From Welsh Rain to Portuguese Sunshine: Family Finds Healthier Life in 'Santorini of the Algarve'
A British family who traded the Welsh rain for the Portuguese sun believes they've found a healthier, simpler life for their children in the Algarve. Matt Hapgood, 44, and his wife, both avid surfers, left Porthcawl in south Wales five years ago to settle in Burgau, a picturesque village often dubbed the "Portuguese Santorini".
The move was fuelled by a desire to escape the relentless British weather and spend more time outdoors, a yearning that had lingered since 2012, when the couple first considered emigrating. "We had two kids and I got a job," Hapgood explains. "We were stuck, but the itch to move remained."
Hapgood's online surf shop business, transitioned to a Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) model, allowed him to work remotely, making the move to Portugal a practical reality. With Brexit looming, the family saw it as an opportunity to relocate to Europe before potential barriers to movement were implemented.
Their new home on the Algarve coastline offered an escape from the grey skies and chill of Wales. "We both love surfing and wanted to be in the ocean and outdoors more," Hapgood says. "Here, the sun shines around 300 days a year, the water is warm all year round, and the kids are constantly begging to go to the beach."
He believes the Algarve provides a less commercial environment for raising their children. "We're trying to limit their exposure to consumerism," he explains. "It's a tough battle, but we're trying." Hapgood contrasts the Algarve's relaxed pace and emphasis on fresh, locally sourced food with the "consumerist society" and pre-packaged food culture he experienced in the UK.
The cost of living, he says, has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, with some goods being cheaper and others more expensive than in Britain. "It all balances out," he notes.
Finding a suitable family home proved challenging, however, due to the Algarve's popularity as a tourist destination. "Many properties were geared towards tourists rather than families," he says. After selling their home in Wales, they eventually found a spacious property requiring renovation, complete with a swimming pool, which Hapgood describes as "beautiful".
Despite the positives, Hapgood admits to missing certain aspects of his Welsh heritage. "I miss the rugby," he says, "and the self-deprecating humour that the Portuguese don't seem to grasp."
Although separated from friends and family, the three-hour flight to Wales provides a connection to his homeland. "I can leave in the morning and be back in the UK by early afternoon," he says. "If I needed to get back for my parents, I could leave now and be back tonight."
The Hapgood family has found a life that embraces a healthier lifestyle, a closer connection to nature, and a slower pace. While the move was a significant decision, the family embraces their new home in the "Portuguese Santorini" and sees their future unfolding under the sunny skies of the Algarve.
