Portugal - Algarve Escape to the Continent

This rocky outcrop is the most south-westerly point in Europe

and was once considered to be the very end of the world!

So, find out where I am and which country I'm in, in just a moment.

On today's show, the pressure is on to help a couple

living out of a suitcase find the right home in the sun,

to a very exacting standard.

I'm just very fussy, aren't I?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

But we strive to hit that benchmark.

Come on out!

Oh, this is beautiful!

-Very nice.

-And priorities get completely turned on their head.

This is everything I didn't want and the nicest room we've seen.

-It's beautiful!

-Very nice room.

Hello and welcome to Escape To The Continent.

Today, I'm in the Algarve on the south coast of Portugal.

Now, 1,000 years ago, this coast was deemed to be the end of the world,

as the Atlantic Ocean beyond it was considered far too treacherous

to cross.

But in 1433, after 15 attempts, a man named Gil Eanes finally

navigated this feared and terrible stretch of water.

Today, the lighthouse at Cape St Vincent stands vigil over

what is nowadays one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

Huge waves and swells that were once thought terrifying

attract thousands of surfers every year,

who hail this part of the Algarve as the surf capital of Europe.

Covering the entire southern tip of Portugal,

the Algarve stretches for almost 100 miles,

starting at the Spanish border

and running along the coast to the Atlantic.

The seaboard offers a rich assortment of wide,

sandy beaches, protected nature reserves and rocky coves,

sculpted by the punishing strength of the ocean.

Along the water, centuries of seafaring have founded

villages and towns, like the vibrant port of Lagos, which is

still enclosed within the ancient 16th-century walls.

From the eighth century much of Portugal was under Islamic rule

and there are still reminders of those few hundred years

of Moorish occupation.

Places like the elegant old town of Tavira, and inland, the

fortified town of Silves, dominated by its 11th-century Arabic castle.

Today, the Algarve prides itself on being a leading tourist destination.

But its ever mild climate is also an increasingly sunny

incentive for the 60,000 expats who have decided to stay for good.

But how is all this reflected in the property prices?

Well, you can buy a property

in Portugal for under £50,000.

That offers great value for money,

when the national average back home

is four times that amount.

However, if you want to live in the Algarve, expect to pay

a premium, as this is the most expensive part of the country.

To find the best deals, head either east or west along the coast,

away from Faro, where there are still bargains to be had.

So, what is it about this region that so appeals to today's buyers?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

Tony and wife Hilary already escaped the hustle and bustle when

they moved from Cheshire to a small village in Devon three years ago.

But it was just the stepping stone to their ultimate goal

of getting away to the warmer climes of the continent.

We've sold our house

and we're hoping to move out to Portugal very shortly.

Well, it's a dream a lot of people have

but we're going to be living that dream.

And after 14 years of marriage, they have called time on their careers

to concentrate on their shared life together.

We've gone through being tied to an area for work, for children,

for elderly relatives, and now it's our time.

We intend to enjoy it to the full.

And enjoy the weather and the atmosphere in Portugal.

With that weather,

we will be able to do a lot more outside activities, which

we can do in this country but it's easier to do it without a mac on.

And a warmer, more carefree way of life should be just

the tonic for Tony,

who suffers from a neurological illness that causes him fatigue.

I retired approximately 18 months ago due to ill health and think

maybe the move to Portugal will help with rehabilitation.

In a warmer country we're hoping we can be outside more

and with other people and socialising.

We like the Algarve specifically because it feels more homely

and we feel happy there.

Both Tony and Hilary have grown-up

children from previous relationships,

who are also hoping to benefit from this Portuguese migration.

Between us, we have six children

and I'm hoping that they will all come out to see us.

-They're looking forward to some nice holidays in the sun.

-They are, yeah.

Free!

THEY LAUGH

The property they're after will clearly need space to

fit their visiting family but ultimately Hilary

and Tony are looking to find their dream forever home.

We are drawn to new-build properties,

we like the clean lines and modern look, but more than that it's

the fact that we're just not interested in a renovation project.

We want somewhere we can just move straight into.

We don't want to live in an entirely expat community,

we don't want to be inland and we don't want to be remote.

I do all the cooking at home, so it would be very important

to me that we have a decent-size kitchen that I can continue that.

I enjoy gardening. I would love a garden, even if it's only a small

area, if it only had a few pots, but I would like some outside space.

So, with their Devonshire property all signed and sold,

the finances are already in place for their brand-new Algarve home.

Our budget for the move to the Algarve is £180,000.

Hilary and Tony have asked us

to focus their house search on the central region of the Algarve

and they've arrived in Portugal to meet me

in a breathtaking spot, where we're going to nail down the finer

details of their upcoming move.

So, Hilary and Tony, welcome to the Algarve. We must have picked

the most beautiful spot to meet possible! It's gorgeous, isn't it?

It is.

Absolutely gorgeous!

Did you know, in the back of your minds,

that you wanted to live and retire abroad?

It's quite a recent decision

because of Tony's change in health.

When you're suddenly taken ill, it is shock to the system.

Did it make you re-evaluate your life?

Well, it did, yes.

I had to stop work, it's one of those life-changing moments.

What type of lifestyle do you think you'll get out here?

What are you hoping to achieve with this move, Hilary?

A much more outdoors lifestyle,

which hopefully will improve our fitness.

So, to be able to get out and walk, swim.

We have even talked about having bikes.

So, what are we looking at, what's your ideal property?

We're well aware that the weather isn't always like this,

so I would love a wood burner, we'd like two bedrooms,

two bathrooms, cos we're going to have a lot of visitors,

south-facing, get as much sun as we can,

and Tony would like a really good kitchen, cos Tony does the cooking.

