PRIVATE RELOCATION TOURS

25th of April bridge over Tejo river, Lisbon

The Portugal Scouting Tour Package

We provide private scouting tours that help you decide the best place to live in Portugal

THE SCOUTING TOUR WE WISH WE’D HAD

This is not another sightseeing tour

Sure, it’s nice to learn about an area's architecture and history, but you need to know what it would be like to live there before you move to Portugal.

Choosing a new area to live in, especially in a new country, is a big decision.

We introduce you to the area to ensure you make the right choice.

A tram in a traditional street, Lisbon
Pedestrians walking in the main square of Lisbon, Praça do Comércio
People socializing in a café in Ribeira das Naus in Lisbon
Lisbon's old town from the top

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Discover what the area is really like to live in

Spend a day with a local relocation consultant who’ll give you all the information you don’t get from exploring by yourself, guidebooks, or real estate agents.

Some of the topics we can help you with:

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COMMUNITY

  • ‘Personality’ of the area

  • Explore the cities’ different neighborhoods

  • Pros and cons of the area

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PROPERTY & MORTGAGE

  • Current Portugal real estate market dynamics

  • Local rental & purchase prices

  • Local construction and property characteristics

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FOOD & DRINK

  • Best cafes & coffee shops

  • Best restaurants

  • Groceries & markets

  • Intro to local cuisine

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RELOCATION & VISAS

  • Introduction of visas

  • Understand your ideal visa

  • Relocation consulting session

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MUST-KNOWS

  • Local cost of living overview

  • Tourism & seasonality

  • Healthcare & hospitals

  • Local ‘secrets’

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TRAVEL

  • Public transport links

  • Parking

  • Traffic congestion & rush hours

  • Availability of taxis, Uber & Lyft

And much more!

Our Scouting tour destinations

WHAT’S INCLUDED

A full, fun day packed with essential information

  • We are all local residents in the area we serve, and we know and understand our town as only locals can, having had years of experience of living there. We will share all that knowledge and information with you - good and bad.

    Please feel free to ask us anything. If your guide doesn’t know the answer, we’ll make sure we find out for you as quickly as we can!

  • Depending on the city, town or neighbourhood, we adapt the logistics of the tour to the local environment.

    In central downtown Lisbon, for example, our tours can be undertaken in a combination of car, walking, and public transport - because that’s probably how you’ll get around if you choose to live there.

  • One of the highlights of moving to any new country is exploring and discovering the local food.

    We’ll grab a coffee and some local Portuguese delicacies along the way, where you can take your time to ask us any questions you have about living in Portugal.

  • If you are staying in central Lisbon, Setúbal region, West Algarve, we’ll pick you up from your accommodation and drop you off in your accommodation or another convenient place.

  • Before the tours, we always conduct an introductory virtual call, so we understand your needs, preferences, and schedule.

    Then we craft the perfect bespoke tour for you.

12-Day Portugal Scouting Trip Suggestion: From North to South

We're excited to present an itinerary for a scouting trip across Portugal, spanning 12 to 13 days, blending both guided scouting tours and self-exploration with a rental car for a truly immersive experience.

Initiate Your Journey in Porto Begin your adventure in Porto, allocating 2 to 3 days to wander through the city and its surroundings. Porto serves as the perfect starting point, where you can easily rent a car to venture southward, stopping by notable spots such as Coimbra, Nazaré, and Óbidos. We recommend dedicating 1 to 2 days to either Nazaré or Óbidos.

Discover Lisbon and Surrounds Continue to Lisbon, where you'll spend 3 to 4 days exploring the capital. At this point, you may opt to return your rental car as you won’t need it in Lisbon. Join us for two personalized scouting tours:

  • Tour 1 (1 day): We’ll explore Lisbon's highlights and venture to coastal towns between Lisbon and Cascais. These areas, known for their expat-friendly atmosphere and high quality of life, offer a glimpse into the serene coastal lifestyle. Cascais, for instance, has around 16% foreigners of its total population, with a high quality of life.

  • Tour 2 (1 day): We’ll cross the bridge to the south bay to discover Caparica and Setúbal, including smaller towns such as Azeitão and Palmela. We'll also visit Setúbal, a former fishing city, known for its affordability and relaxed vibe, just a 40-minute drive from Lisbon.

Vicentine Coast and Algarve Exploration Next, rent a car again and head South, taking 2 days to explore the Vicentine Coast, with a 1 or 2-night stay midway.

  • Tour 3 (1 day): In the sunny Algarve, we’ll guide you through Lagos and surrounding expat-friendly towns. Should you wish to delve deeper into the East Algarve, Tour 4 can be added to your itinerary.

Our tours are designed to accommodate leisurely lunches at local eateries or quick stops for tasting local food, without any rush.

Value-Added Discussions Our tours are more than just sightseeing; they're about engaging in meaningful discussions on various topics, including real estate, mortgages, Portugal's history, lifestyle, and providing you with the tools for independent exploration. This approach ensures you're well-prepared for your scouting trip.

