Quinta do Areal
Quinta do Areal is a historic farm, hidden away in central Portugal. It sits in a peaceful valley in the mountain range of Serra da Lousã, surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes.
It’s the perfect place to embrace the joy of living in a simple way, close to nature. Reconnect to simple pleasures – homegrown food, beautiful countryside, good companions and a reminder that life is beautiful.
The main house is more than 100 years old and has many stories to tell. It has been beautifully restored, preserving original charm, surrounded by gardens and rolling pastures.
Quinta do Areal offers “Yoga on the Farm Retreats” in its fully equipped yoga studio, created by the current owners and with a breath-taking view over the fields .
Quinta do Areal is also available for luxurious short breaks in the countryside, as well as hosting workshops and other events.
Slow Living Lifestyle
Enjoy the peaceful surroundings and relax. It’s time to reset, unwind, and find some breathing space.
We invite you to visit us at our traditional quinta in the green hills of Central Portugal and to enjoy living at a slower pace. Our friends and guests who come to stay, say that time goes by more slowly when they’re here.
Our Story
The main house was once part of a farm of 13 hectares of olive groves and other crops, having at one point employed many locals. In the late 1990s, it was abandoned and fell into disrepair.
Local people we have met fondly remember visiting the farm as children and playing in the barns and swimming in the old water tanks of what they say was the most beautiful farm in the region.
The farm was left abandoned for many years with the roof collapsing and the doors and windows boarded up. The only inhabitant being the barn owl who lived in the tower.
We arrived at the farm in our campervan in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic en route to visit friends in Italy. We lived in the campervan parked in front of the house for six months while we made the house habitable. The first thing we did was to connect the house to the mains water and to install solar panels for power. The conversion project slowly took shape from there and the restoration of the land into a permaculture project will take many more years….
Our aim has been to lovingly restore the old quinta so that our guests can experience the beauty of pure Portugal.
Alison and Tom
Our Activities
At Quinta do Areal, it’s easy to relax and unwind.
Whether you’re staying with us in the main house, for one of our yoga retreats, or just taking some days off and staying in our independent accommodation, everyone is welcome (but not obliged) to participate in activities on the farm. Meet our friendly animals. Help us pick vegetables from the garden. Learn about permaculture.
For guests who join our retreats, there are yoga and meditation classes every day in our modern yoga studio (or outdoors weather permitting). And guests will enjoy delicious, plant-based food, prepared by our guest chef.
For short-stay visitors, private yoga, meditation and shiatsu massage are available on request.
All guests can book our electric mountain bikes to rent to explore the surrounding, local hills and villages.
Come stay with us to discover what Lousã and the surrounding area has to offer. Explore trails in the hills of Lousã. Visit the enchanted castle. Swim at nearby river beaches. Visit the magical schist villages and the beautiful, university town of Coimbra.
