How to Move Off-Grid in Portugal: My Personal Guide to Starting Your New Life

Hey, I’m Alex Sully. If you’ve been following my journey or caught my episodes on New Lives in the Wild, you’ll know I’ve lived off-grid, rebuilt old ruins, and helped others find freedom in nature and within themselves .

My off grid stone house in rural Portugal

Moving off-grid isn’t just about escaping the city — it’s about learning a new way of living, reconnecting with the earth, and accepting both the challenges and the magic that come with it.

Portugal is one of the best places I’ve found for off-grid living — the climate, the people, and the landscapes are incredible. If you’re thinking about making the leap, here’s a full guide based on my experience and what I’ve learned from others.

The view from my land in central Portugal

Getting Your Paperwork Sorted

Getting Your Paperwork Sorted — The Legal Stuff You Can’t Skip

Before you start dreaming of quiet forests and river sounds, the first step is dealing with paperwork. It’s not glamorous, but it’s essential.

EU citizens

If you’re an EU citizen, the move is pretty straightforward. You can live, work, and buy property in Portugal with few barriers. That said, don’t underestimate the paperwork even as an EU citizen — you’ll still need to register at your local Junta de Freguesia (parish council), deal with the Finanças (tax office), and navigate the sometimes labyrinthine Portuguese bureaucracy.

Everything takes longer than you expect, and offices often close for lunch between 12:30 and 2pm, so plan your visits accordingly.

Non EU citizens

However, if you’re from outside the EU, you’ll need to get the right visa. That might be a residence visa or even a Golden Visa if you’re investing in property. The D7 visa (passive income visa) is popular with retirees and remote workers, but be prepared for extensive documentation — proof of income, health insurance, criminal record checks, and more. Some people hire “despachantes” (document expeditors) to handle the queues and paperwork — money well spent in many cases.

Getting your NIF number

These things take time, so start early and be patient. The bureaucracy can move slowly. I’ve heard of NIF applications taking two weeks and others taking three months — there’s no rhyme or reason sometimes. Accept that “amanhã” (tomorrow) is a lifestyle here, not just a word.

Next up is your NIF number — the tax identification number. Think of it as your key to Portuguese life. You’ll need it to buy land, open a bank account, set up utilities, register a vehicle, get a phone contract, and register with local authorities. You can get one at your local Finanças office or through a fiscal representative if you’re not yet resident. Don’t try to skip this — it’s the foundation of everything.

Finding a lawyer

And seriously, find a good local lawyer. Portuguese property law and notary procedures can be confusing and quite different from other countries. Land ownership can be complicated — properties sometimes have multiple owners across generations who’ve never formally divided the land, or there might be easements and rights of way you don’t know about. Old ruins might not have proper documentation at all. A lawyer will help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure your purchase is clean and legal.

On the positive side: Once you’re through the initial paperwork, Portugal is incredibly welcoming to foreigners. The cost of living is lower than most of Western Europe, healthcare is excellent and affordable, and the Portuguese people are genuinely warm once you make the effort to connect. Many expats find the pace of bureaucracy actually teaches them patience and presence — a valuable lesson for off-grid life.

Visas and Residency options

Golden visas

If you’re from outside the EU, understanding visa options is critical. Portugal offers several types — residence visas for those planning long stays, Golden Visas for property investors (though these have been changing and now exclude residential property in many areas), and digital nomad visas for remote workers earning from outside Portugal.

D7 visas

The D7 Visa is popular for those with passive income — pensions, investments, rental income, or remote work. You’ll need to prove you can support yourself without working in Portugal (currently around €760/month minimum, plus 50% for a spouse and 30% per child). You’ll also need private health insurance, a clean criminal record, and proof of accommodation in Portugal.

Digital Nomad visa

The Digital Nomad Visa (introduced in 2022) is designed for remote workers and requires proof of employment or self-employment with income at least four times the Portuguese minimum wage.

Golden Visas have become more restrictive — residential property no longer qualifies in Lisbon, Porto, and most coastal areas. However, investment in rural areas, commercial property, or investment funds may still qualify. The rules change frequently, so always check current requirements.

