Quinta Alfarrobeira, Sustainable Rural Retreat

Quinta Alfarrobeira, an enchanting, small scale rural estate in the Algarve, is an ”all season” haven.

The inspiring estate is located in the South-West Algarve, the region that is blessed with the most sun hours of Europe. It is 5km from the lively harbour town of Lagos en 1,5km from the white, sandy beach of Meia Praia bay. As the accommodation is built on a hilltop, there are magnificent views of the rural country with its old almond, fig and olive trees and of the distant mountains of the Serra de Monchique.
The authentic and personal character of the place creates an open and relaxed atmosphere. Guests can freely explore the grounds, pick fruit, herbs and vegetables, collect eggs, dream away in a hammock or take a dive in the large swimming pool.
The main building and the guesthouses have been lovingly built and restored, with an eye for detail.

From the private verandas and terrace you have restful views of the surrounding countryside and occasionally you can hear the sound of the ocean while enjoying a glass of good Portuguese wine.


There is a large, ‘lagoony’ swimming pool, with a separate part for toddlers and a little waterfall that creates a relaxing, splattering sound while you’re dozing away on your sun bed or in your hammock.
The closest village, Odiáxere, is an authentic Portuguese village with a daily market, a traditional bakery (wood oven), several shops, cafes and restaurants.

Special things to do and see here:
The Quinta is a ‘home from home’ and an exquisite place for relaxation and contemplation. If you want to be more active, it is a perfect point of departure for walking and hiking in the Algarve: around the Quinta, towards the lagoons (2 km) where you sometimes spot flamingos, land inward in the Serra de Monchique, the Serra de Calderão or the Nature Reserve of Ria Formosa (bird watching), along the cliffs of the beautiful South Coast. Also the West coast with nature reserve Costa Vicentina is definitely worth a visit, as is the 'Via Algarviana', an ancient pilgrims’ route from the Spanish border to the West coast.
Besides walking, there are excellent opportunities for mountain biking, wind-, kite- and wave surfing, sailing, fishing, snorkeling or other water activities.
There are plenty un-spoilt, coved beaches where you may find yourself alone with the wind and the seagulls.

ENVIRONMENT
The south-west of Portugal has the most sun hours in Europe and facilitates many outdoor activities - stimulating peoples’ contact with nature and awareness of its value. At this moment we have an organic vegetable garden, several fruit gardens and a diversity of flowering plants to attract bees and butterflies all year round. We use renewable energy sources for hot water, cooking and central heating. A solar tracking system produces electricity, rainwater is collected, we recycle authentic building materials of architectural value, and, whenever possible, we use natural materials in the developing processes. We use ecologically friendly cleaning products and recycle waste materials in order to create the lowest environmental impact possible. Recently, we started a tree sponsoring project, in which people are invited to plant a tree on the land and thus contribute to the creation of a food forest.

COMMUNITY
The Quinta is a 10 minutes drive from Lagos (population 31.000 in winter), whose main industry is tourism and services. There are many foreign residents that are drawn to this area and a growing population of multilingual, travelled young people from all over Portugal. In the current economic and social climate many people are developing positive initiatives to see what ‘we’ can do to make this world a little brighter. We are continuously searching for possibilities to collaborate with local initiatives or to initiate them. We provide our guests with information on where to eat, where to shop and where to go. In this information we promote local establishments, (organic) markets, small-scale organizations and local cultural events.
Once the west wing is finished, we will offer (off-season) the possibility for artists-in-residence and there will be a unique space for workshops (with focus on art, sustainable living and personal growth) and small scale cultural events.
Part of the income from tourism and what remains from the activities after maintenance and energy expenses will be reserved for social projects like the integration of organic vegetable plots for retired people or people that live on social benefits, organizing activities with children. Where possible we will combine activities (for example: children in the vegetable plots to learn from people about (organic) gardening, music and theatre during a meal for older people).
As a Wwoof host (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) we receive volunteers from all over the world who help us maintain and develop the Quinta in exchange for board and lodging