Kids aren’t actually that bad, though, as they tend to go to bed at the exact same time every night, so the noisy times are a bit more predictable. Kids also tend to drop things a lot, which can be incredibly noisy when they bounce off the tiles. It can feel like some parents just let their kids run back and forth across the floor all day. Neighbours with children can also be a noise issue if the parents aren’t considerate of their immediate neighbours, especially those below. In reality, they’re often just moving a chair but when it scrapes off the tiles or floorboards, it can sometimes sound like they’re moving a wardrobe. In both Spain and Portugal, it often sounds like your upstairs neighbours is walking around in stilettos and constantly rearranging their furniture. In terms of neighbourly noise, the worst area for noise is usually from the neighbours directly upstairs. Get the book Moving to Portugal Made Simple from Amazon. Wish moving to Portugal was a little more simple? Earplugs, especially those with a high NRR rating, help too. A good pair of noise-cancelling earphones with some music or even white noise like the sound of rain or a fan is perfect for daytime studying or working as well. You mightn’t get rid of them completely, but you should be able to sleep. Thankfully, most of those noises can be drowned out with a good pair of earplugs, a fan, or a white noise machine. (Some is the key word here – it can really vary, depending on the age and construction of the apartment). Usually, the sound is muffled so you can’t quite hear everything, although in some apartments you can hear conversations word-for-word. Sitting in some apartments, it’s not uncommon to hear your neighbours chatting, watching TV, arguing, or doing other things that you mightn’t particularly want to hear. For those that are sensitive to noise, wake up easily, or are going to be working from home a lot, it should be a consideration when renting or buying a property.

And while there are things you can do to stay warm in Portuguese apartments, it’s very hard to solve noise problems. This means that not only can they be absolutely freezing during the winter months, but noise travels between apartments very easily as well.

Apartments and houses in Portugal lack insulation.

Best white noise machine for apartments