I know what happens when a hidden gem is uncovered.
Twelve months ago, I viewed the Portuguese town of Caminha as a “sure thing.” Back then, you could pick up stunning, spacious homes near the river or coast for a song. I even bought one myself—a 5,000-square-foot historic mansion for just €410,000.
But today? That window is closing fast. Demand is heating up. And the secret’s nearly out.
Now I’m looking across the river—to Galicia, Spain.
Because just a stone’s throw from Caminha, on the Spanish side of the River Minho, I’ve found a property that feels like a time capsule. A stunning, 5,970-square-foot historic mansion…right on the border of Portugal and Spain…with incredible views of the water…for just $104 per square foot.
This mansion overlooks the Minho River that divides northern Portugal from Spain’s Galicia region. I just bought a historic mansion here on the Portuguese side of the river. This new listing is on the Spanish side. But the lifestyle is very similar.
You have access to incredible history and weather…stunning beaches and bucolic countryside…amazing food… And the international airport in Porto is only around an hour and 15 minutes’ drive away.
This is the view from the entrance to my new 5,000-square-foot home in the town of Caminha. I paid €410,000 for my home here in northern Portugal. Just across the water is Spain…and the new listing I found.
In a moment, I’ll dig into this listing, but first I want to back up and share a bit of context…
Back in summer 2023, I arrived in the small northern Portuguese town of Caminha, set at the point where the River Minho enters the Atlantic, with Spain just across the water. Caminha wasn’t my destination…it was a convenient stop-off point in the middle of a longer scouting trip. But I was blown away by what I found.
It had explosive greenery, stunning Atlantic beaches and flat lagoon waters…great food, charming wine valleys, and a storybook medieval town…
Immediately, I knew I had discovered something special. So, I started screaming from the rooftops about it.
I wrote about it in a scouting report in summer 2023…sent my scout Ciaran Madden back there later that same year and again in 2024.
I named it the No. 1 place in the world to buy real estate on our 2025 RETA index. And at the end of last year, I bought a 5,000-square-foot historic mansion here for €410,000 and wrote you a buyer’s guide on how to do the same. I also recorded a video with RETA Senior Researcher Margaret Summerfield, who’s also scouted Caminha, after my most recent trip to the town last month.
Links to all these resources are included in the alert I sent to members of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group yesterday. (Not a RETA member? Sign up here and get access to them and all the opportunities that I find.)
I’ve viewed Caminha as a “sure thing” for the past 12 months. But even I’m taken aback by the scale of the transformation now taking place there.
Two years ago, there were five great and inexpensive homes for every buyer. Today, the ratio is now more like 1:1…and things are heading fast for five buyers for every nice home.
The Americans are here…the northern Europeans are here…Caminha is being discovered at an incredible pace. And the window of opportunity is closing.
Which is why I was so intrigued by the listing I found just across the river in Galicia.
Caminha was a chance discovery for me. Now more and more people are coming. Soon, I see them discovering southern Galicia in greater numbers too.
Technically, there is a border between northern Portugal and Galicia. Though in reality, these worlds merge. Bridges span the river. People move seamlessly between the two sides on a daily basis. Folks live on one side and shop or work on the other.
They’re so close that often while driving along the river in Portugal, my iPhone puts me on Spanish time rather than Portuguese. (Spain is in a different time zone to Portugal, an hour ahead.)
This explains why the listing I found is so reminiscent in style and design to the home I bought in Portugal and other properties on that side of the river.
The listing I came across…a large historic mansion overlooking the river that separates Portugal from Spain.
This stunning historic mansion has six bedrooms and two bathrooms across 5,970 square feet.
The full listing is in the alert I sent to members of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group here. (Join RETA to access to this and all the opportunities that I find.)
Inside, you’ll find vaunted ceilings, traditional mosaic tiling and many other charming historic features. And from multiple rooms and terraces, you can see stunning views of the Minho River and the rolling hills of Portugal just across the water.
The facade of the house appears well maintained. And you have a garden on the spacious 11,000-square-foot plot.
Inside, there are lots of attractive historic features. And the views appear incredible!
The location here is excellent. You have the Spanish town of A Guarda on your doorstep. And because there’s a bridge a short drive away, you can be in Portugal in about 10 minutes, in downtown Caminha in less than 30, and in Porto in only around an hour and fifteen minutes.
Proximity to Porto gives you easy access to a major international airport, hospitals, and all the incredible history and dining that draws folks from around the world to Portugal’s second city.
This house is on the market for €535,000. That’s around $623,420.
It needs some modernization. But at that price, you can own it for only about $104 per square foot. (Note: Neither I or my team have done any due diligence on this agency or property.)
As I say, this listing is like a throwback to the kinds of homes and pricing that were abundant in Caminha a few years ago.
Then the opportunity spread north from Porto. Now that Caminha is being discovered, it won’t be long before opportunity crosses the river into the southern border area of Galicia.
In October I’ll be taking an extended scouting trip to Madrid and Galicia. I can’t wait. Ahead of then, I have two trips planned to Caminha where I’ll dig in and identify the best opportunities.
The Caminha window is closing. More on this soon…
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. Check out our Instagram post about this stunning apartment in Ponticelli, a place where traditional Italian village life flourishes in the peaceful Sabine Hills just 30 miles from Rome. This charming medieval town sits nestled in the Lazio countryside, where rustic farmhouses and church spires dot the surrounding pastoral landscape.
This unique two-level apartment is set within the village of Ponticelli’s historic character.
