Starting a grow in a new climate

Hello there! I started growing peppers two years ago. I even made a topic here introducing myself IIRC. When I started I lived in the Netherlands, which can be a tricky climate to grow peppers. Last year the summer was so bad I had almost no success at all. Now I've since moved to Alentejo, Portugal. The summers here are the complete opposite of the summers I'm used to. Weeks without rain, august can get average temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius and a lot of sun. If I'm correct it is in the 10a hardiness zone, which I believe is the highest in Europe. Maximum temperatures in the summer can get up to 43 degrees on really hot days. So now everything I've taught myself about growing peppers seems to be wrong, it doesn't apply here. So I've come again looking for some help of you specialists over here. 
 
A few questions: 
 
- What is the right time to start from seed here?
- Is overwintering easier here?
- How much do I need to water? I've had plants drooping a few hours after watering them, to which my solution is now to water them again. But this goes against what I did in Holland..
 
 
Are there any growers here who are living in similar conditions (and ideally have a glog?) Any tips about growing peppers in these conditions are more than welcome.
 
 
 
 
Ps. Here´s some links with extra information on the climate. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alentejo#Climate
http://pt.climate-data.org/location/6917/

My conditions are very different but having read a fair few threads I can say this much.
 
Over wintering should be much easier, if I am right they will survive outside in Portugal. It never gets that cold from what I know. Just cut them back, mulch the ground to protect the roots from cold as much as possible and wait for spring. Others can correct me if I am wrong.
 
In that kind of heat it does not matter how much you water, the plant will droop I think, its protecting itself in a way. From what I have seen on here shading cloth is your answer, others who do this know a lot more but there are many threads with info on this. I personally would not water then during sun hours, give them a drenching in the morning and then in the evening if required. Make sure the ground is well mulched so the sun does not draw the moisture out during the day and the plant gets as much of it as possible.
 
As for when to start seeds, I would say pretty damn early, get them out asap early spring, you might get your crop before the serious heats hit then and some of the slower super hots who like the heat will come a bit later I assume.
 
If you have time start a Glog,and then we can all see what your working with and others can learn from your experience. Spread the knowledge.

I am a few thousand kilometres removed , but I think more or less the same climate over here.
We have dry and hot summers with mild winters and a bit of frost but not freezing tempratures.
 
Mid-summer will give you flowers dropping off due to high temps , so I always go for an early and a late season , with the same plants. Start seeds early , Jan/Feb for you, keep them inside till the minimum morning temps are 8 C and up.
This way you can have a late spring /early summer harvest . In mid summer it is always good to shade your plants and expect a lot of flowers to drop, but if you keep them healthy, late summer and autumn/fall will reward you.
 
Overwintering should be easier and will really help.

Wow thanks for the quick replies guys! Great information to help me start up. Might try to overwinter one of two plants that were already in my garden when I moved here. I'm now thinking to start germination around Christmas, so they sprout early january. Any thoughts on that?
 
Also I was wondering if anyone has any tips regarding varieties that do great with high temps. Might try to create some nifty heat loving crosses here. 
 
Keeping on that trail, I was reading about hairy plants earlier. It said the hairs are for controlling temperature and drought. Would that mean Goat's Weed is better equipped for high temps? Then that would be an interesting variety to start a cross with right?