Start early with applications — processing times can be unpredictable. Some people wait months for appointments at VFS Global or Portuguese consulates. Consider professional help from an immigration lawyer or relocation specialist to guide you through the process.

The bright side: Portugal is one of the most welcoming countries in Europe for international residents. The path to permanent residency (after 5 years) and citizenship (after 5 years with A2 Portuguese language proficiency) is clear and achievable. Portuguese citizenship gives you access to the entire EU, which is a significant benefit.

Living in a yurt while rebuilding my ruin

Choosing Your Off-Grid home

When I talk about off-grid homes, people imagine something wild and remote. And that’s true — but there’s also a lot of variety, and each option has its own rewards and challenges.

Rebuilding Ruins

I rebuilt an old stone ruin myself, a project that took years and a lot of patience. You have to be prepared for dust, paperwork, and physical labor. Getting planning permission (licença de construção) can take months or even years, and you’ll need an architect to draw up plans and an engineer to approve structural work. The bureaucracy alone tests your commitment.

But there’s something deeply rewarding about bringing life back to an ancient place — feeling connected to the past and the earth beneath your feet. These old granite or schist buildings have stood for centuries because they’re built from the land itself. They stay cool in summer and hold heat in winter. The thick stone walls create a sense of sanctuary that modern buildings simply can’t replicate.

On the challenging side: Old ruins often have no legal documentation, unclear boundaries, or multiple inherited owners. Structural issues might only become apparent once you start work — cracked foundations, compromised walls, old wells that have collapsed. Budget for the unexpected and then double it.

The magic: There’s nothing like sitting in a building that humans have called home for 200 years, knowing you’ve given it another century of life. You become part of a lineage, a story bigger than yourself.

Caravans and Camper Vans

If you want to start smaller and simpler, caravans or camper vans can be fantastic. They’re mobile, affordable, and allow you to settle in and move as you explore. Perfect if you’re still figuring out where you want to be permanently, or if you want to test the off-grid lifestyle before committing to property.

Challenges: They get brutally hot in summer if in direct sun — I’m talking 40°C+ inside when it’s 35°C outside. You’ll need shade structures, reflective covers, or strategic positioning under trees. In winter, they can leak if not meticulously maintained — check seals, windows, and roof joints regularly. Condensation is a constant battle; you’ll wake up to wet walls if you don’t ventilate properly. They’re also targets for break-ins in some areas, and not all municipalities allow permanent caravan dwelling.

The upside: The freedom is incredible. You can chase the seasons — cooler mountains in summer, warmer valleys in winter. You learn to live with very little, which is a profound teacher. And the investment is minimal compared to property, giving you flexibility to change course.

Yurts and Alternative Structures

Yurts are another great choice — simple structures made from natural materials that blend beautifully into the environment. They offer a cozy, earthy feel and can be surprisingly comfortable. I’ve stayed in a few myself — very grounding.

The reality: Great to live in, but you need to constantly heat them in winter or mould will invade everything. The canvas breathes, which is lovely in summer but means heat escapes quickly. A wood burner is essential, and you’ll go through a lot of firewood. In summer, you can open the roof crown to let a breeze through — sleeping under the stars through that opening is magical.

Important warning: Yurts, tents, tipis, and caravans will all have animals moving into them at some point. Mice are almost guaranteed — they’ll chew through bags, nest in cushions, and leave droppings everywhere. You’ll need to rodent-proof your food storage seriously. Snakes sometimes shelter underneath in hot weather. Scorpions love dark, undisturbed corners. Check your shoes every morning. Spiders will set up residence in every corner — most are harmless, but the larger ones can give you a fright.

Legal considerations: Portugal has strict rules about permanent habitation in temporary structures. Technically, you need a habitation licence to live anywhere permanently. Many people exist in a grey area — it’s tolerated in remote rural areas but could become an issue. Don’t invest heavily in a yurt setup without understanding the legal position.

River running through off-grid property in rural Portugal

Power and Water and Compost toilets

Solar Power

Portugal is blessed with sunshine — over 300 sunny days a year in many regions — which makes solar energy the backbone of most off-grid systems. Solar panels combined with battery storage give you reliable electricity for your needs. It’s a game changer for living sustainably and independently.

