A scouting trip is not a holiday. It is a focused reconnaissance mission to test whether everyday life in Portugal truly suits you and your family. The goal: to come home with clear answers, not with vague impressions and pretty photos. You want to know: “Can I truly be happy here?” Many people stay in a trendy Airbnb in the city centre, visit a few sights and call it scouting. But a real scouting trip simulates ordinary life. In this article, you’ll learn how to approach it wisely.
You dream of Portugal. The sun, the terrace, the peace and quiet. But dreaming is not enough if you’re seriously considering a move. Between “I want to move to Portugal” and “I live in Portugal” lies a crucial step that many people skip or get wrong: the scouting trip.
In this article, we explain what a scouting trip actually is, how to set it up effectively and which mistakes you absolutely want to avoid. Whether you’re approaching retirement and looking for a permanent base, or looking to buy a holiday home that you might eventually move into full-time.
What exactly is a scouting trip?
A scouting trip is an exploratory visit with a purpose. You’re not going to Portugal to relax, but to “interview” the country. Does everyday life here fit the future you have in mind? That is the central question.
Think of it as a dress rehearsal for your new life. You’re not just testing whether Portugal is beautiful (it is), but whether it works in practice. Is the internet fast enough if you work remotely? How far is the nearest hospital? Are the distances manageable for your family? Can you truly imagine feeling at home here, even after the initial novelty has worn off?
That may sound sober, but it is precisely that level-headedness that protects you from a costly mistake. We see it regularly: people who fall in love with an area on holiday and buy impulsively, only to discover a year later that the village is deserted in winter, the nearest supermarket is a twenty-minute drive away, or that the bureaucracy overwhelms them.
Why you shouldn’t try to cram everything into one week
Too often, we see people who want to do Porto, Lisbon, the Algarve and the Alentejo all in one week. The result? Packed days, vague impressions and very little clarity. You see a lot, but you learn nothing.
Choose calm instead. Focus on one or two regions that truly match your priorities: beach life, rural tranquillity, city buzz. Take the time to really get to know those places. Three to four full days per region is a good minimum. That gives you room to experience everyday life, not just the highlights.
A common misconception is that you need to see all the options to make a good choice. The opposite is true. By focusing on two regions that match your priorities, you learn enough to make a well-informed decision. You can always visit the rest later.
How do you turn your scouting trip into more than a holiday?
The difference between a holiday and a scouting trip lies in the details you seek out. Walk through the supermarkets and check the range and prices. Sit in a café on a weekday morning and observe the rhythm of the neighbourhood. Note how long it takes to get to the nearest hospital, school or train station.
Rent a car, even if you might not want to own one later. With a car, you discover small villages, back roads and the rhythm of local life in a way you never will from a tram window or a tourist bus. Drive through the residential areas, not just along the coast.
Stay in a home in a regular residential neighbourhood, not in a hotel in the tourist centre. That way, you experience how the houses are built (insulation, heating, noise), how the neighbourhood feels after sunset and whether parking is a daily battle. These are exactly the things you only discover when you actually live somewhere, and a well-chosen Airbnb in a residential area comes close.
Also pay attention to the different building styles across regions. A traditional home in the Alentejo is very different from an apartment on the Costa Azul or a villa in the Algarve, and those differences directly affect insulation, maintenance and living comfort. Try to arrange a few practical matters during your trip as well. Schedule a meeting with a buyer’s agent, a tax advisor or one of the other specialists from our local partner network. Every concrete experience strengthens your decision.
The exact costs and procedures involved in buying a property in Portugal can vary. Always seek advice from a specialist.
When is the best time for a scouting trip?
Many people plan their scouting trip in summer, when the sun is shining and everything looks its best. That’s understandable, but not ideal. You also want to see Portugal in the low season: October through April.
