Anyone from Portugal or has been there?
I'm a Canadian planning on taking an extended holiday and I want to surf, unwind, and live somewhere cheap.
Is Portugal a good idea?
I dont know much about it, and i've travelled a fair amount, everything i've read about it sounds pretty good...
I've done this kind of holiday in mexico but want to try somewhere new.
Somewhere in the EU would be cool because i have duel-citizenship there.
my target is to live for $1000/month or less for everything...
is this possible in Portugal?
>live for $1000/month or less for everything
literally more than the average portuguese wage
>>1050794
I have an apartment near Sagres. There was a surf school there so I assume they get waves. I went there and denied myself nothing and was spending less than €50 a day. If you cooked for yourself and kept away from alcohol I see no reason why you shouldnt be able to live there on €1000 a month.
>>1051040
OP here thank you.
Sagres looks beautiful!
ya €700 a month would be ideal... €350 on accommodation and €350 for food and fun.
i want to surf and sketch/paint old buildings (and drink and meet women).
peniche and lisbon also look good
Portugal is great.. I wasn't listening closely to the radio but I think they got some serious government instability going on... like falling back into socialism. I'd check out travel advisories with the US state department first.
>>1050794
Loved Lisbon last time I was there. Great food, cheap coffee everywhere, really pleasant city
Hello maple leafer, portuguese here.
The best time for surfing is during winter, November, February and March.
The whole western coast of Alentejo is pretty good especially praia do Amado near Sagres.
The Ericeira-Peniche-Nazaré are the main national destinations for surf.
1000 dollars is more than enough to live on your own in those small towns. Heck you'll be fucking rich.
>>1052014
OP here, thank you based Portuguese!
what are Portuguese women like?
How safe is it for a traveller who doesn't speak Portuguese?
I will learn some basic Portuguese of course.
Any advice?
>>1052071
>what are Portuguese women like?
Extremelly difficult, they all hangout out in small closed groups. But as youre a foreigner they'll might open up a bit.
>How safe is it for a traveller who doesn't speak Portuguese?
Super safe, everyone there knows english and french (mostly old people). Even if old people dont comprehend you you can gesticulate and they'll understand.
>Any advice?
In western Alentejo, public transport are lacking so unless you rent a car (we drive stick), walk or bike (it's the best trail for both in the country) you'll have to resort to buses.
You better love fish and seafood.
There are numerous hostels and surf schools so you should be fine for all that jazz.
In western alentejo and algarve a considerable of english,scandinavian and german pensioners live there so you'll always have to understand you.
National emergency number is 112.
You "can't" wild camping but if you know how to do it correctly and not draw the authorities attention most people won't mind you.
It'll be chillly as fuck, but I doubt that's a problem for a canadian...
Alentejo is the communist bastion of the country so don't be surprised.
If you can go see the dolphins in Sado River between Santarém (south of Lisbon) and Tróia (south of Setúbal).
Have a nice trip!
Another portuguese here. If you're coming to Portugal it is essential that you visit Porto and Lisbon. They are the most important cities in Portugal and are just separated by a 3 hours drive or 3 hours by train. Lots of people here understand English so not knowing to speak Portuguese shouldn't be a problem. As it was said before girls here are difficult to people they don't know because most of the times they hangout in closed groups. We are in the middle of a political crisis (left vs right claiming power) but it won't affect your trip at all :)
>>1052303
Thank you Portuguese!
>Portuguese Women
>Extremely difficult
damn, but more desirable this way.
>Super safe
Good to know
>Advice
>we drive stick
me too
>112
didn't know that
>communist bastion
what do you mean by this? they are structured to a fault?
>>1052307
Thank you Another Portuguese!
>essential that you visit Porto and Lisbon
Porto and Lisbon both look amazing! and looks like there's surf nearby!
>As it was said before girls here are difficult...
does this have anything to do with religion?
are some cities better than others for meeting youngish people?
>>1052329
Different Portuguese here.
Girls are historically difficult due to the historical southern Europe macho attitude, which has been changing a lot.
In Lisbon that has changed pretty much and you won't have any problems.
Neither will you in "surf towns" like Sagres because of the whole vibe.
There are also towns with large college populations where casual sex is fairly easy (Coimbra, Braga, etc)
Your mileage may vary but if you're the surfer type with decent looks you'll have no problem.
Previous expat in Portugal here. Northern European.
Gotta chime in regarding food, if you really find the right place to go to, you can eat a giant meal for almost nothing, and they would probably have to wheel you away from the table.
Portugal is peculiarly insular if you come from a richer part of the world. Don't expect to find decent pizza, thai, indian or any other cosmopolitan stuff. They generally only do Portuguese food well.
