Best Places to Live on the Silver Coast of Portugal

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What are the best Silver Coast towns to live in? When we were moving to Portugal from the US last year, we knew we wanted to move to the Silver Coast. We loved the beautiful beaches, the friendly people, and the laid back lifestyle. But narrowing our search down to the Silver Coast of Portugal was only the beginning. We still had to decide which area and town was right for us. In this video, we share our thoughts on some of the best places to live on the Silver Coast and why we think they are worth considering if you are planning a move to Portugal.
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👋🏻 ABOUT US
Hi, we’re Matt and Dawn, The Unretirees. As we approached the traditional retirement age, we realized we had no desire to retire. But we didn’t want to put off our dreams of living abroad and traveling the world, either. We decided to unretire abroad. We live on the Silver Coast of Portugal and work remotely. Subscribe to our channel for more content about expat life, remote work, and travel and adventure over 50.

[@TheUnretirees]

Let us know if you have any questions about the Silver Coast. We're not experts but we will do our best to help!

[@TheUnretirees]

@@deepakkamble6603 Thanks for watching. Our kids are grown, so schooling isn't an issue for us in Portugal. However, this article may be helpful: www.globalcitizensolutions.com/international-schools-in-portugal/#types-of-international-schools-in-portugal. For public schools, it's probably best to contact the school directly: www.aen.pt/index.php/agrupamento/quem-somos/contactos. In terms of healthcare, we've had routine appointments without a problem. We use Serenity as a health service and they assist in setting up appointments with English-speaking medical professionals. We have found them very helpful. Thanks!

[@thepeacefulpack]

We moved from Canada to Portugal 3 years ago with 3 dogs and 1 cat...because of our animals we had to purchase immediately and ended up choosing Obidos (8 min to center of Caldas). Coimbra was just too hot for us, so we chose the silver coast. We love the vacation villa and very blessed with the timing of purchase, only it's completely car dependent and I don't drive. So we ended up buying a very modern townhouse beside the castle so I could walk to everything (doctor, dentist, restaurants, grocery, gym, etc) Absolutely love it. We love Nazare, Peniche, For do Arelho, Salir do Porto, etc...oh and Lourinha, love, love, love going for dinner to Areal Beach bar at sunset in Lourinha. Highly recommend. Nazare has an exceptional sunset spot too. The one big downside with the silver coast...which is a blessing as well...moisture and rain. Definitely will need dehumidifiers for sure! For this reason we are now looking for a winter place in Albufeira. It's insanely fun there and full of tourists during the summer and much quieter during winter. So for anyone looking to move to Portugal...just remember to research all the different micro climates and choose the one that suits you best! Thank you for sharing and look forward to following your unretirement!

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for adding your thoughts @thepeacefulpack and, yes, for a lot of Portugal outside of Lisbon and Porto it seems that a car is helpful. We love Obidos and glad it's working out for you. We picked up some dehumidifiers before last winter and it made such a difference.

[@ocean1233]

Walkabout....Sounds great!!

[@TheUnretirees]

It is great!

[@scottmacconnell470]

Agree with your assessment of these areas but I was surprised that you don’t include Aveiro.

[@TheUnretirees]

We love Aveiro, but there’s some debate about whether that’s considered Silver Coast or more greater Porto area. That’s the only reason we didn’t include it.

[@christinabayma119]

Great overview of some wonderful areas on the silver coast. We visited there last year on a scouting trip. Liked the area a lot. We stayed in Sao Martinho de Porto but also really loved Foz de Arelho and some stunning scenery in Péniche. There is a Continente just on the outskirts of Sao Martinho btw.

[@TheUnretirees]

Yes, we think the Silver Coast is still an undiscovered gem of Portugal and glad you like it.

[@TA-iv2yz]

very good thank you

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@JenShea]

