Rosa

This mini-apartment in our village house with secret garden is perfect for a brief escape into the countryside, or longer rental for digital nomads, permaculture enthusiasts and those looking to trial the lifestyle here in Central Portugal without a commitment to signing up to contracts and utilities.

Fresh and airy mini-apartment on the first floor, comprising an entrance hall with dining and kitchenette areas, one bedroom (with a double) and a private shower room. This is a totally self-contained part of our traditional Portuguese village house – your hosts live on site. Access is via a set of external stone steps (sorry this is not accessible for those with limited mobility) to a small balcony which has views over the front gate (with its impressive, ancient wisteria), the Vale de Lamas and towards the village. The entrance hall contains dining table and 2 chairs, plus a small kitchenette comprising sink, units for storage, two-ring electric hob, kettle, mini oven and mini fridge. A lovely woodburning stove makes it cosy all year. Dish soap, tea towels, crockery, cutlery, pots and pans are provided. NB there is no washing machine. The shower room has a large, walk-in shower cubicle, low level flush WC and hotel-style sink. Towels and handmade soap are provided. The bedroom is fresh and simply furnished, with a double bed, chest of drawers, side tables with chairs and hooks for hanging clothes. Bedding is provided. The whole space is around 28m2, it is a mini apartment and directly adjoins our family home. Guests have shared access to our family garden, which is wild and in constant change. We love the many wild creatures we see here, including bats, woodpeckers, fireflies, eagles and the javali (wild boar) – who were responsible for ploughing up the garden last year. Directly outside the guest rooms, the garden has quiet, shady nooks, leading to a roughly level lawn with trees and outbuildings. It is a work in progress and we are often doing jobs like pruning, strimming and small building works on storage and utility spaces in the garden, so care is recommended. There are various approximately terraced levels on a gentle South West slope, many mature trees including orange, fig, olive and native oaks and we hope to reinstate our vegetable garden in the coming months. There is a shared compost toilet, low-tech solar heated shower and compost area for vegetable waste. There is a shared (basic) camp kitchen with sink, fridge, gas hob, seating and wood fired bbq. We are gradually making changes with a permaculture ethos and we are also working to develop more guest and volunteer spaces for future sustainability.

Set in a beautiful rural village in the wine making countryside. It’s set on a hill, with views down onto the surrounding olive groves and vineyards. Access on the main street is pretty level, which means getting to the local baker, shop, café or vegetable seller is simple on foot. There are two big village festivals every year, one in mid-August and the other to celebrate wine harvest Vindimas usually on 2 nd week in September. You can also visit on the second Sunday after Easter to see the 1km long flower carpet through the village; well worth a visit! Our neighbours are mainly Portuguese; some have lived here for decades. They are welcoming and generous people, who might invite you in for a glass of home-made wine. Past guests have enjoyed lending a hand during grape or olive harvesting times (September to December) and been treated to a family meal as well as a wonderful day out at the heart of village life.

In the surroundings are many points of interest, such as walks, forests, caves, castles, rivers, river-beaches and of course the picturesque city of Coimbra. You might like to visit the famous library at Coimbra University, home to bats who keep the bookworms at bay, or the Medieval Fayre at Penela castle in mid-May, a feast for the eyes, ears and the stomach! We’re happy to recommend things based on your interests.

We are gradually making changes with a permaculture ethos and we are also working to develop more guest and volunteer spaces for future sustainability. We relocated to Portugal from the UK, so we are sympathetic to those looking to find their own place. We believe in "learning by doing" and we have links to local home-educating and alternative lifestyle groups that we can share with you during your stay, if you wish. Guests can benefit from our wealth of knowledge built up over the past 6 years about our experiences moving to rural Portugal, the life, the bureaucracy and what makes it worth it for us.

Wifi is usually on a timer and is switched off between around 11pm until 6am. If you need it outside these times please discuss this with us. Thank you. Firewood is not included (apart from the initial welcome basket), but is available from a local seller at cost price. Fair use policy for gas and electricity, equal to 1 gas bottle or 50 euros electricity per month. Surcharges will apply beyond these limits, please ask for details. Pets welcome by prior agreement. Please note we have 2 resident cats, so dogs must be kept on a lead and good with cats, please. We ask animals are kept off the beds and – please – don’t wash your pet in the shower! Free parking off road at the front and rear of the property.