Eco-House with solar energy and beach views on the Obidos Lagoon

An example of environmentally friendly home heating. Plus a case study for how the recent Portuguese legislation in support of solar energy has lowered the cost of luxury living in this four bedroom property on the Bom Sucesso beach. Image right shows front view of the courtyard and solar panels June 2009 - click any property images to enlarge

When the house was purchased by the current owner in 2005 it was neither warm nor energy efficient. The water heating was by gas. The cooking was by gas and electric, and the space heating in the winter was by solid fuel fireplaces and a wood burning stove. Lovely as a summer home but the heating was not ideal for winter use. Image below taken Christmas 2008 - Beach view from the living room window.

Continue reading "Solar Energy - lowers cost of luxury for Silver Coast property" »

Posted at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

200 thousand euros is being invested in 2009 to promote golf in
the Oeste Region. Much of the funds will be used to promote golf
packages to foreign tour operators which will be sure to please
property investors on the resorts.

In a public-private partnership, including the Turismo do Oeste,
municipalities and businesses the target is to strengthen the
demand for golf in the region, which in 2008 attracted 90
thousand golf rounds. Sixty partners have joined the plan,
approved on 16th May in Óbidos, according to the chairman of
Turismo do Oeste, Antonio Carneiro.

Continue reading "GolfeOeste invests 200 thousand euros in Silver Coast for 2009" »

Posted at 2:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From: "Anna Maria Braden"
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:57:20 +0100

Dear David,

I've just found your blog and it's got me interested in the
Silver Coast as somewhere to invest some funds in property.
Leaving money in the bank here in the UK seems pointless, as
they are not giving us any kind of return - and with the way
they are printing money now, it will soon be worthless unless we
put it into something.

Is the housing market in Portugal suffering on account of the
recession and are there any good property bargains to be had?

Continue reading "property investment and tourism on Silver Coast" »

Posted at 8:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

From: Patricia O'Donnelly
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:53:21 +0100

Hi David,

We are looking to visit the Silver Coast to view some properties
in September and perhaps stay for the winter, maybe stay for 6
months or so to see whether we like it there.

We have been searching for winter rental property and in Sao
Martinho we've seen on the web that longer term rentals start at
around 450 euros including the utilities.

Would you say that is the going rate locally? And is Sao
Martinho a good base for property hunting?

Continue reading "property hunting and Silver Coast winter rentals" »

Posted at 6:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Property on the Silver Coast in exchange for property in other countries.

If you have property in another country that you wish to exchange for property on the Silver Coast in Portugal, I've created a section on the Portugal Silver Coast Property blog entitled "Property Exchanges" (see list of categories).

I'll be dividing it into sub sections as folk send offers for listing here. I have already created the "Silver Coast -> UK" section for Silver Coast property offered in exchange for homes in the UK.

The section entitled "UK -> Silver Coast" is currently empty, but is designed for folk moving from the UK to the Silver Coast, Portugal. Perhaps you would like to be the first to list your UK property there?

Continue reading "Property exchanges Silver Coast Portugal / UK and elsewhere." »

Posted at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Portugal rental property investment opportunity offered in exchange or part exchange for suitable UK property.

Property Silver Coast - Villa Apartment For Sale

This Villa-Apartment is located at Moinhos da Costa, an established very private and exclusive condominium resort with pools and tennis on a hill with spectacular views over the Obidos Lagoon and the beautiful beaches at Bom Sucesso and Foz do Arelho. Only five large villas comprising a total of 30 apartments share the facilities.

Most of the owners in this resort are Portuguese who use their villa-apartments in the summer, so the properties only rarely come up for sale. There are several foreign owners, at least two of which are English, who rent their apartments for tourism. The combination of a lower purchase cost than villas in the area, and good rental return, makes these villa-apartments an excellent investment.

Continue reading "Villa-Apartment for exchange, short or long term rent, or sale on Silver Coast " »

Posted at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Coimbra is a cultural and educational centre of the country with the University of Coimbra being the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world and one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe.

Click images to enlarge.

Continue reading "Coimbra a central Portugal place to visit" »

Posted at 1:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The coastal settlement of Cascais originated in the 12th century. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal family in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Due to Portugal's neutrality in World War II and the town's elegance and royal past, Cascais became home to many of the exiled royal families of Europe, including those of Spain, Italy and Bulgaria.

There is now a yacht harbour, several small beaches, a ruined castle, an art and sea museum, parks and the cobbled streets of the historic centre. The town has many hotels, tourist apartments and restaurants. Cascais is a famous vacation spot, a residential area for the Lisbon jet-set and favourite night spot for young people.