The practical reality: A basic system (1-2kW of panels, basic battery bank) will run lights, phone charging, a laptop, and a small fridge. But if you want power tools, a washing machine, or a water pump, you’ll need a more serious setup — 3-5kW of panels, a substantial lithium battery bank (or a large lead-acid array), and a good inverter. Budget €5,000-15,000 for a decent system, more for premium components.

Winter challenges: December and January bring shorter days and more cloud cover. Your summer surplus becomes a winter deficit. Many off-gridders have backup generators for these months, or simply adapt — using less power, going to bed earlier, embracing the rhythm.

Wind and Hydro

You can also get wind turbines and hydro power if applicable to your land. Small wind turbines can supplement solar, especially useful in winter when it’s often windier but less sunny. However, wind is less predictable than solar, and turbines require maintenance.

Micro-hydro is the gold standard if you have year-round flowing water with sufficient head (drop). A small stream can generate continuous power 24/7, which means smaller battery banks. But it requires permits, careful installation, and works only if you have the right water source.

The joy: Energy independence is profound. No bills, no grid outages affecting you, no dependence on distant power stations. You become acutely aware of your consumption, which changes how you live. That awareness is a gift.

Water Sources

Water is just as important — arguably more so. Many off-gridders rely on natural springs, wells, or rainwater harvesting.

Springs: If your land has a natural spring, you’ve struck gold. But get it tested — for bacteria, heavy metals, pH levels, and nitrates. Springs can be contaminated by agricultural runoff, old septing systems, or natural mineral deposits. A good spring, properly captured and filtered, is the purest water you’ll ever drink.

Wells: Existing wells (poços) are common on Portuguese properties. They might be old hand-dug wells or more modern drilled boreholes. Depth varies wildly — some are 5 metres, others 100+. Water quality varies too. Again, test before drinking.

Boreholes: Drilling a new borehole (furo) costs €2,000-8,000+ depending on depth and your location. No guarantee of hitting good water — sometimes you drill 80 metres and get nothing, or hit water that’s too mineralised to use. Get geological advice if possible.

Rainwater: Portugal’s dry summers mean rainwater harvesting works only as a supplement, not a primary source. You’ll collect most water between October and April. Large storage tanks (10,000+ litres) are essential if you’re relying on rain.

Clean water is non-negotiable. Budget for proper filtration — at minimum a sediment filter and UV steriliser for any surface water or untested source. Your health depends on it.

Compost Toilets

Here’s something nobody tells you before you go off-grid: you’re going to think about, talk about, and deal with poo more than you ever imagined. And weirdly, it becomes completely normal.

Why Compost Toilets?

When you’re off-grid, you don’t have mains sewerage. Your options are a septic tank (expensive to install, needs emptying, can fail) or a compost toilet. Most off-gridders choose compost — it’s simpler, cheaper, more ecological, and turns a “waste” product into a resource.

The basic principle is simple: human waste, mixed with carbon-rich material, composts down into safe, odourless, nutrient-rich soil. Nature has been doing this forever. You’re just managing the process.

The Systems

Bucket systems are the simplest — essentially a toilet seat over a bucket, with a container of cover material beside it. After each use, you add a scoop of cover material. When the bucket’s full, you empty it onto a compost pile. Simple, cheap, effective. Not glamorous.

Twin-chamber systems are more sophisticated — two chambers that you alternate between, giving one time to fully compost while you fill the other. After 6-12 months, what comes out barely resembles what went in.

Separating toilets keep urine and solids apart. Urine is sterile and nitrogen-rich — diluted, it’s excellent fertiliser. Keeping it separate reduces smell and speeds composting of the solids. Many off-gridders swear by these.

Commercial units like Separett, Nature’s Head, or Loveable Loo offer ready-made solutions with varying levels of sophistication and price.

The Cover Material — Your New Obsession

This is where vermiculite, sawdust, wood shavings, and similar materials become important. You need carbon-rich, absorbent material to cover deposits, control moisture, eliminate odour, and create the right conditions for composting.

