Bombarral retirement

Can't answer about Bombarral - never been there, and as the question has gone unanswered for a couple weeks it seems safe to say not many of us have.  I'm in a slightly larger city on the other end of the Leiria district, hence much farther from Lisbon (but better connected by train.)

There are a few other residents where who are native speakers of English.  We know of a couple right here in town.  When they got here, someone told them they were the only Americans in the city ... this was after we moved in, so it was an erroneous statement, but we don't know for sure how many there are either.  For practical purposes, there's no noticeable English-speaking expat community.

Some of the Portuguese nationals here are able to speak English reasonably well, and may be happy to get a chance to exercise this skill.  Many simply do not speak English, or not enough to be comfortable trying.  I'm fortunate to have spent a long time working up Portuguese language skills; to me it seems like it would be incredibly frustrating to live here otherwise.  If people come to work on your house ... sign language?  The police don't speak English, hopefully this will not be a big problem as they're mostly a lost-and-found department in this quiet city, but - imagine.  And if anyone can pick it up to a useful fluency in like six months or something, it isn't anyone I've met.  We know a few who have basically given up - it's hard.

We know a couple in Caldas da Rainha, not very far from Bombarral, and I sort of envy their much better social integration if that's the right term.  They're learning the language as well as anyone we know, probably better, but the barrier isn't as bad.  They're right in the city.  It's more cosmopolitan, more people speak English, more people have other things going on besides 8 hour jobs and raising children.  The competition for good places to live is much more intense, because everyone wants to live there.

This is not to say Bombarral is a loser.  I had to look at this, because I had really skipped over it when I was looking for options, and it looks like a nice town.  If there's a lot about the situation you were looking at that really has you hooked ... maybe you'll be fine there.  The Portuguese are no different there than anywhere else, the nicest people in the world, and they certainly haven't been burned out on expats in the way that could happen in e.g. the Algarve.  A lot depends on what you're like, really.

Hi and Welcome.  Ive been to Bombarral and viewed some properties there.  I'd suggest you visit a few of the towns which have a larger population and good transport links to Lisbon, such as Coimbra, Caldas da Rainha, Tomar they all have expats and the usual,  hospitals, doctors, schools, shops, banks, markets, administration,  vast history, selection of people speaking English, very little crime.  Coimbra in particular has an old university and loads of students who all seem to be helpful and willing impromptu translators.  If I remember rightly the train station for this area is Lisboa Oriente which is a 500m walk directly out the front of the airport, also the coach station is next to this.

PS. Being Portugal it's possible to use Google Maps and go on train journeys. Here's Caldas station.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@39.40722 … FQAw%3D%3D

We go to Coimbra once in a while, for one thing or another.  It's different.  It would certainly be worth the trouble to spend a week or so in these places.  While you will see only a slice of the place, it's the only way to know if it has the things you care about.

Cities on the main rail line, like Coimbra, Pombal, Entroncamento, Santarem, can get a faster ride to Lisbon - as little 1 1/2 hours - if an express train fits your schedule.  But the airport is not very close to any station, that would be a subway (Red, which you can get on at Oriente.)  Oriente is 3 km from the airport.  From Bombarral or Caldas da Rainha, the trip is on regional only routes and will take an hour longer.

@donn25

Thank you for the information. I agree with you and we are now going to focus on Caldas da Rainha area. We will be visiting in October.

@Strontium

Thank you for replying! We will be focusing Caldas area when we visit in October.

    We go to Coimbra once in a while, for one thing or another.  It's different.  It would certainly be worth the trouble to spend a week or so in these places.  While you will see only a slice of the place, it's the only way to know if it has the things you care about.
Cities on the main rail line, like Coimbra, Pombal, Entroncamento, Santarem, can get a faster ride to Lisbon - as little 1 1/2 hours - if an express train fits your schedule.  But the airport is not very close to any station, that would be a subway (Red, which you can get on at Oriente.)  Oriente is 3 km from the airport.  From Bombarral or Caldas da Rainha, the trip is on regional only routes and will take an hour longer.
   

    -@donn25

You're right I'm wrong - got things confused from the dozens of times flying there as we used free parking 500m from front of airport and left car there when flying but other times without car just kept on walking down Berlim to the station.

For most people living in Caldas or Bombarral the best way to get to Lisbon is via bus. The railway is often slower, travels less frequent, is more expensive, suffers from industrial action, .... (arguments I heard). Overall Bombarral is not very well connected within Portugal. I wouldn't want to live there, but "to each his own".

A new player Flixbus has arrived on the Portuguese market and provides fast (1h 10m) connections from Calsdas to Lisbon Oriente.

I think that a poor country like Portugal should limit the expensive extension of the rail network to very few, highly frequented routes. The rest should be done by the much more flexible buses using excellent, existing motorway infrastructure. 

Bombarral is a small town with a population of approximately 13,000.  I personally woulf recommend Caldas da Rainha with a population of approximately 55,000.  Caldas (as the locals call it) has a hospital, a farmer's market that is open 7 days a week, a small modern mall, and much more.  It is about 1 hour from Lisbon.  12 minute drive from beautiful beaches.  Check it out.

Max

@maxwmitchell1997 I will be in Portugal in October and plan on visiting Caldas da Rainha.  Do you know of a realtor I could contact to look at some properties?

Thank you

Bom Successo Real Estate are great, thowever they do focus primarily on the Bom Successo / Paria Del Rey and the other beach / surfing areas. That being said I've seen them advertising in Caldas.  I'd recommend checking out their website.

The couple that run it are from the UK and have lived in the area for many, many years.

As for getting to the airport I'd recommend Flexibus they are now running a bus directly to / from the airport to Caldas 3 times a day and for us, as we have a class 2 car,  is actually cheaper than the petrol, tolls & parking.

Caldas is great, it is small enough to get around easily but big enough to have almost everything, has lots of big box stores for shopping but also a great town centre and high street lined with local shops plus a great daily fruit & veg market. We live on on the coast but do our weekly shopping in Caldas, it's only 15 minutes away.

@maxwmitchell1997 - I will move from Clearwater/Tampa to the Lourinha/Obidos area. Since you did the same, I would like to share your experience regarding moving company and car import. Thanks Hans Faulstich