Click the image to enlarge it.

Continue reading "Cascais - a Lisbon Coast place to visit" »

Posted at 11:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Batalha:- The town grew up around the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, of Batalha. The monastery was built to fulfil a promise made by King D. João I of Portugal who had prayed for victory over the Castillians at the Battle of Aljubarrota (August 14, 1385) which ended the crisis of 1383-1385.

The Monastery of Batalha is a majestic building classified as world heritage by UNESCO it has flamboyant Gothic architecture, intermingled with Manueline style. It is one of the best and original examples of such architecture in Portugal. It amazes the onlooker with its profusion of gables, spires, pinnacles and buttresses.

Continue reading "The Monastery of Batalha - a Silver Coast place to visit" »

Posted at 9:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alcobaça:-A provincial town situated in a valley where the rivers Alcoa and Baca join.

Cistercian Monastery of Alcobaca. Begun in 1178, facade re modelled in the 17th and 18th centuries in baroque style. Gothic portal; tombs of King Pedro and D. Ines; mediaeval sculpture; water course diverted to run through the ancient kitchen.

Alcobaca is famous for it's Cistercian abbey, one of the finest architectural monuments in Portugal, and one of the first examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. The town grew up around the abbey which was an important centre in mediaeval times. The surrounding countryside was cultivated by the monks for almost 700 years and it remains today one of the most fertile regions in the country.

Continue reading "Alcobaça - a Silver Coast Place to Visit" »

Posted at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the southern extremity of the Silver Coast, adjoining the Lisbon Golf Coast and poetically described by Lord Byron as "this glorious Eden", Sintra is surrounded by greenery and is rich in different species of vegetation. A romantic town with a turn-of-the-century atmosphere, it's luxuriant vegetation hides numerous country properties which blend perfectly into the landscape.

It was the summer residence of Portuguese kings from the end of the 16th century. It was here that D. Ferdinand de Saxe Coburg built a revivalist palace (The Pena Palace) in the style of one of the castles of his cousin Ludwig II of Bavaria.

Continue reading "Penha Longa Golf Resort - Sintra - Villas and Hotels " »

Posted at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On the 14th May 2007 "Leiria Económica" reported that a Portuguese subsidiary of New World Investments was investing 200 million euros in the construction of the Rainha Golf and Spa Resort, in 170 hectares of land between Foz do Arelho and Serra do Bouro. (The land between Green Hills Disco and the water storage at the top of the hill shown in the image.)

Green Hills Disco shown bottom left - Click for larger image at Google

The reports at the time in "Diário de Leiria" were of 800 jobs during the construction phase, and 350 when fully operating. The resort would consist of a five-star hotel with 120 beds and seven suites, two tourist villages with 360 apartments and 550 houses, and an 18 hole golf course. Properties reported as totalling more than 2000 beds.

The construction of "Rainha Golf course" was reportedly going to start later in 2007 with all the work on property development not getting under way until the end of 2008, or the first quarter of 2009. The delays due in part to difficulties in the purchase of dozens of parcels of land. Diario de Leiria reported that Marques Pereira, lawyer and representative of the company in Portugal, said that "95 percent of the land had already been purchased."

Continue reading "Rainha Golf and Spa Resort - 200m €uros more invested in Silver Coast Property, when?" »

Posted at 9:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Whether on holiday or property hunting, buy your sun cream elsewhere and pack it in your luggage to make Portugal the Eurozone's most competitive destination according to the data in a survey by Post Office travel services.

In a news release dated 01/05/2009 (linked here) the UK Post Office says the Eurozone may "costa" lot less than expected and offers cash-strapped tourists a better deal.

Foz Do Arelho Christmas 2008

Portugal is back in the world´s top ten most competitive destinations for British tourists and placed second in the Euro Zone.

Continue reading "Silver Coast holiday price advantage" »

Posted at 6:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On the web site of the London Golf Show I see that the Silver
Coast is being represented by Bom Sucesso and they are joined by
The Lisbon Golf Coast.

I hear that if you would like to taste a good Portuguese wine,
you should drop by The Lisbon Golf Coast stand for a chat and a
glass of red where you will be made welcome. I've no doubt that
those interested in property investment will also be made welcome
at the Bom Sucesso stand.

The show is from May 1st to 3rd, 2009 at the ExCeL centre which
boasts the most advanced exhibition hall space in London.

