The Atlantic coastline between Lisbon and Porto is known as the Silver Coast, Silver Coast property was popular with overseas investors before the economic crises, but prices have dropped sharply since 2008. This does however present opportunities to persons that might wish to own a property on one of the most beautiful shorelines anywhere in Europe and certainly the best value for any sunny climate within Europe.
There are a number of reasons why it is a good idea to invest in Silver Coast property, firstly and perhaps most importantly is the weather Portugal has a fantastic climate with mild winters and long summers, but avoiding some of the very high temperatures associated with other Mediterranean locations.
The Silver Coast has any number of unspoilt sandy beaches where it is never difficult to find peace and quiet, the only drawback for these beaches is that the Atlantic produces large waves so bathing can be difficult on many of the beaches. This of course makes it very popular with surfers, kite surfers and wind surfers. That is not to say that you cannot find idyllic bathing spots in sheltered bays.
The general cleanliness of beaches has improved in recent years most beaches now having blue flag status.
Below you will find the principal towns within the Silver Coast Areas and a small description of them.
The City Of Aveiro
Sometimes referred to as the Venice of Portugal; Aveiro is a picturesque town where modern and traditional blend easily together. The town has a large shopping centre, canals and rail links to Porto which is 45 minutes away.
You have the choice of inland waterways or the beach so all manor of water sports and activities are possible. There are opportunities to get involved in the tourist market here as prices have not yet risen even close to their potential, as the opening of the international airport and the finishing of its service roads coincided with the economic downturn.
This is also an area that offers a lot to nature lovers especially bird watchers and the |fishing village of Costa Nova with its stripy houses is definitely worth a visit.
Caldas Da Rainha
This is a town famous for two things; firstly it has a number of fine sculptors and ceramicists in its historical past, which has led to a good number of art museums being built, secondly it has a sulphurous spring over which a former queen of Portugal, Queen Dona Leonor commissioned a hospital to be built.
The Resort Town Of Figueira Do Foz
Sitting almost in the centre of the Silver Coast area is the most tourist friendly spot of the Silver Coast the property in Figueira Do Foz has big potential for tourist income as tourists from all of Europe visit the town. Of all the property for sale in Portugal this area is attracting the most interest at the moment.
Figueira do Foz is in a legal gambling zone and has one of the largest casinos on the Iberian peninsular and some would argue the best.
There are a string of excellent beaches around the town with candy stripe huts, fairground and wonderful restaurants. One cannot escape the holiday atmosphere from the moment you arrive, that said, it still has a fishing community charm in places and is well worth a visit.
Marinha Grande
Well connected by the new road infrastructure the town of Marinha Grande is well situated for travel into Leiria or Lisbon and has some extremely nice beaches.
The area also boasts ancient pine forests, wildlife and an active surfing community. Marinha Grande is best known for its glass manufacturing industry established by British born William Stephens back in the eighteenth century.
The Town Of Nazare
Today this still lovely town is a busy seaside resort that has grown up around a small fishing village, growing in popularity Nazare offers a number of real estate opportunities in both resale and tourist rental. It has good access to the highway so that Lisbon is not to far away and has some superb beaches all along the coast. The small village of Sao Martinho do Porto is outstandingly pretty and the bay in which it is situated is ideal for bathing.
Obidos
An ideal place to stop in for a visit makes Odidos another good area for B&B or other forms of rental again it is a very pretty town and is sometimes known as the wedding gift town.Obidos has a lot of connections to the arts and has some great museums to visit.
The Market Town Of Ovar
Just a short five kilometres from the beach Ovar is a lively market town. The nearby beach is surrounded by pine forests and is rarely busy. The towns proximity to Porto and its international airport makes the property in Ovar an interesting prospect for the future.