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Costa Verde, Portugal

  

On the northwest coast of Portugal, the Costa Verde has something to offer anyone who visits or wants to live here. Porto, the second largest city in the country, is the financial and economic center of northern Portugal. Additionally, there are lush green river valleys, wineries and beaches, all within an easy drive of the city and its busy airport.

The Costa Verde is part of the Northern Region of Portugal and is where the country began. It consists of six sub-regions and, in more traditional political divisions, three districts out of the 18 total for the whole country. These districts are Porto, Braga and Viena de Castelo. This area begins along the Spanish border in the north and runs to just south of the Douro River and eastward to beyond Braga. It is a small region, but has plenty to offer.

Porto

The climate in this part of the country is similar to that in south, but a little cooler on average. It has temperate, dry summers and mild, wet winters with the occasional hot and cold spells. The economy for the area has long been tied to the Douro River valley and its fertile crops, including the well known Port wine. It is also a heavily industrialized region of the country with many major businesses and companies headquartered in the city. The coast provides an additional boost to the economy with tourism in the summer months, but that season is a little shorter than in the more famous south.

Porto has a population of nearly 250,000 within the city limits and almost 1.7 million in the greater metro area. It has a major shipping center, which became famous for the wine named after it, Port. This sweet, fortified beverage  comes from the Douro River valley. The river runs from deep in Spain, all the way across Portugal, alongside Porto and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The name of the country also comes from this area, as Porto was originally the port for the city of Gaia, or Cale, across the Douro River, and two city’s names together form the basis for Portugal.

Porto has become a popular cultural center with museums, concert halls and a lively music scene. The caves, or lodges, where Port wine is stored and aged are a popular attraction. These are mainly located in Vila Nova de Gaia on the other side of the river.

There are several major universities in and around Porto, including the University of Porto, the largest school in the country with some 28,000 students. Porto is a popular sports center with two main football clubs, FC Porto and Boavista FC. Porto won the European Champions League in 2004 under the direction of recently departed Chelsea skipper Jose Mourinho.

Outside of Porto and its suburbs, the Douro River and the Atlantic Coast are the major attractions. The Douro River valley in this part of Portugal has a distinct microclimate that makes it perfect for growing grapes, olives and almonds. The region around Pinhão and São João da Pesqueira is the center of the wine industry with fascinating farms that are located along very steep valley walls. In recent years the tourism industry has developed, taking visitors to see the farms and the river. A popular way to visit the area is to take a cruise from Porto up the Douro, through some its several dams and locks.

The very northern part of the coast is the Minho River basin. The Minho forms part of the border with Spain and the area was a formal province for part of the 20th century. Braga, the traditional capital, of the area, is a city of 170,000 residents inland and is a historically important center. Occupied since pre-historic times, the city was founded by Celts in 300 BC and was a Roman administrative center. It is now an industrial and religious center, with many monuments and attractions for visitors including the Braga Cathedral.

 

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Costa Verde Property

Along the coast are many beaches and a few resorts. Viana do Castelo sits along the coast at the mouth of the River Lima and is the largest seaside town north of Porto. South of Viana do Castelo on the other side of the river is the Praia Cabedelo, a beach that stretches as far south as the popular holiday resort of Esposende. On the other side of the town to the north is another resort village, Vila Praia de Âncora, built near a 17th century fort.

Travel to the Costa Verde is easy and relatively fast because it is a compact area. Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport (OPO) is about 15 kilometers north of Porto and recently underwent a major renovation to make way for the Euro 2004 football championships. It is a popular gateway city to the country and has direct flights to many major European cities. It is served by several low-cost airlines that fly from London and Liverpool. There is rail service to Lisbon, and then beyond to Spain and other European countries. The major autoroute, the A1, goes from Lisbon to Porto and beyond to Braga as the A3. More info at Virtual tourists-Costa Verde

Like the entire Costa Verde region, there is a wide variety of property for those who want to have a second home or live in this part of the country. From seaside villas and apartments to large homes, there is something that will appeal to everyone. The area around Porto has the most availability, but there are also a number of properties that are available around Viana do Castelo and Vila Praia de Âncora. Inland there are country houses and even land to buy.

 

Portuguese Investment Property

A tax planners dream

Portugal still remains a place where the tax planners can thrive.it is still possible to buy property in Portugal using offshore companies. This can help secure significant tax advantages those investing in Portugal, resident or not, can very often legally circumvent capital and transfer taxes

Algarve	Centre
Alentejo	Lisbon
Algarve Faro And	Lisbon Coast
Carvoeiro	Algarve East Of Faro
Minho	Aljezur / Algarve
West Algarve	Center Algarve
Central Algarve	Vale Do Lobo
Arnacao De Pera	Loule, Algarve
Faro, Algarve	Pico (Azores Island)
Marinha Grande	Silver Coast

 

 

A strong stable economy

A well established property market that has been quietly growing in the shadows of Spain and France makes Portugal an ideal place to invest in property. Property in Portugal is producing wealth for property owners from capital growth and rental yields. The economy is backed by EU funding and strong inward investment from tourism and international investors. more here:

Investment Property in Portugal

 

More Information on the Web

                    

Portugal.org

Official site of the government agency Investments, Trade and Tourism of Portugal. Provides general information on the country and localities, and on buying ...

Portugal.org

For those visiting or planning a vacation in Portugal, here is some general travel information that may be useful. Experience local culture through ...

Portugal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hyperlinked encyclopedia article covers the country's history, government and politics, geography, economy, demographics, language and culture.

Portugal Official Tourism Website

Looking for romance, discovering culture, living adventure, relaxing? Indulge yourself in Portugal, your destination. Useful information about Accommodation ...