Are you the chef, Tony?

I am.

Do you speak from experience,

cos it sounds like you know exactly what you want?

Yes, we do. We were here in March and the apartment that we

rented was north-facing and that apartment was quite cold.

-That was the reality check, was it?

-That was the reality check.

Remind us of your budget.

The budget is £180,000 but we're quite happy to negotiate.

-So, we can look at properties around that figure?

-Correct, yes.

You've got your bargaining hat on, have you? You're the money man?

I'd like to think I am... LAUGHTER

The house is packed up and sold,

what have we done with the bigger pieces of furniture?

They are on their way to the Algarve and they'll be going into storage.

So, they'll be all ready for when you've found us

somewhere ideal to live.

-Absolutely! I'm loving this positive spirit!

-No pressure!

-Shall we get started?

-Yes, please.

-Let's go to our first property.

-OK.

For a budget of £180,000, with room for manoeuvre,

Tony and Hilary are after a modern home with at least two bedrooms,

a decent-size kitchen and a manageable garden,

preferably south-facing.

Ideally, they'd like a location close to the sea with a mixed

community of both Portuguese locals and British expats to hand.

As well as introducing our buyers to unfamiliar Algarve traditions

and customs, we'll be hoping to uncover their dream home,

from a choice range of four Portuguese properties,

including a mystery house which, one at the water's edge,

pushes the ocean into the distance.

And the start of Hilary and Tony's proposed continental life,

will get under way sooner than they imagined.

We're starting our property journey in the town of Carvoeiro,

which is on the coast.

Carvoeiro started life as a fishing village

but has grown into a popular tourist hot spot and, as such,

offers a huge range of restaurants, shops

and bars used to catering to British clientele.

Sheltered by the cliffs, the town's beach lies in a pretty,

sandy bay but is also just a stone's throw away from beautifully

unspoilt coastal scenery, away from the crowds.

When it comes to residential life,

most of the property here is of recent construction.

The one we've chose as our first house is in a quiet street,

tucked into the hillside.

-So, Hilary and Tony, this is your first property.

-Oh, wow!

It looks as if it's older than we were imagining.

-This, actually, was built in 1980.

-Really?

-It has a very traditional look.

-It does.

-It looks older than that.

And I think that's part of the appeal.

I'll look forward to seeing what the inside has to offer.

-On that note, let's go it.

-Oh, let's.

I sense some initial trepidation

but although this property isn't a new-build,

it has recently been refurbished, so should provide the fresh,

blank canvas our buyers are looking for.

-Wow, it's a bigger room than I expected.

-Yeah.

-It seems very Portuguese.

-Does it?

-Yes.

-And you like that open-plan feel?

-Oh, yes, we do, definitely.

-You like it to look quite modern.

-Yes.

-I notice one thing missing.

Fireplace.

-Ah...

-That's true, yes.

Good point, might be your first little job, mightn't it?

I wasn't going to have any jobs!

THEY LAUGH

So, you've got this open-plan layout, which leads us

beautifully into the kitchen,

-which, I believe, Tony, is your domain.

-Oh, yes.

So, as you can see here, units actually pretty new.

Yes, it's very nice.

-Very nice.

-It's certainly bigger than I was expecting.

You've been pleasantly surprised so far, haven't you?

Yes, it's wider, I was expecting a narrow kitchen.

Suitable for you cooking your Portuguese dishes here, is it?

When I start with my Portuguese dishes I'll tell you,

but it's big enough for the English dishes that I cook, yes.

The only negative I would say is, it's quite dark.

So, it's maybe a compromise we need

but perhaps it makes it cooler, so, yes.

I'm very impressed. This is our choice.

-Let's head outside.

-Yes, please.

We have a little courtyard here.

Oh, wow!

NICKY LAUGHS

-Come on out!

-This is beautiful!

-Yeah?

-Yes.

Oh, what a lovely space.

-Enough to keep you busy?

-Oh, yes, yes, I can have plenty of pots.

-I can have my bougainvillaea.

-Yeah.

-I could train it over here.

-Perfect.

And you mentioned about the kitchen being a little bit dark

but it's actually been designed so it is a little bit covered

because the sun rises in the morning and I think because it gets

-so hot over here, they do want the shade.

-Of course.

Yes, this is something we have to adjust to.

Right, do you want to follow me and we'll keep exploring.

This is a well designed house that incorporates attractive

and practical alfresco living areas

which make the most of the Algarve climate.

Back inside, a beautifully tiled stairwell leads up to the

first floor, where we're heading for the master bedroom.

Now, how did you know this is my favourite colour?

Matching your outfit.

-Perfect, perfect!

-The view!

I can see the sea!

This property has

-four bedrooms.

-No!

You've got a bedroom downstairs on the ground floor,

which you don't need to use as a bedroom.

You could have it as storage or a study.

But up on this floor, you've got three bedrooms,

-all of a good size.

-Right.

-And remind me, how many bedrooms were you after?

-Two.

-Two.

It's always a lovely place to be

when you've got a few more than you needed.

You've got a family bathroom just across the hallway.

-I didn't expect to have a view like this.

-No.

-That's beautiful.

It gets better and better.

And we've got one last space to reveal which could improve

things even further.

Oh, Nicki.

-Oh, Hilary!

-Oh, this is lovely.

-Yeah?

-Just stunning.

I mean, beautiful architecture, the sea there, all the trees...

And all this space. I didn't expect this much space.

-So, do I take it that you like it up here?

-Oh, yes.

-Yes.

-Oh, yes, you've hit the nail on the head here.

I'm speechless, it's absolutely brilliant.

How much do you think this property in the town is on the market for?

I think a cheeky guess - 175,000.

