In a feature on the region, the Manchester Evening News said that it is now a "serious rival" to the Algarve.

The paper noted that the property possibilities include developments such as the 1,000 townhouses and apartments around the Bom Successo golf course, which include some with grassed roofs.

Other local attractions listed include the watersports, the many historic buildings and the proximity of Lisbon, which can be reached in a day trip.

The roofs on the buildings may be just one green element of homes in which people can invest in Portugal.

Renewable energy is becoming an increasingly prominent way for the country to generate electricity, with this including the world's first multi-unit wave farm, the Pelamis project at Agucadoura.