Blue skies and fresh air on the Silver Coast

It’s a fact that the outstanding quality of light here on the Silver Coast attracts artists and photographers from all over the world. It is particularly apparent in the winter months when arriving on a plane from grey old England and you suddenly find that you need your sun glasses!

Portugal has a well deserved reputation for good weather being one of Europe’s warmest countries. The Algarve region in the south of the country is warmer and drier than the north, so here on the Silver Coast we are ideally placed for getting the best of both worlds.

The average yearly temperatures are around 65 degrees Fahrenheit regularly reaching 80 or 90 in the summer months, so you can always expect a good holiday, whatever the weather you have left behind you in the UK.

Portugal also boasts exceptional air quality drifting in as it does from thousands of miles of uninterrupted Atlantic Ocean. With a far smaller population than Britain the pollution levels generated are also a lot less and the Portuguese government prides itself on the excellent record they have for green energy. More than one third of electricity currently comes from renewable sources, double the European average. Prime Minister Jose Socrates has announced that the proportion is set to increase to 45% by next year.

The good news is that regardless of these wonderful advances in technology the beautiful Silver Coast of Portugal will never be spoilt, as it is recognized and greatly valued by the government as a resource to be treasured. So whether you visit Nazare, Sao Martinho do Porto, Salir do Porto, Obidos or any of the other stunning locations along this stretch of coastline you can rest assured that the vistas and sun sets will always look as enchanting and natural as they do today.

By Stephanie Johnson

Thanksgiving on the Silver Coast, Portugal

Our American cousins know how to throw a good party, and today, being Thanksgiving in America, heralds the start of the festivities. With less than a month until Christmas and all the fun of New Year it seems as though one party blends into the next.

Here on the Silver Coast we know a thing or two about parties, and it is not hard to think of things for which we should give thanks when you live in such beautiful surroundings. Every day as I drive to work along the glorious coastline that links the towns of Foz do Arelho and Sao Martinho do Porto I give thanks that I fulfilled my dream and moved here to Portugal.

We might not officially celebrate Thanksgiving here on the Silver Coast, but we thank the Americans for pointing out that we should never take anything for granted. It’s a valuable lesson.

Happy Thanksgiving . . .

By Stephanie Johnson

Sporting vs Benfica . . . this is huge!

Two of the biggest names in Portuguese football meet this weekend in a game that divides families, towns, companies and bars for a weekend. FC Porto may have been the most successful Portuguese football team in recent years but the oldest and most well known clubs are Lisbon giants Benfica and Sporting.

The stadiums are only 200 meters away from each other and this weekend the two teams will meet in the most anticipated club game on the Portuguese calendar. Benfica are the team to beat at the moment, they have splashed out this season on some big name signings and currently sit in joint first place. Sporting has not had a good season, they lie in seventh and their coach Paulo Bento resigned last week. However Sporting have been encouraged by their recent 4-1 cup victory and some indifferent results for Benfica, including a shock cup exit at the hands of Victoria Guimaraes.

So the stage is set, our company, based here on the Silver Coast is divided and this game will be spoken about for weeks to come with fans of the winning team given bragging rights for the next 6 months in restaurants, pubs, schools, on building sites and in the office.

On Saturday the 28th of November at 21:15 the country will stand still as these two teams go head to head, the Silver Coast will be no different as fans from both teams will gather in pubs and restaurants in Nazare, Obidos, Caldas da Rainha, São Martinho do Porto and Foz do Arelho to cheer their favorite team on to victory.

I will be taking the short 45 minute drive to the Alvalade stadium in my green and white hooped shirt and scarf, hoping for a Sporting win.

Let the rivalry begin . . .

By Dylan Herholdt

Wines of the Silver Coast

Portugal is one of the world’s best producers of wine and the Silver Coast is no exception producing some of Portugal’s oldest and best wines. There is so much to choose from here but we have tried to narrow it down a bit and here is more reason to live or holiday on the Silver Coast.

