I live in a European city that’s full of millennial Brits thanks to cheap wine, free festivals and amazing beach life
I AM one of the just under 50,000 Brits who have chosen to make Portugal their home – packing up my London life and moving to Lisbon in the summer of 2020.
However, I’d hasten a guess that the big influx to the country – which has seen our expat community jump to second place, beaten only by Brazil – is driven by millennials like me.
Those from the UK aged between 27 and 42 can now regularly be found climbing up and down the hills of the Portuguese capital with no return date in sight.
While Brits have traditionally favoured the Algarve in the south, you’ll now find just as many of us in Lisbon enjoying the affordable social life and easy beach access.
Here’s why I think ‘bifes’ or ‘camones’ – the tongue-in-cheek nicknames the locals have for us – are so drawn to this little city in southern Europe…
Cheap wine
Socialising in Lisbon needn’t cost a fortune – in fact you can catch up with a friend over a glass of wine for the price of a coffee back home.
A fruity ‘vinho verde’ from a quiosque or restaurant terrace, enjoyed in the sunshine, might set you back just a few euros.
One of the reasons why the top-notch wine is so affordable – with a bottle of my favourite white costing around three euros in the supermarket – is because Portugal is covered in swathes of vineyards.
From Douro in the north to the central Alentejo region, there are some world-class grapes not far from where you’ll ultimately be saying cheers – or ‘saúde’.
Affordable Ubers
Most of Lisbon is very walkable – at least, if you don’t mind a steep incline – and most places I need to get to are well within a 30-minute stroll.
Most people I know don’t have to worry about having their own four (or even two) wheels, which is just as well since navigating the narrow roads and tight parking doesn’t exactly look stress-free.
For distances further afield, getting an Uber, Bolt or another ride-hailing app can be surprisingly low cost compared to back home – and is often cheaper than public transport if you’re splitting the fare.
It might be three euros to get home if I’ve got lots of heavy groceries, or eight euros to the airport – and I’m not alone among my millennials pals in being chauffeured around fairly frequently.
Free festivals
Throughout the month of June, the city erupts into a series of big, lively street parties at night to celebrate the Festas dos Santos Populares – with the 13th the most important date.
While it has religious 16th-century origins, today it has evolved into an opportunity to dance in front of live music while enjoying the traditional delicacies of sardines on toast and a bottle of Sagres or Super Bock beer.
Lisbon’s pretty tiled streets – which can become so packed that you feel like an, err, sardine – are made even more colourful with bunting and other festive decorations.
However, perhaps the best aspect is that you can have this quintessentially Lisbon experience without it costing a single penny – just wander the city and enjoy!
Beach life
Lisbon isn’t a beach-side city in the same way as Barcelona, however just a short train ride or drive away are some incredible coastal spots.
This means that, if you finish work at 5pm, you could be taking a dip in the ocean by half past – although, be warned, it will be refreshing.
For postcard-perfect scenery – that you may have seen on Instagram – it’s a less than one-hour car journey to Praia da Ursa or Praia do Ribeiro do Cavalo (although wear trainers rather than flip-flops as they’re a hike).
If surfing is more your thing, then Praia de Carcavelos, Praia do Guincho and Costa da Caparica have some of the best waves within Lisbon’s reach.
Delicious food
Famously, the city – or rather the western district of Belém – is the birthplace of the custard tart, or pastel de nata.
You can munch on the best at Pastéis de Belém or Manteigaria for less than a couple of euros each.
In fact, dining out in the city is incredible value, with some of the best restaurants only setting you back around 20 euros a head if you opt for ‘petiscos’ – Portugal’s answer to tapas.
Two of my favourite dishes are the bacalhau à brás – containing threads of salted cod and fried potato, which is local to Lisbon – and the gambas à guilho, made from garlic and prawns.
Sunny weather
After 27 years of living in a country with largely grey skies, I’ll admit that a bright forecast was a huge draw for me – a sentiment reflected among literally all of my fellow Brit millennials.
Portugal as a whole has plenty of lovely sunshine for much of the year, but with temperatures that are a bit less sweltering in the summer than in neighbouring Spain thanks to a cool Atlantic breeze.
However, while Porto in the north is a very up-and-coming spot for Brit expats, it is located in the region of the country with the highest rainfall.
What’s more, Lisbon and the Tagus estuary sit in their own microclimate – so while it may be cloudy in nearby mountainous Sintra, it’s likely to be ice-cream vibes back in the capital…