Robert Louis Stevenson, the 19th century poet, essayist and travel writer, seems to be in focus nowadays seeing the number of recent books published on him. Some Stevenson aficionados have stared retracing his journey as described in "Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes." One does not know if it is a coincidence that highbred donkeys have suddenly become favourite pets in France overtaking the number of dog lovers there.
In Portugal, the rural ambience is easily affordable as long as one decides to leave a big metropolis like Lisbon or Porto. And nothing like enjoying both the worlds by being on the outskirts of smaller urban centres and commercial capitals like Caldas da Rainha where a would-be-buyer could go for a Mediterranean villa overlooking the Atlantic skyline or even involve himself in rural activities right from grape harvest to pig farming. The rural properties are easy to procure as long as one shells out a handsome sum of money, somewhere equal to the price of an apartment in the capital, Lisbon. At places, however, a rural country home is offered at a painstakingly high price. What one is looking for becomes the question. Peace obviously or a patch of wilderness bordering a rustic interior.
A typical Portuguese rural house in Reguengo Grande, amidst mountains and shadows of windmills could be just what you want. A four bed independent cottage needing some repairs would cost you 100,000 euros. A price hardly to be bargained but a good option especially if you are looking for a silent location and a romantic hill view. On the other hand, just 10 odd kms away is the beach of Areia Branca. One could easily expect to pay anywhere close to double that price. Generally, beach towns are expensive buys and not easily affordable. An owner of an estate company lamented his inability to buy a two-bedroom apartment for him in the beach town of Peniche, the price being anywhere around 140,000. Another good possibility is venturing around small villages and watch out for green spaces for sale. Build a house of your taste, a swimming pool might just be an add-on, decorate the outside with fancy azulejos, tile work and it's ready to move in.
This trend continues to attract visitors to Portugal looking for a brief break from city life. Sample for instance a brochure by a promoter of tourism in sunny Portugal. The wide range of options might include camping on an old Portuguese farm; relaxing amongst the vines and olives on a quinta; horse riding in the wooded hills of a valley; occupying self-catering apartments in an historic windmill; bed and breakfast served in a beautifully restored house in a tiny mountain hamlet; camping in eco-friendly environment; and having the privilege of spending a night in a manor house. A tourist is offered organic wine tasting; a walk along peaceful tracks; a swim at a natural river beach (praia fluvial); fishing in crystal clear rivers; a visit to the local markets; go clubbing; or simply relaxing over a glass of Portuguese wine. Pure Portugal has something for everyone.
{{/usCountry}}This trend continues to attract visitors to Portugal looking for a brief break from city life. Sample for instance a brochure by a promoter of tourism in sunny Portugal. The wide range of options might include camping on an old Portuguese farm; relaxing amongst the vines and olives on a quinta; horse riding in the wooded hills of a valley; occupying self-catering apartments in an historic windmill; bed and breakfast served in a beautifully restored house in a tiny mountain hamlet; camping in eco-friendly environment; and having the privilege of spending a night in a manor house. A tourist is offered organic wine tasting; a walk along peaceful tracks; a swim at a natural river beach (praia fluvial); fishing in crystal clear rivers; a visit to the local markets; go clubbing; or simply relaxing over a glass of Portuguese wine. Pure Portugal has something for everyone.
{{/usCountry}}There is also a trend in Portugal, like elsewhere; to reclaim old abandoned houses with canastras and water mines with acres of surrounding wilderness. There is a fascination for living in houses made of granite with a river running in your backyard. A number of villages are beginning to be rehabilitated and rejuvenated here like the recently done Piódão near Coimbra.
Honest and simple Portuguese landlords await interested buyers willing to give the right value to their property. Buying a villa, an estate or a rural terrain is not just a question of money but also a matter of getting into the right mood and falling in love with 'savage' nature.
Just as Stevenson wrote: I saw the next-door garden lie/Adorned with flowers, before my eye/And many pleasant places more/That I had never seen before.