Casa Da Ribeira: The award winning wine is produced from a gorgeous 17th century Quinta on a 60 hectare estate near Torres Vedras on the Silver Coast. Just 15 minutes from Obidos the estate organises wonderful wine tasting events and is also available for wedding and other functions.

Quintas das Cerejeiras: This beautiful vineyard in Bombarral produces one of Portugal’s oldest wines. Just minutes from Obidos and only 15 minutes from São Martinho do Porto, Salir do Porto and Foz do Arelho.

Vidigal Wines: Located in Leiria just 10 minutes from Nazare, this stunning vineyard excels in the production of white wines.

The Silver Coast . . . vintage in more ways than one

By Dylan Herholdt

School Children take over the beach in São Martinho do Porto

The peaceful beach of São Martinho do Porto was transformed on Thursday as hundreds of enthusiastic pre-primary and primary school children took to the sand for a local inter school sports day.

The sports day involved schools from Nazare,Salir do Porto, Foz do Arelho, São Martinho do Porto and other surrounding schools on the Silver Coast. The action was intense and the competition fierce as energetic children were put through their paces in various competitions and races.

It is safe to say that fun was the real winner as children, cheered on by proud parents and teachers enjoyed their time in the sun surrounded by the beauty of São Martinho do Porto bay.

By Dylan Herholdt

Silver Coast, Portugal – Europe’s favorite “drive to” holiday destination.

Each summer season the Silver coast fills up with holiday makers. The tourism industry on the Silver Coast has grown exponentially over the past number of years and a large proportion of these holidays makers tend to drive to the Silver Coast from all over Europe. The French, Spanish, Dutch, Belgians and Germans in particular, can all drive to the Silver Coast with relative ease and comfort.
The Portuguese government has long recognized the Silver Coast region as being an area of huge touristic potential. Recent large scale infrastructure improvements to accommodate these “drive to” holiday makers have included the new A8 motorway which has opened the Silver Coast up holiday makers who choose to “drive to” their holiday destination. Seaside towns on the Silver Coast such as Sao Martinho do Porto, Nazare and Foz do Arelho have all prospered from this new holiday business.

There are of course obvious benefits of taking you car with you on holidays. First and foremost would be a much lower cost of holiday , no extortionate airport taxes or baggage charges , no peak season car rental rip offs and better control of your travel timetable . Especially if you are renting an apartment on the Silver Coast you can load up the car with all your holiday gear plus certain home comforts that you just can’t take on a plane.

Figures released from Silver Coast Hospitality ( www.silvercoasthospitailty.com) confirm that over 75% of their summer rentals are from holiday makers who “drive to” the Silver Coast especially from neighboring countries such as Spain and France .

This is great news for owners of holiday apartments being rented out on the Silver Coast during the summer period . The rental market is growing and with expected yields of up to 6% for well located luxury property , the Silver Coast is a fantastic place to invest in now before it matures . Regarded by many experts as the very last “emerging market” in Western Europe the Silver Coast is an investor’s paradise .

For all the best property in the best locations on the Silver Coast contact us now.

By Colm Wilkinson

Portugal Qualify for South Africa 2010

3 months ago Portugal’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s football world cup in South Africa seemed in tatters. But one of the things that are synonymous with Portuguese people is their strength and determination. Last night in freezing cold Sarajevo the Portuguese football team showed plenty of that strength and determination as they booked their place in the first world cup on African soil.

I am South African and have always known about the Portuguese – South African connection. I have, however, been quite surprised by the amount of South Africans that I have met here on the Silver Coast, specifically São Martinho do Porto and Nazare.

The Portuguese team started their game against Bosnia-Herzegovina with a 1-0 aggregate lead thanks to a home leg goal from Bruno Alves in Lisbon. But it was always going to be an incredibly tough encounter given the weather, the state of the pitch and the very loud and hostile home fans. It was a happy ending with a Raul Meireles goal giving Portugal the win and an overall aggregate score of 2-0. With many critics saying that this was by far the best game in the Queiroz era, Portuguese fans will be hoping that their team will get better from here on out in time for the world cup.