Continue reading "Silver Coast and Lisbon Golf Coast at the London Golf Show" »

Posted at 12:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ecological Park creates shorter route to Bom Sucesso

The "Parque Ecológico" is still under development, but locals
who travel regularly out to the Bom Sucesso golf course and
property resort are now using a newly built road. The road
through the forthcoming Ecological Park has not been officially
opened, and is not signposted at all so it's unlikely to be used
by many on the Silver Coast until it is.

Continue reading "Ecological Park - a new road to Bom Sucesso" »

Posted at 1:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"Bird Migration" is to be the theme of the Plaza West shopping
centre, scheduled to open in the autumn of 2011. In addition to
shops and hotel, there is to be a strong leisure component in
communion with nature and the beauty of the landscape.

In the Assembly of 14th November 2008 the Obidos municipal
deputies unanimously approved the Arnóia detailed plan which
covers an area of 90 hectares including the installation of
Plaza Oeste.

Continue reading "Plaza Oeste - a 200 million €uros investment to boost the Silver Coast property market" »

Posted at 3:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From: "Sue Cook"
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:46:27 +0100

David,

I have just been reading your Silver Coast blog with interest.
You seem to know a lot about construction in the area and I
wondered if you could answer my question. We have purchased a
holiday home, which may become permanent one day, in a little
village called A dos Negros, just above Obidos.

Continue reading "A dos Negros construction project? Plaza Oeste?" »

Posted at 7:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

From: Barbara Livingstone
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2009 14:54:40 +0000

Hi David,

I read your page about Foz do Arelho and the work going on there
and I was thinking you might be able to help me.

I bought in Salir do Porto, Rua 1 de Maio. The new public
swimming pool beside the beach is right behind my duplex.

I was very disappointed when it never opened last year. Nobody
seemed to know the reason, although somebody said they had read
in the paper it was missing a toilet or something.

Continue reading "Salir do Porto swimming pool" »

Posted at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 18:02:49 -0800 (PST)
From: Jane Terebey

Dear David,

We are looking for lodgings to rent in Rio Maior as close as
possible to Golden Eagle Golf Resort. Our daughter is a
professional golfer with the Ladies European Tour and we are
coming from the USA to see her play. The dates are June 8 - June
16th.

Continue reading "Rental cottages?" »

Posted at 2:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Park in Caldas da Rainha - images by David, December 2008.
(click on the images to enlarge)

I hope you get a touch of the pleasure from these images that I
felt while taking the pictures.

Continue reading "Caldas da Rainha - The Park" »

Posted at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Beltico Group, renowned for the successful venture Praia D'el Rey Golf & Beach Resort, presented their plans for the future luxury golf resort of "Falésia d'El Rey"at the Real Estate Fair in Lisbon (SIL) held between 22 and 26 October.

Falésia d'El Rey site near Praia do Bom Sucesso - Arial View.

Google (copyright terms here)

Falésia d'El Rey is to be located about two miles north of the
beach of Praia D'el Rey, near the beach of Praia do Bom Sucesso,
and represents another property investment of approximately 400
million euros in the area around the Obidos Lagoon.

Continue reading "Falesia d'El Rey a Silver Coast investment of 400 million euros" »

Posted at 6:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Obidos a brand of quality and prestige

Óbidos has teamed up with five tourism investors to create an association to manage and promote the brand 'Óbidos' in international markets. The council announced in October that Óbidos is a brand in Portugal that people associate with quality, prestige, and the exceptional; as in the historical center, or innovative events. Now there are more media to project Silver Coast property abroad.

Continue reading "Obidos "the brand" at the Real Estate Fair, Lisbon " »

Posted at 3:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Golf Course at Bom Sucesso, Silver Coast, completed.

The golf course at Bom Sucesso is a member of IAGTO (International
Association of Golf Tour Operators), which means high standards
of quality. It was opened with a public presentation on
September 27th 2008 (although actually in use since August).

Continue reading "Golf Course at Bom Sucesso completed." »

Posted at 6:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Located on Portugal's Silver Coast, 80km from Lisbon, Quintas de
Óbidos is a new and exclusive development incorporating 79
luxurious villas each within private grounds. The resort plan
was conceived by WATG (Wimberly, Allison, Tong and Goo), and
sets very high standards of quality and luxury.

There are 16 styles of villa, each set in approx. 1.3 acres
(5,200 m2) of private gardens and grounds, planted with olive
trees, Jacarandas and pine trees. The villas are designed to
reflect their Portuguese heritage, and each incorporates an
average of 8,500 sq ft (800 m2) of living space.

The exceptional facilities will include an Equestrian Centre
designed by the world's number one lady show jumper, Jessica
Kürten, as well as an exclusive Country Club with a wide range
of amenities, including a restaurant and spa, two swimming
pools, two tennis courts, a sports pitch and a children's play
area.

