Eco House with Sustainable Farming - countryside

Keeping true to our Portuguese roots, the eco country house boasts of classic architectural designs characteristic of the region while smoothly blending in traditional and functional furnishings. Renting out the Vista da Sophia country house will bring you closer to nature since it basically looks over the farmland giving you a scenic and nostalgic view of a rural home and a farming community. Vista da Sophia is built on the grounds of our eco farmstead, that has been passed on to our family for generations (so it’s pretty old but very well-maintained). As for the country house itself, not to worry. You’ll have everything you need, from modern facilities to basic amenities. A fully equipped kitchen we call the “dirty kitchen” will serve as your cooking spot while you help yourself with fresh produce and some meat to whip up something delicious without preservatives. There’s also a fridge, oven, washer, and dryer too for your convenience. The house has two rooms: one room sleeps two persons (great for couples) while the other room only sleeps one (for kids maybe or vice versa?). Anyway, Vista da Sop[hia is the perfect place to go semi-off grid and escape the hectic life in the city. There’s also a sauna, a pool and lush gardens for you to enjoy during your stay with us. We promise you’ll have the exact ambiance to experience a quiet, private and peaceful existence - at least for a few days or weeks before you go back. But of course, if you want company, feel free to find us. My mom, Ana, will give both your mind and palate a treat with her Portuguese cuisine and a historical account of our rich culture and traditions. Basically, if you rent the country house you have free rein to all the facilities within - the kitchen, laundry area, living room, etc. Don’t think to ask if you can visit the gardens, it’s part of your domain while you’re here with us. So go on ahead and explore to your heart’s content. Although pool access will depend on the season, we usually only open it for guests from June through October. But don’t worry, we also have a sauna you can enjoy anytime. Our farm has a plantation filled with oranges, olives, and different fruits and vegetables. If you want a tour, just ask us. We can show you how to plant, grow, harvest, cook and prepare food using the different organic produce from the farm. We also raise free-roaming animals which you’re free to feed. Also, from what we get from the farm and vineyard, we produce our own wine, juice, and cheese which we sell for a good price (good means affordable for sure!). Although we gotta warn you about the roosters - nature’s alarm clock, ‘coz you’ll wake up super early, especially if you’re a light sleeper. But that’s the beauty of the country life, and you’ll get used to it. Hope you don’t mind this small inconvenience. I may not be around much during the day (or night, sometimes), but my mom, Ana, is always around the farmhouse where we live. You’ll catch her cooking and preparing food, tending to our farm animals or picking out fruits and vegetables. She’s not one to sit idle - so pretty much you’ll find her doing something, often brewing some magic with her hands for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is another villa near Vista da Sophia, it connects to the farm. We rent it out as well, so naturally, you’ll have company. It’s usually a family with one child. So the pool and other grounds outside the country house you are renting are shared. So be a dear, and share (*wink). The farm house is a bit far from the city. It is 20 kilometers from Aveiro City so you might need to get a ride to visit Aveiro. It’s very quiet around the neighborhood and since the farm is big and very private you will appreciate the noise coming from our farm animals. There is no public transportation nearby since we’re in a countryside. But we have a car and can drive you to the train station just 10 minutes away. (Agueda estação) There’s not much in the form of entertainment except around July during the Agitagueda Art festival in a nearby small town of Agueda, Portugal. You will be amazed by the spectacular art installations of colorful umbrellas floating and decorating the streets. I recommend a visit for this time of the year. PARTY/EVENTS If you feel like hosting parties in the country house please give us a heads up. FYI, we also host events for weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies so we don’t want to have any conflicts of schedule. SUPERVISING KIDS Kids are not allowed to hang out near the balcony without adult supervision. This is also a very important reminder, to keep a close eye on your kids' whereabouts at all times, especially in places where there are bodies of water such as the pool or the pond. If they want to play outdoors, they can always play by the swing with the friendly kids in our house. INTERNET CONNECTION There’s no wifi access to any of the country houses, so we can stay true to our promise of giving you an escape from all the addictive (and often destructive) lifestyle of modern life. But if you need to really connect with someone via the internet, you can visit the farmhouse for that purpose. Or if you really insist, we can provide you with a wifi connection. BREAKFAST We serve healthy breakfast for 15€ /person. Just let us know ahead of time so we can prepare a hearty serving for you and your company.