-Pounds?

-Pounds.

-OK.

-Yes.

Mm...

I would think it would be slightly over our budget.

Probably...

-£195,000.

-Right.

The asking price is just over £200,000.

-Is that a negotiable price?

-They have intimated

to the estate agent they would look at around £170,000.

That would be better. Because it isn't absolutely perfect.

It's close, but not absolutely perfect,

and there are one or two things we'd like to do.

The one thing you do just need to remember is your stamp duty

and legal fees.

-At a property of this value, it would be around £12,000.

-OK.

All right.

-A lot of food for thought.

-Yeah, definitely, yeah.

Why don't you two go back downstairs and I'll catch up with you

-in a little while?

-OK.

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

Well, what a brilliant start here on the Algarve.

It is a sensational property,

but what I particularly love about it - it's got all the space

they need, it's got the bedrooms, it's got a great bathroom,

but the location is first-class.

You might be in the middle of a town, but with views like that

and a community around you, they're not going to feel isolated at all.

In fact, they're going to be making their friends with neighbours

before they know it.

Over-budget but with room to negotiate,

this smart detached villa is a few minutes' walk from the beach

and offers spacious open-plan living,

a kitchen leading to a patio, four bedrooms, as well as a large

roof terrace, and all in a location at the heart of a lively town.

When we first approached the house, I didn't like the look of it.

But I liked the town, the situation of the house.

The views are to die for.

There's a lot going for this house.

I didn't expect that we would get somewhere within our budget

as close to so many amenities, so close to the sea and the beach.

I would quite like even more modern, but this is fine.

No more rustic than this.

I don't think I would ever tire of this weather. Ever.

All right, you two, have you seen enough?

BOTH: Yes, thank you.

-And that is only our first property.

-Yes, very excited to see the rest.

Well, you're very taken with this town, aren't you?

We are, it's beautiful.

So how do you fancy actually staying in this town for the next few days?

-Oh, yes, definitely!

-It's all organised.

We've got your bags in the back of the car.

So I'm going to send you off. Let me know tomorrow how you get on.

-So, enjoy!

-OK, thank you.

-Yeah.

-Thanks.

-Don't stay out too late, will you?

-Oh!

We've arranged for Hilary and Tony

to stay in a self-catered terraced villa just up

the road from the first property, so they can experience a real

taste of residential Algarve life 24-7.

-Oh, this is lovely. What's that room there?

-It's the kitchen.

Yeah.

This is nice. We could make a cup of tea and we could sit out here.

-We could.

-That would be perfect.

Ooh, this is what it's all about!

So, what are we going to do later?

I think we should go down to the beach.

-It's lovely.

-We could do this every day.

-Yeah, we could.

It's the second day of our property search and our couple

are waking up to their first morning in the coastal town of Carvoeiro

and contemplating the houses still to come.

I really hope that we don't see something really old.

I'd like to walk into somewhere modern and...

-Clean lines and nothing to do.

-Yeah.

Yesterday went rather well with Hilary and Tony,

but there's always room for improvement.

So, today, we're pulling out all the stops here on the Algarve.

Now, let's not forget, these two are officially homeless,

so we're going to show them a house that has everything they asked for.

The next property is in the village of Pera,

which lies further east and further inland.

Pera is a quiet, more traditional location,

and represents an uncommercialised, sleepier side of the Algarve.

But this rural village does have a number of amenities,

including restaurants that pride themselves on serving fresh fish

caught down on the beach.

The property we've picked was built six years ago

and lies in a peaceful residential cul-de-sac.

-So, Tony and Hilary, here is your next property.

-Oh, wow.

Oh, I do like the look of that.

-As you can see, it's a really nice road.

-It is, yeah.

-Most of the residents live here full-time.

-Oh, lovely.

All nationalities, including Portuguese.

-Nice mixture.

-Yes.

-It's got a lovely feel.

-Yeah.

Every house I've lived in, all my life, has been in a cul-de-sac.

-Has it?

-Yes.

-It is a good omen.

-I'm very comfortable in a cul-de-sac.

Tony, what about you? What do you think?

Your first impression when you take a look at it?

It's a typical Portuguese-type house.

Very nice. It looks OK, yeah.

It looks modern. It's just what we are after.

-Oh, I like that!

-At the moment.

-Somewhere to park the car in the shade.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely.

-You've got a lemon tree in the front garden.

-Oh!

The fact that you've got off-street parking

but additional parking behind us when you have your guests.

-Oh, right.

-Right.

That's even better. I can't wait to see what's inside.

-Well, why don't we?

-Ooh, let's!

So, I'm bringing you through the French doors rather than

-the front door.

-Right.

-Cos this leads straight into the kitchen.

Yes. Nice.

As you can see, it's modern,

and you've got granite work surfaces all along there.

Lovely work surface.

-I would've liked a bit more...

-Yes.

-..work surface.

Getting the kitchen right, I think, is really important.

-It's really important to Tony, yes.

-It's tiled throughout.

And they're a nice light colour as well. I like the light floors.

-We're doing well so far, aren't we?

-We are.

Let's see if it's going to continue.

So our next stop is the sitting room.

It's got a fireplace!

And...

Air cold.

Air conditioning, which you can flick over to heating in the winter.

Brilliant. Oh, it's a lovely size room.

-It's almost square, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Is this the dining room as well?

-Yes.

You've got the table behind you, but next door to us is another room.

They use it as a bedroom/study,

but you do have the option, if you wanted a separate dining room,

you could perhaps have it in there.

-OK.

-There's a bit of space, isn't there?

-Yeah, there is.

-There is.

Yeah, this is a very nice room.

I'm just noticing that there are patterned tiles on the floor,

which perhaps wouldn't be first choice, we would have plain, but...