Sawdust is the classic choice — free or cheap from sawmills, highly absorbent, works brilliantly. Make friends with your local carpentry shop.

Wood shavings work well but are bulkier.

Vermiculite is excellent — lightweight, very absorbent, odour-controlling. More expensive but worth it for indoor toilets where you want zero smell.

Coco coir (coconut fibre) is another option — sustainable, absorbent, composts well.

Dried leaves, crushed and stored, are free and work perfectly. Autumn becomes harvest season for next year’s toilet supplies.

You’ll find yourself stockpiling cover material like it’s precious — because it is. Running out of sawdust feels like a minor emergency.

The Smell Question

Everyone asks: “But doesn’t it smell?”

Done properly, no. A well-managed compost toilet smells earthy at most — like forest floor. The cover material is key. If it smells bad, something’s wrong: too wet, not enough carbon, poor ventilation.

Many visitors to our place are genuinely surprised. They expected horror; they find a normal toilet experience with a slightly different routine.

The Conversations You’ll Have

Here’s the part that amuses me most. Move off-grid and suddenly poo becomes a normal conversation topic. With neighbours, with visitors, with fellow off-gridders.

“What system are you using?”

“Where do you get your sawdust?”

“How long do you leave it before spreading?”

“Have you tried the urine-separating seat?”

“My second chamber is nearly ready — want to see?”

It sounds absurd, but it’s genuinely interesting once you’re in this world. You’re dealing with a fundamental human reality that modern life has made invisible — flushing it away to become someone else’s problem. Off-grid, you close that loop. You take responsibility. And there’s something oddly satisfying about that.

You’ll find yourself proudly showing visitors your toilet setup. You’ll photograph your finished compost. You’ll feel genuine excitement when everything is working well.

The Practical Reality

Let’s be honest about what’s involved:

∙ Regular emptying — depending on your system and household size, anywhere from weekly bucket changes to monthly chamber rotations

∙ Carrying buckets — full buckets are heavy and need careful handling

∙ Managing the compost pile — proper composting requires the right conditions; you’ll learn about carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, moisture levels, and turning schedules

∙ Waiting time — human waste compost should mature for at least a year, ideally two, before use on food gardens (many people use it only on trees and ornamentals to be safe)

∙ Weather considerations — emptying buckets in pouring rain or freezing temperatures is character-building

The Deeper Shift

Beyond the practicalities, something changes in how you see yourself in the world. Industrial civilisation is built on the idea that our waste disappears — flush and forget. But it doesn’t disappear; it becomes someone else’s problem, often polluting rivers and oceans.

With a compost toilet, you complete a cycle. What you eat eventually feeds the soil that feeds the plants that feed you. It’s humbling and grounding in a way that’s hard to explain until you’ve lived it.

You also become remarkably unbothered by things that would have seemed gross before. Poo is just poo. Bodies do what bodies do. There’s a maturity in accepting this, a dropping of squeamishness that extends to other areas of life.

Tips From Experience

∙ Keep the toilet area well-ventilated — a small fan venting outside works wonders

∙ Store cover material right next to the toilet in a convenient container with a scoop

∙ Have a dedicated bucket for transport and a good lid

∙ Site your compost pile somewhere accessible but not too close to living areas or water sources

∙ Label your compost bays with dates so you know what’s ready

∙ Keep a second toilet seat/bucket as backup — systems fail at the worst times

∙ Accept that guests might be weird about it initially; give them the orientation, then leave them to it

What Nobody Tells You

You’ll develop preferences and opinions about toilet systems the way other people have opinions about cars or coffee machines.

You’ll feel quietly superior when you visit flush toilets and think about all that clean water being wasted.

You’ll bore dinner party guests with composting facts if you’re not careful.

And one day you’ll realise you’ve just had a twenty-minute conversation about humanure with your neighbour, and neither of you found it strange.

Welcome to off-grid life. It’s shittier than you expected — in the best possible way.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Compost toilet setup with sawdust cover material for off-grid living

Fire Risk and Land Management

Portugal’s summers can be scorchers — 50°C is not unusual in the interior — and fire risk is a serious, potentially life-threatening concern. Managing your land is vital.

