Where to go off-grid in Europe

[youngsinatra]

Hey,

I have been to Umbria, Toscani and Sicily.
Very nice over there but one hast to speak Italian, in some regions barely anyone spoke English.
Besides that Italy is know for its exuberant bureaucracy, as far as I know it is very hard to obtain building permit for
something special like a tiny house; I personally would prefer something more international like the south of Portugal.

Thank you!

 

[Logan-]

Acutally it is quite simply.
First I removed the back seats, then I build a framework out of squared wood to have an even level;
on that I put plywood boards, on that my matress.
The framework is expandle to the front.
In the evenings I arrest the front seats forward as far as possible, exand the framework
- this way the framework is around 180cm long -
and attach a black curtain behind the front seats.
Unter the framework I have storing capacity.
On the back windows I have wind deflectors; this way I can open them a few centimeters without anoyone noticing
that the windows are not fully closed.
I have a little camping gas stove, a cooking pot, some clothing,
if I want to shower I attach a camping shower which sucks water from a little transportable pond on the outside of my car;
I wash with backing soda, I just drive to a quite place in the night, have a quick shower.

The only problem I wasn`t able to solve is steahlt heating / cooling.
I thing the only viable option is via a big battery but such devices are expensive and you still have to
charge them on a grid, solar charging would be an option.

That’s interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[António Marceli]

Yes, the island like Madeira are very beautiful but I haven`t figured out how to take my car there.

There used to be a ferry from Algarve to Madeira. Not sure if its still working.
The taipa technique is called "taipa de pilão" you can check both modern mechanical or artisanal approaches in youtube.
Summer is insane down south.
You literally work 2h in the morning until 9 or 10 max, then end of day.
There are a lot of opportunities to work as a plumber or electrical technician or construction to expats because portuguese sometimes don t deliver budgets in time or dont answer at all.
Thats one of the problems there.
There is poor management skills and they give the inpression they dont want to work wich sometimes is true.
In rural areas they manage how when and to where to work. Terrible work ethics.
This can make expats going insane as i witnessed.
But also represent opportunities.

 

[FrankMa]

There used to be a ferry from Algarve to Madeira. Not sure if its still working.
The taipa technique is called "taipa de pilão" you can check both modern mechanical or artisanal approaches in youtube.
Summer is insane down south.
You literally work 2h in the morning until 9 or 10 max, then end of day.
There are a lot of opportunities to work as a plumber or electrical technician or construction to expats because portuguese sometimes don t deliver budgets in time or dont answer at all.
Thats one of the problems there.
There is poor management skills and they give the inpression they dont want to work wich sometimes is true.
In rural areas they manage how when and to where to work. Terrible work ethics.
This can make expats going insane as i witnessed.
But also represent opportunities.

As far as I have researched this ferry is not working any more; only cruise ships are stopping at Madeira these days.
Thanks for the term "taipa de pilão"; using this search term I have found quite interesting videos on YT.
I would like to build such a house.
I have been to Sardinia in summer; it was exactly like you described summer in south Portugal.
You can`t do much but. Maybe spending summer more north and going south as it gets colder.
I have no technical certifications but learned a lot on YT, maybe I can bring that to work; very nice idea; thanks.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Very interesting thread, thanks guys.

Pls found the „Ray‘s Recreational Resorts“ Company with sunny spots around the world. Only proven Peaters may apply and rent.

 

[António Marceli]

As far as I have researched this ferry is not working any more; only cruise ships are stopping at Madeira these days.
Thanks for the term "taipa de pilão"; using this search term I have found quite interesting videos on YT.
I would like to build such a house.
I have been to Sardinia in summer; it was exactly like you described summer in south Portugal.
You can`t do much but. Maybe spending summer more north and going south as it gets colder.
I have no technical certifications but learned a lot on YT, maybe I can bring that to work; very nice idea; thanks.

Taipa is really the best for that climate.
The house is really comfortable both during winter and summer.
One can put a fire spot inside if needed.
With plumbing,electrician,or cleaning chimneys you can make.a.decent living.
I met.the only couple wich cleaned chimneys.and they got almost 100euros for.service, 2h one. So as i say between expats i see lots of opportunities.
The north.is though mainly.because of moisture,its not dry cold. I ve met slovanians and ukrainians going insane with.the cold. I guess is.because of the atlantic. But for instance,we re having sunny days as for a.week or more.
But if i have the opportunity i go southnfor.sure... bye.bye baby! :)

 

[FrankMa]