Olá Dawn & Matt, Boa Tarde. Great video!! Interesting to hear your experience and thoughts on the Silver Coast. I appreciate everything is from your personal point of view. I was surprised that you didn't mention Ericieira... most consider it to be the starting point of the 'Costa da Prata'. I've lived in the Peniche area... and absolutely LOVE it. I've been everywhere you mentioned, except Aviero (because as you mentioned, it is further up and it was rainy season). My experience was living in Atouguia da Baleia (Peniche parish), during the winter. I think Peniche is the perfect area (for me, again, sharing my own preferences), because you do have easy access to all the stores you could need and as a Canadian, from the Capital... driving a half hour in to Caldas is nothing. It's all about perspective, isn't it? The Portuguese will tell you otherwise. Peniche does have kilometres of beautiful beaches, from São Bernardino to Consolasão to all around Peniche, all the way to Baleal & up to Praia D'el Rey (so getting close to Vau). Peniche is famous for the fish (as it still remains a fishing port)... and has plenty of restaurants if you do like to eat out... but what I also love is that it still feels smaller and close to nature. It's also just a 20 minute drive to Lourinhã and Praia Areia Branca. Foz do Arelho & Nadadouro are also great places, and on my short list if I can't find something in Peniche or Lourinhã. The big difference is the fog in Foz. It often gets foggy... but it's walking distance to the Óbidos Lagoa. São Martinho is lovely but I wouldn't want to live there. Pretty for a visit. Caldas is an option for people without a car... you do have everything you need... but as someone who is a 9 hour drive from the ocean, I want to live ON the coast. And, loved Nazaré, but I found it a bit far from my favourite area... and other larger towns... although it is very close to Alcobaça, which is beautiful as well. Everything is subjective isn't. As you both mentioned, Matt likes Peniche, you like Vau or Foz. If you ever move, you'll find the right compromise :)

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @jenshea and for all your great thoughts! It’s really helpful for people considering this are to get many perspectives - our pros and cons may be someone else’s cons and pros! Thanks!

[@JenShea]

@@TheUnretirees So true! Nazaré is definitely a great area. If you like wide, open beaches it's fantastic (not so much my thing, I prefer the narrower beaches to walk along), with more rugged cliffs as well, but it is a fantastic place for little holidays I think, I just didn't get that 'oh, I'd live here' feeling... but then again, I did not visit where you live. I was down in the heart of old Nazaré and up in Sitio. I was fortunate enough to be there in February and saw the most magnificent waves which I captured at sunset... The winter sunsets in Portugal are beyond incredible... and that evening was one of the most spectacular I experienced. I have gorgeous sunsets I filmed in Sagres, Lourinhá, Baleal & Peniche and Nazaré! I'll have to spend a few days in Nazaré one day, for sure! Cheers ~

[@MirandaHorger]

I didn't know if you'd consider Aveiro as part of the Silver Coast, but we absolutely loved it. There's a nice sized green space, the streets seemed wide and open. And of course, Portuguese charm everywhere you look. The rain as you head further north is a consideration for sure. We're highly interested in the North, especially Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima. I understand there are many foot /cycling paths all throughout the region. Like you, a walkable daily life is a high priority.

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @MirandaHorger and we really like Aviero though we have only been there once. There is a lot of northern Portugal that we have yet to explore!

[@Cetan626]

Great information. The wife and I are getting ready to retire soon and have decided to move to Portugal. We've just started our scouting trips, so this was very helpful. We loved both the Caldas da Rainha and Figueira da Foz areas. Any chance you could do another video like this for the area north of Porto? That's our next scouting trip.

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @Cetan626 and we were just talking about the area north of Porto the other day-it is an area we have not yet been to. So it’s on our list for a future video!

[@alanmartins6349]

What's the most scenic restaurant in Foz do Arello, loved the video.

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks and we’ve only ever eaten at Cais de Praia there. We liked it, right on the beach/sandy lagoon, infinite parking.

[@DLUTT-gl2dr]

Nice content! Congratulations on your social media ventures. New subscriber from the South in USA. Im approaching retirement and taking a hard look at Portugal, but NOT Lisbon.

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks @DLUTT-gl2dr and a lot of people love Lisbon. For us, after living in NYC, we weren’t looking to jump into another big city so we’re happy where we are! What area are you thinking of?

[@StephenPortugal]

I'm enjoying your channel and your overviews of the silver coast, as well as your other tips and experiences. I live in Matosinhos and haven't been to the silver coast, other than a trip to Nazaré this winter during a big wave warning -- sadly no big waves, but we had a great lunch at Taste of India. Obrigado pelos vossos vídeos.

[@pedromaziluprata6712]

thats a great Indian restaurant in Nazare !

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @spkaiser1 and we haven’t been to Taste of India yet. So much to do and see, including seeing anything north of Porto like where you live. I’m sure we’ll get there!!

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @pedromaziluprata6712 and we’ve not been there yet but need to go

[@terrellmiller7361]

Another goldmine of info 😊 Obidos sound great...quiet area with lots of golf! Couple questions about the Peniche>Obidos areas: * for someone who's just learning Portuguese, how easy would it be for daily living until they become at least conversational? And are there in-person schools there? * how cold and humid are the winters? Might be a factor for sinuses and arthritis butbhopefully not deal breakers. * it sounds like a car would be very beneficial, more so than for places like Nazare? * how EV-friendly is the area? Muiyo obrigado!