Legal Requirements

Portuguese law requires you to clear vegetation around buildings. Currently, you must maintain a 50-metre defensible space around any structure (100 metres in some cases). This means clearing dry brush, removing dead branches, trimming trees so their canopy doesn’t connect to neighbours’ trees, and keeping grass short. The GNR (police) can inspect and fine you for non-compliance — and more importantly, insurance may not cover fire damage if you haven’t maintained your land.

Tree Types

Not all trees are equal when it comes to fire. Pine (pinheiro) is highly flammable — the resin burns intensely and pinecones can explode, spreading fire. Eucalyptus is even worse — the oil in the leaves is essentially fuel, and burning bark can carry fire kilometres on the wind. Eucalyptus forests have been responsible for Portugal’s worst fire disasters. Mimosa (acácia) is invasive, grows explosively, and burns fast and hot.

If your land is dominated by these species, you have serious fire management work ahead. Many off-gridders gradually replace them with native cork oak (sobreiro), holm oak (azinheira), or chestnut (castanheiro) — all more fire-resistant and ecologically beneficial. Cork oak is remarkable — it can survive fires that kill other trees because the thick bark insulates the living tissue.

Creating Defensible Space

Clear dry brush, trim trees near your home, remove dead wood, and create firebreaks. Firebreaks are strips of cleared land (ideally 3-10 metres wide) that can stop or slow a ground fire. Keep your access road clear — it’s your escape route and the bombeiros’ (firefighters’) way in.

This might seem tedious, but it could literally save your home and life. I’ve watched fires move through the mountains here — the speed and intensity is terrifying. People die every summer in Portugal from wildfires. Take this seriously.

Positive aspects: Managing your land connects you to it deeply. You learn every corner, every tree. The cleared land around your home becomes a garden, an orchard, a space for living. And knowing you’ve done the work to protect your home brings real peace of mind.

Rural track leading to off-grid property in Portuguese mountains

Neighbours and Road Access

Road Access

Make sure your property has legal, reliable road access. It’s easy to overlook this when you’re enchanted by the view and the price, but without proper access, getting in and out becomes a nightmare.

Check if the access road is public (municipal) or private. Private roads may require right-of-way agreements with neighbours. Some properties are accessed via ancient footpaths that legally allow access but aren’t suitable for vehicles. Think about emergency access — can an ambulance or fire truck reach you? What about in winter when tracks turn to mud?

Many beautiful, cheap properties are cheap precisely because access is terrible. A 4x4 might get you there in summer, but in winter you could be walking the last kilometre carrying groceries. Romantic in theory, exhausting in practice.

Neighbours

Rural Portugal attracts all types, and your neighbours could be anyone. Meet them before you buy if possible.

Traditional Portuguese: Often elderly farmers who’ve lived there all their lives. Generally wonderful — they’ll share vegetables from their garden, help you with practical problems, and keep an eye on your place when you’re away. But they may also have fixed ideas about how things should be done, and burning rubbish or using pesticides in ways that might concern you. Language barriers can be challenging.

Other expats and off-gridders: This is where it gets interesting. You might find yourself next to:

∙ Conspiracy theorists who believe the government is controlling the weather and want to talk about it. Constantly.

∙ Party animals who came for the cheap property and freedom, hosting loud gatherings until 4am. Sound travels incredibly far in quiet valleys.

∙ Spiritual seekers who’ve found The Truth and feel compelled to convert you — whether that’s plant medicine ceremonies, specific gurus, or elaborate belief systems. Some are lovely. Some have no boundaries.

∙ Survivalists and preppers stockpiling for societal collapse. Sometimes fascinating, sometimes concerning.

∙ Genuine back-to-the-landers doing amazing permaculture work who become lifelong friends and collaborators.

∙ People escaping something — debts, exes, legal troubles, reality — who bring their chaos with them.

∙ Wealthy remote workers who’ve priced locals out and have very different ideas about “community.”

