Expat shares why she moved to Portugal and stayed for nearly 10 years - 'you can't say the same about most countries'

Terry Coles and her husband lived in two different areas of Portugal before settling down in Tavira, a town in the sunny Algarve.

Speaking on the YouTube channel International Living, Terry said: "We started near the city of Caldas da Rainha on the Silver Coast. It was very affordable, but for us, it was too cold and rainy. After two years there, despite loving the area so much, we moved to the Algarve."

The couple then lived in Villa Mora but left after two years due to noisy tourists in the summer.

Terry said: "We had made many friends that lived in Tavira, so decided to move there. The nice part about it is the beaches are on an island. They can only be accessed by a short ferry ride.

"That keeps the bulk of the tourists out of the city and out of our lives for the most part unless we want to get on the boat and go to the island."

Tavira offers a relaxed lifestyle and individuals can be "as busy or not as busy as [they] choose to be".

Part of Portugal's appeal is the weather, with the average summer temperature in the Algarve reaching 28°C.

The expat said: "The Portuguese are some of the most warm and welcoming people we have ever met. My husband and I have travelled to much of Europe and you cannot say the same about every country.

"English is really widely spoken here, but that is not to say you should not learn the language, and we do speak Portuguese."

There is a vast expat community across the Algarve, so meeting people in similar positions with like-minded attitudes is very easy.

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The lifestyle in Portugal is very healthy, with several food options for people to pick from.

Terry explained: "Tavira is the representative Portuguese community for the Mediterranean diet, so it is easy to eat and stay healthy here.

"If you want to move to Portugal, come with an open mind. It's a beautiful country with great people. If you fall in love with the country like we did, you can come and live your best life."

Another expat in Cyprus shared why he moved abroad. He said: "It was like a breath of fresh air. I have been living here for seven years and if I have to decide where to live, I will always choose Paphos."