-It doesn't look too bad.

-..it works.

-Yeah.

-All right, well, if you'd like to follow me,

I'm going to head upstairs.

Despite the smiles, I am concerned that it's the simple decorative

choices, like tile colour or word burners,

that seem to be the deal-breakers.

And these are relatively minor details that can easily be

altered at a reasonably low cost.

If Hilary and Tony want to get a roof over their heads as soon

as possible, they need to focus on the bigger picture.

So this house has three double bedrooms.

-Three?

-Yeah, three.

Up here, you've got two good-size doubles. This is the master.

And another bathroom.

-Right, OK.

-You've got a balcony out there.

-That's a big balcony.

So you could sit out there in the mornings.

-So, Tony, what do you think?

-Very nice, yes.

-I can't see much to put me off.

-No. No.

Perhaps a little bit of work in the kitchen,

but just to make it enough work space.

But I'm just very fussy, aren't I?

-Yeah.

-Yes!

Are you looking for a property that really needs nothing doing to

-it at all?

-Well, I think that would be preferable.

Because rather than me having to do the jobs,

I think we'd have to get somebody in.

Of course, we're not familiar with how much it costs to have

work done in Portugal,

so you'd be buying unknown.

Whereas if it's all done, you know where you stand.

Well, I think

we may have unearthed the root of our buyers' picky preferences.

With limited language skills, they may be scared to tackle

anything beyond the typical day-to-day tasks.

But the reality of living abroad on a permanent basis means there

will come a time when they'll need to deal with local tradespeople.

Now stepping outside, I have a surprise for them.

SHE GASPS

There's a pool!

-Oh, wow, you kept that quiet!

-Yeah.

Oh, that's it, I'll have it!

NICKI LAUGHS

-There's a barbecue, Tony.

-Yeah.

-Look.

-Yeah.

I'm determined to get Tony on the barbecue, whatever happens.

Oh, that's it, just leave me here.

You've also got enough space for sofas, chairs, dining area.

Would they like to leave all this?

-I'm sure you can negotiate.

-It's fabulous.

Now, someone did say to me that it has to be south-facing.

Yes, that was me.

So, as the sun comes across you get it all afternoon,

into the evening and it sets over there.

Beautiful.

-You've done well.

-The only problem is now, can we afford it?

Has the pool made it a step too far when it comes to budgets?

Let's find out.

-Who's going to go first?

-I'm going to be really hopeful.

I'll say...

185,000.

OK. Hilary?

I think it's more than that.

-I'm going to say 200 and hope they take an offer.

-OK.

All right, well, the asking price is -

I'll cut straight to the chase -

just over £176,000.

-No!

-Yeah.

-Wow!

-Speechless.

-We could get you a rug to cover up those tiles.

Happy days, that's it, job done.

-Why don't you have another look around the property?

-Yes, please.

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

-Take your time.

-OK.

What a fantastic reaction.

Have I found them their next home?

I think I might've done. Fingers crossed.

Comfortably under-budget,

this immaculate, recently built townhouse offers three bedrooms,

two bathrooms, a lounge-diner as well as a fully fitted kitchen,

and the icing on the cake - its own swimming pool.

I love this house.

It feels like home.

It's got everything we asked for, it's just perfect.

The best thing about this house is the pool.

Never thought we'd get a pool

in our budget with such a lovely house.

This house is a serious contender.

Everything on our wish list and no negatives at all.

I would say 9 3/4 out of ten.

I can see Tony in the kitchen, me by the pool - perfect.

-Ah, you two, you love this property, don't you?

-We do.

I don't want to go. Can't we just stay?

I'm afraid not because I have more to show you.

-Of course, yes.

-Come on.

Fringed by the Atlantic Ocean,

the Algarve's prime coastal position has brought with it

a prosperous fishing industry that dates back generations.

And in towns such as Santa Luzia,

fishing still remains the backbone of the community.

But aside from fish, the Algarve is also known for its confectionery.

So, bearing in mind Tony's love of cooking,

we've arranged for our couple to learn about the sweeter

side of Portuguese cuisine with Angelo Dias,

whose family has been running a shop in Faro for over 60 years

that's famous for highly decorative sweets called morgadinhos.

These are our famous regional sweets.

-Yeah!

-Oh, they're fabulous!

-All made in almond.

-Is this marzipan?

-It's similar to marzipan, yeah.

-I would like to present you, and you can eat one of those.

-Can I?

-You can choose what you like.

-May I choose?

-Yeah.

And you, Tony, a nice fish.

There are no bones in that fish.

THEY LAUGH

-Inside you have some sweet eggs.

-Sweet eggs?

-Yeah, the yellow thing that you see inside.

-Yes.

-That's lovely, thank you.

-Very nice.

Morgadinhos have been made in the Algarve since the 16th century.

Back then, almonds were very expensive

and sweetness was associated with divinity, so marzipan was

highly prized by the church as well as royalty and nobility,

who used the sweets to demonstrate wealth and status.

And now Hilary and Tony have had a taste, Angelo and his chef,

Manuel, are going to teach them

how to make their very own mouthwatering morgadinhos

using a pre-mixed paste of crushed almonds, sugar and egg whites,

which are coloured with food dye.

So can make these any colour you like.

The challenge is to create a rose starting with the petals.

-So I have to make it really thin?

-You can use this, like this.

-OK. Shall I have a go?

-I'm going to use my fingers.

Once the petals are shaped, they are formed into a bud.

-Roll it, please.

-I have to roll it.

-Like a cigar.

-Ah, lovely. And another one?

-And another one.

-And another one, OK.

-Yes, Tony?

-I think so, yeah.

