bejaboz

I'd agree with mfesharne and ouriquejan. Lower Alentejo is very pleasant and much lower in costs compared to Algarve both for property and living.


Vey friendly local people and not too far if you want to go to the coast. A bit warm in high summer and can be quite cold in winter, but overall, a good climate.


We have spent 10 very happy years near Ourique, having just sold our property as we are now in our 70/80s. We were sad to leave, but practicalities eventually have to take priority, such as obtaining car hire when you're older.


As has been said, take the time to look at the areas that are the nearest match to your requirements.


I wish you luck and happy times.

paulpud

I quite like the idea of doing something like this. If we did find an area and a property that we were sure about we'd most likely spend all of our future holiday weeks coming over to do a little fixing up and get used to being there until we relocated.



Thank you.

In our case I think there are a lot more positives than negatives for looking outside the Algarve. We live in a semi-rural village now so are quite used to the quiet life that we have, and we'd want something along those lines in Portugal.

The climate would still be a big improvement on what we have here and the lower costs will help us eke out our retirement fund.

macliam

I've known Portugal for over 25 years and I've travelled just about everywhere. Then I spent 7 years coming across 3 or 4 times a year and travelling all over looking at places and houses. My FiL lived near Agueda, but I ruled out the area north of Lisbon for me - although Obidos was nice. I did a couple of trips along the Algarve, looking at places close to the Spanish border and inland - and seriously considered buying an apartment in Tavira. I did the Costa Vincentina, but I've been there in winter and know the humidity. I looked A LOT around Marvao, but it's just too far (especially in winter). I almost bought a place in Avis (it fell through) - my BiL then bought a place just outside.

Then I gave up and decided to go home for a change (hadn't been back to Ireland since the 90s). Out of the blue, Mrs "non-techy" SWMBO finds our current place on the internet! Shock! She decided to visit and loved it - I followed and ditto. Not an area we'd considered, but fine for us....

So, I agree - visit, visit and visit - work out what you need, what you want - what you don't and check out zones/areas. Don't overstretch, a swimming pool is great if you swim a lot - but it costs and needs maintenance. Land, ditto. Extra space/buildings, ditto. Look at cheap, out of season local hotels, eat in local restaurants, check out the facilities. In the end you'll find something.

ouriquejan

We stayed in the Romba Hotel in Ourique many times. Clean, very friendly and very reasonable. Also in Castro Verde, there are a couple of hotels. Bit more pricey though.

For food, we use the Palma restaurant quite a lot, also the Escondidinho, both very good and very good prices.

Just come over, look around and then as we've all said, look again.

Good luck.

Well done on selling Bejaboz, that's taken a while, but all the best for the future.

paulpud

We have given some of this a bit of thought already.

A swimming pool is a definite no - I swim like a brick and my other half wouldn't use it anywhere near enough to warrant the maintenance costs. We do want some outside space and a garden would be favourable, but we're all too aware that land requires upkeep and as we get older we might not be quite so willing and able to do it.

Although we're actually staying on the Algarve, the reason we decided to come over to have a look around in December is so that we could see places without the added gloss of perfect weather and I expect we'll be coming over a few times more next year as well.

macliam

Ourique is less than an hour up the IC1 from Albufeira.....

paulpud

The current plan is to look at a few areas maybe within 1 to 2 hours drive of where we're staying and at some point spend 2 or 3 days further north around Lisbon and Silver Coast areas so I'm sure we'll be able to take a look at Ourique.

ouriquejan

Give a shout when you come over paulpud and we can always have a coffee in Ourique.

paulpud

Thanks, we'll take you up on that