The Best Expat Blogs in Portugal

What is it like to live in a village in rural Portugal? Read Julie Dawn Fox’s blog for insights from a British expat living near Coimbra. Julie provides a wealth of information for wanderers who like to leave the beaten path and explore lesser-known spots. Having lived in Portugal since 2007, she has traveled through the country and, in addition to her blog, she also provides consulting services to help others explore the country that she is proud to now call home.

The Algarve’s ever-present sunshine, sparkling coasts and seaside caves, as well as the mix of modern resorts and traditional fishing villages, attract crowds from around the world, and married couple Alyson and Dave Sheldrake saw the area’s appeal quite a while ago. They moved from the UK to Portugal together, each wanting to focus on their own career changes into the arts. Free of ads or sponsor links, the Sheldrakes write the Algarve Blog as a side hobby and a way to share their insights with the world. Full of local news and travel tips, the Algarve blog is also full of beautiful photos from the area (Dave is one of the Algarve’s top locally based photographers).

Becky in Portugal came to life when traveler Becky found herself taking an unending number of photos during her regular trips to Portugal and needed a place to share them. This is another travel blog that’s primarily about travel through the Algarve, where Becky and her husband go every winter (specifically, they base themselves in Olhão). From things to do to places to travel, Becky’s tips include where to go birding, her favorite architecture, and information about festivals. Although she does like to write about the Algarve, Becky also shares her experiences traveling through other parts of Portugal.

One website that focuses on all things Portuguese is the Portugalist, created by expat couple James and Jemma. From ‘how to use Netflix in Portugal’ to ‘where to find the best running routes in the Algarve’, this site has tons of information that is designed to make navigating life as an expat in Portugal much easier.

Canadian-Filipino blogger Gail started her website in 2002, about 11 years before moving to Portugal and streamlining her blog on life as an overseas expat. She now focuses her writing on Portugal travel tips, offers links to guidelines for expats, and has a page specifically designed around Porto. Gail is also a freelance photographer, so expect beautiful photos when reading through her blog.

The writer of Piglet in Portugal takes readers on her journey with her through posts with lots of personality. From sharing her favorite recipes (and breaking down how to recreate them) to descriptions of different beaches and info on her favorite local activities, this expat writer covers the A-Z of Portugal through her eyes (she even has a page titled A-Z of Portugal).

This American and Oregonian writer seems to have no rhyme or reason over the topics of each post other than they interest her, and this style has served her well. Hailing from a science background, her posts are smart and informative, but she also writes about the unique recipes that she has tried since living in Portugal, her experiences during festivals and holidays, and everything else that interests her about living in this European country. The Oregon Expat site is also divided into categories such as science, politics, Europe, and Oregon, so followers get to read a bit about a lot.