Best place in Portugal to live as a cyclist??

vefoso

Hi people,

I'm currently in Girona. The cycling is epic. I'm a road cyclist that loves climbing so I absolutely need a mountain on my doorstep and Girona has it. The problem is, I can only stay here 6 months and then I have to bite the bullet on Spanish tax, which is a financial disaster as a self employed small online entrepreneur and I also would like to buy a house and the house prices here are not cheap, sort of starting at 300k eur for anything half way decent.

Therefore, I am considering moving to Portugal instead because both property and taxes are more affordable and it makes much better financial sense, and the cycling is also supposed to be amazing. However I know NOTHING about Portugal. Does anyone know a place in Portugal which is remotely similar to Girona in the sense of:

- Epic cycling and multiple great climbs on your doorstep without good quality roads and low traffic
- Some kind of civilisation, IE an organic grocery shop in town
- Reasonable access to an airport using public transport

Does this exist in Portugal?

If such a place does not exist, I might consider committing financial suicide to continue living in Spain, because I like it here, or I might move to Tuscany which is equally disastrous for tax but cheaper house prices. But if there were such a place in Portugal, it would be the best of both worlds... epic cycling with more comfortable finances. Look forwards to any help, thanks!

clickrumble

I haven't actually cycled in Portugal, but I have been on holiday twice to northern Portugal near the town of Paredes da Coura. While I have been there I have noticed many cyclists and the roads look good for cycling with plenty of big climbs and nice scenery. Also, the Portuguese lady who looks after the place we stayed at told me that the area is very popular with British cyclists and she often helps them out with bike transport etc.

vefoso

thanks for the tip. It appears though it might not fit as there is no airport nearby and no decent public transportation to vigo. There also doesn't seem to be any organic shops or vegetarian restaurants or anything there so I think maybe too rural for me. I was looking at Braga but cannot get any information on the quality of cycling there. I'm thinking about just going there but I'd like to get some information first because maybe it's not got for cyclists. There seems to be a major lack of information about cycling in Portugal on the internet, with the exception of expensive package amateur tours along the south coast.

cooldad

vefoso wrote:

... There also doesn't seem to be any organic shops or vegetarian restaurants or anything there so I think maybe too rural for me....

Wouldn't want to miss out on the soya latte....

mfin

cooldad wrote:

vefoso wrote:

... There also doesn't seem to be any organic shops or vegetarian restaurants or anything there so I think maybe too rural for me....

Wouldn't want to miss out on the soya latte....

No, it's difficult to live without hipster shite and places you can meet similarly minded luvvies who say things like "oh, you really must go, the aubergine starter I had was simply divine".

vefoso

Why are you taking the piss out of me? I have an intestinal disease and if I eat meat I end up in hospital. Not nice taking the piss out of people's health problems. Does anyone actually know a decent place or is this forum comprised mostly of teenage trolls?

vefoso

PS not sure why p i s s is auto corrected to wee wee. Maybe this forum is comprised of children....?

trek_dan

vefoso wrote:

is this forum comprised mostly of teenage trolls?

nail. head.

keef66

Having driven round both Portugal and Northern Italy on recent holidays I'd probably vote for Tuscany. Better scenery and food IME.

No idea about organic / vegan / vegetarian provision since I'm an omnivore...

cooldad

You didn't mention health problems in your op, I'm sure you can get organic vegetables in rural Portugal.

Although I didn't realise that meat was a vegetable?

Auto correct works on all swear words. As used by children, and teenage trolls.

cooldad

trek_dan wrote:

vefoso wrote:

is this forum comprised mostly of teenage trolls?

nail. head.

I resent that. Some of us are quite old trolls.

trek_dan

vefoso wrote:

vegetarian restaurants

Mainland Europe vegetarian food = margarita pizza

mfin

vefoso wrote:

Why are you taking the wee-wee out of me? I have an intestinal disease and if I eat meat I end up in hospital. Not nice taking the wee-wee out of people's health problems. Does anyone actually know a decent place or is this forum comprised mostly of teenage trolls?

