Eco-Paradise in our off-grid Quinta in central Portugal

Coimbra

6 reviews • Updated 7 months ago

Lugar das Varzeas… a place deeply hidden in a little magical valley in the Portuguese mountains. The small xistohouse just off the winding road might barely be noticeable, but once you step down the small steps, you are greeted by our little place of paradise. Luscious nature all around, the starry sky at night as clear as you get it and the beautiful silence and the sound of nothing all around. We are Eva (44) and Manu (46) and we get to call this place our home. Well, what made us come here in the first place? Life before, as parents of two (by now adult) daughters was as busy as it gets: moving around tons, working way too much and feeling the stress of it all, we decided it was time for a full 180 turn in lifestyle. Now, we are a fully off-grid small household consisting of us two, the cuddliest cat you will ever meet and about 10 chickens. So, let’s talk about the place itself: We are fully off-grid, electricity comes from solar power and heating from wood. We live on 2 hectares of land, have four springs for continuous fantastic mountain spring water supply, the land is in a valley and terraced. There are plenty of trees, especially olive trees, and many vegetable beds. We live in a small xistohouse with just about enough room for the two of us and have a lovely terrace out front where you can soak up the sun. We are drug- and alcohol free! So, we need your help. As we’ve only moved here a little over a year ago, the place needs plenty of work all around. We are following both the permaculture and food forest principles and are fully organic - but there is still plenty to learn and do. We are looking for motivated people to come help us, learn with us, shape the space together, create a beautiful project together. This is really about sharing ideas and learning from each other. Specific tasks include gardening, landscaping, animal care and many more. We are specifically needing help with the following tasks: - Gardening - Landscaping - DIY - Animal Care Specifically, we would love people experienced in woodworking and carpentry but are of course open to anyone who is motivated :) We also have an empty space with possibility of building a natural cop or wooden cabin - the world is your oyster. You have unlimited possibility to get creative and we are open to everything. Let's discuss! :)) Manu is a creative soul and wants to create some art installations all around - again, full creativity is encouraged. Whether you have ideas for your own project or want to help out - we are here for it. Your accommodation will be our beautiful Mongolian yurt that we just finished building last year. You will have your own space away from the house. Inside is a double bed, chair and table and an wood burner for those colder nights. there is also your own private washing house right next to the yurt with a hot shower and compost toilet. You will be provided with two delicious seasonal fresh meals, prepared every day by Eva. We are veggie and eat healthy and conscious. There will also be space for your own food. Every Thursday we go to the farmers market and once a month we go to the hippie market close by. Our community is filled with international, freedom-loving, like-minded people and you will be part of them. Eva organises women circles and can take you to her weekly choir practice. There are running groups, yoga is available nearly everywhere, cycling paths are perfect and there are beautiful river beaches ( by bike 15 min) . Manu is a DJ and music fills the air plenty of times. He will give you DJ sessions and take you to some parties. But important to say that we are far in the mountains and while there is plenty to do socially, we are remote! If you made it all the way to the end, send us a banana emoji and we know you actually read the whole message :)

Learning opportunities

Vegetable farming

Fruit or nut farming

Poultry farming

Viticulture

Forestry

Wild foraging

Flower farming

Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas

Seed saving or production

Vegetable or fruit preservation

Methods or systems

Biological pest control

Holistic management

No-till farming

Permaculture

Regenerative agriculture

Host type

Self-sufficiency property

2 Hectares | 4.9 Acres

Accommodation

2 WWOOFers

Yurt / Tipi

Children not accepted

Pets not accepted

Meals

Vegetarian

Length of stay

1-2 weeks

3-4 weeks

Over a month

Eva

Member since 2025

Languages spoken: English, German

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Response rate: 100% Response time: typically within 5 days

MapLibre | Protomaps | © OpenStreetMap

Coimbra

Moita da Serra is our closest busstop (rede expressos) - it is 25min by car away and we can pick you up from there. From Porto and Lisbon airport it is approximately the same distance ( 2 1/2 hr by bus).

