Seeking Paradise in Madeira, Portugal 2023 - Could We Live On An Island? Early Retirement Expats 🇵🇹
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มิ.ย. 2024
- In this video we scout the beautiful island of Madeira, Portugal. A Portuguese jewel, with temperate climate all year round, unbelievable natural landscapes and affordable living.
Join us in this unique adventure to learn its history, the many things to do, best neighborhoods to live in and more.
Find out why Madeira is so popular among expats claiming to be their paradise for both city and island style living.
But can Madeira be our little paradise to call home? Let’s find out.
For Collaborations please send an email to seekingparadisebugs@gmail.com
LINKS FOR ACCOMODATIONS/TOURS IN THIS VIDEO
► TOUR(S): Sunrise transfer to Pico do Arieiro: bit.ly/41h0RQE
► HOTEL(S): www.enotel.com/enotel-magnolia
Chapter List:
00:00 Start Intro
01:05 Why Madeira?
01:44 Our Paradise Home Requirement Checklist
02:06 Flying into Madeira
04:32 Fast Roads and Public Transport
05:38 Walkability
08:38 Things To Do
24:06 Weather
24:57 Access to Beaches
26:00 Cost of Living and Estimated Monthly Expenses
28:24 Medical Care
29:31 Safety/Security
30:23 Real Estate Prices/Neighborhoods
33:40 Final Thoughts
Our Forever Home Requirement Checklist:
□ Distance to International Airport: Less than 45 minute by car, train, subway or bus.
□ Public Transportation: Reliable metro, bus systems, trains, rideshare services and bike/scooter friendly.
□ Walkability: Markets/restaurants/shops within a 15 minute walk, parks and outdoor recreation within a 30 minute drive.
□ Things to Do: International restaurants, parks/outdoor activities, live music and art scene. Beaches, nearby city attractions and dog friendly activities.
□ Average Weather: Ideally between 60F - 80 degrees year round. 300 days or more of sun, exposure to no or few natural disasters.
□ Access to beaches: Walking distance preferred or 3-hour drive max. Wide, quiet beaches with plenty of water sports.
□ Cost of living: Low cost utilities, fresh foods, energy efficient alternatives.
□ Good medical care: Major hospital within 10 miles, high quality care, low health insurance premiums and prompt emergency services.
□ Safety and Security: Low crime rates, able to walk around safely at night and active police presence.
□ Price/Style of Homes/Neighborhoods: Up to $400,000usd purchase price or $1,800 a month for rent -2 Bedroom/2 Bath minimum, yard space, high speed internet, approximately 200sq meters finished space. Detached home preferred, views, pool access and a gated community is a plus.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
Madeira useful information: www.visitmadeira.com/pt/trave...
Digital Nomad Village Madeira Islands (StartUP website): digitalnomads.startupmadeira.eu/
Madeira Government and Tourism Statistics: estatistica.madeira.gov.pt/#
USEFUL FACEBOOK GROUPS:
Expat Community Funchal Madeira Portugal
Madeira Expat Community
REAL ESTATE WEBSITES:
www.idealista.pt/comprar-casa...
www.flatio.com/s/Madeira_Island
casa.sapo.pt/en-gb/district.m...
www.imovirtual.com/en/comprar...
👇RETIREMENT & FINANCIAL PLANNING TOOLS WE USE-
► EMPOWER (formerly Personal Capital) - Money manager, networth calculator & retirement planner: fxo.co/1353861/SeekingParadis...
► NEW RETIREMENT - Retirement Financial Planner:
bit.ly/3Rta8Tq
👇RESOURCES WE USE TRAVELING & LIVING ABROAD -
► EXPRESSVPN - Virtual Private Network (3 extra months free with 12-month plan with our affiliate link):
go.expressvpn.com/c/4257233/1...
► WISE - Easy and cheap International money transfers:
wise.prf.hn/l/NJPoJ9N
► TRAVELING MAILBOX - View your postal mail online anywhere: travelingmailbox.com/?ref=1426
► HOME EXCHANGE - The#1 home exchange community in the world (Travel for less): www.homeexchange.com/?ae=633
► DISCOVERCARS - (Support us by using our affiliate link): www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=s...
► BORDR - Easiest way to get your Portuguese NIF and/or Bank Account (Get $10 off for each with our affiliate link):
www.bordr.com/?via=seekingpar...
👇MILEAGE REWARD TRAVEL ESSENTIALS WE USE-
► CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED - Our favorite rewards credit card: www.referyourchasecard.com/19...