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @terrellmiller7361 . In the Obidos area you can certainly get by without know much, if any, Portuguese. Most towns have free language classes that are held at schools in the evenings. In terms of weather, in Peniche/Obidos/Nazare it’s humid but in the summer it rarely gets above 75 Fahrenheit. In the winter, we run dehumidifiers pretty much 24x7 because it does get damp if you don’t. Most buildings and homes seem to be made of terra cotta bricks that are then skim coated with plaster/stucco and generally no moisture barrier.

[@TheUnretirees]

In terms of a car, you can get by without a car if you live in Nazaré or Obidos or Peniche - the bus system is pretty good. If you lived in a rural area, I’m not so sure. For EVs, there are a lot of electric vehicles and a lot of chargers around.

[@robertb3333]

Presentation was very informative and enjoyed it very much. My wife and I were in The Algarve in April on a scouting trip. We loved the area but were very concerned about the "tourism" aspect. The amount of yearly rain along the Silver Coast is a concern for us but we thought we would take a look. We're planning on visiting the Silver Coast in late October, early November. Looking for suggestions as to where to base our visit (would seem logical to stay somewhere in the middle) and if anyone has a good recommendation for a realtor/real estate company, to show us properties. I've look extensively at various companies online, but you can only glean so much. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @robertb3333 - we didn’t use a buyer’s agent when we bought our property here. In general, a listing agent will only show properties represented by his or her company, so we worked with three or four agents when we looked for our place. A buyer’s agent may be able to avoid all that, perhaps. In terms of central location, a place like Caldas da Rainha or Leiria are good locations and easy freeway access…they are not directly on the coast but on the main north/south freeway. Best of luck in your search!

[@robertb3333]

@@TheUnretirees Thanks for the response. Have a question regarding the weather. Understanding that the Algarve region doesn't get a lot of rain, during the winter months, does the Silver Coast area have extended periods of rain , i.e, weeks with no sunshine? In reviewing the multitude of youtube videos, I seem to see a lot of variance in how people describe winters. Rain would not be an issue unless it goes on for weeks. Thanks in advance for your response.

[@SenorAspie]

As a Canadian with Portuguese citizenship, i will admit that Caldas the Rainha has been mispronounced. Every KZbinr says Caldas Rainha. It is Caldas Da Ra-in-ha. I love close to Caldas when I am there. Obidos has a medieval flare. Foz has the best beach AND were setting up a concert when I was there.

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks and we love that area, too, @SenorAspie!

[@paulcatarino2209]

Will there be a part 2? The silver coast extends all the way up to Porto.

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @paulcatarino2209 and maybe so! It seems that people in and out of Portugal have differences on where the Silver Coast begins and ends, but we do want to explore Porto more!

[@leilichepelkevitch2217]

Thanks for the video. FYI, Obidos is pronounced "Obidush".

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching and Matt was closer (Obidosh) but we’ll work on our accent :)

[@ocean1233]

Moderate to lower Costs and Contacts for the areas please. Modest living with a yard. Local reputable real estate contacts PLEASE THANK YOU ‼️

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching. You may want to connect with a buyer's agent, and if you contact us at [e-mail] we can give you a referral. Thanks.

[@DLUTT-gl2dr]

Question: Does the Silver Coast have public transit between towns?

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @DLUTT-gl2dr and yes, there are busses that run between Nazaré and many towns on the Silver Coast (as well as to Lisbon and Porto), and there is a train that also runs but we haven’t taken the local train yet.

[@DLUTT-gl2dr]

Thank you for the quick response! I would not have a car so this is helpful.

[@christinabayma119]

The train is available but doesn’t stop often in several of the towns. Be sure to get a schedule and plan your journey.

[@ron-almog]

what about Lourinha? what's your opinion?

[@TheUnretirees]

We like Lourinha and considered being there (similar weather to Nazaré, a bit closer to Lisbon) but we really liked Nazaré’s size and vibe and ultimately we found the exact type of property we were looking for here. Do you prefer Lourinha @ron-almog ?

[@rodroberts4881]

for someone who lives there, it's noticeable you make no attempt at correct pronunciation of the town names. just curious as to why. good video by the way.

[@TheUnretirees]

Fair question. Since we serve a mostly American audience we use American pronunciation (similar to why we say Lisbon and not Lisboa). Also, we’re still learning the correct pronunciations. We do use the Portuguese pronunciation in our everyday life here in Portugal (to the best of our ability). Hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@leilichepelkevitch2217]

Foz de Arelho is pronounced "Foj de Arel'iu

[@TheUnretirees]

Thanks for watching @feilichepelkevitch217 and yep we’re sure we butchered the pronunciation of several places--still so much to learn!