I will be cheering both my teams on in next year’s football show piece, it is highly unlikely that my country men will progress through to the knockout stages so I will be backing Portugal to go all the way.

By Dylan Herholdt

Christmas Magic in Obidos Castle

‘Vila Natal’ the traditional Christmas celebrations that last for more than a month commence on November 28th. Obidos Castle on the Silver Coast has always been a magical place but from the 28th until the New Year something special happens inside the ancient castle walls.

The lights go up, the smell of delightful treats fill the air, Christmas songs can be heard on the cobble stone streets, live music, concerts and plays entertain children and adults alike and don’t forget the ice rink.

There is something for everyone with events planned every night for more than a month. Christmas inside the walls of Obidos castle is an experience like none other and families always make the short drive from surrounding areas like São Martinho do Porto, Caldas Da Rainha, Nazare, Lourinha, Foz do Arelho and even Lisbon to savor the Obidos Christmas magic.

By Dylan Herholdt

All you need to know about São Martinho do Porto

Brief History:
Founded by the monks of Alcobaça in the 13th century, São Martinho do Porto has been a favorite summer destination among local Portuguese for centuries and was even the holiday destination of choice for the Portuguese royal family. The promenade was renovated in 2006 and is now a popular walking spot for families and tourists as it wraps around the shell shaped bay. It is considered as one of the gems of the Silver Coast.

Accommodation:
There are a few hotels, B & B’s and camping sites but the most popular form of accommodation in São Martinho do Porto is rentals, apartments in São Martinho do Porto are within walking distance of amenities and the beach. People who have bought apartments in São Martinho do Porto have experienced amazing rental returns.
Safe:
I have spoken about this before but São Martinho do Porto has to be one of the safest places I have ever been, added to that the bay offers a very safe swimming beach for children and the elderly.
Amenities:
Some vibrant pubs, amazing restaurants and interesting shops make the beach front nightlife an enjoyable experience for everyone. There are also the regular festivals and live music events that include a breath taking fireworks display.

Natural Beauty:

It is one of the greenest areas in Portugal, the shell shaped bay is breath taking and there are some stunning look out points like at Salir do Porto with stunning bay and countryside views.
People:
The most amazing, friendly, helpful and good hearted people you will ever meet, I still can’t believe how wonderful the local people of São Martinho do Porto are.
Weather:
Gorgeous summer weather, an average of 30 degrees from June to October.

By Dylan Herholdt

World Cup play-offs: Portugal get lucky

On saturday night, I made the short 50 minute drive from São Martinho do Porto to Estadio da Luz to watch Portugal take on visitors Bosnia in a crunch world cup play off match. With the first leg being played in Lisbon and the second leg in ice cold Bosnia, many believed that the Portuguese team needed a 2 goal cushion going into the second leg. It was not to be, Portugal in front of 50,000 passionate fans were met by a very determined Bosnian side who were unlucky not to come away with a draw at least as they hit the bar on 3 occasions.

The stars from Portugal once again trained in Obidos on the Silver Coast and maybe it was the magic of Obidos Castle that kept the ball from entering the Portuguese goal. They now travel to Bosnia with a slender 1-0 lead thanks to a first half goal from Bruno Alves, they will hope to come away with a win or a draw on wednesday.

Força Portugal!

By Dylan Herholdt

Money for free in Portugal

Portugal is the only country in Europe where you do not pay to use an ATM. You can draw money, transfer money or deposit money at an ATM in Portugal and you will not pay a cent, no bank charges.

It is a wonderful feeling when you are drawing 10 Euros at an ATM in Nazare, or Obidos or São Martinho do Porto and only 10 Euros gets taken out of your account.

In addition Portuguese banks are still giving out mortgages, our new apartments and villas come pre-approved and all our clients have taken out mortgages this year using a Portuguese bank. Of course it helps when the interest rate is the lowest it has ever been.

By Dylan Herholdt

Life on the Silver Coast

I play guitar and sing. I am not very good which is why this is my day job. I play quite often at the Irish pub in Nazare and was recently phoned by another pub owner on the Silver Coast and asked to come and play at his pub on a Friday night.

