Jason Brown, originally from South Africa made the move to Portugal a few years back and loves it here. We met at my house in São Brás de Alportel and had a great 30 minute discussion filled with tips for people arriving in the Algarve and how to acclimatize to the area.

• Moving to Portugal and pre-arrival impressions: A sleepy fishing village and similar to South Africa.
• Vilamoura, Carvoeiro and Lagos get heavily marketed but smaller and more local places don't get as much attention which is totally understandable.
• Getting off the plane from Wales and looking forward to an outdoors lifestyle with beach, barbecues and getting out and about. What more could anyone want?
• Why Lagos? His parents were already there but Jason mentions history, tradition and culture all richly present in Lagos' modern day appearance. Young, vibey travellers, sometimes surfers and #vanlife followers. We chat about the Three Monkeys bar in Lagos and here's the blog post I mentioned.
• Activities in the Algarve: how to join a group?
  1. Jason suggests typing in "soccer algarve" (for example) into Facebook (or ask in our very own Algarve Addicts Facebook group!),
  2. asking at your local sports store or local sports centre,
  3. or chatting to the staff of a local bar/restaurant.
  4. Be bold and set your own group up.
  
  
• We talk walking football and the Burgau Barbarians!
• The reality of moving to and living in Portugal. Basic Portuguese is helpful and makes you feel more at home, but not entirely necessary. There are quite a few companies that can do the awful bureaucratic services for you. :)
• Where to settle in the Algarve. Do a recce trip and use Airbnb to experience life like a local. Look at the main cities - you can find more info in my Algarve Geography podcast. Drive around and explore! Speak to people online and listen to all the Algarve Addicts podcasts, they really will help you to acclimatize.
• Jason's tells us the story of his business: Access Algarve. In a nutshell it is a 2 for 1 voucher system.
  • Buy the book from Intermarché, Yellowfish, Visacar or
  • get the app directly through www.accessalgarve.com It costs €10 but I have organized a 10% discount for you if you quote "ALGARVEADDICTS" in the promotion section.
  
  
• Jason's Algarve recommendations: "A Rampa" restaurant in Monchique for chicken piri piri.
• Best beach is Praia da Mareta in Sagres.