Ah, it's an intestinal problem, it's a shame you have to go near these kinds of shops and are forced to mingle with the luvvies. A necessary evil I suppose.

flasher

This is a training camp in Portugal, the area is meant to be amazing, not been myself!

https://www.delucci.co.uk

DavidJB

vefoso wrote:

Why are you taking the wee-wee out of me? I have an intestinal disease and if I eat meat I end up in hospital. Not nice taking the wee-wee out of people's health problems. Does anyone actually know a decent place or is this forum comprised mostly of teenage trolls?

***EDITED BY MOD — please don't call people names, thanks.***

fpinela8

vefoso wrote:

Hi people,

I'm currently in Girona. The cycling is epic. I'm a road cyclist that loves climbing so I absolutely need a mountain on my doorstep and Girona has it. The problem is, I can only stay here 6 months and then I have to bite the bullet on Spanish tax, which is a financial disaster as a self employed small online entrepreneur and I also would like to buy a house and the house prices here are not cheap, sort of starting at 300k eur for anything half way decent.

Therefore, I am considering moving to Portugal instead because both property and taxes are more affordable and it makes much better financial sense, and the cycling is also supposed to be amazing. However I know NOTHING about Portugal. Does anyone know a place in Portugal which is remotely similar to Girona in the sense of:

- Epic cycling and multiple great climbs on your doorstep without good quality roads and low traffic
- Some kind of civilisation, IE an organic grocery shop in town
- Reasonable access to an airport using public transport

Does this exist in Portugal?

If such a place does not exist, I might consider committing financial suicide to continue living in Spain, because I like it here, or I might move to Tuscany which is equally disastrous for tax but cheaper house prices. But if there were such a place in Portugal, it would be the best of both worlds... epic cycling with more comfortable finances. Look forwards to any help, thanks!

I would suggest you to have a look at Coimbra and Viseu. A very good balance between city and scenery with good routes on your doorstep and very cheap properties, probably not that cheap in Coimbra city center due to students but the area itself is pretty cheap.

Viseu is not far from the Serra da Estrela natural park, with the highest peak in Portugal (mainland) reaching just short of 2000m and at least 3 awesome routes to the top. It was recently voted as the city in Portugal with the highest quality of life.

Coimbra is probably the 3/4th biggest city in Portugal with some of the best universities in the country and hilly all around.
Distance to an airport could be an issue though...

skooter

I lived just outside of Malaga for 15 years so I would say stay put as it better the devil you know?

The Spiderman

My brother has a villa in Sao Martinho on the silver coast. Some years back I did a weekend cycling with him taking in the coast, Obidos and and Sintra
There were some pretty epic climbs and views from memory

borisface

I've lived in central Portugal for last 6 years and love it. The cycling is great. Lots of very quiet lanes and some great climbs, courteous motorists, excellent road surfaces. There are lots of granfondo events now.

Summer can be very hot 40+ winters cold and wet. Things like cars/petrol are ruinous to buy. Culturally it is very different to Spain, unless you go to the Algarve its still very Portuguese, far friendlier than the Spanish. Internet access is patchy, if you are in a town/village you might be lucky and get fibre optic, if not speeds are slow - I get less than 2mb.
Not sure you;re correct re taxes being low though. However, in many ways PT is still in the dark ages, particularly with things like organic shops. There are some for sure and will be in Coimbra. If you like mountains anywhere other than the Alentejo and parts of the west coast will suit.

ivor_pye

borisface wrote:

I've lived in central Portugal for last 6 years and love it. The cycling is great. Lots of very quiet lanes and some great climbs, courteous motorists, excellent road surfaces. There are lots of granfondo events now.

Summer can be very hot 40+ winters cold and wet. Things like cars/petrol are ruinous to buy. Culturally it is very different to Spain, unless you go to the Algarve its still very Portuguese, far friendlier than the Spanish. Internet access is patchy, if you are in a town/village you might be lucky and get fibre optic, if not speeds are slow - I get less than 2mb.
Not sure you;re correct re taxes being low though. However, in many ways PT is still in the dark ages, particularly with things like organic shops. There are some for sure and will be in Coimbra. If you like mountains anywhere other than the Alentejo and parts of the west coast will suit.

With regards to taxes would be be thinking NHR maybe if his income is from the UK?