# Cheaper rural areas near the coast?



## caju (May 11, 2015)

We've been looking for houses with acreage, in rural locations but near enough to towns/cities for schools, hospitals, etc. (we have young kids but both work from home). Most of our search has focussed on the areas around Coimbra, since rural property with decent amounts of land is relatively cheap there.

We'd love to live near the coast though. Does anybody know of any areas we could search for property like that? Not tourist areas, just quiet regions, with a large-ish town within driving distance, and near the coast? Can be north, or west coast or wherever but not Algarve! haha.

Many thanks in advance! We're going to visit some parts of the country next year so would be good to know a few ideas.


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## In 2 bikes (Apr 18, 2013)

Coimbra region is fantastic and you're not far from beaches, and all the modern requirements of a family life as well as being cheaper than the gin and tonic coast resort.....sorry Algarve. Also check out Viseu, another fantastic city which meets your requirements and property / land is even cheaper. RE/MAX - Real Estate, Homes for Sale, Home Values, Agents and Advice


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## izian (Nov 21, 2013)

Hi,
We've moved to just West of Torres Vedras, near Ventosa. Beach is 15 mins away, Torres Vedras is 15 mins away which has everything you need, and Lisbon is only 40 mins or so - handy for the airport when people visit 
We have young children too and have settled into rural village life here really well.
If you have a look at some estate agents and put in Lisboa, Torres Vedras for the search area, you should be able to see properties with land that are available round here.

Good luck


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## BodgieMcBodge (Mar 8, 2013)

Hi,

You'll need to define your search better then this because, as a generalization, the vast areas of non-tourist Atlantic Coast beaches are not suitable of swimming consequently lack any access. Have a look via via google earth at the coastal access. Also the land varies considerably, there are areas of cheap land which consist rocky hills with olive trees unsuitable for cultivation of crops or livestock, if you check Coimbra it is only the thin strip eastwards on the river valley which is cultivated and then some of the land in the subcoast strip is so sandy it is only suitable for tree plantations.


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## caju (May 11, 2015)

BodgieMcBodge said:


> Hi,
> 
> You'll need to define your search better then this because, as a generalization, the vast areas of non-tourist Atlantic Coast beaches are not suitable of swimming consequently lack any access. Have a look via via google earth at the coastal access. Also the land varies considerably, there are areas of cheap land which consist rocky hills with olive trees unsuitable for cultivation of crops or livestock, if you check Coimbra it is only the thin strip eastwards on the river valley which is cultivated and then some of the land in the subcoast strip is so sandy it is only suitable for tree plantations.


Thanks. Refining our coastal search is exactly what we're trying to do with this thread! We would like somewhere that we can walk on the beach with the dogs, no need to swim though, if that makes a difference?


As for cultivation, thanks for the tip. I plan to build raised beds and could import soil from another region if necessary, or do you think that would be too expensive/difficult?


Thanks to the other replies above too, it's given me a few more places to look at.


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## DREAMWEAVER1 (May 28, 2013)

caju said:


> Thanks. Refining our coastal search is exactly what we're trying to do with this thread! We would like somewhere that we can walk on the beach with the dogs, no need to swim though, if that makes a difference?
> 
> 
> As for cultivation, thanks for the tip. I plan to build raised beds and could import soil from another region if necessary, or do you think that would be too expensive/difficult?
> ...


Caju,

Check out other threads re dogs and beaches,not all beaches allow dogs to be on them,,especially during the summer months,we have 2 dogs and have to be selective with both beach location and time of day.....or night!!!

Good luck with your searching,


David


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## BodgieMcBodge (Mar 8, 2013)

caju said:


> Thanks. Refining our coastal search is exactly what we're trying to do with this thread! We would like somewhere that we can walk on the beach with the dogs, no need to swim though, if that makes a difference?
> 
> 
> As for cultivation, thanks for the tip. I plan to build raised beds and could import soil from another region if necessary, or do you think that would be too expensive/difficult?
> ...



Hi, I have never seen raised beds over here for growing fruit n veg. In poor soil areas the villages have veg plots (like allotments) usually on the flat area near a stream where they grow food, these small plots are rarely sold when houses are sold as, for some, it is their main source of food. There is relatively few pastures hence few cattle/horses hence no farm yard manure to improve the soil. Water, or rather lack of water, is also a problem if you grow crops during the hot dry part of the year. Because of the poor soil there are some market garden areas but few compared to the size of the country and they tend to be small and near a water source. It's not all negative, if you find the right place with the right soil regime then things like getting 3 crops of spuds a year is possible.


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## caju (May 11, 2015)

DREAMWEAVER1 said:


> Caju,
> 
> Check out other threads re dogs and beaches,not all beaches allow dogs to be on them,,especially during the summer months,we have 2 dogs and have to be selective with both beach location and time of day.....or night!!!
> 
> ...


Thanks, that's definitely something to bear in mind, although that was only one example of why we'd like to live near the coast! I had a look and there seem to be two types of beaches; praias concessionadas, and praias não concessionadas, with the latter not having any rules regarding dogs. 

To be honest, we are looking for a remote area (more likely to be não concessionada) rather than a place with tourist beaches (that's the opposite of what we want). But anyway I think we're straying off the subject a little haha! Thanks though.

For posterity's sake (you never know who may come across this thread years in the future) there's a very informative link to the rules regarding dogs on beaches (if you can read Portuguese) here: http://palavrasindefinidas.blogspot.com.br/2012/07/caes-na-praia-o-que-diz-legislacao.html




BodgieMcBodge said:


> Hi, I have never seen raised beds over here for growing fruit n veg. In poor soil areas the villages have veg plots (like allotments) usually on the flat area near a stream where they grow food, these small plots are rarely sold when houses are sold as, for some, it is their main source of food. There is relatively few pastures hence few cattle/horses hence no farm yard manure to improve the soil. Water, or rather lack of water, is also a problem if you grow crops during the hot dry part of the year. Because of the poor soil there are some market garden areas but few compared to the size of the country and they tend to be small and near a water source. It's not all negative, if you find the right place with the right soil regime then things like getting 3 crops of spuds a year is possible.


Well, I would build our own raised beds, and we could buy in soil and fertilizer (and beyond the initial purchase, we make our own fertilizer so that wouldn't be an ongoing concern). We've found a LOT of places with boreholes during our search, so I think that would be a must for us. We are planning to grow most of our food (we're all veggies).

Out of interest though, the regions you suggested as viable - "if you check Coimbra it is only the thin strip eastwards on the river valley which is cultivated" - are where in relation to the city of Coimbra? North/South/East/West? Thanks!


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## BodgieMcBodge (Mar 8, 2013)

Well, I would build our own raised beds, and we could buy in soil and fertilizer (and beyond the initial purchase, we make our own fertilizer so that wouldn't be an ongoing concern). We've found a LOT of places with boreholes during our search, so I think that would be a must for us. We are planning to grow most of our food (we're all veggies).

Out of interest though, the regions you suggested as viable - "if you check Coimbra it is only the thin strip eastwards on the river valley which is cultivated" - are where in relation to the city of Coimbra? North/South/East/West? Thanks![/QUOTE]

The flat lands either side of river Mondego which flows west from Coimbra to the sea at Figueria do Foz.


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