During those months, you experience how cold it can get in the evenings in a poorly insulated house, how empty a coastal village becomes once the tourists have left, and how it rains (because yes, it does rain in Portugal). These are not reasons to avoid moving, but they are factors you want to take into account when choosing a region and type of property.
The ideal scenario? Two trips. One in peak season to see the region at its best, and one in the off-season to reality-check. If that’s not feasible, consciously choose the low season. That gives you the most honest picture.
After dozens of guidance trajectories, one pattern keeps standing out: clarity doesn’t come from seeing more, but from looking more intentionally.
People who get clear beforehand on what truly matters to them often recognise during their scouting trip which region does and doesn’t fit. Sometimes that happens faster than expected. A village can be stunning, yet still “not feel right” for the daily life someone has in mind.
We also see that practical experiences during such a trip carry far more weight than photos or online research. A conversation with a local advisor, a visit to a health centre or simply a drive through the countryside often shifts the picture people had beforehand.
And perhaps most importantly: people who approach their scouting trip as research rather than a holiday make calmer, more confident decisions later on. Not because Portugal changes, but because their perspective does.
What fits your situation?
Plan at least two weeks and focus on a maximum of two regions. Stay somewhere you can truly experience daily life, visit schools if you have children, test internet speeds and deliberately make time to talk with locals about living in the area outside the holiday season. You’re looking for a place to live, not a place to holiday.
A shorter trip of one week may be enough, but limit yourself to one region. Pay extra attention to seasonal differences: how accessible is the property in winter? Are there sufficient amenities year-round? And if you’re considering renting it out, look into the rules for an Alojamento Local (short-term rental licence).
Start with the Portugal Living Quiz to discover which region best matches your lifestyle. That gives you a starting point for your scouting trip, so you don’t go in blind.
Planning your scouting trip without being clear on your priorities beforehand: city or countryside, coast or interior, budget, workspace, school choice. Without that filter, you visit everything but choose nothing. What to do instead: Make a list of your five non-negotiables before you leave and use them as a compass for your itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a scouting trip last?
At least one week if you want to explore a single region, but two weeks is better if you’re comparing two regions. The more time you have, the better you can experience everyday life, and that’s what it’s all about.
Should I rent a car?
Yes, absolutely recommended during a scouting trip.
In the major cities like Lisbon and Porto, public transport is excellent, with metro, buses and trams. Between larger cities and many regional centres, trains and buses also run frequently and reliably.
Outside those major cities and the main connections, however, it’s a different story. In smaller villages, rural areas and the hinterland, services are often limited in frequency, especially in the evenings, at weekends or outside school and commuter hours. It’s precisely those smaller villages and back roads that give you the most honest picture of what daily life truly feels like. With a car, you have the freedom to explore at your own pace, take spontaneous detours and test how practical the distances really are.
Tip: book a car with a Via Verde transponder, so you can pass through toll gates smoothly without having to stop each time.
Can I view properties during my scouting trip?
You can, but it’s not the primary purpose. A scouting trip is first about the region and the lifestyle, only then about specific properties. If you already have a clear idea of your preferred region, you might consider a guided viewing trip as a logical next step.
Which regions should I look at?
That depends on your lifestyle and priorities. The Algarve offers sun and infrastructure, the Costa Azul is quieter and more authentic, the Alentejo provides space and nature, and the Lisbon region combines city with coast. We’re happy to help you choose the right region.
What does a scouting trip cost approximately?
Budget for flights (€200-€300 return), a rental car (€50-€75 per day), and accommodation in an Airbnb (€50-€150 per night, depending on the region and season). A two-week trip comes to roughly €1,600-€3,450 for two people. That’s an investment that can save you thousands of euros in wrong choices.
“Devagar se vai ao longe.” 😉 Slowly but surely, you get far. And a good scouting trip is the first, conscious step.
Want to know which region best fits your situation? In a no-obligation introductory call of 30 minutes, we’ll answer your questions, share our experience from 30 years in Portugal and help you avoid the classic pitfalls.
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