Now, it is quite a scary thing playing in front of a lot of people that you don’t know, so I have started inviting people I know to attend, don’t worry, this is not an invitation. Our offices are in São Martinho do Porto and we have wonderful Portuguese lady who cooks lunch for us every day. I told her in my appalling Portuguese that I am playing at Status Bar in São Martinho do Porto on Friday night. She shot me down, she has plans, Selena must be in her 50’s and on Friday night she is going to Karaoke in Obidos. Apparently Selena is a big Karaoke fan and does the whole dancing and singing thing. By the way she makes the most amazing potato dishes.

The point of this whole story is . . . once again I am struck by the people who live on the Silver Coast, how young at heart they are, how alive they are and the amazing life that they have here.

There is something about this place that makes you feel alive . . . it is undeniable

By Dylan Herholdt

Silver Coast football team doing the business in Portugal’s Premier League

The Leiria football club has enjoyed a fantastic first half of their first season back in Liga Sagres, Portugal’s Premier football league.

Leiria is considered by many to be the Silver Coast capital, it is a big city and now their football team is making a big impact and doing the Silver Coast proud. Colleagues of mine recently travelled 30 minutes from São Martinho do Porto to see Leiria take on Lisbon giants Benfica, it was a close game with Benfica just edging past Leiria 2-1. But other than that Leiria have had some great results in the league and currently lie 7th on the table, they have also enjoyed some good support from fans in nearby towns like Nazare, Salir do Porto and São Martinho do Porto.

Their last result saw them draw with Academica and they now prepare for a crunch match with league leaders Braga.

By Dylan Herholdt

The Silver Coast Community

As the proud new father of a beautiful baby boy I am becoming more aware of how important family values are and to the benefit of living in a community. We have all heard the expression that a country is made up of its people and this is definitely the case in Portugal. In Portugal the relevance placed on preserving the traditional family unit is immense.

It is not uncommon to see entire generations of the same family living within a few miles of each other. Especially in the Silver Coast region which, thankfully has preserved traditional family values whilst embracing the future. There is an embedded sense of community here where everybody is on a first name basis. There is also a sense of comfort that just cannot be explained in words, when you become part of the Silver Coast community you become part of something which unfortunately does not seem to exist anymore in modern society. Here we smile as we walk the beach, we cross the road to speak to our neighbor, we look out for each other, everyone is accepted and welcome in the Silver Coast Community.

If this sounds idyllic to you, then be sure to check out Nazare, São Martinho do Porto and Obidos. Prestige Property Portugal is the leading real estate company on the Silver Coast and we have fantastic properties at bargain prices in these seaside towns.

Become part of the Silver Coast Community TODAY.

By Colm Wilkinson

Portugal’s Economic Outlook Upgraded for 2010

Portugal’s economy will do better in 2010 than previously expected, the European Commission has predicted. The Commission has that the country will see its economy grow by at least 0.3% in 2010.

This new projection comes after Portugal officially came out of recession during the third quarter of 2009. Such positive news will further add to the appeal of the Portuguese Real Estate Sector. Currently Portugal is holding onto the number 1 spot as the most searched for location for overseas buyers.

One area showing huge potential is the Silver Coast Region of Portugal. Be sure to ask for property within the “Silver Circle”. The “Silver Circle” incorporates the seaside towns of Obidos, Sao Martinho do Porto and Nazare, all three towns are within a 15km radius of each other.
Ongoing Investment in this area is amongst the highest per capita in the entire country yet the government is still committed to protecting the regions natural beauty.

If you have never been to the Silver Coast before, then why not ask us about our specific 2 / 3 Day Viewing Tours. We even operate on weekends if you can’t make it during the week.

Don’t wait for the market to pass you by, the last bargains are being snapped up now. Opportunity only knocks once.

By Colm Wilkinson

Indonesian cuisine and massage centre on the Silver Coast

The Silver Coast is one of the most relaxing places in the world, but if you want to spoil yourself visit ‘Quinta da Vida Serena’ for hot stone, shiatsu and classic relaxation massages.