► TRAVELFREELY - Free app to manage travel reward credit cards (Learn how travel for free): bit.ly/3Z2OvdV
👇 OUR VIDEO PRODUCTION TOOLS -
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I found Madeira to be a lovely island but I would never choose it to live in. The problem is that in a week you visit all the places on the island and there would be nothing left to see. I am a big fan of the history and language of Spain so I often travel to different places there. I also love speaking Spanish and Portuguese, as it was the first foreign language I learned. So, by living in Portugal, almost on the border with Galicia, I can hop in my car and drive either south to visit Portugal or north to visit Spain. Madeira, although beautiful, would restrain me too much. Plus, periodic fires and devastating floods can make life there less than paradisiacal. When a hurricane hits the island, plane connections to get out are canceled and you are a prisoner on the island. Not for me.
Thanks Ray! Really great points. We agree it's an amazing island but we would definitely feel restricted living there. We had not even thought about hurricanes and being stranded there.
Hurricane?....really, must be talking about azores,and is in one or 2 islands ...fires?not to my knowledge....
Please spread that message far and wide. If you could move to Spain that would be amazing too. You foreigners are making living in our own country impossible.
@@londonlife937 2016-08-08 17:00 A forest fire started on 8 August in the municipality of Funchal in Madeira Island causing damage and casualties. Local media, as of 10 August, reported that three people have died, over 200 have been injured, over 950 have been evacuated and 50 houses have been damaged. The 2010 Madeira floods and mudslides were the result of an extreme weather event that affected Madeira Island in Portugal's autonomous Madeira archipelago on 20 February 2010. The flash flood killed 51 people, of whom 6 are still to be found, and injured 250. Around 600 people were left homeless. I watched all of these events live on TV.
@@rayvogensen2983 Biggest risk would be mudslides, you can't really compare the one fire on Madeira to the near constant wildfires on the mainland.
Hello, Dianne & Guillermo! Tuan and I (Marianne) were so glad to have met you on the food tour in Dubrovnik - such a memorable afternoon it was… We just finished watching your Madeira episode - what a great job you did showing the island and providing important information for anyone visiting or planning to move there! We look forward to watching more of your high quality videos, especially to learn more about visiting Spain. Happy, safe travels…and I truly hope our paths cross again!
Hi Marianne! It's so good to hear from you and thank you for the kudos!! 😊It was so great to meet you and Tuan. We would love to cross paths again! Keep in touch and let us know if you come to Portugal any time soon. 🤗
The amount of work that goes into making such a video, its a ton. Thanks for working so hard.
Thank you! We really appreciate that! It's a labour of love! 🥰
Fabulous and very informative video.We too are in early retirement living between The Philippines and UK. We are heading to Madeira at the end of this week. So far Cape Town South Africa is top but we are looking forward to our trip and we really appreciate your video containing great advice so thanks for everything and all the very best to you both for the future
Thank you!! We are very excited to visit Cape Town...hopefully next year. Please let us know why it is top for you and have a great trip to Madeira. It is stunning!!
I just came back from a holiday on Madeira things I loved the most were the people (almost everyone speaks english and they are very friendly), the weather ( I was there in november and still was wearing just a tshirt most of the time) , Adventure there a lots of spectaculair things to do in the incredible nature of Madeira. I rented a scooter but driving was a great challenge.
Thanks for sharing! We look forward to returning and exploring even more of Madeira.
Thanks for the video! You two put a ton of effort into the production, and it shows, great work!!!!
thanks so much! we enjoy it! ❤️
Great production from start to finish. High quality content. Thank you.
thank you so much! 🤗
All over the wold see you how fascim is spreading and people don't want to see it, a lot of rules to discourage people to be free and to feel free to live their own lifes, and Madeira is a beautiful island to fall in love it because it is safe. Thank you for your video I enjoy it. greetings from Holland
Without the Fun, Funchal is just Chal.
WOW!!!! We have watched countless TH-cam videos about Madeira and in October 2022 we went there, apparently right after you guys. YOUR video is the BEST we have ever seen! Our favorite place on the island was actually Machico, as it was much smaller and far less touristy than Funchal. (We are not big city people.) My biggest concern personally with Madeira is the overwhelming number of immigrants and the obvious gentrification of the island, to the point where some of the authentic Portuguese culture has been lost. I cannot help but wonder if they don't resent the "foreign invasion". Anyway, just wanted to say well done and thanks so much! We will definitely be following you guys.