This isn’t judgement — off-grid life attracts people looking for alternatives, which means unconventional characters. Most are harmless and interesting. But I’ve seen communities torn apart by interpersonal drama, and I’ve seen people buy property next to someone who made their life miserable.

Do your homework. Visit at different times of day and week. Talk to people. Trust your instincts about energy and dynamics.

The beautiful side: When you find good neighbours, they become family. We share tools, labour, produce, childcare, and support. We show up for each other in crises. This human connection is one of the greatest rewards of rural off-grid life — deeper and more real than most friendships in conventional life.

Cleared land and firebreak around off-grid home in Portugal for wildfire prevention

Growing Food, and working the Land

Growing your own food is a huge part of off-grid living — and one of its greatest pleasures. But it requires understanding your land.

Know Your Soil

Portuguese soils vary enormously. Granite regions (much of the north and centre) tend toward acidic, thin, stony soil. Schist areas can be more fertile. River valleys often have deeper, richer earth. Limestone areas have alkaline soil.

Test your soil early — pH, organic matter content, and nutrients. Simple test kits are available, or send samples to a laboratory for detailed analysis. Your local agricultural extension office (Direção Regional de Agricultura) can often help.

What Grows Well

Portugal’s climate is perfect for Mediterranean crops:

∙ Olives — mature trees are incredibly drought-hardy and produce for centuries

∙ Grapes — for wine, eating, or raisins

∙ Figs — almost no care required once established

∙ Citrus — in frost-free areas (coastal and southern)

∙ Almonds, walnuts, chestnuts — depending on your region

∙ Stone fruits — peaches, plums, cherries in cooler areas

∙ Vegetables — summer tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, courgettes are easy; winter brings cabbages, kale, broad beans, garlic

The challenges: Summer drought is the big one. Without irrigation, most annual vegetables won’t survive July and August. Water management — whether drip irrigation from stored water, swales to capture winter rain, or mulching to retain moisture — becomes essential knowledge.

Winter can surprise you too. Inland areas get frost, sometimes hard frost. Citrus and other tender plants need protection or won’t survive.

The joy: Eating food you’ve grown, from soil you’ve improved, watered by rain you’ve collected — it tastes different. Better. You understand seasonality viscerally. A tomato in August becomes a celebration, not an expectation.

Living off-grid means sharing your space with wildlife. This is one of the joys — and occasional challenges — of the life.

The Magic

Portugal’s biodiversity is remarkable. You’ll see deer (veado) at dawn, wild boar (javali) rooting through the forest, foxes trotting past your window. Birds of prey — eagles, buzzards, kites — soaring overhead. Hoopoes with their punk-rock crests. Nightingales that sing you to sleep.

At night, the soundscape shifts — owls hunting, frogs calling from streams, the distant bark of a fox. On clear nights, you hear the silence beneath the sounds, a quality of stillness that doesn’t exist in populated areas.

I’ve photographed kingfishers on the river, bee-eaters in summer, genets (a cat-like creature) ghosting through moonlight. These encounters never become ordinary.

The Creatures to Know About

But it’s not all Disney. Some wildlife demands respect and awareness.

Processionary Caterpillars (Lagarta do Pinheiro): These are serious. In late winter/early spring, you’ll see their white silky nests in pine trees. The caterpillars themselves are covered in tiny barbed hairs that cause severe allergic reactions — intense itching, rashes, and potentially serious respiratory problems if inhaled. They’re extremely dangerous to dogs — a curious sniff can cause the tongue to swell, potentially fatally.

Learn to identify the nests and remove them carefully (burn them, don’t touch with bare hands). Keep dogs away from pine forests in caterpillar season (typically February-April). If you or a pet has a reaction, seek medical/veterinary help immediately.

Scorpions: Portuguese scorpions (Buthus occitanus) are small and their sting, while painful, isn’t dangerous to healthy adults — comparable to a wasp sting. But they love hiding in dark places: shoes, clothes left on the floor, under stones, in woodpiles. Shake out your boots before putting them on. Check gloves before gardening. They’re most active at night in warm months.

