central part of the region, Beja in the middle and Sines along the coast.

The climate of this region is the warmest in the country. It is nearly as far south as the Algarve, but doesn’t have much of the moderating coastal weather. The small stretch along the coast is one of the most pristine areas of the country, thought there are a couple of resorts there. Towards the northeast the gently rolling countryside turns into granite hills and valleys as you approach the Spanish border, which is a bit cooler than the rest of the region.

The regions economy is based mostly on farming and agriculture. Sines, which is technically in the Setubal region, is at the border of the Costa Verde and Alentejo. It is a largely industrial town, with oil refineries and a busy port. Tourism is minimal in this part of the country, but the ancient ruins do bring visitors. There are plenty of Roman era structures, castles and ancient megaliths throughout the region. Ever, the capital of Alentejo, has a population of 55,000 and is the largest city in the region. It is considered one of the most liveable cities in the country, with a major university, historical sites and a laid back lifestyle. It is 130 kilometers to the east of Lisbon and has a small airport, as well as train and bus service to the capital.

One resort of note in the Alentejo region is The Gizo Estate situated in Cuba a stunning countryside resort with designer style villas sitting on the hills of Cuba in Alentejo. The Gizo Estate has a riding centre where the owners and “horse lovers” can make use of the riding school or just go for a ride within the 114 ha of the estate

There are country homes, seaside resorts and villas of all sizes for those who want to live in this part of Portugal. There is also plenty of property, ranging from small building lots to ruins that can be built upon or large tracts. Whatever you want, this part of the country has something to offer.

Travel to this area of Portugal can be quick and easy, or it can take a little more time. It just depends where you are going. For the northern parts of the region, Lisbon is the closest airport, but in the southern area the airport at Faro is closer. From Lisbon, the A6 auto route goes east to Ever and over to the Spanish border. The A2 heads out of Lisbon south, paralleling the coast and down to the Algarve.

All in all Alentejo region feels like the real Portugal and just ripe for investment



By: Nicholas Marr

About the Author:

Portugal is a wonderful country to throw caution to the wind and enjoy the national cuisine.

Don’t expect to enjoy ‘haute cuisine” fare first thing in the day however, the portuguese often skip a full breakfast , normally going for a continental style breakfast. In truth you will usually see locals enjoying a light snack in a cafe on their way to work.

Lunchtime and Evening meals are a quite different and hugely pleasing experience.

The locals really love their cooking, and you can expect to be offered large portions when dining. The midday meal might be a pleasant, but time consuming business, usually enjoyed between 1.00pm and 3.00pm, and regardless of the weather, the local inhabitants eat cooked food in cafes or restaurants. The evening meal is enjoyed between 7pm and 9pm, and again, normally is a hot meal.

The charm of Portuguese cuisine is often described as ‘simple ingredients, perfectly prepared’.

Portuguese cooking is in general based on superb quality, fresh regional produce, usually featuring fish, meat, olive oil, tomatoes and spices.

A good portuguese meal should start with a soup.

The best known portuguese soup, is caldo verde, a wholesome, spicy soup made from shredded kale, potatoes and chourio or linguica sausage. Caldo Verde comes from the Minho region, but is widely available anywhere in Portugal, from lisbon to the algarve holiday resorts.

Here is a Recipe for caldo verde that will let you bring the taste of portugal back home with you

Portuguese kale soup recipe

————————————————–

1 pound beef, stewing (cut into one inch chunks)

1/2 lb. (227g) linguica or chorico (chopped into slivers)

1.5 quart water

Pinch of low sodium salt

3 lg. potatoes, cubed

three carrots, chopped into 1″ cubes

1.5 lb kale, chopped, or 1 pack frozen kale, defrosted

1/2 cabbage (finely chopped)

1/2 pkg. macaroni (preferably elbow)

1 can white kidney beans (any white beans will do)

1 chili pepper, (remove seeds), chopped

1/3 tsp paprika

1 tsp Olive Oil

Method:

—————–

Peel and cut up the root vegetables.

Fill a large saucepan with the water and add the cubed beef, portuguese sausage and sea salt.

Bring to a rolling boil and keep covered until meat and portuguese sausage are barely tender.

Add the the hot pepper, carrots, beans, (if using them), paprika, chopped cabbage & kale and stir the pan well.

Recover and cook for 3/4 of an hour or until chopped kale is cooked.

When the chopped kale is ready, add the olive oil chopped potatoes & macaroni.

Keep stirring the kale soup to make sure that the chopped potatoes and macaroni don’t end up stuck to the base of the pot.