Taipa is really the best for that climate.
The house is really comfortable both during winter and summer.
One can put a fire spot inside if needed.
With plumbing,electrician,or cleaning chimneys you can make.a.decent living.
I met.the only couple wich cleaned chimneys.and they got almost 100euros for.service, 2h one. So as i say between expats i see lots of opportunities.
The north.is though mainly.because of moisture,its not dry cold. I ve met slovanians and ukrainians going insane with.the cold. I guess is.because of the atlantic. But for instance,we re having sunny days as for a.week or more.
But if i have the opportunity i go southnfor.sure... bye.bye baby! :)

Trraditional solutions often work best; sometimes they have been developed over hundreds of years.
Besides that it seems to be pretty affordable to build such a house if one is willing to put the labour in.
I love fire pots; my grandmather had a huge oven made of cast iron; at the same time it was heating the home
and was used for cooking.
What you are describing sound like an Eldorado for active people who want to live on their own terms; I have a masters degreee in economics, worked in fincance for years, but as I have mentioned before that was another life.
Over the last years I discovered that building something, working in any type of craft is very fullfilling to me, so the south of Portugal is likely the right spot for me.
Damp cold feels very uncomfortable but I meant more like living more above the Alps / Pyrenees in summer and moving south as temperatures fall.

 

[FrankMa]

Very interesting thread, thanks guys.

Pls found the „Ray‘s Recreational Resorts“ Company with sunny spots around the world. Only proven Peaters may apply and rent.

Glad you find value in it!
„Ray‘s Recreational Resorts“ sound like a damn good idea to me; having organic milk running out of a tap....

 

[António Marceli]

Trraditional solutions often work best; sometimes they have been developed over hundreds of years.
Besides that it seems to be pretty affordable to build such a house if one is willing to put the labour in.
I love fire pots; my grandmather had a huge oven made of cast iron; at the same time it was heating the home
and was used for cooking.
What you are describing sound like an Eldorado for active people who want to live on their own terms; I have a masters degreee in economics, worked in fincance for years, but as I have mentioned before that was another life.
Over the last years I discovered that building something, working in any type of craft is very fullfilling to me, so the south of Portugal is likely the right spot for me.
Damp cold feels very uncomfortable but I meant more like living more above the Alps / Pyrenees in summer and moving south as temperatures fall.

Finances? Oh my god!
I have a friend who was a programmer,making lots of money,suddenly had an epiphany and now is working as a baker and thinking of having is own bakery. Ehhe
I don t want to create in you over expectations but i saw there people being proactive but also sometimes living in their bubble because since there is a lot of communities with diferent mindsets sometimes they didn t cohere in a.commom view.
But when i was there during pandemics they where thinking in flaten those boudaries and even considering creating a local coin called circles.
I lived close to cercal do alentejo.
In são Luís half of the population is foreign,almost one thousand.
And its being dificult there to buy land because its somewhat filled.
But expats are living almost all over the coast of alentejo up to algarve.
That is why i told you to explore farms doing woofing and meeting diferent places and probably find one you resonate with.
Maybe with your economics credentials you even craft something helpful for people..like down to earth finances eheh pun intended.

 

[António Marceli]

Glad you find value in it!
„Ray‘s Recreational Resorts“ sound like a damn good idea to me; having organic milk running out of a tap....

Talking abou milk...
You can searh for Vinha Velha near Lagos.
They are ffrom germany,acept voluntiers, produce their own organic cow milk.
They are theere since the 80 so they pretty much have a perspective.
I was giving massages there and doing acupuncture for a while before heading north.

 

[António Marceli]

Forgot to mention that Algarve is the region in portugal where oranges are grown. Aroud Silves. There are also people growing mangos.
And i saw there abandoned orange orchards for sell.
This fellows are growing probably Rays dream ehhe a botanical tropical fruit garden.

Orchard of Flavours | An edible Botanical Garden

An educational Botanical Garden in the Algarve! In the Pomar dos Sabores, you will find a wide variety of fruit trees and edible plants from warm climates.

www.orchardofflavours.com

 

[FrankMa]

Talking abou milk...
You can searh for Vinha Velha near Lagos.
They are ffrom germany,acept voluntiers, produce their own organic cow milk.
They are theere since the 80 so they pretty much have a perspective.
I was giving massages there and doing acupuncture for a while before heading north.

Hey,

wow. that sounds great. Thank you for your friendly and valuable input!

 

[FrankMa]

Forgot to mention that Algarve is the region in portugal where oranges are grown. Aroud Silves. There are also people growing mangos.
And i saw there abandoned orange orchards for sell.
This fellows are growing probably Rays dream ehhe a botanical tropical fruit garden.

