Villa Mondego is situated in rural Portugal along the Mondego River, nestled between Coimbra and Viseu. Surrounded by beautiful nature and wildlife, I fell in love with the area after visiting in 2019. The countryside in rural Portugal can be extremely good value for money if you are looking for an alternative place to live.
It’s hard to comprehend what 24 acres looks like when the place was completely overgrown when I arrived. Since the end of Summer 2023, I’ve cleared much of the invasive Mimoso trees to give light to other trees, plants and flora. Many years ago, the previous owners used much of the land for agriculture.
Near the river, the land is extremely fertile and highly suitable for growing vegetables and fruit. Whilst further up the hillside it is more suited for growing olive trees. Learning permaculture and how to create a truly sustainable farming system is going to be lots of hard work, but lots of fun!
Originally a 3-story farmhouse, this stone ruin has much of the external structure intact. The plan is to keep the outside during the renovation and build internal walls to insulate the house properly. The potential for this house is mind-blowing, especially with such an incredible view of the river.
However, there’s one snag: NO electricity, running water, or sewage. This will all need implementation before it’s liveable.
These stone properties were built to last, it’s seen many forest fires that tore through the area. The risks reduce significantly with correct planning, pumping systems, and cleaning of the land. That’s why planning the project correctly and managing the land is of paramount importance.
