Today, we’re going to discover a region of Portugal that’s a little less well known than the Algarve(covered in our previous article here), but which is nonetheless very interesting. Today’s featured region is the Costa de Prata (French for Silver Coast), and in this article we’ll look at why you should choose to live on Portugal’s Silver Coast. The region’s name is explained by the color of the ocean when the sun shines on it. So romantic!

This magnificent region, full of contrasts, with its seashores, historic villages and castles, is very extensive. It stretches for 280 km along the Atlantic coast! Many people mistakenly think that the Silver Coast comprises just a few towns above Lisbon, or that it stretches from Ericeira to Figueira da Foz, but this is not the case. The Silver Coast stretches more or less from the town of Espinho, 30 km south of Porto, to the town of Peniche, some 100 km north of Lisbon.

The Costa de Prata is shown here in light grey.

1. A region to delight history and culture buffs

The Côte d’Argent(Costa de Prata) region, as its name suggests, has plenty of coastline and therefore plenty of beautiful beaches (as we’ll see later). But it would be a shame to stop there, as this region has even more to offer. In fact, it boasts a rich cultural heritage, including many treasures. In fact, some of the region’s towns are UNESCO World Heritage Sites – no mean accolade! Don’t you agree? Here are 4 of these sites that are well worth a visit (if you want to discover these places, there’s a €15 pass that includes entrance to Tomar, Alcobaça and Batalha, so it’s well worth it!)

• Batalha Monastery: Built to commemorate the Portuguese victory over the Castilians at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385, this is an imposing monastery. I particularly recommend a visit to the imperfect chapel and the royal cloister, where you’ll find the tomb of the unknown soldier.
• The Convent of Christ in Tomar is a symbol of the reconquest of Portuguese territory under Muslim rule. The huge convent surrounding the Templar church includes four magnificent cloisters.
• Alcobaça monastery: the church houses the tombs of King Dom Pedro and Ines de Castro, lady-in-waiting to his wife Constança Manuel, whose forbidden love affair has inspired numerous books.
• The University of Coimbra and its famous library, which inspired Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling to create the Hogwarts library.

Coimbra‘sfamous library.

The Silver Coast also boasts many fortified towns with castles, such as:

• the castle on the tiny island of Almourol,
• porto de Mos Castle
• ourém Castle
• montemor o velho castle,
• pombal Castle.

Montemor o VelhoCastle

2. A region of tranquility

The Silver Coast offers a wide choice of beautiful beaches, which have the advantage of being a little less crowded than the beaches of the Algarve or those near Lisbon. As a result, mass tourism is less prevalent, offering greater tranquility and a more marked presence of Portuguese habits and customs.

From the north to the south of the Silver Coast, you can find, among many others, the beautiful beaches of Furadouro, Costa Nova, Mira, Quaios, Figueira da Foz, Nazaré, São Martinho do Porto, Foz do Arelho, Baleal, Peniche… And to find out even more about Portugal’s beaches, don’t miss my article dedicated to beaches .

Different beaches on Portugal’s silver coast.

You can swim at any of these beaches, but you should be aware that the sea is often quite rough – after all, it’s the Atlantic Ocean! The waves found in this region offer surfing and kitesurfing aficionados fantastic spots, including the world-famous Nazaré spot(which we’ll talk about a little later in the article). Of course, not all of us are wave lovers, and if you’re not, or if you’re with young children, I’d recommend the beach at Foz do Arelho. Here, you can see the Óbidos lagoon, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, offering beaches with calm waters on one side and ocean beaches on the other, ideal for those looking for waves.

Foz do Arelho

The beach at São Martinho do Porto is also recognized as ideal if you have children. In fact, the beach is located in a semi-circular bay(you can see the pretty, atypical shape of this bay in the photo below), which offers calm waters.

São Martinho do Porto

For those who prefer land to sea, the region also offers numerous hiking trails and some twenty golf courses spread throughout the region: Óbidos, Consolação, Asseiceira, Vimeiro or Turcifa..

Golf Praia d’el Rey, Óbidos

3. Beautiful weather, without extreme temperatures

If you decide to move to Portugal, one of the reasons may be the weather. That’s right! In everyone’s mind, Portugal rhymes with sunshine. So you probably want to live in the sun, and therefore choose a sunny region. Many will tell you that for sun, you need to go “south”, and will almost invariably point you towards the Lisbon and Algarve regions.

So, yes, sunshine and temperatures are higher in the south of Portugal. As in France, the further south you go, the warmer and sunnier it gets. However, you mustn’t forget that Portugal is to the south of France(and now you’re thinking, “Geography’s really good!”). The northern regions of Portugal and the Silver Coast may be a little less sunny and warmer than southern Portugal, but they’re still much sunnier and warmer than France, Belgium or other countries further north.

All the more so for those who can’t stand “extreme” temperatures, this “central” region of Portugal enjoys pleasant daytime temperatures of around 30 degrees in summer and around 15 degrees in winter (except in a few inland towns on the Silver Coast, where temperatures can be more extreme).

Finally, as far as the weather is concerned, you should know that you’re on the Atlantic coast! You have the privilege of living close to the ocean, but on the other hand, you can sometimes experience sea fog and a slightly windier, wetter climate than if you lived inland. But then again, you have to be prepared to make a few sacrifices when you’re lucky enough to live by the sea, don’t you think?

Weather on the Silver Coast. Source: hikersbay.com

4. A region ideally situated between two major cities

Another advantage of the Silver Coast is that it lies between the capital, Lisbon, and its little sister, Porto. These major cities are therefore easily accessible, thanks to the many motorway networks that criss-cross the Silver Coast. In fact, as you can see from the section I’ve circled below, the A1, A8, A17 and A29 from north to south, and the A25, A23 and A14 from east to west, intertwine within the Silver Coast, providing quick access to a wide range of destinations. So you can go anywhere in just a few hours, and discover different places with different climates, cultures and points of interest.