Cook slowly (keeping the saucepan lid on) until potatoes & macaroni pasta are ready to eat.

Caldo verde can be served as a first course or as a filling main course.



By: Roger Wakefield

About the Author:

Overseas buyers considering Portugal as the place to buy a dream home in the sun, will have thought of the Algarve in Portugal. The most recognised area in Portugal it is known mostly for its popular beaches, golf courses and nightlife.

Central Algarve is without doubt the most heavily visited of all the parts of this region. It is sandwiched between the two largest cities in the region, Faro on the eastern edge and Portimao on the western edge, and has kilometers of beaches and lots of activities to keep visitors and residents alike busy.

The climate is gorgeous in the Central Algarve for just about the whole year. Summer is hot, spring and autumn are moderate and the area is great for doing outdoor activities for at any time of the year. The winter is cool and wet, but even that time of the year is a nice change from much of northern Europe.

The Central Algarve stretches from just west of Faro to just east of Portimao, near Lagoa. The area is about 50 kilometers wide, so everything is within an easy drive no matter where you are, and the rest of the Algarve is easy to reach as well. This section of the Algarve is known for its resorts, and the towns of Albufeira, Sesmarias, Valamoura and Quarteira are a few of the more popular seaside resorts. This area also has plenty of golf destinations. Loule and Lagoa are popular towns with plenty of places to stay.

Albufeira is the major resort and tourist destination in the whole Algarve. The year round population of 35,000 increases exponentially in the summer. There are a number of golf courses and resorts around the town and the resort of Vilamoura, just to the east of Albufeira, is known as the golf capital of the Algarve. Albufeira makes a superb central Algarve base for family golf and recreation holidays. The diverse choice of golf courses near Albufeira coincides with a number of great family holiday attractions, particularly beaches. Quinta do Lago near Quarteira, just to the east of Vilamoura, is recognized as one of Europe’s best golf holiday resorts. There are four luxurious 18 hole golf courses are in the area, and two of these are listed in Europe’s top 25 golf courses.

For nightlife, Albufeira is the best place to have some fun. The Strip near the Montechoro section of town is very popular, particularly with younger crowds. There are lots of great bars and clubs along this stretch. Vilamoura also has a casino and some popular nightclubs as well.

Loule is one of the larger urban areas in the whole Algarve and is a good place to find housing. Whether to buy, rent or just a quick visit, this town has lots to offer for reasonable prices on up to luxury accommodations. There are also some new golf resorts around the town that have become popular. Lagoa, on the western end of Central Algarve, is a historic old town with lots to see and plenty of places to buy or rent.

Property in the Central Algarve, as in most of the entire region, is focused along the coastal areas. There are any number of new developments and resorts, and you can find a wide variety of housing and property for sale. Golf is most popular in this part of the Algarve, so if you want to find a golf resort or development this is a great place to look. Property around Lagoa in the western end of this area is quite popular, and you can find some of the nicest and most exclusive places around this town.Be sure to compare like for like when buying property in Portugal.

Albufeira is a popular seaside town with lots of local properties and several resorts as well. Several other seaside areas include Quarteira, Sesmarieas and Carvoeiro. Inland just a bit are the towns of Loule and Almancil, both of which are near Faro and very convenient to get to from the airport. Prices for housing in this region can be reasonable for smaller apartments, and can reach in the millions of euros for large villas with great views.

To get to the Central Algarve, the fastest and least expensive route is to fly into Faro Airport (FAO). This airport is located 7 kilometers west of the city of Faro in the southeast part of the Algarve, right on the border with the Central Algarve. It is one of the most popular airports for discount carriers, offering quick and reasonably priced service to most major European and UK cities.

Just a few of the airlines that fly to Faro include Aer Lingus, British Airways, Atlantic Airways, easyJet, Flybe, Jet2.com, Ryanair and Thomsonfly. It is possible to fly from almost any major airport in the UK direct to Faro. There are many more flights during the warmer parts of the year, but this airport is becoming popular for business travelers so it has a good number of flights that operate year round.



By: Nicholas Marr

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Portugal luxury vacations come in many forms, but if you are flying to Portugal with most of your travel then being by road and rail, you will want to travel as comfortably as possible. That involves business class flights, first class train tickets and your own private limousine with chauffeur. Whether you can find that or not is immaterial – it is what you will want, and there are travel companies that can provide you with level of comfort in addition to top class hotels and fine cuisine.