-Yeah? Tony is doing well.

-Oh, yeah.

-Good.

-Now the roses are complete, it's time to add the leaves.

-Now, cut in the middle.

-In the middle.

So how many of these cakes do you make a week?

-I can do maybe 50, 60 per day.

-They're very popular, then.

Yeah, very popular.

-Is that right, Manuel?

-That's right. That's right, perfect.

You are really professional.

-Thank you.

-Tony, you must practise a little bit.

-Thank you very much for coming.

-OK, thank you.

-OK.

On this occasion, it seems it's Hilary's turn to shine with

her lesser-known culinary skills.

But for now, it's time to get back to the business of property-hunting

and find out whether our next houses will come up smelling of roses.

The next property sits up in the hills

in a village called Patroves,

on the outskirts of Albufeira.

Known as the capital of tourism, the city of Albufeira is

THE main tourist destination on the Algarve coast,

with every essential and luxury service available.

Our property lies two miles back from the coast,

in a quiet, new development, well away from the vacationing throng.

So, yet another beautiful day here in the Algarve.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-It is.

And this is your next property.

-Ooh!

-Right.

-Quite different again.

-It looks very new.

-Very new.

-Only just been finished.

-All right.

So you've got eight properties in total,

and this one's only just gone on the market,

so you're going to be the first people to look around it.

Oh, right. Interesting. Can we go?

THEY LAUGH

-Are they a mixture of nationalities?

-They are.

A British couple have just bought the one next door to you.

They're moving in next week.

And are they occupied all the year round or are they holiday homes?

-Not all of them, it's a mixture.

-That's nice.

They're all owned, but some are holiday homes

and some people live here full-time.

We were looking for something a bit new and modern.

The outside certainly fits that.

I like the glass balustrade and stainless steel.

-I think we should start the tour.

-Yes, please.

-OK.

-Got a great entrance.

-Ooh! Oh, I like that.

And take you straight through into the sitting room.

Oh, this is lovely.

-The shiny floor.

-Shiny floor, yeah.

-Fireplace.

-Yes.

The size of the room...

-And look at the view, you can see the sea.

-Oh, wow!

I'm going to give you a job as an estate agent,

because that was a brilliant introduction to this room.

I didn't have to say anything.

-Apart from the air-conditioning unit...

-Missed that.

-..you got it all.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Tony, can you imagine yourself living here?

-Definitely.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Just right.

-Kicking back, relaxing.

-Yeah.

Those winter evenings when you're not doing all your swimming

your walking, your cycling and everything else you've got planned.

-And your cooking.

-Oh, cooking as well.

-Cooking, good point.

And on that note, important room to show you, I think.

-Follow me...

-OK.

..to our kitchen.

The space was a little bit small, but it's a gorgeous kitchen.

-Yeah, very nice. I could be happy with this.

-Yes?

-Yeah.

And can you see yourself in here as well, Hilary?

Oh, if I have to, yeah.

A woman after my own heart.

On the ground floor, there's also a fully tiled shower room and cleverly

conceived storage hidden behind the panelling under the stairs.

-Been looking forward to bringing you up here.

-Oh, wow.

Because this is the master bedroom.

Look at all these wardrobes.

-Will you fill them?

-Oh, yes. I don't know what he's going to do with his.

Where am I going to put my stuff?

-And yours can be next door in the other double bedroom.

-Oh, OK.

-Right.

And it's so light.

-You've got huge views of the sea.

-Wow!

-All the way across!

-Yep.

-That's Albufeira.

-OK.

-And then, obviously, you've got the coastline.

Yes. So, we're far enough away in the hills...

You're in a village actually here,

but all of that is on the doorstep should you want to go down there.

-It's very quiet here.

-It is.

-Yeah.

It also has a very swish en suite.

-Does it?

-Which is huge.

-And guess what, the other bedroom has its own en suite as well.

-No!

Oh, lovely.

How much are your guests going to want to stay in this property?

Well, that could be a problem.

-We may never be on our own.

-You have a lot of children, don't you?

We do, yes.

Tony, you're going to have the diary out, working out which weeks

they're allowed to come and which weeks they're not.

I'm the chef, I just have to worry about feeding them all.

Feeding them all.

And if the swanky internal accommodation wasn't enough, there

is plenty more outside to keep their visiting family entertained,

with a tiled patio off the living room, perfect for barbecues,

and even a communal swimming pool, where guests can take a dip.

-Is this what you dreamt of?

-I think so.

I'm getting a bit mesmerised now. We're seeing such lovely places.

They're all lovely in their own way.

It's for us to work out exactly what our priorities are, isn't it?

Yeah. It does take some thinking about.

-It is a lot to take in.

-It is, yes.

-I'm going to have to bring you back to reality, though.

-Oh!

-Yes.

How much do you think the villa is on the market for?

It's such a high finish.

I think 195.

OK. Tony?

I think this time it is over our budget.

215.

-Interesting. Tony, you are the closest.

-Oh, dear.

-The current asking price is £210,000.

-Mm-hm.

-It is a spectacular property.

-It is.

And you did ask us

to show you properties over your budget as well as under, didn't you?

-We did, yeah.

-Yeah.

So, you can think about that now.

So, do you want to take another look around?

-Yes, please.

-I thought you would.

Coming in over budget but brand-new to the market,

this sleek new-built villa offers a huge open-plan living room with

word burner, two large en suite bedrooms and grounds that include

a private patio as well as communal spaces, featuring a swimming pool.

The decoration here and the fact that it's brand-new is so me.

I just love this - clean, crisp lines and everything brand-new.

The downsides, although they're only slight,

is the kitchen could do with being a little bigger and also

the private outside space it would be nice to have a little bigger.