Jeanne & Jaap de la Rambelje are a couple from Holland that moved to the Silver Coast and have recently set up this venture that is a welcome addition to the relaxed lifestyle and pace on the Silver Coast. The centre is located in the quaint village of Alfeizerão which is central to most of the popular towns on the Silver Coast. In addition Jeanne and Jaap run a B & B and serve up traditional Indonesian food on the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month.

People from surrounding towns like São Martinho do Porto, Caldas da Rainha, Nazare and Obidos are minutes away from a relaxing massage and some divine food.

To book contact Jeanne: 00351 262 990 396

By Dylan Herholdt

The Festive season approaches on the Silver Coast.

Christmas is a wonderful time on the Silver Coast. The streets are beautifully decorated with lights, special Christmas pastries and treats are available at almost every local coffee shop and each Silver Coast town gets into the Christmas spirit in its own special way.

In São Martinho do Porto fireworks light up the bay and live music fills the air as festivals and parties take place all month. In Nazare the beach front comes alive with shops and food stands and New Year’s Eve in Nazare is an amazing event as thousands take to the beach. In Caldas da Rainha the shops and street market stay open all night and the smell of ‘castanhas’ (roasted chest nuts) fills the air. Obidos Castle is magnificent at night over the Christmas season and it is magic inside the walls as families walk the cobble stone streets eating, drinking and being merry.

I'm dreaming of a Silver Coast Christmas . . .

By Dylan Herholdt

Portuguese Lessons on the Silver Coast

I live in the beautiful town of São Martinho do Porto on the Silver Coast, there are a many things that I love about this place, the bay is stunning, Nazare is just 10 minutes away and is a sight to behold at sunset and home to the Silver Coasts only Irish pub, Obidos castle is spectacular and just 15 minutes away and if that wasn’t enough I can be in Lisbon in less than an hour and watch live sport or some of the best bands in the world perform live.

I have found one more thing that I love and it once again demonstrates the hospitality and kindness that one can experience on the Silver Coast. 5 minutes walk from my apartment is the local school in São Martinho do Porto where for € 6.50 I can attend Portuguese lessons. This is an initiative organized by the tourism board in São Martinho do Porto and a Portuguese lady volunteers her services 3 times a week and teaches me and 20 other people Portuguese.

She is a wonderful woman, warm, inviting and kind . . . just like the Silver Coast.

By Dylan Herholdt

New Hilton Hotel on the Silver Coast

The magic of Obidos is catching on. The next Hilton Hotel is to be built in Obidos, minutes away from the world heritage site Obidos Castle and under an hour away from Lisbon. The world famous hotel chain has recognized how special the Silver Coast really is and has ear marked it as a developing area and a good area to invest in.

People staying in the Hotel will have access to all the hot spots on the Silver Coast, the night life of Caldas da Rainha, the golden beaches of São Martinho do Porto, the gorgeous fresh fish restaurants of Nazare and the world class golf courses in Obidos.

The Hilton Bom Successo Obidos is scheduled to open in 2012.

By Dylan Herholdt

Rugby on the Silver Coast

Being from South Africa, rugby is a big part of our culture, the Springboks won a ‘little’ trophy in 2007 and also won a ‘little’ series against the British and Irish Lions, we then won the tri-nations and my local team back in SA the Bulls are the super 14 and currie cup champs, okay that’s enough bragging, there is a point to all of this.

I have recently been delighted to find out that there is a rugby club on the Silver Coast and they seem to be doing alright as well. Rugby in Portugal is on the rise; they qualified for the Rugby World Cup in 2007 and will probably do so again for the next one in New Zealand.

Now Caldas da Rainha has its very own rugby club and they recently notched up their second consecutive win of the season making it 2 wins from 2 games when they beat Tomar 20 – 7.

I live in São Martinho do Porto and an Irish friend of mine lives in Nazare, we will definitely be heading to Caldas da Rainha rugby club soon to watch our beloved sport played right here on our beloved Silver Coast.

By Dylan Herholdt