Better than Portugal? Seven reasons to choose Green Spain.

Portugal is blessed with fresh Atlantic air, picturesque villages, charming historic urban landscapes, beaches, sunshine, and noticeably low cost of living... There's no doubt that Portugal has a lot of beautiful things to offer. But that's no longer a secret. The attention it has been getting lately means that it's becoming increasingly difficult to find cheap and undiscovered places in Portugal that others have missed. That's where Green Spain comes to the rescue. Just100 miles north of Portugal, on the stretch of coast between the Basque city of Bilbao to the east and the resort town of Ribadesella in the west, lies an exciting territory with dense forests, high mountain peaks, noble fishing villages, hidden sea coves, and modern international cities. And compared to Portugal, this place is practically uncharted. Let's define Green Spain as the area north of the Picos de Europa National Park, from Bilbao (in the Biscay region in the Basque Country) through Cantabria to the Asturias region. I'm confident that in almost all aspects Green Spain is on par with Portugal. And when it comes to landscape... I would even say it surpasses it. A bold statement? Here are seven reasons why I think so..

1. Landscape

Potes, Picos de Europa, Cantabria, Spain. This region of the country deserves its nickname "Green Spain." Dense deciduous forests cover the highlands - thick layers of oak, ash, beech, and eucalyptus all vie for space. With four distinct seasons, the year transitions from a light green spring to the reds and russets of autumn, all accompanied by the scent of wildflowers on the ground. From the peaks of the Picos de Europa National Park (over10,000 feet high) to imposing cliffs, sandy beaches, and hidden coves along the Atlantic coast, the landscape of Green Spain doesn't smoothly descend to the sea; it falls almost vertically. In this process, views open up to rocky limestone peaks, waterfalls, small fields dotted with rows of tomato plants, villages with wooden houses featuring traditional eaves, remote farmhouse with tiled roofs, and even prehistoric troglodytic settlements where some of the oldest cave paintings in the world can be seen. Special mention goes to the Picos de Europa. This mountain range, by most standards, may seem small. However, it is as steep and dramatic as the Dolomites, and due to the moisture from the nearby Atlantic Ocean, it creates a microclimate conducive to lush vegetation and flora in the region. South of Portugal becomes dry and desert-like, while the north's land is fertile and cozy. Although this could be said about the Douro or Mondego valleys in northern Portugal, these places lack the impressive high mountains like the Picos de Europa. Portugal has rolling and gentle terrain, whereas Green Spain boasts a more dramatic and impressive landscape.

2. Food (menu, pintxos, cider)

Fabada Asturiana. For me, food and drinks - this is what Green Spain clearly excels Portugal. Not that the food in Portugal was bad. In fact, it's excellent. But... it's limited. Fried chicken, fried fish, fried pork, all served with a portion of rice and a slice of green tomato. It can quickly become tedious. Of course, Portuguese cuisine has its bright exceptions (I especially like Chanfana, a hot goat meat soup from the Coimbra region), but in most cases dinner in Portugal is predictable. Green Spain, however, is the undisputed culinary capital of the country. It all starts with pintxos. This is the Basque version of Spanish tapas, turned into an art form that can be as simple as a piece of potato omelet, or as complex as Michelin-level molecular gastronomy in bite size format.

Come to almost any Bilbao bar during the day, choose from the selection of pintxos displayed on the counter, and wash them down with a glass of sharp, slightly sparkling txakoli (dry white) wine. Fried meatballs in batter, grilled pepper stuffed with local cheese, and three marinated anchovies... these are just a few examples. Expect to pay around2 euros per serving and count on about five of them to make a full lunch. This is a fun way to satisfy your appetite. A special mention deserves the menu-del-dia, which you will find in restaurants throughout Spain. This three-course set lunch offers several options for each dish and usually includes bread and wine (or you can choose lemonade, water or beer). Don't expect anything special, the menu-del-dia is designed to feed the workers during the lunch break, not as a special treat. However, in Green Spain there are some wonderful local options. Pay attention to fabada Asturiana or pot de Cantabria, both of which are bean dishes, slowly cooked with chorizo and/or ham. Washed down with a bottle of local cider (traditionally poured from a height for aeration), it's a hearty cup of juicy flavor that you will remember for a long time. A regular menu-del-dia, including appetizer, main course, dessert and wine, usually costs between13 and15 euros. As far as I know (and I have lived in both countries), there is no equivalent in Portugal.

3. Real estate prices

Santander is the capital of the province of Cantabria. In the1990s, when the industrial heartland of Basque Country and Eastern Cantabria was the economic center of Spain, real estate prices in this region were prohibitive compared to others. The notoriety of Northern Spain as the most expensive part of the country dates back to that time. Since then, prices have stabilized, and while the rest of Spain succumbed to inflation, prices in Bilbao, Santander, Jáen, and Ribadesella have remained roughly the same as25 years ago. This practically means that the real estate market in the region is a real find. As an example, a four-room apartment in the San Francisco neighborhood of Bilbao for €149,000 (USD161,000), which I found during my last trip to the region in May2023. San Francisco is a rapidly developing neighborhood in the city that Latin American and Chinese communities are currently paying attention to, with a cozy atmosphere. Here one can see young families, small grocery stores, and open cafes with terraces where neighbors nod to each other while having an aperitif in the middle of the day. This is not a tourist area, but the Old Town is just a10-minute walk away. Bilbao has long been underestimated, mainly because tourists flock to the smaller, more beautiful city of San Sebastian to the east. Nevertheless, for the feeling of urban perfection and energy, Bilbao is a much more exciting city (San Sebastian is beautiful, but who wants to live in a museum?). Moreover, like such southern European cities as Porto, Bilbao is a find. Santander, a smaller city, but with an attractive Old Town, also offers unexpected benefits. In the Playa Sardinero area, a green, elegant residential area that descends to a sandy ocean beach, I saw three-room apartments starting at €119,000 (USD123,000). In smaller resort towns like Jáen or Ribadesella, prices for similar apartments start at €139,000. Prices drop sharply in remote areas (although you will never be more than30 miles from the nearest city or resort). One-story houses in the area of the beautiful historic village of Villaviciosa cost less than €90,000. The rule is that the farther west you go, the lower the prices. Local residents generally prefer big cities and work prospects in the more industrialized Basque Country closer to the French border to the east. For retirees or digital nomads, western places offer real treasures. Overall, I am confident that property prices in Green Spain are lower than in any comparable place in Portugal.

4. Cities

Bilbao, Spain. Bilbao was once a dirty industrial port in decline. Everything changed when the city commissioned architect Frank Gehry to create the insane Guggenheim Museum in the mid-1990s