There has to come a point where we decide what we're going to

go for, what is as close to perfect as we can get.

I think Tony is the one who will need persuading.

This house did really have everything that we asked for

and I can't really describe why it's not our dream home.

But it just doesn't feel right.

I think it's been built specifically for a holiday home.

I just don't think it would make a home for us.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to disturb you two.

How are you feeling?

-Confused.

-Really?

-Yes.

-I've still got another property to show you as well.

-Oh, yes.

-At least today you can take a breath. Come on.

-Thank you.

The Algarve scenery is varied,

with the countryside blending together

a mix of distinctive landscapes, which provide habitats

for a diverse range of fauna and flora.

Hilary is keen to nurture her green fingers

when she moves to Portugal,

so I'm introducing both our buyers to British expat Rosie Peddle,

who runs the Portuguese branch of the Mediterranean Garden Society.

Along with her husband, Rob,

they migrated from the East Midlands to the Algarve in 2004.

I'm quite a keen amateur gardener.

I expect we'll only have a small garden.

But I'd like to know what's best to plant, OK?

Well, there's a lot of fun ahead.

-Oh, lovely!

-I'm going to leave you lot to it! All right?

-Come with me, darling.

-Thank you.

The grounds of Rosie and Rob's beautiful Algarve home cover

some four acres, which Rosie maintains herself,

so she has first-hand knowledge of the challenges that come

with the Mediterranean climate and planting in the Algarve soil.

The advantage of gardening out here is that you don't have to

hide away plants that would be ruined by a winter frost,

so hibiscus, bougainvillaea,

citrus trees and even lavender will thrive.

However, the warmer,

drier climate does mean you might want to think

twice before bringing your lawnmower, as a classic English

lawn needs constant watering, making it very expensive to sustain.

It's best to choose drought-resistant species and,

as a good starter shrub,

Rosie recommends an evergreen plant called lentiscus,

which can be pruned into whatever shape our buyers might fancy.

This is a fantastic native shrub.

You'll see this all over the Algarve.

You'll probably find it's around wherever you end up buying a house.

-OK.

-In the UK, you're used to being busy in the summer.

That's when you have to be active to keep the plants alive,

-to keep them in good health.

-Yes.

Well, here it's the other way round.

You have a spring in the late summer when it rains and everything

goes green and then you get the next spring, which is February-March.

-Yes.

-If it's not comfortable for you to be outside, then it's probably

not comfortable for you to be outside doing things to the plants.

Right.

And think about the summer as the pause in the year.

Sit in the shade with a gin and tonic

-and look at your seed catalogues, you know?

-Right!

-You see?

-You can manage that.

-You're building a wonderful picture, Rosie.

-Yeah.

-You've got me already.

And on that note, the gorgeous weather is twisting all our arms

to make that picture a reality over a few glasses of home-made iced tea.

So, what is the reason you're coming to the Algarve?

What's drawn you to this part of the world that we love?

-Well, the sun.

-Seems reasonable.

-Yeah.

We've been on holiday a number of times in the last 18 months

to the Algarve and, I must admit, I feel a lot better

when I get home from the holiday.

Because I haven't been working for the last 18 months,

I've been sat in at home, just waiting for the sun to come out.

I used to suffer from...not bad asthma,

but enough to, you know, give me some difficulties.

And really since I've been here,

-it's not surfaced at all really, has it?

-No.

Do you suppose that's down to the cleaner air or

the combination of that and the more relaxed lifestyle?

Probably that and the red wine, I suspect.

THEY LAUGH

I've got to ask you, what about health care over here?

What's that like?

It's very similar to the UK. There's a national health system,

but there's also a very active private system as well.

Because there a lot of consultant specialists that come here,

you can actually get hold of them and talk to them directly

rather than having to go through a GP to get to them.

It's actually very simple to just book your own appointment

-with the specialist.

-Oh, that's interesting.

-You're cutting out the middleman.

-Yes.

-Very much so.

Do you have to have prescriptions, are they easy to get?

-I mean, I have a regular prescription every week.

-Yes.

Many prescription drugs, you can get repeat prescriptions by just

going to the chemist and asking for it again.

Have you got any advice before we buy a property here?

The main one is to make sure you have a solicitor, an abogado,

-that you trust.

-Mm-hm.

-What about the language?

Cos obviously, a lot of the people that you'll be talking to

are going to be Portuguese.

If you're living in a country, it's actually rude not to try to...

-Absolutely.

-That's the first thing.

But secondly, if you've got enough language to get an understanding

and communicate the basics, you can get so much more out of the country.

Well, the one thing I have learned about Hilary

and Tony is they really want to put 100% into this move.

-It means so much to them.

-Yes, we do.

-So you're certainly going to be making the effort.

-We are, yes.

-We can't wait to get started.

-Thank you so much indeed.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-And have fun.

Rosie and Rob's advice from close to a decade of experience is

invaluable, and there are a number of other practical

considerations to bear in mind when buying property in Portugal,

including a few hidden costs.

Firstly, the purchase process is conducted in two stages

and typically a 10% to 40% deposit is paid at the first phase

to secure the property.

After completion, one of the biggest costs to consider is

the property transfer tax, called IMT,

which is the equivalent of stamp duty

and is set on a sliding scale depending on the property value.

Lastly, if you choose to cash in on the prosperous tourist trade,

remember that non-residents are obliged to pay income

tax on any rented property.

But most important of all is to get competent legal advice

before signing any legally binding paperwork.

It's the very last day of our property hunt here

in the Algarve, and with just one house left to reveal, we're making

every effort possible to find Hilary and Tony the perfect Portuguese pad.

But happily, our buyers are having a smoother ride getting

stuck into the routine of residential local life.

