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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
14 Sep 2025
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Description
Clear bushes ✂️ and prune trees 🌳 in a nearly wild mountain with an amazing view ⛰.
You'll be doing the groundwork for the land to beautify itself, for the forest to grow healthy and, most importantly, to prevent forest fires.
The Animal Retreat is connected to the Coa river 🦦.
Has 7 🫏, 8 🛏️ and amazing 🏕️ spots, 4 🚲 and 1 🛶.
I'm Pedro, a 35 year old software developer who loves learning from nature.
My family has owned a collection of ancient farms that my grandfather spent his life acquiring and unifying.
We love to beautify it's forests, relics and waterways, making the place kinder to animals, plants, mushrooms and people.
Sharing it with others who also appreciate the peacefulness of the countryside has always been a great motivational force for us.
We are welcoming volunteers who are:
- looking to contribute,
- independent,
- happy preparing meals collectively,
- clean, tidy and,
- a bit introvert.
If you are also looking enjoy beautiful views, spend some time deep in nature, ride bikes, canoes or even the donkeys, you've picked a great place.
You'll share the place with other workawayers. Between 2 and 8, going by those that have chosen to spend a lengthy period upon first visiting and others that have already booked stays.
Bring a friend!
The house has 5 vacant rooms (when least booked) , and lots of great places to camp.
You might spend time here without us (but with other workawayers).
And you'll be introduced to friendly locals happy to show you around as well.
Getting here:
Buses and trains get you to Vilar Formoso.
From there someone will likely pick you up.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
House sitting
Interests
Technology
Sustainability
Self development
Movies & TV
Farming
Carpentry
Books
Animals
Water sports
Hiking
Nature
Mountain
Cycling
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We'll share what we have learned works best for reforestation, water retention, fruit tree planting, assisting donkeys, etc.
And are also eager to learn from your experiences.
Besides us, two elders help us maintain the land and have a lot more wisdom than us when it comes to working with tools and reforestation projects, unfortunately you'll have to speak Portuguese or Spanish to get them to understand you. They are incredibly friendly and eager to share their wisdom.
And outside the farm, locals are happy to welcome visitors and help you get to know their favorite points of interest and even show your their own farms and interesting initiatives.
Help
The main work to be done is clearing out fire hazard bushes under trees, in a spot of the farm with a great view of the river. With the company of the donkeys, of course.
Speaking of Donkeys, our donkeys are currently overly eager to be with people, so another bit that is very helpful to be done is to teach the donkeys some better manners, and some new tricks.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Portuguese: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
French: Intermediate
German: Beginner
Italian: Beginner
Accommodation
Private Room with an amazing view on a comfortable, clean and tidy farmhouse with all the expected amenities.
Food can be obtained from shops at a 10 minute cycling or 30 minute walking distance (as is the beautiful town fortress).
You can also pick vegetables from our vegetable garden, and fruits from the trees.
The 2 houses have 2 kitchens.
There's also 2 living rooms, one specially big with a ping pong table.
4 bathrooms.
2 balconies with great views, lots of outdoor spaces with also great views.
8 bedrooms, 5 vacant.
The farm has 40 hectares.
And is connected to the Coa River by a 15 minute dirt path by bike (you can use our bikes).
By the river we have some canoes at a friend's property that you can also use.
What else ...
Almeida has one of the most beautiful and sophisticated military fortresses in Europe. So the town is very clean, well maintained and great to visit.
It is inhabited by friendly people eager to welcome visitors.
There's a collective desire in Almeida that it's attractiveness be better known to visitors, you'll sure feel that when meeting locals.
You’ll find thermal baths (Termas Fonte Santa Almeida, open from May to November), a horse riding centre (Picadeiro d'El Rey) that allows you to ride horses outside (if you can convince them you know how to ride).
We also have a horse and horse riding equipment but our horse was never thoroughly trained 😅.
Throughout the year Almeida has several interesting events such as the recreation of the French Invasions of 1810 where locals and foreigners dress like the epoch for some days.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
50MBs Internet Good enough for up to 3 simultaneous video calls or 8 simultaneous internet users.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
Dogs and cats welcome outside, and should sleep in your campervan. Dogs have to be behaved to not disturb other guests or enter the houses.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (6)
We're new to Workaway and sometimes wonder if we'll continue hosting volunteers because it can be a… read more
The farm tasks are flexible and Pedro welcomes ideas of others as well. I focused mainly on wo-manually (😁) clearing fields and pruning trees for fire prevention and I LOVED it ...… read more
She started a creative movement at the farm with an amazing big outdoor painting she somehow managed to get me to design, and beautifully executed it, despite my simple idea.
We now have paints readily available in case new volunteers want to leave their creative mark as TengAiNgor proved was a wonderful way to… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
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(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
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We're new to Workaway and sometimes wonder if we'll continue hosting volunteers because it can be a… read more
The farm tasks are flexible and Pedro welcomes ideas of others as well. I focused mainly on wo-manually (😁) clearing fields and pruning trees for fire prevention and I LOVED it ...… read more
She started a creative movement at the farm with an amazing big outdoor painting she somehow managed to get me to design, and beautifully executed it, despite my simple idea.
We now have paints readily available in case new volunteers want to leave their creative mark as TengAiNgor proved was a wonderful way to… read more
Even though we did not meet Pedro (the host) personally, we were warmly welcomed by the other workawayers & he always answered quickly, when we had any questions.
Especially the cultural exchange,… read more
Sadly we didn't get the chance to meet Pedro (since he was in Lisbon) but we were warmly welcomed by other volunteers :)
The work was relaxed and we had lots of time to walk around the land, pet the donkeys, and even go for a riding class in Almeida!
Extremely grateful for having been to this beautiful… read more