Thanks so much! You made our week. ☺️ We will have to check out Machico more on our next visit. It's great to have easy access to an island paradise from our home base in Lisbon. 🏝️
Beautiful day awesome scenic views. Walking under those places are really refreshing.Nice video and wishing you a wonderful day😉💞💞
Lovely video.very informative. Been there as a tourist. But your video shows only very expensive flats. Thanks for the real estate websites
Thank you for watching! Madeira is a really beautiful island!
❤️Portugal 🇵🇹, my forever home! Home is a feeling and I found it!!! Great vlog...I need to visit Madeira!!
We love living in Lisbon! We definitely believe Madeira is a must visit in Portugal and many people love living there too.
Awesome place and great video! Thanks for sharing 👍
Definitely awesome!! We will be going back.
Very nicely organized video! Thank you.
Thanks so much!
Hi and thank you so much for this video - can you recommend accommodation to stay for longer time :)
Flatio.com might have some options for you.
Thanks, great video! :-)
Thank you!
Well done,Madeira is a magical Island,your video is very well documented,congratulations.
thank you so much! we enjoyed the magic for sure.
Great video guys and thanks so much for your time. We too are similar to yourselves as we have a property in Costa blanca but love Valencia but are looking more south as the weather can get cold in Valencia and Costa blanca in winter here. We are definitely going to check out Malaga with the next few weeks, and your video was very informative. We will look just outside within easy reach of the city buy in the countryside.
thank you for watching! we are glad to help. Best of luck with your trip to Malaga, you will enjoy it very much 😊
Another great video and overview of what to enjoy in Madeira! Great video skills and Diane’s voiceovers are spot on, almost Rick Steves like in a good way 🎉.
thank you Mike! 🤙🏼 you two rock
Another great video!
thanks Alex! 🤗
Great work, loved Madeira!
thank you! we love it too 😊
Nice video, Thank you !
thank you for watching! 🙂
Lovely beautiful island nice place
Thank you for great sharing
it sure is! thank you for watching ☺️
It's good to see you work through your checklist, and the caveats afterwards.
I really sympathize with the desire to be in a place that you don't need a car.
Thank you! It's helpful reviewing the checklist every where we go to keep us on track.
WOW Beautiful. I didn’t realize how stunning Madeira was.
it truly is! ☺️
Thanks for the comprehensive review. We will pay a visit to Madeira in 2023, the Sunrise Transfer To Pico Do Arieiro, Hike To Pico Ruivo & Return From Teixeira is very helpful. How will it be taken care of for biological needs if there's no toilet station along the hike?
😅 good question. We didn't really see anyone going or attempting to go to nature's restroom 🤷♀️. I guess you'd have to find a secluded spot along the way if you couldn't wait until the coffee shop near Pico Ruivo 😅
Your videos are always so well done and helpful. I appreciate all the information, but also the honest analysis. Madeira looks beautiful and I can't wait to check it out, but I'm with you - island living has too many of its own challenges to contend with. It firmly lands in the "great place to visit, wouldn't want to live there" category.
Yes, we must plan the New Years Eve trip!!! 🍾🥳😁
Muito bom!!!!
Obrigada!!!
Great video, I've watched a lot of Madeira videos, and yours is very comprehensive. We visited in May 2022 with thoughts of possible retirement, and are considering it. Not sure about being on an island for the rest of our lives though, so I'll watch some of your other videos for other retirement ideas.
thanks so much! Madeira is beautiful, but you're right...not a forever place for us. Hope you find the place for you! Let us know if you have any questions, we're glad to help. 😊
I happened to your video and thinking about Madeira so I'm interested in learning more about places that would work in Portugal or even Spain.
Madeira is beautiful! we will be making videos about other neighborhoods near Malaga. Hope they help you make the right decision ☺️
Excellent video guys!! New subscriber here….
thanks a lot! we hope to provide more content 😊
Don’t be put off because of the possible shaky landing in Madeira airport as it is not happening on everyday basis. Some airports have snow, strong winds etc. we are not the only ones.
We landed sideways on our flight in, and everyone on the plane clapped and cheered! My wife was quite green by that point. The upside is that the pilots who operate out of madeira have to be more experienced in order to land there.
yup, I am (Guillermo) very sensitive to sudden airplane moves and turbulence. It was rougher for me than Dianne. I can do it once or twice a year when I visit again..but that's about it 😜😊
@@SeekingParadiseBugs A few weeks ago, weirdly enough we had a shaky take off from Madeira airport. It was a bit windy and I never experienced a shaky take off. It was a new one for me.
uh oh...I get nervous every time I think about it 🤪
We are fellow Americans who fell in love with Madeira after spending three weeks in mainland Portugal. Next year, we will be moving there permanently. We really enjoyed your take on the island, although I think in your comprehensive look you missed four highlights: the Fanal Forest, whale watching, Seixal Beach (a natural black sand beach) and a city like Machico, which is right next to the airport, flat and is very walkable. The back roads are ridiculous, as you state, but you learn to proceed with caution and rent an automatic. Another negative aspect of the airport is that it will close down and strand you on a regular basis. That said, we spent a month on Madeira last winter - and we feel we have so much more to explore. Don’t go to the Mercado dos Lavradores except on Fridays and Saturday’s when the local farmers set up shop. Or go to the Sunday Agua da Serra market up in the hills. Thanks so much for your entertaining video. Well done.
