markek

Me (especially) and family (wife and 2 young girls 10 and 3) are looking to move from UK. Coimbra matches quite a lot of our criteria (on paper at least), but I really can't stand hot and humid weather. The stats suggest it could be like that in summer, but would love to hear from someone living there please? If it is, does it improve much a short distance N/S/W/E?
Thanks

Also, my wife's Japanese - would you say IYO that her and our kids are likely to be looked at weirdly? We live in S London where generally speaking (though always some bigots) you'd have to be v v weird-looking to get much adverse attention, at school or anywhere else. Of course, we don't expect the same ethnic mix that mostly dissolves differences as here, but for us it is a concern that our kids especially may be seen as very 'other'. Any inklings on that, besides the point that it's an individual thing? For Coimbra or elsewhere in Portugal? Would like to avoid major cities but still find a mixed community if possible.

Thinking of an exploratory foray in near future. Just came back from a similar trip to Languedoc-Roussillon in France and debating experiences, but overall feel we need to keep looking - FAST for various reasons.

Any advice v gratefully received

Mark

newintavira

London is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, so it's not going to be the same, and I have to admit I have been surprised by some depressingly backward attitudes to race (and sexuality) since I've been in the Algarve (albeit only occasionally). That said, I'd be very surprised if you didn't feel welcome - there are Asian communities all over Portugal, and I would imagine Coimbra is quite multicultural, being an international destination for students.

In answer to your other question, you'd be hard pressed to find a part of Portugal that doesn't get really hot at some points of the year, but broadly speaking it will get cooler the further North you go, with more extremes of temperature as you move inland...

markek

Hi, thanks

Dry heat I can deal with ok, but heat plus humidity sends me a bit nuts. Any idea about that?

cheers

mfesharne

I've only been here in Portugal for 2 1/2 years & live about an hour from Coimbra but for what it's worth, although we've had hot weather, it's never been anywhere near the humidity levels of some parts of Africa I've spent time in.

As for racism. I've never noticed any of it here....... From my (albeit limited) experience, most of the Portuguese seem to be very easy going in that respect.

Ukkram

I have been checking the climate out in PT for a long time. I also cannot tolerate heat and high humidity. The higher you go in PT, the greener it gets but this does not mean that it gets cooler as the humidity goes higher.
I would suggest the coastal area in the north.
That is where I will be in May. Near the sea with the cool sea breeze.

mfesharne

Coastal areas are always going to be higher humidity than the (inland) mountains for the obvious reason.

markek

Thanks all; so basically Coimbra being pretty high up it can be unpleasantly humid there in summer months; higher ground increasing rather than lowering the heat and humidity.
Thanks for tips on other stuff too.

gedscottish

I live in the north, inland and in the peak of summer it is frequently over 38 degrees(43 being highest I have seen) however I certainly don't think I would discribe anywhere in portugal humid in the summer.
As for racism, I have not seen any of that since I left the UK

Centralbound

Coimbra good on paper, disappointing in reality. It's a mediocre small city with just a few gems.

In your position I would move to Lisbon. Good quality of life, employment exists, culture and food good. Also Portugal has links with Japan going back 500 years and there's a museum, small Japanese diaspora etc in Lisbon.

Portugal is hot in the Summer, humid in Winter.

mfesharne

Maybe my expectations are lower than yours because I lived in Africa for years but I reckon Coimbra is great.

It's got everything you could want or need but isn't so big it's a schlep to get around it........ I will say finding everything sometimes isn't easy because the small businesses tend not to advertise much but the same can be said of anywhere else in Portugal.

markek

Thanks for more advice. Yes Lisbon has more multicultural pros, but I assume higher crime rate in bigger place that we'd prefer to leave behind. Like too being easier to get around as mentioned.
Also to be clear: hot is fine; but hot-and-humid (sauna) - yuck. Any clarity on that? Wet winters aren't so bad: used to them!
Cheers.

mfesharne

I've spent months on end living under canvas in the Selous Game Reserve of Tanzania which is as you say, like living in a sauna but haven't had anything that comes even close to that here in Figueiro Dos Vinhos where it tends to be a fairly dry heat...... not as dry as the Kalahari but easily comfortable....... but I guess the truth is the only way for you to be certain is to come and give it a try for a month or two of the summer season.

As for winter rains, last winter was the wettest for about 80 years and was a royal PITA but I'm told most winters aren't anything like as bad. - I hope they're right! LOL

barlaventoexpert

If you are looking to move to Coimbra, it probably means you are looking at working in the area.

I would suggest that you look at living somewhere in the environs of Coimbra, like Lousa, which being higher up the Serra benefits from slightly cooler climes.

The roads in the area are being improved and commuting to Coimbra proper would only take 30 minutes or so.

As regards foreign nationals, and especially persons of Japanese origins, Portugal was the first Western Nation to make contact with Japan back in the 1500's and the country has a long history of contact and interchanges with Asia.

Most Portuguese don't blink twice when they meet someone of Asian or African origin....its been part of their culture for over 500 years. I know Portuguese cafe owners here who keep an eye on the kids of neighbouring Chinese shop owners and v.v.

Nowhere is perfect, but Portugal is one of the most laid countries I know as regards multi-culturalism.

I like Coimbra but I think living a little way out in a smaller community might appeal.

Centralbound

It's hot, sustained low 40s in full Summer, but rarely humid hot.

Winters are wet, and have been historically. From the Tejo up to the Spanish North coast about a metre of rain falls per year, mostly in Winter. There is change though, and instead of the long rainy seasons of lightish rain we are now getting, in the centre at least, intense rains. I hope that's a blip and not a new normal.

Don't agree with Lousã either. Pretty enough in the centre and dead cheap but nothing at all to do evenings and weekends. There is a lot of tedium in the sticks in the Centro, and you are either able to go with it or it grates. I've been both!

joseph69

Miranda do Corvo..That will be a good Place...to move too..
Jose