# Industrial nuisance in Santa Catarina near Tavira



## bdias (Sep 8, 2014)

First let me introduce myself: I am a Portuguese from Switzerland and my husband is Swiss. We have two kids. We are interested in buying a house that sits in the serra just above Santa Catarina, for our holidays, our family's holidays and renting it a bit if possible - and hopefully for retirement years. We have visited it recently, but on a week-end, and can't go back there at once since we are 2000 km away...

When we were at the house (on a saturday), there was just a little bit of black smoke rising between the hills some hundreds of meters away - from a tiles factory. Other that that, the place was absolutely quiet. We have also seen the industrial and agricultural site that sits at the entrance of Sta Catarina when coming from Tavira.

My question is: does any one of you live near Sta Catarina and can tell me if the industrial activity generates a lot of noise and smoke? I ask because the house is in such a quiet location that it would be terrible to have the feeling that we are spending the holidays in a shipyard...

And to reply in advance to the answer you'll give me: I'll go there and check it myself if you come replace me at work for some days or weeks 

Thanks a lot (and excuse my english)!


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Have you tried GoogleEarth/maps and using street view to get an idea?


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## bdias (Sep 8, 2014)

Thank you very much for your reply!

Unfortunately, Google street view doesn't (yet?) transmit smells and sounds


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

No of course not but it is a a way of getting an overview of an area or showing things that are missed in agents photos or even on a personal visit 

Or you could check prevailing winds for the area and see if your downwind.

Chances of finding someone on a Forum who knows the areas well enough pretty slim but I think there are at least a couple who say Tavira


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

I live not so far away from Santa Catarina and in an area that for the most part is 'quiet' having said that the Portuguese have no real thought or appreciation of 'quiet' as an amenity and have no problem with the idea of extracting rocks, clearing their land of older trees (chainsaw) burning their prunings when they want and just generally going about their lives. They don't mean to offend and it would upset them if they knew they were - they just don't think of it.

For that reason anywhere in Portugal will always be a struggle for someone sensitive to the needs of others and used to life in Switzerland. It really isn't Switzerland and many things are a bit bonkers which I guess for many of us already here is part of the appeal.

Rule 1 here is to expect the unexpected


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

If it is of any help we have a brick factory near us and we hear NOTHING and the smoke is never a problem. 

We looked at a house in Sta Catarina when we first decided to come to Portugal and enjoyed the area. We did however decide to move further north for personal reasons.


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