Casa Luna - sunny farmhouse in green valley

This riverside south-facing farmhouse was renovated with attention to detail and respect for the environment. Traditional, hand-crafted wood and stone features give the house great charm and character. We welcome guests - couples, families or groups of friends - who want to spend some time in this charming part of the Iberian peninsula. We would prefer a minimum stay of 4 days - the maximum remains up to you: maybe you won't want to leave! Our home in North Portugal, on the river Minho and the border to Galicia / Spain, is open to receive guests and visitors. It can sleep up to 12 persons and offers comfort, relaxation and adventure in beautiful natural surroundings. We can also host special events, workshops and classes. We renovated the house using local stone, wood, straw, clay and lime, all of which combine to make it a natural, warm and healthy ambient. It stands on south-facing, terraced land in a village located in a lush valley at the confluence of the rivers Gadanha and Minho. The house is surrounded by 4,000 square meters of terraces with grass, flowers and fruit trees. The upper terraces contain a separate living space with a glamping tent, outdoor kitchen and dining area, pizza oven, washing facilities and composting toilet. We also converted an old distillery into a one-room cottage on the middle terraces – where the house custodians currently live. CAUTION: The stairs in and around Casa Luna are wide and stable, however not all have bannisters. Please use care and caution when you make your way around the property. The land surrounding Casa Luna consists of multiple stone terraces, with native vegetation. As such, caution is required when walking or running around, in order to prevent accidents and injuries. Children especially need to be supervised when they play around Casa Luna - pay attention to uneven ground, trees, stone hidden by vegetation, insects, equipment such as the tent, trampoline, etc. The whole house is available to receive guests and visitors. The house is spacious, with lots of natural light; it consists of the original dwelling and an attached ‘adega’ (wine cellar) above which we built additional bedrooms. We used and straw bales for this area, and covered it with a thick lime plaster. This makes the walls thick, entirely natural, with breathing and insulating qualities excellent for the inhabitants' health and wellbeing. There are three double bedrooms on the first floor (one of them en suite) with additional sleeping space downstairs (in the adega itself) and in the mezzanine areas of the straw bale extension. The ground floor consists of two spacious rooms that can be used for social or communal events, like sports / yoga workshops, reunions, meetings or games. The house has three bathrooms – two upstairs and one on the ground floor, two with showers and one (attached to main bedroom) with shower/bath. The kitchen is open plan, airy and well equipped, with a wood burning stove in the corner and an adjacent larder / utility room. The guests can use the fridge and freezer, a microwave oven, mixer, juicer and bread maker. The house has solar and biomass heating, and is insulated with thick cork panels, which keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Our house and land are in the care of two wonderful custodians, Phil and Diana. They live in a separate building on the land, speak English and Portuguese and will help out with anything you might need, from cooking and cleaning to organising exciting local adventures. The house is in the tranquil and friendly village of Troporiz, with views over gentle forested valleys all the way to the river Minho which flows along the border between Portugal and Spain. Two rivers meet in Troporiz, the Gadanha and the Minho, both enchanting and very different: one shaded and narrow, flanked by dense wild forests, vineyards and watermills; the other wide and sunny, with tranquil beach and bathing areas. You will hear the Gadanha as you step out of the house in the morning, or as you relax at dusk. Or you can walk down to the river for a swim and an adventure – the property includes a patch of land on the river, a magical area of moss and trees engulfing the stone ruins of three watermills, and – at the end of the water channel - a natural swimming pool with deep, green waters, a cave mouth, picnic areas and diving rocks. A short walk along the main road will take you to the Minho and the Ecopista, a cycling and walking/jogging path that follows the river and covers the 17 km to Valença. If rivers, sunbathing and swimming are your passion, then this area abounds in lovely river spots, sporting beaches, cafes, clean refreshing waters and plenty of sunshine – on the rivers Mouro, Vez, Gadanha (in Portugal) or Tea (in Spain). You could try boating and kayaking, using the equipment we keep at the house or engaging a local kayaking/adventure company for guiding, logistics and instruction. You can visit picturesque small towns on the Spanish and Portuguese sides of the Minho, visit castles, fortresses and ancient quintas, sample the local cuisine or join the celebration of numerous Saints’ days, market days and local fairs. Or you can venture further and visit Vigo, Ourense or Santiago de Compostela – all within a 1½ hours’ drive into Spain – and, on the Portuguese side, Viana do Castelo, Braga, Arcos de Valevez, Ponte de Lima and Porto. Santiago de Compostela is home to one of Europe's first universities and it's been a famous pilgrimage town for centuries. To see Santiago, as a pilgrim or visitor, is unique experience – it is a beautiful and charming old town, well preserved, vibrant and charming. Porto is also an hour and a half away, to the South, a city with a long history and a completely different character – sprawling over steep hills with enchanting red-tiled skylines rolling like waves into the sea. There’s so much to see and do in Porto that you would need months to get around. A wonderful surprise awaits in Ourense, about 40 minutes’ drive from the house. Ourense is an old and charming Roman city that offers some extraordinary outdoor hot springs – a source of health and relaxation offered free of charge to all visitors. The Atlantic coast with fine sand beaches and resorts is 30-40 minutes away, whether you cross into Spain or stay on the Portuguese side of the border. Additionally, the Peneda-Geres national park, one of Portugal's largest natural reserves, lies just about 30 minutes to the East. This entire area is completely unspoiled by development of any kind and there are many ways to explore and enjoy it. You can fly to Lisbon, Porto, Vigo or Santiago de Compostela. From there there are car rentals, train and bus services to Valença and Monçao. We can organise taxis or a pick up to take you to the house. We have several bicycles for rent at Casa Luna. You can access local shops on foot or by bike, however you will need a car if you want to explore the wider area. Our house in Troporiz could be a perfect place to relax and unwind - the house is full of books (mainly in English) and art. A television set and DVD player are also available. You could try your hand at making pizza or bread in the clay oven, to go with the famed fresh-grilled sardines or other culinary delights. The house is perfectly located to explore the picturesque province of Galicia and the lovely Northern areas of Portugal. The region is rich in traditions and events - fairs and markets, music and dance performances will introduce you to the warm and friendly spirit of the Minho. Casa Luna is a great base for exploring two different countries and cultures, and widely varied landscapes - from mountains (the Peneda Geres is 30 minutes' drive east) to the Atlantic ocean (beaches on both the Spanish and Portuguese side, 30 minutes' drive west). Further away and equidistant from Casa Luna, are the cultural centres - and transport hubs - of Porto (1.5 hours' drive south) and Santiago de Compostela (1.5 hours drive north). You will find shops, cafes and restaurants, riverside parks, a cinema and library, an exceptional spa and swimming pool in the nearby town of Moncao, 5 minutes' drive from Casa Luna. More facilities are available in Salvaterra do Minho, the Spanish border town and in Vigo, 30 minutes away from Casa Luna.