For years, web designer Simon Cook didn’t regard Portugal as a bold adventure. It was a quiet, recurring conversation at home. Simon’s wife is from Madeira, so Portugal was already part of their family story. Add in two teenage children, a busy daily routine in the Thames Valley, and a growing desire for a new chapter, and the idea of moving to Portugal kept returning, not as a fantasy, but as a lifestyle change that might actually work.
The family built their relationship with Portugal over time, through holidays to Madeira and the mainland. They visited enough times that they “had a rough idea of where we might like to relocate” and gradually wishing became planning.
Of course, planning a move is one thing. Doing it, especially with young teenagers in tow, is quite another. Simon is honest about the emotional impact of leaving behind familiar places. “I have only ever lived in the Thames Valley,” he explains. “I was born in Reading in Berkshire, and apart from a brief time in Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames, have been living there all my life.”
Simon emphasises that the move was not about rejecting the UK but about choosing something new while the family had the energy, curiosity and time to make it count.
Living and working in Portugal
Simon is the Creative Director and Founder of DUAL Digital, a website design and branding company, and most of his clients are still UK-based. He moved knowing the work could travel with him. “I still continue to run my design agency remotely,” he says, and “not much has changed” in terms of client delivery. The difference is what surrounds his working day: the pace, the setting, and the way life feels once his laptop closes.
Longer term, Simon also sees Portugal as an opportunity. He hopes to work with Portuguese businesses too, particularly brands that already think internationally or want to reach English-speaking markets with clarity and confidence.
Turning plans into reality
What helped turn Simon’s moving idea into a real plan was getting the right advice early, from people who do this every day. Simon attended the Moving to Portugal Show in London in 2025 and met Raquel de Matos Esteves from RME Legal, a law firm in Portugal that works closely with clients planning a move.
As Simon puts it, they have been “helping me” through the process. For many would-be movers, this is the moment everything shifts, when the move stops being late-night research and becomes a set of steps with proper support behind it.
Finding the right location
Simon’s family chose to move to Guimarães, a beautiful and fast-growing city in the north of Portugal. It’s the first time they have lived in a city, and they love how easy it is to live well there. “Everything is walkable,” Simon says, meaning life feels simpler and the day opens up. Simon now spends less time commuting and more time living.
Guimarães provides a strong base for weekends and exploring. The historic city of Porto is close by and the coast is within reach. The world-famous national park of Peneda-Gerês is there for space, fresh air, and a reset. The family have found city life with room to breathe.
The move wasn’t effortless. Simon is clear that the hardest part was the children changing schools, which is what most parents worry about when moving abroad. But there is a hopeful twist: both teenagers are picking up Portuguese “quicker than I would have anticipated”. That early progress has helped the children feel capable and the family feel settled.
So, would Simon recommend Portugal to other English people thinking about making the same move? “Absolutely.” He points to the historic ties between Portugal and England, and a sense that the cultural fit is easier than people assume.
What is next for Simon is what many new residents do once they have landed in Portugal: explore more, not rush more. He describes the Braga area in the north of Portugal as still “quite undiscovered” by Brits, with plenty of places that reward curiosity. The family also wants to head further afield to explore the historic towns of Aveiro, Viseu and Coimbra.
In his view, the north of Portugal is ideal for people who want more than sun and sand, and are drawn to culture, history, and a place that feels lived in.
If Simon’s story resonates, join the Moving to Portugal Show in central London on March 26, 2026. You can speak directly with specialists clearly covering the topics that matter most for any move to Portugal, including legal matters, residency, property and lifestyle.
For more information, please contact the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in the UK: 00 44 7463 689666
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