Thank you for sharing your insights and congratulations on your upcoming move! It's beautiful and we agree there is so much to do there. We will definitely be back to do the things we missed.
We love living in Madeira 💜 we've been here 6 months and it's exactly as we pictured home to be. Island life is not for everyone though, just for those who like the seclusion and intimacy it provides. Great video showing the island's beauty.
thanks a lot! we think the same way. 😊
My wife and I got home from our ten-day scouting trip of Madeira just two days ago. Part of me is suffering from a mild case of of 'saudade', however, we came to a similar conclusion on living there: não, obrigado. We came from different angles but arrived at the same place: we'd have island fever within months. For example: my wife feels she would be trapped because the steepness of the roads would prevent her from driving. I didn't mind the roads too much (I'm the adrenaline junkie of the fam) but I would also feel trapped because I cycle, ski, rock climb, etc. and the options on Madeira appear a little limited. I think we will continue scouting mainland Portugal for our forever home and be happy with vacations on lovely Madeira. I like Ray's post below too as it aligns with what we are thinking: live somewhere in Portugal but near Spain (maybe near Galicia) so we can access both countries plus trains and buses and cheap flights elsewhere in Europe. And there's always EasyJet to Madeira once we get the itch to return. Nice video, obrigado.
We think alike! As beautiful as it is, island life isn't for everyone. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. ☺️
If you want to be near Galicia, I recommend Braga, or the small cities of Ponte de Lima, Ponte da Barca, and Arcos de Valdevez. I love Galicia, especially the coast. You can travel there countless times and just be visiting the tip of the iceberg. I especially like the fact I can drive 40 minutes from my house up to A Gudiña and get the fast train to almost anywhere in Spain. Madrid is only two hours and 45 minutes from A Gudiña taking the high-speed Ave.
Beautiful video👌do you have a photography and editing background?
thank you! no background, self taught and learn as you go type of guy 😊 Hoping to get better
@@SeekingParadiseBugs well the very best comprehensiv and e quality video in my opinion. You're very talented and creative. Well done👏
thanks so much! it really means a lot 👍🏼🙏
Which is better, to buy a finished house, or to build an old house there.
it really depends on your preference, we noticed a lot of new construction (condo buildings) and also existing homes that can be repaired. Building a new house can take up to 2 years tho.
We spent 6 weeks on Madeira last summer with 3 kids and loved much of it, but there were some really troublesome parts: the constant barking dogs in some locations and the smoking. Smoking smoking smoking everywhere. You can hike to a waterfall 10km into the mountains and you get there and there will be 20 people sitting around smoking.
yes, we agree 100%, smoking is a problem in the entire nation and it was also bad when we lived in Mexico. The good news in Portugal is that new laws are coming out for restaurants to have dedicated open areas for smokers. It's been bad walking in smoky restaurants and bars here in Lisbon. We're slowly noticing the difference, but people really continue to smoke a lot. Dogs aren't too bad, but you do hear them bark throughout the day, eventually you get used to them 😊
Well then most been in smoking day . Generalizing complete
@@SeekingParadiseBugs In relation to the dogs after living many years in the UK my conclusion is that dogs in the UK are better behaved and educated . The place where I live now Sintra historic area the owners of dogs of my street that it is only houses and gardens are a complete disgrace never take the dogs out because despite they live in big houses with big gardens think that is enough when isn't and they used them was a way of intimidation for people not to walk in the pavement at all the things are a bit better . And you are complete right about the dogs in Portugal .💖💖
Porto Santos beaches are the best
We hope to make it there soon! Many people have told us and we can't wait.
Do taxes play a part in your decision? I've heard taxes may be higher in Spain?
We do consider taxes and now that Andalucía has eliminated the wealth tax and possibly inheritance tax we are giving it more consideration. We will meet with a tax attorney before making a decision to move to any other country though.