The championship golf course at Bom Sucesso designed by Donald
Steel is situated just a few hundred yards from the entrance of
the resort where residents will receive special conditions for
membership, green fees and buggy rental.

Continue reading "Quintas de Obidos - Silver Coast, Portugal" »

Posted at 5:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Date: 30 Sep 2008 10:38:52 -0000
From: nicky stevens

Hi, I live on "Perola" and nearly 3 years after the pictures in this posting
nothing much has changed here. If anything disappointed owners
as the site is still not finished or maintained, the communal
pool is often closed as not useable as it is usually green and
probably a health risk. Hopefully, as we hear a new investor is
coming in, things can only get better.

Posted at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 06:33:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Maureen Campbell

Hello David, we have seen your advert and wonder if this house
is still on the market? Can you let us have some more info?

We are at present in S. America and hope to be in Portugal in
March / April of next year. I, realize my enquiries may seem a
bit premature - but we hope to put together a portfolio of
possibilities before we get there. Can you tell me the
constructed area of the villa.. the land area.. when it was
built? Is a floor plan available?

Does it have mains water, septic tank? Are there other villas
close by?

Continue reading "Bom Succeso villa for sale" »

Posted at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:30:52 -0400
From: "Jorge"

David,

Thank you for maintaining a wonderful web site. The reason I am
writing is to ask, if you happen to know who the major players
are within the development and building groups. I am in the
process of trying to find out who they are myself, and thought
that you may able to help me.

Continue reading "Project works Foz do Arelho / Obidos / Silver Coast" »

Posted at 8:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:15:46 +0100
From: Susie Chance

Hi David

Just to say we had another lovely family holiday in apartment
Christina this year. We love the area and those beautiful views!

Just one small tip for anyone else who may be arriving at the
airport for the first time... Again there seemed to be long
queues for car hire. We minimised our wait by arranging for one
of us to go through customs as soon as we got off the plane, in
order to get in the queue early. My husband went first, and I
followed with the children once we had collected our luggage.
There was still a wait, but not quite so long...

Best wishes
Susie and Andrew

Posted at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The number eight is said to be the luckiest number, or at least very lucky, according to the Chinese - which is why they loved the idea of the Olympics opening today on the 08/08/2008. In the case of property investors in the "Oeste" Region here in the heart of the Silver Coast, the number 8 turned out to be a very fortunate number indeed.

30 minutes on the A8 from Lisbon through the mountains to the "Oeste"

Most are agreed that without the opening of the A8, with the section opening up the route to Obidos, the Lagoon and the beaches around Caldas da Rainha completed in 1998 the "Oeste" would still be relatively undiscovered. In the ten years since 1998 at least 16 major tourism projects are happening at least in part because of the A8.

If you read the comments of those connected with tourism in the local media, including just this week the engineer responsible for the enterprise Bom Sucesso, the A8 was critical to both the planning and the success of such investments. This a view confirmed by António Carneiro president of Região de Turismo do Oeste who has been a prime mover in many of these projects in recent years.

Continue reading "Oeste A8 - one reason for Silver Coast success" »

Posted at 8:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Where is best to invest? The heart of the Silver Coast in the "Oeste" region or the Lisbon Golf Coast? To be in all three is best, so be sure to buy your property in the "Oeste", where four billion Euros is being invested in 17 new resorts which it is planned will be marketed as part of the newly lauched and expanded Lisbon Golf Coast.

The "Oeste Region" which forms the heart of the Silver Coast is undergoing so much radical change and investment that by 2015 the number of developed resorts and golfing complexes will jump from only one in 1997, to seventeen or more.

Image taken from Jan 2006 PDF file by António Carneiro president of Região de Turismo do Oeste. Click to see larger file.

The image above shows the information about 13 of the resorts as they were published in a PDF file by Região de Turismo do Oeste in January 2006. At that time there was a concentration of 5 resorts planned in and around the Obidos Lagoon. They can be see on the map as....

1 Praia D'El Rey,
6 Bom Sucesso Design Resort,
8 Pérola de Lagoa,
9 Falésia D'El Rey
10 Quintas de Óbidos

The concentration in the Obidos Lagoon area has increased to 7 resorts with the addition of Rainha Golf and Spa in Serra do Bouro on the the Foz do Arelho side of the Lagoa do Obidos, and with Royal Obidos already in the site clearance phase also at position 9.

Continue reading "Silver Coast, Oeste Region or Lisbon Golf Coast?" »

Posted at 2:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)