Reviews

Hannah

Germany • December 2025

After my time with Eva and Manu, I can completely relate to what other WWOOFers have written about their stay. They have created a truly special place in a quiet and beautiful area, and it’s wonderful how openly they share their little world with curious visitors. Thanks to their warm and relaxed nature, the pleasant work outdoors, and the unique yurt as accommodation, I felt at home very quickly. Even though the days were short with winter approaching, they were wonderfully spent. The yurt was cozy and warm thanks to the wood stove, and at lunchtime we enjoyed Eva’s amazing cooking in the sunshine. Communication was great, and both of them are genuinely thoughtful and attentive. :) I can wholeheartedly recommend WWOOFing with them if you’re looking for a peaceful and special experience!

Paulina

Germany • August 2025

Jonathan und ich hatten eine tolle Zeit an dieser von Manuel und Eva geschaffenen Oase. Vielen lieben Dank für eure Gastfreundschaft!

Lidia

Germany • August 2025

If you have the chance to go to the wonderful Quinta of Eva and Manuel, don’t hesitate to go! I had a wonderful time, both are such inspiring and warm people with whom you can talk for hours, laugh and learn from! The surroundings are wonderful too and especially the Quinta is a place where you feel how much work and love they both put! To sleep in the Yurt is magical and the work is always adjusted to your needs and skills. The food Eva prepares is fantastic. I only spend one week there but the minute I walked in there I felt like home and I want definitely to return. Thanks Eva and Manuel for being such great hosts… that’s what the wwoof community should aim for :)

Alexandre

France • July 2025

We spent such a wonderful time with Eva and Manu! They are both really kind, attentive, and genuinely want you to feel comfortable. They enjoy life, and it’s a pleasure to see it. The place suits them perfectly: it’s magical. We were surrounded by greenery on the right, on the left, above and below. There’s a river where you can swim just 15 minutes away by bike, and hiking trails where you can enjoy the beautiful landscape of the region. Eva prepares incredible lunches and breakfasts, but above all, it was always a pleasure to have a conversation around the table. Also, if you like coffee, you’ll love the ones Manu makes! Sleeping in the yurt is definitely worth a try. It offers a peaceful atmosphere, perfectly relaxing after a day’s work. If you ever feel lonely (which we doubt), don’t worry, Tico the cat will keep you company. He’s the loveliest cat we’ve ever met, and he might even join you in the yurt at night if you let him! We learned a lot with them, especially about woodworking. Eva and Manu are very understanding, explain things clearly, and can adapt to the kind of work you prefer to do. We’ll finish by saying that we would do it again anytime!

Sabrina

Austria • June 2025

All our wwoofing-dreams came true at Eva's and Manu's place! They are wonderful hosts and made us feel very welcome. Our stay felt like meeting old friends :) The off-grid farm is located in a beautiful calm valley with several springs and is surrounded by forest - it's such a great place to calm down and get connected with nature. We really appreciated the openness regarding working fields and working hours. Eva's breakfast and lunch was the best - we already miss her delicious food! The mongolian yurt is the perfect place to relax after work, to listen to the birds, to observe the stars at night and to cuddle their lovely cat. As Eva and Manu know many people in their neighbourhood we met interesting people at their farm and on the market. The days we spent at Eva's and Manu's place were amazing! They could not have been better :)

Mounir

Germany • May 2025

I had an amazing time at this beautiful self-sufficient farm. Eva and Manu are two beautiful souls with whom I not only worked together very well but also had great conversations and laughed a lot. We hit it off right away and it felt more like visiting old friends than wwoofing with strangers. They were very open to discuss my preferences regarding working fields and working times which made me feel respected and very welcomed. Furthermore, the Mongolian yurt is spacious and beautifully decorated, the shower and compost toilet work perfectly, nature on the property is lush, Eva’s Ayurvedic food is so delicious and due to the property being in a little valley you feel secluded. The hosts are also well integrated in the local community which led me to meet interesting people (e.g. on the markets or music events). Eva’s and Manuel‘s place is perfect for you if you want to learn about self-sufficiency and gardening, want to be creative and actively shape their land and/or are looking for a place where you can relax your mind while working in nature. This was the best wwoofing experience I had so far! :)