-Hola.

-Hola.

Dois...por favor.

Obrigado.

Thank you.

-Obrigado.

-Obrigado.

Over the last few days, we've shown Tony and Hilary some great homes

here on the Algarve and received some pretty favourable reactions.

So, with our mystery house,

we've decided to take a little bit of a risk and show them something

they haven't necessarily asked for but will it be a step too far?

Let's find out.

And the secret of our mystery house is its location, for we're

heading inland to the rural outskirts of Loule.

Boasting a 13th-century castle, Loule is a historic

and pretty town featuring attractive colourful architecture

and beautifully paved narrow streets lined with smart shops and cafes,

but on this occasion, the final property isn't a walk

away from the town, it's definitely a short drive.

Here it is. What do you think?

-Different.

-Very.

Any idea why we brought you here as our mystery house?

-More property for our money?

-Possibly. Tony?

-I was going to say it's got a great big swimming pool?

-Are you hoping?

Well, I can always hope, can't I?

-Well, with this property, we are a little bit further out.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

About four miles from the closest town.

In front of us here you've actually got a one-bedroom apartment.

Oh, right.

Now the building is complete

and you can see the windows look practically brand-new and the

doorway so inside you'd need to fit floor, bathroom and a kitchen.

-Right.

-So that could be a project.

Further down the line, if you fancied renting it out,

and making a little bit more money, could be an option there for you.

Food for thought.

-Always nice to have in your back pocket, isn't it?

-More money?

-Yes, definitely.

-We all like that.

THEY LAUGH

Dating back to 1953, the walls of the mystery house do hold

some history but the property has recently been updated

and offers over 2,500 square feet of living space.

Entering the house, there's a modern kitchen that lies next to

a spacious open-plan dining and living room.

I'm going to start us off in our sitting room...

complete with wood burner.

I have already seen this.

This is a beautiful room.

This is everything I didn't want... and the nicest room we've seen.

-It's beautiful.

-Yeah, a very nice room.

-It feels homely.

The decoration is perfect.

-Wood burner. Love it.

-It's got a lot going for it.

-It has, hasn't it?

And what this house has, it is an Algarvian home and I wonder

if it's the character that you're both warming to?

I've always thought I didn't want character particularly.

We've always had really modern homes.

I think I've always thought they would be very dark

and dismissed them but this isn't dark.

I still have concerns about where it is...

but I'm itching to see what else there is inside, and outside.

-Well, if you'd like to follow me...

-OK.

Now, this is just one of the bedrooms

-and you've probably noticed we are still on the ground floor.

-Yes.

So, you've got this one on this side then you've got another one

-just behind us. About the same dimensions.

-It's a nice size.

-It's a fair size.

-Nice square room.

-So, you could use one of the ground floor bedrooms as an office.

-Yeah.

Somewhere to go and hide away from me.

Yep. THE LAUGH

-You've also got two bathrooms.

-On the ground floor?

-On the ground floor.

-That's greedy.

-Yeah, so if you don't want to go up those stairs...

-You don't have to.

..you don't need to.

Up those stairs lie a further two bedrooms

both of which are good-sized doubles making a grand total of four

bedrooms, leaving plenty of elbow room for visitors.

Also up here on the first floor is a special

and particularly sunny spot I'd like to share with Tony and Hilary.

-It's bright up here, isn't it?

-Very, yeah.

-Yes. That is a lovely view.

-Yeah, gorgeous.

-Much more remote than we've been before.

And it's not built-up.

-You haven't got neighbours on your doorstep, have you, Tony?

-No.

Does give you room to breathe here.

Yes, yes, it does. Yes.

OK, well, let's head back downstairs

because there's still more to this house.

-Wow, there's a pool.

-Oh, that's fabulous.

-Another little surprise for you.

-Yeah.

-Can I jump in, please?

-It's certainly warm enough today, isn't it?

-It is.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-All round here...

-Oh, and a garden.

-..you've got gardens.

Got all this entertaining space, too. Has it taken your breath away?

-Yes, yes.

-It has really.

Yeah. There's a lot of space here and a lot of potential.

How much do you think the mystery house is on the market for?

-I'm going to say 180, our budget.

-OK. And Hilary?

I'm going to be hopeful and say 185,000.

The asking price is...

-just over £155,000.

-Oh.

Oh, well, that makes a difference.

You do have some money left in your pocket.

-Why don't you go and have another look.

-OK. Thanks, Nicki.

See you in a minute.

You see, the mystery house, it's got us all thinking once again

and it really does pay to look further inland,

away from that congested coast, because look what you

get for your money here. It is a fabulous property.

Very comfortably under-budget, the mystery property

is a Portuguese-style, detached country house

sitting on higher ground away from the coast.

It has an open-plan reception, four bedrooms, two bathrooms

and a roof terrace with views towards the sea

and across the grounds that feature mature gardens,

a large swimming pool, as well as a potential one-bedroom apartment.

This house has given us a bit of a quandary.

It's what we didn't want but actually we like it.

I thought I wanted a brand-new house but seeing this has made me

question that.

Perhaps we do want something with a little more character.

I was surprised at this property.

When we realised it was out, way out in the country,

I didn't really want to like it,

but the property's brought me round, definitely.

When Nicki told me the price, I must admit I was quite gobsmacked.

It did mean that what I was thinking wouldn't be possible

could be possible.

We would never be able to afford something like this on the coast,

so, I think we need to widen our search.

Ah, here they come. How are you feeling? Cos that's it.

We've shown you all our properties.

-If we were confused before, we're even more confused now.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-You two need some time to have a chat on your own.

-We do, yes.

-Collect your thoughts. OK, let's go.