Orchard of Flavours | An edible Botanical Garden

An educational Botanical Garden in the Algarve! In the Pomar dos Sabores, you will find a wide variety of fruit trees and edible plants from warm climates.

www.orchardofflavours.com

Thanks for sharing.
I picked ripe oranges from a tree in Cyprus. It`s very different thant the fruit you can buy in a supermarket.
Over here in Germany I usually drink organic orange juice because the fruit you can buy is seldom ripe;
I think orange juice is fine but one really doesn` t know what they put into it, even if it is organic.

Do you remember how much that abondoned orange orchard was?
That would be a dream come true; ripe oranges picked from my own tree and some goats living in my orchard
giving milk......

Orchard of Flavours | An edible botanical garden
Oh wow.
I would love to build such a paradise myself!!

 

[António Marceli]

Thanks for sharing.
I picked ripe oranges from a tree in Cyprus. It`s very different thant the fruit you can buy in a supermarket.
Over here in Germany I usually drink organic orange juice because the fruit you can buy is seldom ripe;
I think orange juice is fine but one really doesn` t know what they put into it, even if it is organic.

Do you remember how much that abondoned orange orchard was?
That would be a dream come true; ripe oranges picked from my own tree and some goats living in my orchard
giving milk......

Orchard of Flavours | An edible botanical garden
Oh wow.
I would love to build such a paradise myself!!

Have no idea about the cost.
If it is a mature orchard and depending on the area probably something above 100.000euros. But it depends also where its located, if it has a house,or a ruin,or only trees. Probably something below that price one can find something.
I also remenber algarve is a fish region,and there are people there growing native oysters, picking hancrafted salt in Castro Marim. A lot of potential there to explore.
I also.dream having my goaths eheh

 

[FrankMa]

Have no idea about the cost.
If it is a mature orchard and depending on the area probably something above 100.000euros. But it depends also where its located, if it has a house,or a ruin,or only trees. Probably something below that price one can find something.
I also remenber algarve is a fish region,and there are people there growing native oysters, picking hancrafted salt in Castro Marim. A lot of potential there to explore.
I also.dream having my goaths eheh

Algarve seems to be a very Peaty area; organic fruit, organic milk, organic oysters, low stress living, the ocean, the sun.
I am looking forward to my trip!

 

[António Marceli]

Algarve seems to be a very Peaty area; organic fruit, organic milk, organic oysters, low stress living, the ocean, the sun.
I am looking forward to my trip!

I am also looking for a place there.
Found this.
Rustic terrain,no license for building.
Figs,almonds,carob,olivetrees.
78000e
In a pretty nice area.

58 690 m², terreno para arrendar - Alte, Loulé, Faro - 15257943 • www.imovirtual.com

Imovirtual: De T0 a T-Tudo! Procura casa para arrendar? Tem apartamento a venda? Pesquise classificados de imobiliárias ou particulares em Portugal: Algarve, Lisboa, Porto, ...

www.imovirtual.com

 

[António Marceli]

Terreno à venda em Tavira (Santa Maria e Santiago) - SUPERCASA

Terreno à venda em Tavira (Santa Maria e Santiago), Terreno Rústico com 7800 m2. Com vista mar. Próximo a Localidade de Curral dos Boieiros, em Conceição - Tavira -Algarve. Terreno Com Árvores. Bons acessos. Vista desafogada da Serra Algarvia. Próximo da Conduta de água. Água de rega. No...

supercasa.pt

 

[António Marceli]

Land near Tavira.

Terrenos em Tavira, Algarve - SUPERCASA

315 Terrenos em Tavira, Algarve, Comprar a partir de 13.750 euros de particulares e imobiliárias. Anúncios de particulares e de agências imobiliárias.

supercasa.pt

 

[António Marceli]

Terrenos à venda no Algarve - Espaços Algarve

Terrenos à venda no Algarve. Quer comprar ou vender um terreno no Algarve? Visite Espaços Algarve o maior Portal Imobiliário da região.

www.espacos-algarve.com

 

[António Marceli]

These for 5000 up to 10000.
But some in special reserv area or in the midle o nowhere. Some with no acess unless by foot others not. But pretty much in the midle of nature. Didn saw water acess. But there are people who buy water to fireman.

Terrenos à venda no Algarve ordenar Preço Crescente - Espaços Algarve

Terrenos à venda no Algarve ordenar Preço Crescente. Quer comprar ou vender um terreno no Algarve? Visite Espaços Algarve o maior Portal Imobiliário da região.

www.espacos-algarve.com