Scouting Portugal? Beginners Guide to Scouting Portugal with a Family from an American

[@lymewell5769]

Just arrived in Nazare today from DC. Let the scouting begin. Glad my wife found you

[@JenShea]

Good tips Josie. There may be a lot of things people may not consider before looking to move.

[@admink8662]

thank you very much

[@pedromiguel9202]

Hello Josie, you forgot Madeira and Azores. Put them on your bucket list, maybe your next holidays destination.

[@therobertsonadventures]

Loved this video Josie! Such great advice! I also consider grocery shopping one of my hobbies lol I love it! We will be going on our scouting trip next summer for three weeks so I think that should give us enough time to decide👍🏼 Thanks again for making this video it is really helpful! Have a great day and looking forward to your next video!

[@strawberries1411]

Very good video with many things that needed to be said. It's no use expecting the same things from home if you choose to leave it behind. And I was so surprise to find your example of google maps to be in the exact location I have stayed in during my last trip 3 yrs ago, O that bakery on the corner... loved it there, wanted to stay out of the tourist area.

[@davidparker2598]

Great video as always! We just got back from our scouting trip and visited your town of Caldas. Super cute and enjoyed some delicious Indian food at the main park with the paddle boats. Looks like Cascais will be where we will be living.

[@josieinportugal6454]

Love Cascais :)

[@antoniof9756]

Along with your advice on staying several nights in each location, I'd give another one: visit during summer and also during winter, so you see how's life in both seasons, and you're ok with it.

[@josieinportugal6454]

Great advice especially for the heavily touristic areas.

[@yahtnichols]

Awesome vid Josie! Wonderful tips! Keep the vids coming.

[@Solrac-Siul]

Just a correction Lisbon has about 600 000 fullt time residents, but daily there is about 1 to 1.5 millions commuting there from various neighberouing areas, so during business hours day the city holds 1.5+ million , this number increases between May and September due to tourism.

[@stevefaulkner183]

Just drove past Caldas De Rainha on way to Nazare. Hope that fire isn’t threatening you!!

[@josieinportugal6454]

Thanks for checking in on me. We are fine since the fire is a bit more inland.

[@CannonRoyal]

Good practical advice. Thanks!

[@jeanblackmon1106]

Great video! I learned so much to help me in my research.

[@kathypereira2668]

Josie your videos are so informative. My husband is from Beja, Alentejo but we will be moving from Canada to somewhere close to Bombarral spring next year. I hope you read this because right now the Mercado Medievale in Obidos July 29, 2022. Also, good for you for learning Portuguese. You are doing good.

[@witofthestaircase1]

Priceless information delightfully communicated Thank you

[@ElectiveAmputation]

You are speaking my language lady, Thank you! Please do the public transportation video!

[@somethingstodo]

Thanks for the practical advice! Where do you suggest finding meet-ups or people to spend time with? Especially with kids, to see where you make connections?

[@josieinportugal6454]

Facebook groups are pretty common. Search for a group in your desired area :)

[@PeeGeeThirteen]

Hi Josie! I have been using the “supermarket” Google Map method to gauge access to services. Let me explain: if I find a town with a Lidl, Pingo Doce , Intermarché and a Continente clustered in a small radius, then I know that that is a location with lots of access services that the locals have. And the big bonus is a Worten, If that town also has a Worten then you know that you’re set I already scouted Vila Real de Santo Antonio (too hot for me), I’m gonna scout Setúbal next and probably Caldas later 😎

[@josieinportugal6454]

Good idea! A local to Porto came to visit me one day and told me that Caldas is a “huge” city because we had two McDonald’s 😂. Apparently they only open based on a certain amount of population. Watch out Lisbon! Caldas does have a Wortens AND a Radio Popular 😝

[@ajs966743]

@@josieinportugal6454 Figueira da Foz (city only): 3 Pingo Doce 2 Lidl 2 Continente (Modelo + Worten and Dia) 1 Auchan + Box 1 Leclerc 1 Aldi 1 Intermaché + Rádio Popular 1 Leroy Merlin

[@sobanosilva8585]

It would be interesting to live in Portugal for the cuisine but I prefer Brazilian Portuguese for accent and structure.

[@lapriz]

Thanks so much for the insightful videos Josie! Wondering if you are planning a future tour edition of Ericeira/Mafra? Thx!

[@josieinportugal6454]

Yes, one day soon :)

[@spoutingfiction]

Thank you!

[@amyrobinson3235]

I absolutely love the look of the private school you mentioned in a prior blog however there are hardly any houses available for rent in Caldas! Do you have any other suggestions of private, not international that are as good in either aveiro or braga etc that would be super kind and lovely to kids that don't speak PT.. super scared about this. Your videos have helped soooo much thank you x

[@josieinportugal6454]

Both lovely cities, but I’m not familiar with Aveiro or Braga enough to recommend a private school. A friend told me about one in Seixal called Colegio Atantico that looks impressive. As far as rentals, finding one abroad is harder than being here. A new family just moved here and was able to find two at a very reasonable price. I would recommend continuing the search ❤️

[@amyrobinson3235]

Thank you Josie ❤️

[@christinabayma119]

Already had these questions answered as we agree with your tips. However, I don’t know which towns meet the criteria we are looking for. We understand it’s cooler the further north you go, but I’ve heard the weather can have bigger extremes from summer t9 winter the more Inland you are, or more rain. For Caldas or Aveiro how hot does it get in the summer vs how cold does it get in winter? It’s it dreary and rainy like Portland or hot and cold like Californias Central Valley? Also, I read Caldas has a daily farmers market. Trying to find other towns that also offer farmers markets daily rather than weekly. Any ideas?