Centipedes (Escolopendra): The large Mediterranean centipede delivers a painful bite that can cause swelling, fever, and in rare cases severe reactions. They’re fast, aggressive when disturbed, and hide in similar places to scorpions. Treat with caution.

Snakes: Portugal has several snake species, most harmless. The viper (víbora) is the only seriously venomous one — recognisable by its triangular head, vertical pupils, and zigzag pattern. Bites are rare but can be serious. Learn to identify them. Most snakes will flee if given the chance — stamp your feet when walking in long grass.

Wild Boar: Generally avoid humans, but sows with piglets can be aggressive. They can also devastate gardens overnight — a herd of boar can rooter up an entire vegetable patch in hours. Fencing helps but needs to be serious.

Positive perspective: Learning to coexist with wildlife is part of off-grid education. You develop awareness, respect, and a sense of being part of an ecosystem rather than apart from it. Check your shoes, watch where you put your hands, and you’ll be fine. The wildlife is part of what makes this life rich.

Wildlife in the Portuguese countryside near off-grid homestead

What Off-Grid Life Really Feels Like

Off-grid living isn’t a fairytale. Let’s be real about both sides.

The Challenges

Isolation is real. When you’re 40 minutes from the nearest town, on a rough track, up a mountain — you feel it. Beautiful days make it worthwhile. Rainy November weeks when the track is mud, you’re alone, and the internet isn’t working — that’s when you question everything. Have support systems. Plan town trips. Maintain friendships.

Internet in rural Portugal ranges from adequate to non-existent. 4G coverage has improved, and Starlink has been a game-changer for many off-gridders. But expect outages, slow speeds, and frustration if you need reliable connectivity.

Healthcare requires planning. Know where your nearest health centre (Centro de Saúde) and hospital are. Keep a first aid kit stocked. In emergencies, it might take an ambulance a long time to reach you — or they might not be able to reach you at all. This is a serious consideration, especially as you age.

Everything takes longer. A trip to buy screws becomes half a day. Repairs that a city tradesman would do in an hour require calling, waiting, travelling, waiting more. You learn patience, or you go mad.

The Rewards

Fresh air that tastes different. Sleep so deep you forget what insomnia felt like. Waking to birdsong instead of traffic. Looking up at night and seeing the Milky Way so clearly it takes your breath away.

The profound connection to seasons that city life erases. You know when the almonds will blossom, when the swallows return, when the first rains come. Your body attunes to rhythms older than civilisation.

Self-reliance that builds genuine confidence. When you’ve fixed your own water system, generated your own power, grown your own food — you know you can handle things. That knowing changes you.

Time. Off-grid life strips away so much busy-ness. You find hours you didn’t know existed. What you do with them is up to you.

When buying land in Portugal, size matters more than most expect.

Too Large

That 10-hectare property for €50,000 seems incredible value. But can you actually manage it? Ten hectares of neglected land in fire-prone Portugal isn’t an asset — it’s a liability. You’ll need equipment (tractor, brush cutter, chainsaw), fuel, time, and physical energy. Or you’ll need to pay someone to maintain it, which adds up fast.

I’ve seen people buy huge properties, become overwhelmed, and either burn out or let it become a fire hazard that threatens neighbours.

Too Small

Very small plots (under half a hectare) may mean close proximity to neighbours, limited privacy, and less room for projects. If you want food production, animals, or expansion potential, you’ll feel constrained.

Terrain Matters

Flat land is easier to manage and build on, but might drain poorly, flood in winter, or offer less privacy. It’s also often more expensive because it’s more useful agriculturally.

Sloped land is common and cheap in mountainous Portugal. Terracing (socalcos) is the traditional solution — those stone-walled terraces you see everywhere exist for good reason. But building on slopes is complicated, access can be difficult, and erosion is a constant battle.

Forested land provides wood, privacy, and beauty but requires ongoing management and carries fire risk. Rocky land might be cheap but limits what you can grow.

The Balance

Most people find 1-4 hectares manageable for a homestead without full-time land management. Enough for a home, garden, orchard, and some woodland or pasture. Small enough to know intimately; large enough to feel spacious.

