Sunny, cheap and welcoming: Portugal has become a top destination for retirees. The Algarve, in the south of the country, has been named the best place to settle for retirees who want to live abroad.

According to the U.S. online report "Live and Invest Overseas," this region of southern Portugal is the best place to retire. From its sunny beaches to its excellent health care system, the Algarve has it all, reports the news site The Portugal News. This is without counting on a well-established expatriate community, with 100,000 foreigners living here full-time, and on the possibility of indulging in a multitude of outdoor activities. But for retirees, the primary attraction remains the region's low cost of living, "especially when you know the quality of life on offer, the undervalued property prices and the bargains, which can even involve properties with sea views".  

In Lisbon, living well with little

For retirees more attracted to city life, Lisbon also offers many advantages, notes the American site US News.  

  Compared to other western European capitals - Paris, London, Madrid, Dublin and Rome - Lisbon offers the same cosmopolitan flavor of the old continent, but with better weather, more affordable real estate and a lower cost of living. And few other destinations in Europe, and the world, can claim such modernity, and clean beaches where swimming is allowed."

The capital is full of neighborhoods where it is pleasant to walk around, with buildings in the classic style but also new luxurious buildings. Among the districts where it is advisable to settle, the site US News suggests Campo de Ourique, Lapa, Avenidas Novas, Alvalade, Avenida de Roma or Parque das Naçoes.

It is possible to buy a two-bedroom apartment in a nice neighborhood for about 200,000 euros. Generally speaking, a couple can live on 1,000 euros a month, although to live even more comfortably, you need to spend between 1,600 and 1,800 euros a month.