'The Algarve is not just golf courses anymore': how Portugal's retirement haven is getting younger
The Algarve is a huge golfing destination, with over 30 courses. And, since the 1960s, the region has been a magnet for British tourists and retirees, drawn by the year-round good weather —there are 300 days of sunshine— beaches, good transport connections and lower cost of living.
A study earlier this year by Retirement Solutions found that 591 Brits move to Portugal to retire each month, making it one of the most popular overseas destinations for pensioners.
But over the last five years, a shift has been taking place. As well as its well-established flow of holidaymakers and retirees, the Algarve is becoming a destination for younger buyers and families from the UK. And this is fuelling new development.
The Golden Visa programme, introduced in 2012, allowed Brits investing in Portugal —including buying a property— to become Portuguese residents, and added an extra incentive to make the move.
The Algarve’s new breed of buyers
“More and more, we’re seeing a mix of demographics,” says Patricia Casaburi at Global Citizen Solutions, an organisation which helps people buy and move abroad.
Around 30 per cent of the organisation’s clients looking to move to Portugal are British. “In the last five years, the number of international schools [in Portugal] tripled, which is a huge indicator. They all have waiting lists. There are 13 new schools in the Algarve, which shows the
