How can Americans find accommodation for a few months in Portugal?

Finding accommodation for a few months in Portugal is pretty simple with the internet, but there are still many things to consider when you’re looking for a mid-term rental. Things like location, price, or even the landlord can make a huge difference in your experience in Portugal, so it pays off to choose carefully. Here are just a few things to keep in mind when looking for a mid-term rental in Portugal.

Portugal is not big, but there are many places American ex-pats choose to stay in. The most obvious is the capital, Lisbon, but smaller cities like Porto are also trendy. City life in Portugal has the usual urban advantages with the added value of the nearby coastline for beautiful beaches. If you’re looking for something a bit more nature-oriented, why not try the southern region of Algarve?

It’s very popular for its calm and peace which you can enjoy with people from a budding ex-pat American community. The last thing to mention here is the Madeira archipelago, a group of settled islands with a rich history, energetic nightlife, beautiful nature, and unique culture. There aren’t many nations in Europe that would allow you to live on an island, so it’s well worth considering.

Like in the US, prices of accommodation in Portugal vary wildly depending on where you want to live. In Lisbon, for example, the prices are somewhere between €500 and €2200, while in the Algarve, the costs can be effectively halved. This may seem absurdly low, but that’s because Portugal is one of the more affordable nations in the EU, certainly more affordable than Britain, France or Germany. This is unsurprisingly one of the reasons American ex-pats like Portugal so much.

Having a nice place to stay depends on the rental location as it is on the landlord’s behaviour. But how can you tell if the landlord is nice? Firstly, what helps is speaking the same language. Many Portuguese people know English very well, but the general rule of thumb is that the older they are, the less likely they will speak English. However, Portugal is still one of the most and best English-speaking countries in Europe (excluding Britain, unmistakably).

Secondly, you want to make sure that the landlord is listening to your needs. Good communication is the key to manage a successful relationship, and a renting relationship is no different. Lastly, make sure you choose a site that provides you with a third-party oversight. Whenever you or your landlord disagree, it’s good to know that you’re not on your own and that there is someone who can mediate your discussion. If you want all of these advantages, check out Flatio’s selection of mid-term rentals in Portugal.