Last week, I shared a big life update – my move to Portugal. After living in Singapore for over 15 years, where I created and grew 40plusstyle.com, it was time for a change.
Moving to Portugal
We had always planned to eventually leave Singapore, and with my husband quitting his job, the world was our oyster. Portugal was our first choice, so we traveled around the country to find a place to spend part of the year. We still plan to travel half the time once the world opens up more for travel.
Discovering Luz
By accident, we found Luz, a small village near Lagos in southern Portugal. During our travels, we needed a break and ended up in Luz when we couldn’t find anything suitable in Lagos. The village’s name means ‘light’ in Portuguese, adding a certain charm, especially as our son’s name, Luca, means ‘light’ in Italian.
Luz is quiet in winter and lively in summer when tourists flock to its beautiful beach. We rented a small apartment with a balcony overlooking the town and sea, and it was there that I felt a deep sense of peace. It made me consider what it would be like to have such a view all the time.
Considering Small Town Living
Until then, we had only thought about living in a bigger city. But as we explored Laz more, the idea of living in a smaller town grew on us. We looked at various places but Luz kept drawing us back.
We spent a month in Lisbon to get a feel for city life but found ourselves longing for the sea. While other seaside towns near Lisbon were nice, we couldn’t shake the feeling that Luz was the place for us.
Experiencing Luz Year-Round
We returned to Luz in late August and stayed for a couple of months to see what it was like through different seasons. August and September were busy with tourists, and I enjoyed regular yoga sessions by the beach. Autumn was lovely with great weather for walks and exploring nearby villages. Even as it got colder in December, the climate was still much better than in northern Europe, though good indoor heating became a priority.
By this point, we were sure we wanted to make Luz our home in Portugal, so we visited many houses and apartments.
Our Apartment in Luz
We found a beautiful two-bedroom apartment with a stunning sea view in the town center and bought it. Moving in January, we got to know Luz even better, enjoying daily walks even during the colder months. The lockdown made it even better to be in a place where we could spend so much time outdoors.
Our House in Luz
In addition to the apartment, we invested in a larger four-bedroom townhouse with a sea view and a big shared swimming pool. We plan to stay in Luz only half the year and rent out both properties when we’re not there. Both homes are listed on platforms like Air B&B and HomeExchange, which we also plan to use for traveling.
Future Plans
We still love cities and plan to visit many, including New York, London, Paris, and more. Moving countries involves lots of paperwork and adjustments, but I cherish the chance to experience life in new places, having already lived in nine different countries.
HomeExchange makes long-term travel more feasible and affordable for us. We’ve made good decisions so far despite a year of uncertainty and are set up for future adventures and meeting new friends.
If you’re curious about Luz, you’re welcome to stay in one of our properties. If I’m around, let’s share a cup of coffee or tea.
Next week, I’ll talk about exploring northern Portugal and share my travel details. Have you visited beach destinations like Portugal? If not, you might want to consider it.