Hello guys, the island is magical but everyone planning to move here should visit the island in winter! We just sold our home and ready for next adventure- Murcia, Spain
We agree...we always visit places we're going to consider living in the winter. We'd love to know your thoughts about the island in the winter. Murcia has come up a few times for us to visit so we'd really like to know your thoughts about it if you don't mind.
@@SeekingParadiseBugs Omg where should I start! Everyone considering buying a home must do it during the winter season which can extend up to 5 months! In winter time you can find out all the faults of the house, for instance leaks, humidity, molds, lack of insulation and heating, and a variety of insects and bugs living indoor and outdoor. Due to the high humidity the houses became freezers, it is warmer outside than inside 🥶, you can feel it in your bones. Even Funchal can be freezing, rains a lot and very windy.
Leaving here is affordable for us as expats but locals tend to tripled or more the prices of services for us (repairs, filling taxes, transportation, doctors fees etc). Hope you can find this information helpful, most TH-cam Chanel’s don’t touch this type of information !
Thank you so much for responding! We notice the same thing in Lisbon and it's so important to know before a big move. We have a renovated home and it's still bone chilling inside. You have a great point about the type of insects in winter also. This information is so useful!!
We are actually moving to Madeira in coming July ,nothing is scares us ,coming from Island of Malta .We were in Madeira for 2 month in winter and absolutely love it .If you can drive in Malta ,you can drive in Madeira ,if you can live in cold flats in Malta ,you can do it there as well ,aircondition helps a lot ,but having possibility of house with fireplace makes it different .Having 2 bedroom flats in Malta I can have a house in Madeira 😊 we travelled all mainland of Portugal as well as Spain ,only Madeira stolen our hearts .But yes ,it is easier for people from other island rather then for people from big cities to make such move .❤
@@evgeniazahra3667 Hello Evgenia, Madeira is awesome , I love the natural beauty of the Island and I will come back as a visitor in summer season only 😂! Enjoy this amazing place unfortunately did not work us.
❤th..n.
Madeira is a great place to live but if you are not used to living in an island, you may or may not adapt well. I think the airport scares a lot of people although I feel perfectly comfortable landing there. In the USA, there's always so many people who move to Hawaii and after six months they get island fever and end up going back to the mainland.
Great point! We really love it but don't think we would be happy with island living at this time.
Living in an island has to be in your blood, for me I was born in an island , and never adapt to live in a big country , I always find this is to big for me !
big difference for island fever is that Madeira is more than 4X close to the continent than Hawaii.
Ill never be able to retire. Im 38. Is it still possible to sell all your belongings and still move to another country? I want out of the US
It seems impossible sometimes but it starts with a plan and dedication. If you haven´t watched our Achieving FIRE video, you might want to take a look. We have recommendations for books, podcasts and other youtube channels to provide inspiration, education and steps for becoming financially independent. There are different financial scenarios that may fit your situation.
I thought your video is good but i didnt care for tbe music. Still wrll done!
Thank you for watching!
The extensive tourism would make living there unpleasant, as it does in every tourist destination.
There are a lot of tourists where we live in Lisbon and we learned the areas to avoid during high season.
i am Greek and I hope that Americans who want to retire will stay in Madeira and they wont come in Greece LOOOOL
Do people there speak english ?
yes. majority of people speak English especially in the capital Funchal
Beñ
Please please please may I ask a question? We're hoping to move to Portugal (possibly Madeira or somewhere near Porto), but we have two cats! My husband says it will be absolutely impossible to find a rental property that allows pets, unless it's mega expensive or charge a lot on top for the pets. What is your experience if you have any or noticed anything? I'm desperately wanting to keep my cats 😭 (both have passports, vaccinations, were from EU). Thank you ❤
Portuguese love cats! they love any pet actually. We have 2 dogs and rented in 2 different places in Lisbon and had no problems bringing our doggies along. No extra deposits (although some landlords may ask a little extra). If you have all the paperwork and register your kitties, you should have no issue finding a rental without paying a ton of extra rent. Good luck!
Let me sum it up and save you a lot of time. The south is too crowded. The north too rainy.
Thanks Ron B.
There's no Paradise after you move to a place because all life's problems will follow you
You always have to work through problems. It's nice to be able to do so in an ideal location that soothes your soul and brings joy to your heart.
Thank you, guys! I didn't fully understand about the healthcare system in Madeira... Is free healthcare like in the mainland nonexistent?🥲 Only private insurance?
Thanks for watching! ☺️ As a resident of Portugal, you can sign up for the free public healthcare system on Madeira and in mainland Portugal. Many immigrants/expats and Portuguese citizens purchase private insurance in order to obtain medical care more quickly and to not stress the public system that is already straining to provide timely healthcare.