Update:

Just a brief update to compliment my last post. I went to the Camara Municipal and got unlucky, because I ran into somebody who doesn't speak English and didn't seem like they were actually trying to help me. She sent me to Junta de Freguesia in Campolide to get a Atestado de Residencia. Junta de Freguesia tells me to go to Financas (there is one in the Loja de Cidadao that I mentioned earlier) to certify my rental contract and get a contribution number. She also informs me that this will take at least 2 days and mentioned a 50€ fee. At this point I ask the lady I was dealing with whether she would be willing to speak to a friend of mine to explain the situation to her in Portuguese just to make sure I understand everything correctly. After about 5 minutes on the phone she confirms that I don't need all these documents to get a NIF and that I can get a NIF with solely my passport. Also my real estate agent has been on the phone with Financas to confirm this, which she did, but she told me that in any case I want to apply for a NIF for non-residents in Portugal and also say that I do not intend to work in Portugal. If you tell them this and they tell you otherwise, it is simply not true. I have confirmed this now through multiple sources: Google, Junta de Freguesia and Financas.
On a final note:

Damm seems like a lot of hassle as non-eu. Where are most of u guys located ? Most important for me is that i have everything close by. Like that i can wake up,go to the market for food or eat out,do some sports,getting back into surfing and have a good nightlife,casinos in the area is also a +. Ill be prolly spending the whole summer tough like december and if I like it I might move there for a long period and make it my official address aswell,dont think it should be hard as an eu citizen ? Cheers

Just to clarify, I am a British citizen and it isn't a lot of hassle. You just need to know who to speak to and what to say and to know your rights, then it's easy.
Registering for permanent residency may or may not be tricky, depending on what documents you need etc., but in general I think once you have a NIF you can rent for the long term if you want. You just might need certain documentation depending on what kind of health insurance you get and such things and they might be more work.

Haha @isaacasimov ,what part of GB? all countries are pretty annoying for these kinds of things but I've heard Portuguese system is a shambles from friends.I don't think it was arrogant regarding language etc just logic,and I do find after a bit of research before I go in to an govt office I usually know more than the civil servant regarding documentation and rights..they are lazy in general as they have mind numbing jobs and I can't blame them.I only know more because I'm lazier and want no hassle.at least you have a landlord with common sense you weren't under any real pressure.Portuguese do love their dance,my friend here always wanted to go out to salsa night and **** and all the other Portuguese were like 90% more likely than other euros to agree oh yeah I forgot about your blog.****st have a nose! @Tabasco. Anywhere between cascais and Lisbon dude..you have beaches close,estoril casino,and Lisbon withing 15..just decide what's your number 1 priority..beaches,poker,nightlife..then you are closest to what you wanna do more and the joy of Lisbon is than none of the others are very far away..personally I think this is better over algarve.

yeah made my mind on Cascais ! Thanks ! Is there a skype group or something of players living in portugal atm ? Might come down like for a week to check out places and stuff before I make the move.

Also anyone an idea about the avg price for a golf membership ?

I went to Portugal once, Lagos. A guy got murdered in the apartment next door whilst we were there. I will never forget the smell of rotting flesh.

Apart from that though it was actually one of my favourite holidays ever. Nice country, cool people and it hasn't been taken over by knob-head Brits.

I'm from London originally. Spent most of my life in Austria, recently lived for a year on the Channel Islands (Guernsey).

Cool good spot.although the day I went to visit cascais I was in a huge care crash and they had to close the whole road between there and sintra haha golf membership is something I'll def have to do myself as I think I'll want to play 2-3 times a week at least(have given up because of the weather in Ireland last few years)not there til sept but if your there still im up for a game.im not sure on the Skype thing,I didn't even think to check that.good idea

Went to school there and lived there for 3-4 years.the dude who's driving over to pt with me is a guy from my class there actually.I've heard the channel islands are awesome.I've not been to Austria or Italy yet on mainland Europe.really wanna go to both for a few weeks,I think I can travel easily Around from pt

Cheers for your sunshine filled review of Portugal! Even if the sunshine was just used to rot the flesh

I think best is maybe to fly to Munich and then go to Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary and Czech Republic. It's all super close, you could just rent a car and drive around.

Been to Germany and Switzerland a bunch of times...great places imo.. Hungary is already a near future dest for me as I'm gonna go there for dental work as Ireland is a rip off compared.really wanna go to Prague too.heard great things

deff in to golf 2-3 times a week! One of the best ways to blow of some steam from poker

Let me know how the search for membership goes price wise.golf is a seriously underated hobby.oh and the Skype group.I'd be interested in that down the road.might be the best way to meet people and try learn the lingo

I'll be in vilamoura from Saturday for a week could anyone tell me where to find some cash games? How often they run? Stakes available and rake?

Doesn't sound like there's that much going on in Portugal in the cash scene..but I think there is a list of places somewhere in this thread...around the start if I'm not mistaken..

anyone interested in a portugal skype chat ? For people living in portugal atm and people moving/interested in moving to portugal ?

either zon or meo are good solid isps.

i know people who hate or love either one, so the experience its a little bit personal and area related.

fwiw i have zon for ages, and im happy with the service overall.

Yea, I feel like I am hearing people say this is bad and this is good and vice versa. In the end I went with what a local poker player, not too far away from me, told me he uses and is satisfied with: sapo fibra http://net.sapo.pt/fibra/tarifarios. I don't watch television, so just Internet is fine for me and what I wanted. Will see how the service is.

Portuguese burocracy can be a nightmare and things are way better than they were 10 years ago. But this economical recession is putting a blow on everything and that goes to public services as well.


Dont get them mixed. Pastel de Belém is not the same as Pastel de Nata.
They are both great but there is only one Pastel de Belém. That place is a killer ans a well-oiled money making machine.

is surfing is a big plus, almost nothing beats Ericeira in Portugal.

Haha yeah my Portuguese roommates told me all about the bureaucracy nightmare there and also were very clear between the distinction between pastel de NATA and pastel de Belem.it was like my mum threatening to wash my mouth out with soap.I also stopped in a place In Sintra that invented another sweet thing..I can't remember the name.they sold them at a concert I went to in campo pequeno too.get like 10-15 in a pack..went well with my beer!

those are another killer pastries. they are called "travesseiros da piriquita" and they are one of the best around here.

others sweets in Sintra are called "queijadinhas de sintra" and are also sweet and great. i bet it was either one of them...

welcome to kizomba baby!