A very special spot, benefitting from the micro-climate which governs the low-lying protected bowl enveloped by mountains, where it lies. This land is called Tapada das Almas which means the "Close of the Souls".
It is located just outside of a pretty and neat small village called Bendada, which lies more or less halfway between Guarda and Covilha (21 km from each) on the south side of the Serra da Estrela mountains. The famous cheesemaking town of Sabugal is only an unforgettable 15km drive away.
All three cities offer all the amenities one could need, a university, hospitals, cinemas, libraries, supermarkets etc etc.
The scenery in this area is spectacular, in that the nearby mountains are not very high but they have wonderful shapes and strange boulders everywhere. Only 5km from the quinta is the picturesque village of Sortelha which is famous for its castle and historical past. The boulders and views over the valleys below here, are just breathtaking. A mere 30km south, one also has the the Malcata Mountain Range Natural Reserve with its wonderful Reservoir, wide open expanses of land and total peace and quiet.
Tapada das Almas lies about 1km from Bendada just off the road to Sortelha. From the tarred road one turns onto a dirt track which continues for some 300m to reach another romantic little tree-lined and stone-walled lane. After following that for another 300 of metres one arrives at the quinta, which at first seems bare and disappointing. This, as the bottom part is quite sandy and dry and some of the young olive trees have died.
But as one enters the property and follows the track up, one starts to notice its potential and beauty. Also very noticeable is the total calm. Not a sound but the tingling sheep bells now and then and the buzzing of insects.
The land is nearly rectangular in shape and lies surrounded by a forest on one side, wild land with lots of big trees on the other two sides and with grazing/agricultural land lower down bodering the track.
The rectangle is split up into 5 equal naturally formed platforms, each one a little higher than the next and each one having a border of interesting giant boulders which would lend themselves to making wonderful landscaping material. Little sitting nooks and crannies and private picnic spots spring to mind. The levels have all been ploughed and are bare around the more than 370 young olive trees that were planted, this in compliance with the rules pertaining to the maintenance of land after receipt of agricultural subsidies. The olive trees were planted with such a subsidy and carry a 5 year maintenance obligation which has already run for 4 years and thus has one year to go. For every year one harvests the olives, one can claim back 1000 euros. Once the 5 years period has passed one may uproot the olive trees and change the quinta (plant grass etc.) which would be easy as the soil is ready cleaned for this.
One striking aspect of this quinta is the overpowering smell of lavender emitted by the unbelievabale amount of lavender bushes which have all grown there naturally. How about setting up a perfume factory ? Seriously.....perhaps the lavender could be sold as it is purely organic.
The water situation is as follows. There is a natural spring which fills up a small lake outside of the dry summer months. Perhaps digging it out another two metres will reach below the water table and allow it to be full all year around. However there is another spot where water reeds grow and the ground is always moist. A borehole drilled here is a near certainty to provide water.
The designation of the land guarantees that one may build on it and the hardest decision will be on which platform to do this. Higher up are the more distant views, but lower down is one spot where one has a ready-made foundation and could place a total house on a giant flat boulder.
This property is for someone who wants to be private yet not in an enclosed way and enjoy far away views without being overlooked. A wonderful spot to place a wooden eco-home or a round house. How about strawbale ? The sky is the limit if one is creative.
However, for informational purposes, building a new-build brick house can be done for 550€ per m2 and thus a 100m2, 3 bedroomed home would cost only 55.000 euros plus the architects fees of 3.500 plus building licences etc. For under 100.000 one could have a wonderful home on a equally wonderful 3ha of land.
Description of Property