Blanca Valbuena

How to get Healthcare in Portugal?

Bang, you smacked your head against a wall one night while you are on holiday and need emergency help immediately. Or maybe you decide to eat some mystery meat shawarma after a night of drinking in Bairro Alto and...

As a metro-sexual, I like my outfits to be fashion forward. Do I wear velvet, every so often? Yes. How many pairs of shoes do I have? More than 40. Do I shop at the Goodwill? Yes! It’s the...

It took me a long time to finally visit Sintra. Not sure why. Every time I spoke with a Portuguese person, they’d reply in shock when they learned how many times I had been to Lisbon without visiting Sintra....

List of documents you need to bring to your Portuguese D7 Residency Visa Appointment

One way to become a U.S. expat in Portugal is to apply for your Portuguese D7 residency visa (also known as the Portugal Schengen Residence Visa). Once it is granted, you will be approved for 4 months. When you go to...

You’ve probably been hearing tons of great things about Portugal and Lisbon in particular. You’ve heard about the great weather, prices, and if you have been following Madonna’s Instagram account (or mine), you know that it’s “the” place to...

Portugal means long lines. Portugal means slow walkers who don’t move out of the way. People speak quickly, but take their time in their conversation with the cashier when you’re in a rush and waiting on line. As a New...

What type of converters work in Portugal

If you were to ask me if you should bring anything with you when you relocate to Portugal, my answer would be just to bring those things that have emotional value. Everything else – furniture, electronics, kitchenware…just sell all...

A guide on how to apply for the Portuguese Non-Habitual Tax Residency

Taxes, taxes, and more taxes. I am not a fan of over taxation. Fair taxation I am totally cool with (taxes pay for public services, roads, lights…not all taxes are bad). One of the benefits of moving to Portugal is...

Europe is a very diverse continent. Because of that, in this article, I will cover how to properly walk the streets, alleyways, hilltops, and promenades of some of Europe’s major cities. I will generalize greatly in this piece, but...

So, my mom is coming to visit me in Portugal for the first time since my relocation. I wanted to give her something very special to take home. I’m not a big fan of tchotchkes, and Antonio suggested that...

I decided to put together this (Almost) complete guide to Lisbon Portugal based on my travels, moving to the country, dealing with locals and learning about what it means to be an expat in Portugal. As some of our...

People are always asking me where to store luggage in Lisbon. Did you not plan it before you came? Did you not read this article? Me either. This usually happens when they have a layover, on a cruise, digital...

Boom! Portugal does it again. The Ministry of Economy has just announced that in 2018 they will offer a Portugal Startup Visa aimed at wooing foreign startups to relocate to the Iberian coast. This is a great addition to...

Blanca and I fell in love with Portugal over the course of our travels. It was easy to fall in love, especially with Lisbon. Each of the neighborhoods in Lisbon has its own spirit, the Portuguese coffee is incredible,...

What are the best restaurants in Beaune France?

Beaune Restaurants are – for the most part – amazing, but they are also quite pricey. As much as I love Beaune, the issue with staying there long term is that because these amazing restaurants tend to be expensive...

Jose Maria Da Fonseca Restaurant in Lisbon

I’m a total Francophile when it comes to wine. After working in the wine industry for years, I came to realize that Burgundy Chardys are my jam. That made it difficult for me to jump into the wines of...