It's almost impossible to find a place that ticks off all the boxes. I have had the same issue (probably why I have lived in 9 countries now haha). At the moment I dwell in Hollywood. But that is mostly because I found a top-rated mover here which helped me fix this problem for a reasonable price.
I happened to fall in love with our 9th country though, and I hope that we can stay here for the long term. The only thing about it I do not like is again the Covid compliance rate. Probably the highest vaccination rate in Europe, and like MTF writes, it is so weird watching people driving alone in cars with masks on or walking their dogs on a completely empty beach with a mask on.
Nevertheless, after being here for 4 months, Portugal feels like home for me. I honestly love everything about it. Even the sometimes slow service and inefficient bureacracy. The people here are probably the best thing about the country. They are more quiet than the rest of the Southern Europeans, and a bit less outgoing. But they compensate that with being more genuine. I look like a massive tourist and not a single time has anyone tried to scam me or squeeze some extra cash out of me. Honest, friendly and family-oriented people. Which might also be one of the reasons for their high Covid compliance.
Sometimes being in Portugal feels like I arrived 20 years back in time. Where life was more simple and much happier. Having spent most of my life in Scandinavia, this is a totally different world. The pace is much slower, and even though people here earn less and work more, they are still much happier.
The country is so underrated. It is beautiful and full of history. So many amazing places to go for a daytrip or a weekend. It is on the edge of Europe, so it is kind of forgotten. Unless Spain wants to conquer Portugal someday, I don't see a war happening here.
Living in Sweden for the last years, I have been slowly experiencing how Sweden is losing it's culture. It is basically not Sweden anymore. I am an immigrant and refugee myself (30 years ago), so I understand people's desire to search for a better life. But Sweden will soon be in a situation that it cannot control or reverse - which is also one of the reasons we moved from there to Portugal. I want my kids to grow up in a safe environment - and Sweden will not be able to provide that in 5-years time.
As mentioned before, Portugal is on the edge of Europe. They will not have the problems that Sweden has. No refugee wants to come here. Everybody wants to go where the money is; Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, UK etc. Those who made it to Portugal are hard-working people - well-knowing that the government will not provide for them at any point. I honestly feel safer in Portugal than in Sweden or Denmark, and my wife feels the same.
And again - nothing against refugees. I was one myself. But Scandinavia and Western Europe is very polarized and the culture difference is starting to show a bad trend. And I do not see it getting better.
This was a bit of a freestyle, and probably not the best advice I could give you. But if anyone is looking for the good old lifestyle of 10-20 years ago, honest and friendly people, beautiful nature and cities, good and fresh food and the feeling of safety, then I can highly recommend Portugal. Just hope that they don't go bonkers with new restrictions when the new variant arrives after the summer!
Oh btw. They have some great islands here. Madeira and the Azores. Madeira should be a cool place to live. Azores are having some issues with volcanoes at the moment, but also a possibility if you are looking for island life.
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