When considering a move to Portugal, having a good idea of what each location may offer is vital. Things that may be positive for one person could be negative for someone else who is looking at expat life in Portugal. When it comes to looking into moving to Braga, Portugal, you may also be comparing living in Braga vs Lisbon, or living in Braga vs Porto… or even living in Porto vs Lisbon. Each of these cities has something to offer those who are looking at living abroad in Portugal. For some people living in Lisbon may be the right choice while for others who are moving to Portugal may find that another city is best for them and their desired expat life abroad. In this expat podcast episode of Not Your Average Globetrotter, we’ll talk about what expat life in Braga, Portugal has to offer in comparison to the two largest cities in Portugal.
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Dude! You have no idea how different listening to you will be from now on cause I'M IN PORTUGAL RIGHT NOW!!! (And I know you know I'm here but I wanted your audience to know.) I will be trying to make a decision if this is where I want to move to.
Can you get by with just English in Braga, especially when dealing with the government?
Did you stop doing videos on Italy? I miss that.
I’m envious Rafa, don’t come back to America it’s going downhill at a rate close to terminal velocity.
Thank you for the important info. By the way, I like that photo you have behind you of Braga and the streetcar.
I like Braga as a place to spend a few days, but I'd never want to live there. For me nothing beats Lisbon but, to each their own.
Yes Im a little biased. Your recent vids are a must see for us – moving from US to PT in Fall of 2023. We love love love PT. We’re a family of 4 with 2 young kids we’d like to enroll in an Int’l school. We’re trying to nail down the city. Lisbon? Porto? Braga is on our radar because of you Rafael. We will be in Braga next week and cant wait to scope it out. Thank you Rafael.
Thanks for everything that you do!
Thank you for another incredibly helpful video. We've booked flights to Porto and rented an apartment in Braga just steps from the old entry arch for nearly the entire month of January. Hopefully Braga will be our new home and looking forward to taking our time and exploring this beautiful city. Your videos are very well done and prepare us better than anyting I've found. Cheers!
Let's consider the weather. Braga is located in a valley surrounded by hills. Porto is at sea. So I suppose Braga has a warmer climate than Porto, and Porto is windier. I'm not sure, but I suppose Lisboa is hotter than Porto also (but I'm not sure about that).
In Braga, real estate is cheaper (rent and purchase), but there are still great leisure options and there is also good infrastructure and service options (shopping centers, banks, schools, hospitals, etc). The city also has several cultural events and public festivals throughout the year.
However, I do not recommend living in the Historic Center. There are a lot of tourists and the properties are very old (no elevator, no parking spaces or heating system).
I recommend neighborhoods like Lamaçães, Fraião or Nogueiró. It is a region with newer properties, there are several service options and it would be a 30 or 40 minute walk to the center.
Although the city does not have a subway, buses serve the city well. By car, it would take you no more than 15 minutes to get from one side of the city to the other. I recommend buying a car, as public transport does not run 24 hours.
Braga is considered the youngest city in Portugal due to the large number of students at the University of Minho. There are many leisure options (parks, bike paths etc) even though it is not considered a metropolis.
Good video Rafael. What's your thoughts on getting around by bicycle? I've heard that it's pretty risky in Lisbon riding a bike and that's my biggest concern. I quit riding in the US because of that but it'd be a great way to be car free in a place like Braga I'd think.
Thanks Rafael! This and your previous video on living in Braga are extremely helpful as we’re considering retiring in PT (w/IT being our Plan B). We’ll be revisiting in late September—armed w/the info you’ve provided. Grazie. 👍🏻
Hi, Rafael. Thanks so much for this insightful video. Wife and I plan to emigrate next year and have chosen Braga as our future home, thanks in part to your efforts (also subscribed!)
We were hoping that you would be able to show T1 apartments in Braga and thereabouts along with the associated costs and features and amenities close to the city center. That would really help people like us to get a sense of what sort of T1 furnished apartments our money could buy us.
I wish you well!