Visit in winter, not just summer. See how the land handles rain. Check sun exposure — north-facing slopes stay cold and dark much longer. Talk to neighbours about water sources, fire history, flooding.

Alex Sully with his dog at off-grid home in Portugal

Portugal’s off-grid life comes with incredible highs — beautiful mountains, rich wildlife, warm community spirit — but also some lows like seasonal fires, occasional isolation, and bureaucracy.

Weather-wise, winters are mild but can be wet, summers dry and hot. Wildlife includes everything from deer and wild boar to amazing bird species and the odd snake or scorpion in your house . It’s a different pace of life, slower and more connected.

Final Thoughts

Moving off-grid in Portugal is a real adventure — hard work, slow progress, but ultimately freeing. It’s about stepping back, simplifying, and reconnecting.

If you’re ready to commit to this way of life, it will change you deeply.

I’ve spent years looking for life beyond the hum of power-lines, the glare of streetlights, schedules driven by convenience. It’s a journey many of us imagine: unplugged, simple, wild. But walking that path is more complex — richer, yes, but not romantic all the time.

Here’s what I’ve learned about off-grid life — the good, the hard, and what most people don’t tell you.

The Allure

Walking into wild places, watching clouds drift across hills, living by the rhythm of sun and seasons — there’s nothing quite like it. Off-grid living is its own kind of poetry: birdsong in place of traffic, nights lit by stars, days shaped by what the land and weather allow.

For many, it’s the promise of independence — less dependency on bills, less stress over rising utility costs. It’s about aligning values: sustainability, minimalism, living lightly.

The Hidden Costs

But alongside the magic, there are shadows.

• Infrastructure: Solar panels, batteries, wind turbines — these cost money, require maintenance, fail in storms. Rainwater collection requires filters; compost-toilets need tending. Everything you do yourself takes time and skills.

• Comforts and Conveniences: Expect cold mornings. Heating takes work. Showers may depend on sun. In winter, daylight is fleeting, and living off-grid can feel relentless.

• Legal & Logistical Hurdles: Planning permission, building regulations, water rights — what seems simple often involves red tape. Sourcing materials and transport to remote places adds cost and complexity.

• Isolation: The quiet is beautiful... until you need help, or a doctor, or decent internet. Community matters more than you think.

  
  

  What Makes It Worth It

Even so, many days make everything worthwhile:

• When you cook from what you grew or harvested

• When you sleep deeply at night because of silence

• When winter’s firewood feels earned, and spring’s blossoms feel like blessings

Off-grid isn’t about escaping life. It’s about choosing it, making the choices visible, taking responsibility for comfort, risk, and joy.

Practical Advice If You’re Thinking of Doing It

If you’re drawn to this life, here are some pointers:

• Start small. Try weekends away, build a tiny off-grid structure first. Learn what skills you need: solar, water systems, wood heating, basic carpentry.

• Build systems. Solar & battery, water collection, backup generator / alternative heating. Redundancy is your friend.

• Plan for seasons. Winters are the test. Heavy rain, snow, cold temps — these will show you where systems fail.

• Stay connected in community. Even in remote places, find likeminded people — for ideas, barter, emotional support.

• Know the regulations. Always check local laws, permits, environmental rules.

The Myth vs. My Story

Many expect off-grid to be pure escape. But I’ve found it’s as much about facing what you left behind: consumer demands, endless noise, the assumption that more is better.

I didn’t come to off-grid for perfection. I came to pay attention. To live with fewer distractions, more meaning. That imperfect, demanding life has given me something deeper: a trust in myself, in seasons, in struggle and reward.

Off-grid living is not a quick escape. It’s a long conversation with nature, community, endurance, and our own expectations.

For those who feel the pull: don’t rush. Test, learn, adapt. Trust is built slowly — by doing what’s hard, by showing up when it’s cold and messy.

If you’re ready, though, the wilderness waits. And there’s more than enough beauty to make the cost feel worth it.

For cool properties , check out Pure Portugal website . Or visit my website wylderoots.org for help and assistance on your journey going forward.

Sunset over off-grid life in rural Portugal