-OK.

Head even further north inland towards the Serra de Monchique

mountains and Algarve's landscape opens into a vast

expanse of fig, almond and orange groves,

where some 3,000 hours of yearly sunshine

ripens 400,000 tonnes of the citrus fruit,

accounting for 70% of Portugal's total orange production.

As well as fruit trees, another defining

feature of the Algarve countryside is its cork trees, which have

been harvested commercially in Portugal for about 300 years.

Sofia Carrusca comes from a family of cork farmers

and she runs tours that highlight the tradition of this unique

local and sustainable industry.

So, Sofia, this is one of the many oak trees that I've seen

throughout the Algarve but this one seems bigger than most.

How long have there been cork trees in this region?

Since 3,000 BC that we have cork oaks in this area.

-Nowadays, cork oaks are our national trees.

-Are they protected?

They are, it's a tree that represents our economy,

our culture and our identity, too.

Now, you mentioned oak, so it's cork oak trees, is it?

Cork oak, it's from the quercus suber.

Cork, it's the bark of the tree.

We undress the tree each nine years.

So we never undress the whole tree.

You can just see on the top trunks that we are still

having the first cork, the virgin cork.

-So you only harvest every nine years?

-Yes, always.

It's a period of renovation of the cork oak.

-How do you actually get the cork from the tree?

-We arrive with axe.

No machines to do this work. Just with an axe and your hands.

Paying attention that we must take out the bark

without touching the trunk.

So, Sofia, the court that we find in our wine bottles that we see

-every day of our lives...

-Yes?

-It comes from a tree like this?

-Yes.

How many corks would it have produced in its lifetime?

You see by the size of the trunk, principle trunk, and the

secondary trunks, for sure we can get half a million from this tree.

-And the tree continues to flourish.

-The tree never dies.

Cork, it's like our hair or our nails.

If we cut it we are still growing.

Portugal produces more than 50% of all the cork

consumed in the world, with the finest quality wine corks

sourced and manufactured in the Algarve.

Used to plug wine bottles since the 17th century, today this

precious and natural resource lends itself to a diverse range of

industries, including construction, insulation and even fashion.

But before industrialisation,

the earliest uses of cork were for buckets or basins, and local crafts

woman Urcelia Marti is going to demonstrate how they're created.

-Urcelia.

-Sofia.

-Hello.

-Hello.

Here we have the knuckle and of course we are able to make,

you see the cork spoons to drink water in the fountains.

-Am I able to have a go?

-Let's go, let's work.

So, what do I need to do?

Well, gently with the knife you start

cutting around the external part of the knuckle.

300, 400 years ago, people were just doing these same

things in the same way that we are doing now with

the knife and, well, the knuckle. It's amazing.

We never have lost our traditions.

We are still using this on fountains so it's amazing product.

I tell you what, Sofia, I'm never going to look at the humble cork

in quite the same way.

Yes, yes, I think so.

-And I'll probably know the tree it's come from as well.

-Yes.

There's been a lot of pressure this week finding Tony

and Hilary their future home here in Portugal

because, let's not forget,

they don't have anywhere to live and finding them

that perfect property on their budget, well, it has been a tough

task and I think the mystery house -

well, that's confused them even more.

I can't wait to hear what they're thinking now.

-Hello, you too.

-Hello.

-So, come on, have you enjoyed yourselves?

-Oh, immensely.

-Yes?

-It's been great fun. Sorry it's over.

Oh, well that's a good sign, isn't it?

-We'll have to see what you've got to say as well, haven't we?

-Yeah.

What do you think you've learned over the last few days

about this house search?

I think we've learned to be a bit more flexible.

Certainly look at houses that perhaps we would've just turned down.

At least consider them.

It's made us see that we could look further inland

-but perhaps look for a newer property inland.

-Yes.

-And get better value for money.

-Have we got close with any of them?

Cos I remember some fantastic comments from the two of you.

We probably would've bought any of those and enjoyed living there

but none of them particularly felt like home except perhaps

the one at Pera.

That is the one that has come closest to perhaps what

we had in our minds to feeling like a home.

And I think probably we would go back and have a second viewing.

-Would you really?

-Yes, I think so.

And that represented good value for money, didn't it?

Very good value for money, yes.

Did you have any doubts at all, because honestly, it's a huge change

and I know there's very good reasons why you want to make this move.

-No, I don't know of any negatives.

-Hilary, you've only just retired.

-Yes, yes.

-So not only are you having spare time for the first time

in your whole life but also you're moving countries as well.

Yes, no reservations at all and even less having spent the week

with you because we've seen so many more areas than we'd seen before.

We've seen even more beautiful places, which just makes it

all the more confusing. We've met more lovely people.

The weather's been fabulous.

So, no, it's just confirmed that this is the right thing for us.

So, do you think you will find that perfect forever home,

here on the Algarve?

Everything you want out of it on your budget?

Yes, I believe we will. I think it's there and we can't wait.

Let us know how you get on, won't you?

And I hope the lifestyle out here is everything that you want it to be

-because I know you deserve that.

-Thank you very much.

Thank you very much indeed.

This has been a tough week because for Hilary and Tony it isn't just

about finding a new home, it also represents a brand-new way of life.

Now, they're coming back to the Algarve next week

and I really wish it was to put an offer in on one of our houses

but their search continues, and I so hope

they manage to find that perfect property

here in the Algarve somewhere.

See you next time.

In their search for the perfect Portuguese property,

Tony and Hilary looked at another 20 houses before falling

for their dream home in Lagos.

And it turns out that it was completely off-brief,

being a modern two-bedroom apartment without a garden or even a fireplace

but we wish them both all the best

for a sunnier, healthier life in the Med.