More and more British people are choosing to buy second or retirement homes in Portugal, and many of those who purchase real estate in Portugal choose to do so in Porto or the surrounding areas. Located in northern Portugal, Porto is the second largest city. Ribeira, the centre of Porto was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1996, and the area has a number of other historically significant sites which might prove interesting to those considering buying property in Portugal. As a major centre of commerce, the city of Porto itself is well used to tourists, something reflected in some of the attractions available, while a short journey further north will find quiet and beautiful coastal communities.
Porto has a warm, moderate climate, with long, relatively warm summers and rainier winters. Summer is from June to September, with average high temperatures of 20C to 25C. As a rule, Portugal is not overly humid, although there have been years with unusually high temperatures and humidity.
During the winter months, which are generally considered to be from November to January, Porto averages eighteen wet days a month, with around 150 millimetres of rain.
Porto is served by Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, which is located approximately 15km away from the city centre. The airport has been refurbished due to the Euro 2004 football championships, making it a state of the art facility. In fact, the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport is now the third best airport in Europe and the third best worldwide in the category of fewer than five million passengers. Travelling to Porto is easy and very convenient, with flights offered frequently from London, Paris, Liverpool and Dublin, something you may wish to consider when deciding where in Portugal you wish to buy property.
Property in Porto and the surrounding areas can vary in price, although it is slightly more costly than in some other areas of Portugal. It’s still possible to buy land in or around the Porto area, if you wish to do so rather than purchased a finished property, but if you choose this option, you will need to do some research.
Two or three bedroom houses or apartments can be between £180,000 and £250,000 depending on the specific area, so it’s very worthwhile to shop around before settling on real estate to buy in Porto.