Attractive stone farmhouse and cottage in quiet rural location - Rendufe, Ponte de Lima, North Portugal, Portugal

The Property: A nineteenth century farm house set in the beautiful Minho area and restored to incorporate modern living standards whilst retaining many original features. Here can be found the real essence of Portugal where the only noise one is likely to hear, apart from the occasional car or the local churches chiming the quarter hours, are the farmyard sounds of chicken, sheep and cows. The farm can be rented as a single unit for a group of friends or separately, each house being independent and having a private terrace. There is a central laundry room and a large shared pool.

Details of Quinta da Ribeira in Portugal
The Quinta da Ribeira is a two bedroomed apartment (1 double bedded room and 1 twin bedded room) on the first floor of the house. The ground floor was traditionally reserved for the animals although it now houses a laundry room and store room. The living room has an open fireplace, dining area and extra sofa bed, satellite TV and DVD player. The attractive stone terrace is ideal for outdoor meals. The kitchenette includes a full sized gas oven and 4 ringed hob, fridge freezer, microwave and dishwasher together with smaller kitchen appliances. There is a fully equipped bathroom with bath and shower. A traditional feature of this house is the steep flight of steps leading up to the living areas, this however makes it less suitable for the elderly or families with toddlers.

Rental rates per property per week:

Notes to the Rental rates
18.12.2004 - 8.1.2005 (Christmas and New Year) and19.3.2005 - 2.4.2005 (Holy Week and Easter) will be charged at the rate of £550 per week. The holiday periods in 2006 will also be charged at peak rates. Changeover day: Saturday.

Details of Lagar Cottage in Portugal
The old wine making shed has been renovated to make the Lagar cottage. The huge stone tank where the grapes were trodden has been put outside on the patio and is being made into an attractive water feature. The old threshing floor can be seen nearby. The cottage has one double bedded room and additional sleeping accommodation for one person in an alcove in the living room. There are French windows opening onto a vine covered patio which is an ideal spot for outdoor meals. The kitchenette has a full sized gas oven a 4 ringed hob, a fridge freezer, microwave, dishwasher and other smaller kitchen appliances. There is a fully equipped bathroom with shower over the bath.

Location: Set in the beautiful Minho area, midway between the towns of Ponte de Lima and Paredes de Coura, the location is essentially rural. The farm is well placed for sightseeing, however, with Spanish Galicia to the north, the Atlantic beaches to the west, the historic cities of Porto and Braga to the south and the national park of Peneda-Geres to the east. The area abounds in picturesque market towns with their colourful street markets, tiny hill top shrines affording fantastic views over the surrounding countryside and village festas with their traditional religious processions.

The nearest restaurant is just over a mile from the property and although it is traditional Portuguese fare good reports have been received regarding both quality and price. The restaurant also does a take away service. There are several good, family style eating houses in Paredes de Coura, a 7 mile drive away, whilst Ponte de Lima boasts some more elegant restaurants for a special evening out. There are 2 supermarkets in Paredes de Coura where most requirements can be met, it must be remembered however that Portuguese supermarkets do not usually accept Visa cards so money should be raised first at one of the numerous cash points. There is also a small village store near the local restaurant in the village of Rendufe.

A couple of miles from the property is the protected area of Corno de Bico. This wild park like terrain is ideal for walking or mountain bike riding. It is the habitat of many rare animals but those most usually seen are the semi wild horses which roam the area. The whole area is very good for walking enthusiasts and ordinance survey maps are available on request. Another local place of interest is the unfinished monastery church of Nossa Senhora de Secouro (Our Lady of Help) and the two local hilltop shrines of Nossa Senhora de Fatima and San Silvestre are worth a visit on a fine day to see the views they afford.

Ponte de Lima This historic town with its Roman bridge and medieval centre is a must. From the farm house it is fun to park the car on the north side of the river, cross the (now pedestrian) bridge and visit the town on foot. There is a weekly market on a Monday which takes place on the river bank and there are various specialist markets at other times. There is also a nautical club where canoes can be hired, a riding school, (riding only on the premises) and the golf course. The north bank of the river has recently been developed into a series of gardens which make for a pleasant stroll. Slightly further afield there is a fish farm where visitors are lent rods and tackle and can catch their own supper. The trout is either grilled on the spot or you can take it home to cook yourself. Hang gliding is also practised in the area but this seems to depend very much on weather conditions and we have been unable to discover much about it.

Travelling: The nearest international airport is Porto at 95 kilometres. The nearest beach is 40 kilometres. The nearest ferry port is Santander, Spain at 620 kilometres. The nearest railway station: Valença at 36 kilometres. The nearest motorway junction is A3 Porto -Valença Junction 13 at 22 kilometres nearest motorway junction is 5 kilometres. A car is necessary.

Rental Rates per property per week:

Notes to the Rental rates
18.12.2004 - 8.1.2005 (Christmas and New Year) and 19.3.2005 - 2.4.2005 (Holy Week and Easter) will be charged at the rate of £500 per week. The holiday periods in 2006 will also be charged at peak rates.

If you would like to contact the owner, Margaret Vasconcelos, please click on the link below.

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