5 Unusual Portuguese Regions to Call Home – Unusual Places

So you’ve fallen for Portugal. You’ve wandered Lisbon’s tiled alleys and sipped port by the Douro.

Yet the Portugal you’re craving lies beyond the well‑trodden trail. From volcanic islands to granite‑crowned villages, these five regions deliver authenticity, affordability, and a clear path to residency.

Turning a Visit into a Lifestyle

After describing these amazing places, a natural question is how to stay. For those truly captivated by these unusual places, the path to residency is more accessible than many think. Programs such as the Golden Visa in Portugal allow non-EU citizens to invest in the country in exchange for the right to live, work, and study.

1. Alentejo – Rustic Heartland of Cork & Constellations

Imagine vast, sun-drenched plains dotted with cork oak trees, ancient dolmens, and whitewashed villages perched atop hills. This is the Alentejo, a region that moves at its own, unhurried pace.

What it’s like:

Life here is tied to the land. It’s a place of robust red wines, hearty cuisine featuring black pork and artisan cheeses, and startlingly clear night skies perfect for stargazing. Towns like Évora (a UNESCO World Heritage site), Monsaraz, and Marvão feel like they’ve been lifted from a history book. It’s the perfect antidote to modern-day haste.

Life on the ground

Vast golden plains, cork oak montados, and whitewashed hill‑towns such as Évora or Monsaraz. Alentejo red wines pair with star‑filled skies at Europe’s first certified Dark‑Sky Reserve.

Recent buzz

• Alentejo shortlisted for Wine Enthusiast’s 2024 “Wine Star” awards.
• Rural fibre project will bring gigabit speeds to most villages by 2027.

Property snapshot

Typical ask: ≈ €1,700 / m². Stone farmhouses and cork estates still trade for a fraction of Algarve prices.

How to stay

Base yourself in Évora, invest €500 k in a PE or VC fund under the Golden Visa, or apply for the D8 nomad visa and work remotely beneath cork‑oak shade.

2. Azores – Europe’s Volcanic Answer to Hawaii

Lost in the middle of the Atlantic, the nine islands of the Azores archipelago are a world unto themselves. This is a place of raw, volcanic beauty, where nature is still firmly in charge.

What it’s like

Think lush green craters cradling…