Motorway map of Portugal. The Silver Coast is circled.

5. More affordable real estate and cost of living

The fact that Portugal’s Silver Coast is less well-known and touristy than the Algarve, Lisbon and Porto regions has an impact on the cost of living and real estate prices, which are therefore more affordable than in other regions.

Portugal’s Silver Coast is very spread out, so prices can vary, but you’ll easily find a complete dish with fish or meat and several side dishes for 6 euros, compared with around 11 euros in other regions.

Property prices per m2 are also much lower than in other regions. Whereas in the Algarve, the average price per m2 is around 2,400 euros and in Lisbon 3,700m2, you can almost halve or triple the price per m2 in the Côte d’Argent, with an average of just under 1,300€/m2.

Typical Portuguese house.

Below are the average prices per m2 of real estate in certain towns on the Silver Coast (please note that these are average prices per m2 and will vary depending on the type of property you select, source: arkadia)

• 1600€/m2 in Nazaré
• 1300€/m2 in Coimbra
• 1100€/m2 in Leiria
• 1200€/m2 in Figueira da foz
• 1200€/m2 in Alcobaça
• 1300€/m2 in Caldas da Rainha

6. Living on Portugal’s Silver Coast means discovering towns with a wealth of attractions

In preparing this article, I realized that one of the great assets of this region is the wealth of cities it comprises. These cities are divided into 3 districts: Aveiro, Coimbra and Leiria.

The region is made up of numerous cities, each with its own charms, but above all each with its own culture, history and richness, as I outlined at the start of this article. This mix of towns means there’s something for everyone. Some with their castles, others with their crafts, with their vineyards… It would be impossible and tedious to list all the towns of the great Costa de Prata here, but here are five (among many others ) that are well worth a detour.

1. Aveiro, with:

1. Its “moliceiros”(typical boats): if you’re taking a trip to Aveiro, don’t forget to hop aboard one of the pretty boats that sail the city’s canals and explain its nickname of “Venice of Portugal”.
2. Its “house-pyjamas”(also known as “palheiros” ): near Aveiro, in Costa Nova, on the seafront, you’ll be able to admire beautiful houses with colorful stripes.
3. Its “ovos moles”: an egg-and-sugar-based pastry I talked about in more detail in my article on gastronomy, which you can find by clicking here.

Costa Nova’s house-pyjamas (palheiros)

2. Caldas da Rainha, with:

1. Its thermal springs: Caldas da Rainha means “Queen’s Spring” in reference to Queen D. Leonor. The town’s hot springs give it the status of a spa town, where the world’s first thermal hospital was built. Classy!
2. The art of ceramics: The Silver Coast region has a strong tradition of craftsmanship, particularly in ceramics, one of the national emblems of which is Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro’s factory in Caldas da Rainha. The town is famous for its “louça das caldas”(spring crockery), made from ceramics with a variety of motifs: vine leaves, snails… Caldas da Rainha’s craftsmanship is also known for what is popularly called “caralhos”, ceramics with more “peculiar” motifs that can make you smile, as you can see in the photo below. You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting your tableware 😉

Craftsmen painting “caralhos” in Caldas da Rainha.

3. Nazaré, with:

1. Its huge waves: The town is well known for its waves, which are prized by surfers from all over the world. In November 2017, it was in Nazaré that Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa broke the world record for the biggest wave ever surfed, taming a 24.38-meter wave. This beats the record held since 2011 by American Garrett McNamara on a 22.77-meter wave, also at Nazaré.
2. Exceptional view from the Sitio: For a magnificent panorama of the ocean and Nazaré beach, I strongly recommend climbing to the promontory at the top of the town. One thing’s for sure: you won’t be disappointed by this breathtaking view.
3. Its fishermen, a deep-rooted tradition: A former fishing village, Nazaré is still a very typical sight. You can see the fishermen and their wives, dressed in traditional costumes, gutting, drying and selling the fish on the beach. 100% zero intermediaries: from the sea to your plate!

The Sitio in Nazaré at sunset. No waves that day!

4. Óbidos, with:

1. A village that’s sure to charm you: you have to go there to discover the special atmosphere that emanates from this place. A village set in the middle of a wall. Within the wall, narrow cobbled streets are interspersed with small houses of immaculate white with a touch of blue or yellow.
2. Its two not-to-be-missed events: The first, the International Chocolate Festival(usually at the end of April), is perfect for those with a sweet tooth. The second event, also well known and not to be missed in this city, is the Christmas festivities, where the decorations, illuminations and animations are much appreciated by the Portuguese.

In the streets of Óbidos.

5. Peniche, with:

1. Its fortress: Europe’s most westerly city boasts an ancient fortress towering over the port, from which you can see the pretty Berlengas islands.
2. Its “Caldeirada de peixe”: a delicious fish bouillabaisse that is the town’s specialty.
3. Its “Renda de Bilros”: the town is renowned for its bobbin lace, a craft that has been perpetuated over the years, and which is very interesting to observe, as the meticulous work is remarkable.

Bobbin lace.

In conclusion

Portugal’s Silver Coast is synonymous with “douceur de vivre”. Lesser-known and therefore quieter than its neighbors, it is home to a wide variety of riches, both in the towns near the ocean and inland. If you’re curious, you won’t have time to get bored as this region has so many treasures to discover.

why not let yourself be seduced by the gentle pace of life on Portugal’s Silver Coast?

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