Michael H. Says:
I really enjoy reading your articles and always dream about spending quality time in the towns and villages you write about. I’m curious how someone would locate a vacant and furnished apartment in any one of these towns—especially Setubal, Braga, Coimbra, or Barcelona.
IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says:
Hi Michael,
So happy you’re enjoying our articles. Sparking dreams of spending time in the world’s best overseas destinations is our goal—that and making those dreams come true.
When searching for apartment rentals in Portugal or Spain, there are a number of ways to go about it
One way is to search the website Idealista.com. This listings website covers both Spain and Portugal (Idealista.pt is the Portuguese version) and features rental listings from various local agencies. One thing to be aware of is that some agents you’ll contact through this site speak English, but others do not.
Another effective and popular way to find a rental is to join expat Facebook groups in the cities and towns you’re interested in.
Groups such as Expats in Setubal Region, Braga Expats, and Expats in Barcelona can be good for making contact with other expats on the ground, who may have leads on expat-friendly rentals. Expats are usually happy to help others starting out, so as long as you’re polite and patient you should be able to get some leads and maybe even make some friends.
Finally, you can find a detailed breakdown of the rental market throughout Portugal, as well as a rolodex of contacts—including real estate agents—in our Escape to Portugal guidebook.
The same is true for Spain with Escape to Spain.
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