Portugal is the most westerly country on the European mainland, so the nearest to the USA after Ireland and the UK. Your flight destination will be the capital, Lisbon, sitting on the River Tagus and Portugal is historically the closest country to Britain with regard to political alliances (their 1373 alliance is the oldest standing in the world). It supported Britain during the Peninsular and Napoleonic wars, and they still regard themselves as being closer to Britain than to Spain.

So much for the history lesson: now for the vacation. The oldest part of Lisbon is the Alfama district, at one time actually comprising the whole city when it was ruled by the Moors, and now a labyrinth of small squares and narrow streets. It contains Lisbon cathedral, and many excellent restaurants that you must try.

Portuguese cuisine is centered on fish, although they also offer many fine meat dishes including piglet sandwiches. Portuguese pastry is renowned the world over, and their wines have been associated with Bacchus since the days of ancient Rome. The main wine area is Douro, although the country is probably most associated with the fortified port wine.

As Jerez in Spain is associated with sherry, so Oporto in Portugal is associated with port, and no Portugal vacations would be complete without a taste of a fine vintage port. Incidentally, the crusted port is not the best, and is generally known as the ‘poor man’s vintage’ port.

The National Palace of Portugal sits atop a hill on Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site due its architecture of the 19th century. It offers fabulous views of the Sintra-cascais Natural Park that includes the Serra de Sintra mountain range and the most westerly point of continental Europe, Cabo da Roca (Cape Roca), also known to the Romans. You will find some craft and antique shops at Sintra, well worth a visit for some Portuguese souvenirs. The Palace itself is also worth visiting, and contains rooms with strange names such as the Room of the Sirens and the Magpie Room. If you like a flutter on the tables, the casinos of Estoril are on the return journey to Lisbon.

Oporto is also known as Porto, and as already mentioned, is the home of port. It is made from red Douro wine which is then fortified with brandy. The brandy stops the fermentation, leaving unfermented sugar in the wine, giving it its sweetish taste. The port is then stored, mainly in barrels, and aged in cellars. Tawny port must be aged at least 7 years, and after that the label can state the wine to be 10, 20, 30 or over 40 years old. Vintage port is the flagship port, being produced from grapes grown in a declared ‘vintage’ year when conditions are favorable for good wines. Crusted port is of lower quality than vintage.

Under European Union guidelines, only port made in Portugal can be labeled ‘Port’, though for reasons of their own (probably due to their own ‘port’ industry, the USA has stated that port from Portugal must be labeled ‘Porto’ or ‘Vinho do Porto’. You must pay Porto a visit, although here, as elsewhere in Europe, you will find only wine made in Portugal to be labeled ‘Port’.

Apart from the wine, Porto offers the Cathedral, the Stock Exchange Palace and many traditional bars and restaurants in the narrow streets close to the waterfront. If you like fish, then this is for you because the fish dishes here are fresh and delicious. There are several port companies in Porto, although one of the better ones is Taylor-Fladgate who market the Dow, Croft’s and Sandeman brands among others. Taylor-Fladgate will offer you a tasting, and they also operate a fine restaurant that is well worth a visit for lunch or dinner. Their cellars are cross the River Douro at Vila Nova de Gaia. Just ask – everybody knows it.

Another excellent wine region is the Minho region, famous for its Vinho Verde, named after the fresh green color of the vine, not the wine (I have never seen green wine!). Like many Portuguese wines, it is excellent to drink with fish, although it is a very young wine, without any significant aging. The albarino grape is ideal for this type of wine, and has a slight sparkle to it a bit like the Franken wines of Germany.

In fact you are not far from Sesimbra here, a small fishing village where you can enjoy some deliciously fresh seafood along with a glass of vinho verde. What a fabulous way to spend a hot summer afternoon! Some perfect squid and fish stew and a glass of chilled wine. Or perhaps the cuttlefish or fresh tuna – that might be even better!

Close to Sesimbra is Coimbra that used to be Portugal’s capital, at least until 1256, and the Duke of Wellington stayed here during the Iberian campaign against Napoleon’s forces. It also boasts one of the oldest universities in Europe, dating back to 1290. This part of Portugal is really beautiful, and the entire country is small enough for you to drive around – particularly if you are not doing the driving! It’s around 350 miles x 135 miles, and you can drive the length of it in around 7 hours at an average of 50 MPH – the speed limits are much higher here than in the USA. However, the rail system is also very good.

That’s Portugal, and Portugal vacations are available in all shapes and sizes, ranging from wine tours to sightseeing. However, by far the best idea is to combine both, and the best way to travel is a combination of rail and road. Particularly if you have somebody to do the driving or have first class rail travel.



By: Margaret Winfrey

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