Life change

Hi Sandramey, Welcome.

Peniche is not a very typical expat town. It is an authentic, mainly Portuguese fishing town surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, which is very popular mostly with young European surfers. It is a very windy town with high humidity in winter.

I suggest you look for another location within a 30 km range. For example:

1. Caldas da Rainha: has one of the largest and fastest-growing expat communities in the region. It is a lively town all year round, unlike some coastal towns that are deserted in winter. In addition, it has good health/hospital facilities and shopping centres, which makes life easier for those who are not yet fluent in Portuguese.

1. São Martinho do Porto
2. Foz do Arelho
3. Ericeira

There are public transports (buses) between these locations. You can search here using combo boxes: origem (start) / destino (end).

https://rodoviariadooeste.pt/horarios-e-precos/

Renting is the most challenging step in the D7 process, as the consulate usually requires a signed 12-month contract to approve the visa.

1. Tax registration: Ensure that the contract is official and registered with the Tax Authority (Finanças). Documents from platforms such as Airbnb are rarely accepted for the D7 visa.

1. Where to look: Websites such as Idealista and CustoJusto are the most commonly used. However, in Peniche and other locations on the Silver Coast, the best deals are often found through local estate agents.

1. More info below

Beyond this forum, there are also other active Facebook groups quite good to start asking questions and even arrange coffee dates /meet up events when you visit the area:

1. ‘Silver Coast Expats’
2. ‘Expats in Caldas da Rainha & Silver Coast’
3. ‘English Speakers in Central Portugal’

These groups are essential for obtaining recommendations for visa lawyers, English-speaking doctors and social events. As you are moving alone, these support networks will be essential for you.

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D7:

Residence Rights in Portugal for UK citizens after BREXIT

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=908742

D7 visa & others - Minimum Resources 2026, Post #74

D7 visa - more details, (Posts #7, #8, ... #14, ...)

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Renting:

Real State Agencies/Websites/Portals in Portugal

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=904388

Renting Management Companies (Short/Long-Term Rentals)

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=908693

    Real Estate Website Portals, post #4

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 93#5069701

    Large Real Estate Companies Websites, post #7

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 93#5069710

Some remarks on Rental/Lease Agreement/Contract

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 93#5075332

(Posts #9 ... #12)

You can post further questions in this thread, which will be answered by members of this forum.

Best Regards

@JohnnyPT. Thank you so much!  Very useful information, particularly about the area. I will take your advice and explore further afield.