Living in a rural town or village can be both rewarding and challenging. Often, people are surrounded by natural beauty and undisturbed by noisy city life. However, being far away from a city center means that there are fewer jobs and less diversity in people, culture and perspectives.
The Portuguese countryside is full of either dry brush or farmland. One of the main exports of Portugal is cork, which comes from cork trees. Also, there are lots of olive trees used for making oil.
These crops provide people with a sustainable source of income to sustain their daily needs. People here still farm the land or work in small shops and services within the nearest town. There is something very peaceful about being far away from dense civilization and the people who live here enjoy a wide range of flora, fauna and spectacular views.
Living far away from a major city makes it difficult if you are sick and need to see a good doctor. In addition, sometimes groceries are more expensive or have less of a variety because there are not as many options for shopping.