Preparation Is Key To maximize your experience, we recommend reading our book, Portugal Beckons - A Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Moving to Portugal, as essential pre-trip homework. This will equip you with valuable insights and questions, ensuring a well-informed and successful scouting trip across Portugal.

With our guidance and your explorative spirit, this itinerary promises a thorough and affordable scouting experience from north to south Portugal in just a few days.

 

BENEFITS

Why do I need this scouting tour?

  • Take it from us - learning by doing can be very costly, confusing, and, at times, frustrating. The information that we share with you will save you time and money.

  • It took us years to learn all the little tricks and tips that now make our life in Portugal (relatively!) stress-free and enjoyable. You can learn it all in a day.

  • Living in Portugal is not like living in Northern Europe, Australasia, or North America (and we’ve lived in all of these places). Often the biggest challenges and surprises are things that you don’t know that you don’t know.

  • It is much more fun having a guided scouting day trip and a delicious lunch while having your questions answered, rather than consulting social media.

A street of colourful houses and a tree in central Lisbon, Portugal

SCOUTING TOUR

The Portugal Scouting Tour Package

Ideal for individuals, couples, families and groups who want a bespoke scouting tour to explore Portugal.

All destinations | 6-7hrs

€330

(our two books included: Portugal Beckons and Property Beckons)

price per tour

What our Clients are Saying

  • My hubby and I met João and Matt and arranged a scouting trip that took us to us to some areas in the Algarve. No, don’t get it twisted, it was an all day affair with a little tourist stops thrown it. We had the best of days with Matt.The tour was very informative, fun and felt totally secure in his care. He answered all our questions and more and couldn’t have been happier. We’d like to move tomorrow if we could. Both João and Matt are so friendly it was a pleasure meeting very nice people. I understand our time does not end here, and they will be helping in the future with any issues aiding a smooth transition with our move into Portugal.

    Nadia, UK

  • "My partner and I began our search in Portugal this summer looking for a potential 2nd home. We were introduced to Joao through an associate. As it was our first trip to the Lisbon area we were somewhat overwhelmed with where to begin even with our prior research. We were fortunate to establish a relationship with Joao and found him invaluable. We highly recommend him. Joao is an educated, multilingual professional with experience in several residential real fields."

    Kevin and Todd, USA

  • "I recently went on a walking tour in Lisbon with Portugalxpert, and the guide, João, made it truly special. He was very professional and told many interesting stories about the places we visited. I was particularly impressed by João's knowledge of local bureaucracy and the Portuguese real estate market and how it differs from the USA. What stood out the most was how much he knew about Americans moving to Portugal. He shared many helpful tips and facts that anyone thinking of moving here would find very useful. "

    Michael, USA

  • "Matt’s knowledge of the local area and the general advice he gave us was worth thousands. We already knew some areas of the Algarve but we never had the chance to explore it with a local that lives there for more than a decade. The tour was personalized and exceeded our expectations. We can’t recommend this service enough!"

    Jack, USA

  • "As we walked through different parts of the city, João also talked a lot about the local houses and neighborhoods. He seemed to know everything about the area and its history. If you're just visiting or thinking of living in Portugal, João's tour is a great way to learn more. Portugalxpert offers an invaluable experience for expats, providing relocation tips that cannot easily be researched on the internet."

    Michael, USA

  • "I have no idea how we could have settled into life in Portugal easily and happily had we not taken this tour when we arrived. We are grateful that Portugalxpert's team is willing to invest their time in sharing the knowledge they compiled throughout the years. We felt like we could talk about mostly everything. Matt is an experienced business consultant that already traveled around 75 countries. His experience and knowledge were priceless for us that are relocating to Portugal!"

    Mia and Oliver, USA

FAQs

  • No. You are free to take the scouting tours whenever you like.

  • All of our private tours and packages are charged per tour, or per package, not per person.

  • Private scouting tours are private just for you and your party - whether you are part of a couple, a family, a group of friends, or just want the luxury of a tour to yourself.

  • 3-4 per car depending on location. We can have multiple cars for larger groups.

  • We pick you up from your accommodation in the city that we host each tour in.

    If you are staying outside of the city where we host your tour, we’ll arrange a meeting point near a convenient transport link for you.

  • On the tour, we’ll introduce you to some Portuguese cuisine and we can stop on the way to grab something to eat or sit in a restaurant if you wish.

    Disclaimer: Meals are not included in the price of the tour.

  • Yes, you can change the dates of your booking, subject to availability, up until 48 hours before the start of your tour for no additional cost.

    If you need to change dates, but there are no alternative dates to suit, cancellation policies will apply.

  • Yes, you can cancel your booking up until 48 hours before the start of your tour and receive a full refund.

    Cancellations within 48 hours of your booking are non-refundable.

Questions? Get in touch!

Contact us via email at hello@portugalxpert.com or drop us a message via the form below.