People in Lisbon and Porto can be clued in 'hipsters', but if you meet people in other places, don't expect them to actually know shit that are part of the wide range of knowledge that Northern Europeans find de rigeur, like movie knowledge, be able to tell the difference between the Beatles and the Stones or know the approximate time and duration of the Vietnam war. Rural Portugal can be a mental bubble much similar to third world countries.
Read up on the concept of saudade to understand the somewhat more gloomy disposition of the Portuguese compared to the Spanish for example.
Unemployment and low wages are a real issue for a lot of people. A lot of people are somewhat downbeat because of this. Lucky that you can have a coffee for 50 cents and that small chilled beers are very cheap too.
OP back, thank you Portuguese / Northern Euro bro's
>>1052362
>Girls are historically difficult
I've found a bloody video about it... but it also makes the young guys in Lisbon seem meek DESU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHZivAjas40
>There are also towns with large college populations where casual sex is fairly easy (Coimbra, Braga..)
noted
>>1052597
>a giant meal for almost nothing
excellent
>They generally only do Portuguese food well.
i like fish and rice
>saudade
interesting
>coffee for 50 cents and that small chilled beers are very cheap too.
this is exactly what i want.
Lisbon seems like a must see city.
Portugal is just a huge shithole. Trust me.
>>1053387
A/S/L ?
Please elaborate
OP, check out the Azores. Im living here now and love it. Its pretty cheap here too.
>>1050794
Hi, I'm spending my semester currently in Lisbon, couldn't be happier about my choice. My monthly costs revolve around 700 euros, but that includes far more going out than I would do at home.
I pretty much learned surfing here since August so I'm still very very far from the locals, but even from Lisbon you can easily get to Costa de Caparica or Carcavelos by train or bus, around 3 euros return. Better if you have a car, Peniche and Ericeria are pretty good if you're a more advanced surfer.
Life is pretty cheap here, I found people very nice, nightlife is cool, I can't complain. Also, most, generally younger people speak English (in Lisbon, don't know about the rest).
On a sidenote, I don't find the local food too good (compared with Spain, France, Italy etc.), but Pastel de Natas are just amazing.
>>1054292
> Pastel de Natas
This guy gets it. Heavely if made right. With a Meia De leite (sp?) to wash it down...
>>1054292
OP here
b-r-o
where are you from?
sounds awesome...exactly what i wanna hear.... except the food...
isn't seafood good? like rice and fish right? that shits good?
i don't expect to eat French cuisine anyways...
>>1054542
I'm from Hungary (don't like our food either though), I really love being here despite some perks (awful public transportation, clubs closing around 4), but the possibility of surfing and good weather makes up for everything.
Seafood like shrimps is good but I didn't find the most popular dish, codfish to have any taste. Also, non-local meals like pizza, kebab, hamburgers are generally awful in my opinion, I rather cook for myself. And after 2AM, pretty much only McDonald's is open, after 4 nothing.
>>1050794
>Is Portugal a good idea?
Yes there are all types of waves here, from small to the fucking biggest waves like the one that McNamara rode at Nazaré, so where you go depends on your skill
>I dont know much about it, and i've travelled a fair amount, everything i've read about it sounds pretty good...
We're almost in December and it's a sunny day in Lisbon. This kind of weather applies to the rest of the southern part of the country. Colder in the north. Take that into consideration because I assume you won't be surfing 24/7.
What more do you want to know?
>my target is to live for $1000/month or less for everything...
>is this possible in Portugal?
The minimum wage is around €535 so that's more than enough if you know how to manage your money.
>>1054913
>clubs closing around 4
that's because we're fucking retarded and allow some night clubs to open on residential buildings.
Bairro Alto is the utter joke. I'd close every fucking bar there.
>codfish to have any taste
What a fucking heresy mate. Just go to a nice restaurant.
There are very good restaurants around Lisbon but they are a bit pricey (to our standards). Regular restaurants are run by old people who just don't give a fuck if what they're serving is good or not, and don't care about presentation at all.
OP here, thank you again
>>1054913
>clubs closing around 4
where I'm from this is late! doesn't worry me.
> I rather cook for myself
good plan B
>possibility of surfing and good weather makes up for everything
you've said enough
>>1054917
sounds great.
>What more do you want to know?
most surf pictures i see guys are wearing wetsuits, so i guess its not warm enough for just shorts and a rash guard? or if so it will be more in the south... I've surfed in australia, mexico, and canada.
Im still pretty basic on the board, the biggest waves i've ridden are probably 2m and i've probably only rode a dozen like this. i really want to get in a barrel. not sure if waves are like this in Portugal.
>around €535
cool. thats like $750 canadain.
are there any areas of Portugal with a good population of artists?
like people selling paintings of Portugal on the street for money to tourists?
>>1054919
>Bairro Alto is the utter joke. I'd close every fucking bar there.
why do you say this? the pics on google make it look all right?
