Quinta de São Domingos

Countryhouse with contemporary design in a 1.7 hectares farm with olive trees and a forest, in a convenient location between the town and a Natural Park. If you enjoy or want to try growing your own veggies, live in a modern confortable house, at a walking distance both from the nearest coffee shop and the nearest natural park, this is the place for you, As a plus, you'll have the purest spring water to drink from. If you are looking for an off grid farm in the middle of nowhere, this is not what you are looking for.

Welcome to your dream home: a farm with a stunning 4-bedroom, 4-bath, passive design house, a perfect place for a family looking to live a sustainable lifestyle in a peaceful setting, but close enough to urban amenities. Every window has stunning views, from the Gardunha Mountain and Monsanto to Belmonte and the the Malcata Reserve, with Spain in the background. The farm is 1.7ha, the right size to grow your veggies and fruits, make your own olive oil, and enjoy your own forest. It lies between two worlds: leaving the house from the main door you walk into town, but if leaving from the opposite door you walk straight into a Natural Park, Serra da Estrela mountain. There is a stone tank next to the house, with spring water running through it. There is a storage annex with an automatic irrigation system that uses the spring water. The house has 4 bedrooms, 4 toilets, 1 mezaninne that will give a wonderful working space, 2 storage rooms. There is a stone paved area on each side of the house where you can have a table with chairs for a meal outside. Water is heated by a solar panel. There is central heating fueled by the solar panel, the fireplace or a heat pump. The house is brand new. You’ll be living in the countryside, but able to walk to the nearest café; a bus stop next to the entrance will take you straight downtown, to a public swimming pool, to a regional hospital, to the university, to a shopping center or the supermarket. This is thus the perfect place to live if you have a remote job or a job in town, but want to live surrounded by nature. The farm is perfect to raise children: they may swim in natural pools and learn to produce the food they eat. Still they will be able to walk to school. On top, we understand that you may wish to live in nature, but still value living in a comfortable and modern home: the house preserved the memory of the old stone walls, but was built to be a passive building with a contemporary look. Running costs will be very low: there is central heating, but you will hardly need it, as the house is naturally comfortable both in Summer and Winter. Last but not the least, neighbours keep to themselves but are very friendly and will help with advice on local agricultural practices.

The farm is on a small valley by the São Domingos creek, which starts at 1400m altitude in the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, which you can access just by trekking up the valley (nature at your doorstep). The farm is within the UNESCO Estrela Geopark. Then the farm is also at the edge of an urban area (Covilhã, a town with cultural and educational activities). Every window in the house has a stunning view, all different. Out of the living room window you can see the whole of Cova da Beira and the range of mountains from Gardunha to Malcata. The land is on old stone terraces that go down to a stream.

The farm is at the edge of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park and all its atractions (trekking paths, sky resorts, etc). It is 4km from the centre of Covilhã, a town rooted in the wool manufacture. The farm is at half an hour drive from Belmonte and 1h drive from the beautiful village of Monsanto. Guarda is at 30min drive and Castelo Branco at less than 1h. The border with Spain is 90 minutes away.

The farm is almost within an urban area (so it profits from being close to educational, health and recreational facilities), but lies within a small natural valley, so it has great views, silence and it is surrounded by nature. It has friendly and helpful neighbours.

Minimum rental period of 1 year, starting 1 May 2025. You must love gardening or growing your own vegetables; you can make your own olive oil. Or maybe you prefer to go the rewilding path and create you own natural spots within the farm. The rent, for the house and the land (including the use of a warehouse, brand new authomatic irrigation system, fruits and olives picking) is 1800€/month.