Our journey from Mud to Magic of owning a pool in Portugal

Thinking about installing a pool at your Portuguese property? We share the honest truth about our above ground pool — from clearing bramble-covered ruins to pool cleaning and our first swim, plus the maintenance headaches nobody warns you about. 🏊 In this video: 0:00 — Why we built a pool in central Portugal 0:36 — The ruin before: overgrown with brambles 1:29 — The positives AND negatives of pool ownership 1:48 — Draining the pool after winter (our big mistake) 2:41 — Algae disasters & chlorine shock treatment 3:36 — Nicola's first swim of the year in 36°C heat 5:01 — Swimming during a wildfire (true story) 6:53 — Dave jumps in fully clothed! After 18 months of pool ownership in Portugal, here's what we've learned — the ups and downs, the cleaning, and whether it's actually worth it for retired expats. We're Nicola and Dave, a retired British couple who left the UK in 2018 to renovate a property in central Portugal. If you're navigating the Portuguese property market, considering retiring abroad, or just love honest DIY renovation content, subscribe to follow the journey. You will also learn what life in central Portugal is like as you follow our day by day adventures. 💬 Got a pool on your wish list? Drop your questions in the comments — we read every one. #PoolLife #PortugalLiving #ExpatLife #DIYRenovation #AboveGroundPool #RetiredInPortugal #PortugueseSummer