[@ai_product_manager]

How bike-able is your city? Is the bike infrastructure safe enough that you would let your kids bike to places?

[@josieinportugal6454]

The city center of Caldas can be bike friendly depending on the ages of your kids. Caldas (city center and surrounding towns), isn’t quite equipped for bike riders. There are some designated bike lanes, but not enough for myself as an adult to ride unless you’re an experienced bike rider. However, I do see plenty of bicyclists riding along busy roads. Just depends on your comfort level.

[@greysspace8497]

Thank you Josie!!! How long after you arrived did you purchase a car? Where did you even look to see cars for sale? ❤️

[@josieinportugal6454]

We purchased our car after 3 months of being here. We initially went to dealerships around town, but they didn’t have many options to choose from. We ended up buying ours from Benecar which I highly recommend.

[@greysspace8497]

@@josieinportugal6454 was it overwhelming/inconvenient to not have a car for those 3 months or your neighborhood was pretty walkable?

[@josieinportugal6454]

@@greysspace8497 we did rent a car for about 2 out of the 3 months. The city itself is walkable, but I do highly recommend having a car. So much more to see and do outside of the city center.

[@greysspace8497]

Thank you so much Josie :)

[@ninarosaphotography2039]

Hi dear Josie, thanks for your videos. Very good instruction. Do you recommend any independent agents for rent or buy house??Thanks so much great advices!

[@maryamkamani855]

Hello Josie - can you please tell me how windy is the Caldas / Obidos area ? Are the beaches near Caldas possible to swim ? I think the beach is Del Rey .

[@katecarter6728]

Do you have any video where about visa process with family?

[@pedromtojal]

Hi Josie, congrats for your videos! I am looking to rent an apartment or house in Caldas area, what do you recommend? In website Idealista I can not find anything and my son will start kindergarden in September in Colegio Rainha Dona Leonor. Thank you

[@Valentina-if1bk]

My husband and I bought a pre construction condo in Caldas, it will be ready only in October as the builders are delayed. It’s a 2 floor condo on the last floor of a building, in the city and it’s a 7 min drive to that school. If ever you don’t find anything you can message me. Our plan is to move to Caldas in the next few years ( we are from Toronto Canada). Good luck in your search!

[@pama2892]

Hi Josie, have you heard of an international school called CLIC in Marinha Grande, near Leiria? Would love to hear your opinion. It’s a small school (240 students). I am trying to find resources online such as school rankings, etc. Thank you.

[@Valentina-if1bk]

Hi Pa Ma, wondering if you found out any information about CLIC as well? The reviews I see on this school were from 10-15 years ago, but nothing current. Please let me know if you’ve had any success as I would love a more 50/50 English/Portuguese education for my little one. Take care and thanks.

[@robertrosejr1]

My wife is from Portugal however we live in NJ I am not a citizen of Portugal. Can we buy real estate together or do I need residency?

[@josieinportugal6454]

We had purchased our house before I was able to gain residency here so I believe you should be able to as well.

[@robertrosejr1]

@@josieinportugal6454 😊

[@trave7644]

Thanks for this., and I said this before perhaps, boy, it was so so hot when I visited Caldas. ONE of my complaints about portugal in general is that it is a concrete jungle everywhere you go. There is hardly any respite from the heat it produces; no real vegitation; Caldas was scorching hot; unbearable, impossible to walk around during the heat; this was typical of everywhere in Portugal. And taking the bus from LIsbon was literally hell during that heat. It is amazing how someone people (and not you) make it seem all so lovely.

[@richirichdup6405]

Hmmm what?! Majority of Portugal is made up of green vegitation

[@josieinportugal6454]

I think the week you came to Caldas was also an uncommon heatwave throughout the world. Even in England, some areas had high temperatures upwards of 30-40C. Highest it’s been in over 300 years. I know you didn’t have a car when you came, but I would recommend coming back with one. Once you leave the city center, there is so much more things to see.

[@trave7644]

@@josieinportugal6454thanks. yes, it was hot in a lot of places in Europe, but the concrete makes it worse.. (Athens Heat Minister thinks they need to have Green Corridors like they do in Colombia.) Anyway, Caldas is also way too small, and there are hardly any restaurants or bars or is anything to do. That was my impression. I think you also said it is good for families but not for others. thanks for the tip about the car.

[@trave7644]

@@richirichdup6405 All I saw during travel was just a barren land with Eucalyptus trees.

[@richirichdup6405]

@@trave7644 cool dont come back then. Better for us all

[@kathythomasteamor4267]

Hi Josie, great videos, thanks! Can you please give realtor Bruno's office address or office name, because I contacted a Bruno Santos and he's not your Bruno. Google earth is too behind to see the office across from McDonalds. Thanks.

[@sharilove6222]

Hi there. I am hoping someone can answer this for me. Many Americans are moving to Portugal.....but I would like to know are many Trump supporting Americans moving to Portugal? I would think with their ideology Portugal would not be a country they would consider......am I correct? If they ARE moving to Portugal.....what part are they moving to? I am thinking about moving to the Silver Coast, hopefully Caldas.

[@teriw5726]

🤣🤣🤣

[@negociogenial5814]

Dear Sheri, as you can hear on you tube videos from your fellow americans, news and politicians stay in the US, while moving abroad. You can update everyday by cable tv and internet but the pace here is very slow. And thats why you're moving, leaving all those problems 6000 kms away. Please feel welcome in our country, but don't try to americanize it. After a while ( months or even 2/3 years) you're going to leave it very frustrated.