The COVID-19 pandemic has put many things in perspective. For Forbes writer, Kathleen Peddicord, it has been about diversifying lifestyle and investment portfolios. Her first choice for repositioning overseas? Portugal’s Algarve Coast.

In a recent article, Living And Retiring Overseas Post The Coronavirus, the Forbes contributor listed the three places where you could restart your health, self-resilience and community first. Topping the list is Portugal’s very own Algarve Coast, the first option for retirement in “one of the best places to live in the world”. The reasons listed by the writer included:

• Year-round sunshine: 3,300 hours of annual sunshine and one of the most stable climates in the world.
• Safety: ranked the third-safest country in the world, violent crime is rare. Pickpocketing is more common during the busier tourist seasons in denser locations.
• Good infrastructure: the country has benefitted from recent infrastructure investments in highway networks and airports.
• Standard healthcare: Portugal offers high-quality healthcare at a fraction of the cost of the United States, with free healthcare for residents.
• Golf: there are 42 courses across the Algarve region, with several golf communities ideal for retirees (read more here).
• Great beaches: a total of 88 of the Algarve’s beaches have been awarded with Blue Flag status, for the quality of the water and environmental standards.
• Affordable cost of living: a couple could live modestly from €1,300 a month and enjoy a fully appointed lifestyle from €2,000, thanks to one of the lowest costs of living in Western Europe.
• Language: English is widely spoken in the Algarve, although the Portuguese appreciate an attempt at the local language.
• Healthy living: the Mediterranean diet reigns here, with a predominance of fresh fish and seasonal produce available in local markets. Low pollution rates and clean towns contribute to healthy living standards.
• Retiree residency: from Non-Habitual Residence to the Golden Visa programme (read more here), Portugal offers the most user-friendly residency option in Europe.

Beyond the crisis, “embracing the many opportunities our world continues to offer is a more important agenda than it’s ever been”, says the investment expert. “The way to make sure you’re prepared for whatever tomorrow brings is to expand where you spend your time and your money so you’re not at the mercy of any single government, economy, marketplace or currency.”

The writer’s top three choices for living and retiring overseas following to the COVID-19 pandemic were the Algarve, on Portugal’s southern coastline, Mazatlan in Mexico, and Cayo in Belize.

For more information about buying property in the Algarve, click here, or contact the team at Algarve Home Sales here.