# Ex-pat free part of Portugal?



## AidanMcK (Nov 21, 2011)

Hello there, we have a week in Portugal soon (third trip) and was wondering if there are any interesting rural-ish areas in portugal free from all ye ex-pats? (no offence  )

We will be driving in from Madrid prob. via Salamanca and not sure whether to go north, south or west from the Guarda area (August).

Would be nice to get away from tourism 100%, and get away from cities and built up areas and get some countryside, but maybe that's not possible anymore in Portugal?

Also would prefer to be near a reasonably sized town or city as not overly keen on villages either.

Point of the trip is another quick check for possible relocation in the future, not a holiday as such.

Other desired things: safe, nice enough people, possible cheaper properties, good climate, no bugs.

Sorry for the complicated post and thanks for reading...


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Maybe look at a map, Google Earth etc? no offence you'll see you can be extremely close to major cities or reasonably sized towns and yet be in the countryside, good area that might meet your expectations is going West Guarda to Coimbra anywhere past the Serra Estrella which you might find cold in winter, up to Viseu in North and Tomar in South.

If you put a compass on Vila Nova de Poiares and draw a circle around it theres km2 that should meet your expectations.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

canoeman said:


> Maybe look at a map, Google Earth etc? no offence you'll see you can be extremely close to major cities or reasonably sized towns and yet be in the countryside, good area that might meet your expectations is going West Guarda to Coimbra anywhere past the Serra Estrella which you might find cold in winter, up to Viseu in North and Tomar in South.
> 
> If you put a compass on Vila Nova de Poiares and draw a circle around it theres km2 that should meet your expectations.


You've been reading my mind. Just what I was going to put - had a holiday there about 13 years ago. Rented a place quite near VN de P. There was even snow in the sierra in May.


----------



## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

Hi Aidan. Great to see you posting again. Will pm you later today


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

There is also Ericeira on the coast, nice little fishing village.


----------



## anapedrosa (Mar 21, 2011)

I believe that Ericeira would have tourists, it is a designated world surf reserve.


----------



## AidanMcK (Nov 21, 2011)

Thanks for the replies - I've been looking at maps, and yes you can get an idea of possible places from them, but to as to what they are really like or whether they would suit or not, I'd have no idea without visiting, and we are alas short on time.

Vila Nova de Poiares isn't even visible on Google Maps unless you zoom in quite a bit. Anyway sounds good, thanks.

We're going to use AirBnb.com to rent somewhere for the week, so need to decide now somehow where that is going to be.


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

You can gain a lot of information from Camara websites Câmara Municipal Vila Nova de Poiares not a large Camara town by any means but has a good range of the basic facilities that's necassery for all of us, close to major Regional Capital of Coimbra and major transport links, yet if you know area can be in isolation within a few minutes of leaving it in any direction, this applies to very many of the Camara's, afraid it's only by spending some time you get the idea.

Plenty of Residencia's mini hotels around the area easier than renting for a week and allows you to move 50k to another area easily and quickly if first really doesn't meet your expertations


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

canoeman said:


> You can gain a lot of information from Camara websites Câmara Municipal Vila Nova de Poiares not a large Camara town by any means but has a good range of the basic facilities that's necassery for all of us, close to major Regional Capital of Coimbra and major transport links, yet if you know area can be in isolation within a few minutes of leaving it in any direction, this applies to very many of the Camara's, afraid it's only by spending some time you get the idea.
> 
> Plenty of Residencia's mini hotels around the area easier than renting for a week and allows you to move 50k to another area easily and quickly if first really doesn't meet your expertations


VNdP has, or had, an excellent supermarket that was well stocked to cater for most of your daily needs. It doesn't stock the exotic or Brit goods, but if you want those then rural is not where you want to be. It was one of my choices for retirement but SWMBO said that, at her age (48 then), she didn't want to start learning a new language - what she forgets is that when we met and got married, I was 48 and had to learn Spanish!


----------



## AidanMcK (Nov 21, 2011)

I think we'll rent somewhere on a day by day basis then - prob. a better idea indeed, and we might as well start with Vila Nova de Poiares I guess, seems like a good spot.


----------



## locovida (Mar 3, 2009)

Yes, its a nice little town, we have just moved here


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

You'll find expats in the most unlikely places whether you decide to socialize with them is your choice I wouldn't let it put me off any particular area


----------



## AidanMcK (Nov 21, 2011)

Yes indeed, and it can be good to have some around, essential even sometimes.

I just find sometimes when there are too many in a place that it can affect how the locals think about foreigners, and they can start to get pre-conceived ideas about us. Tourist areas in my experience are the worst, where one is viewed solely as a walking wallet and nothing more. I'd like to avoid that sort of thing 100% if possible.


----------

