If we were to do the sum of all parts, it’ll be fair to say that real estate in Portugal often revolves around these three main universes:
Magical places surrounded by spectacular nature –mountains, vineyards, olive groves, and along its 832-kilometer coastline, by the magnetic Atlantic Ocean.
Historical cities and towns defined with singularity by their medieval castles, fortified defense architecture, and faith-inspired preserved monumental wonders from churches to convents.
Alternative micro-cities as in places that are what Brooklyn is to Manhattan, cities offering quick access to the capital, with laid-back living styles, until they become highly desired entities on their own. These micro-cities offer anything one needs – out of the trails of mass tourism, and its unpredictable spikes in pricing during high season.
Montemor-o-Novo in Alentejo.
In the 'Magic Family,’ count all the marvel regions of Alentejo, The Algarve, the Vicentina Coast, Azores and Madeira Islands, the Silver Coast, Costa da Caparica across Lisbon, the chic bohemia of Comporta-Melides, or the pure beauty of Serra da Arrábida…
In the 'Fairytale Family,' one will find a plethora of landmarks. Portugal is incredibly well preserved in its historical heritage. To name just a few sites: Sintra, Braga, Tomar, Óbidos, and in Alentejo alone: Evora, Elvas, Marvão, Monsaraz, Estremoz, Arraiolos, Montemor-o-Novo, among others.
In the 'Alternative Family,' you find, among the cities of the future, the winning trio: Almada, Barreiro, Seixal, known for their close historic connection to the Tagus River and their breathless sunset views. Cities at less than an hour from Lisbon: Mafra, Torres Vedras, or Setubal and more.
Castelo de Montemor-o-Novo via Visit Alentejo Alike many castles in Europe, Montemor-o-Novo Castle was rebuilt throughout the centuries first and foremost as a defence architecture. Thie castle was the first protection against the Kingdom of Castile (during the Portuguese Restoration War) and against the French Invasions in 1808.
In the heart of Alentejo, the pristine white town of Montemor-o-Novo is in the district of Evora at 20 minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage city.
In this article, we take you to our beautiful Quinta do Moinho for sale, a rare and large estate with its wide pool on the hill, its main house set on two floors with atmosphere and shade, its massive annexes, and its lovely orchard, right outside Montemor-o-Novo.
For anyone with imagination and funds, this is a fantastic property to seize before the summer adds more buzz to the burning-hot real estate triangle of Montemor-o-Novo / Comporta-Melides / Lisbon.
As a reference, just two years ago, Montemor-o-Novo was still described as a “well-kept secret to be untapped.” The secret is since whispered into wise ears abroad and has been widely leaked over here. And there is no doubt the location has gained accelerated prominence on the map since international artists made it their playground.
Georgia O'Keeffe [1887–1986] painted from the 1920s | Life Magazine The present movement of artists settling in Alentejo mirrors the time pioneer Georgia O'Keeffe settled in the desert of New Mexico. Follow the artists always, not just because they live in the future, also because they do need space and once settled these places are magnets for real estate value to climb fast.
Now imagine our Quinta wrapped in a project that merges what brings people to Portugal: nature, culture, well-being. This estate is a one-hectare blueprint and a whiteboard for innovation.
Here, creativity, hospitality, and experiences could merge with or without the vision of an architect. Also, imagine something truly connected that celebrates the people we have become; nature seekers aspiring for peace and safety along with wine tasting, well-being workshops, co-working spaces in the woods or by the sea, and a healthy life in smaller towns pondered with cultural wonders, and eco-friendly platforms, all the rage in the region.
To capture the excitement around eco-projects, scan the prices for land around Santiago do Cacém and Grândola in the past two years. Any little dreamer of a cabin on an olive grove has been run over by larger investors.
Why acquiring a Quinta is so cool?
Simple: because since its origins, it’s a production house. Originally, Quintas and Haciendas were the same thing: rural active estates.
Quinta do Moinho, corridor of the main house, Montemor-o-Novo Hacienda has its origins in Andalusia, Spain. They were variously plantations (eventually including animals or orchards), mines, or factories, with many haciendas combining these activities. The word is derived from Spanish hacer (to make, from Latin facere) and haciendo (making), referring to productive business enterprises. [Source: Wikipedia]. The equivalent name of primarily rural/productive properties in Portugal is Quinta or Herdade. Quinta is a designation most traditionally used in the northern part of the country, and Herdade is used in the South, although Quinta is now mostly used all across Portugal. A Quinta is primarily a rural property, especially those with historic manors and palaces in continental Portugal. The term is also used as an appellation for agricultural estates, such as wineries, vineyards, and olive groves.
Quinta do Moinho, detail of the vineyard, Montemor-o-Novo In the US, the hacienda-style became a family home extremely popular across the American Southwest, Florida, and California. The type made its way to the United States between the 1600s and the mid-1800s, but the production factor disappeared. In Portugal, these typical rural estates are now increasingly reconverted into active housing along with hospitality businesses, and as such, they are not different from the converted factories in urban spaces that host co-living and co-creating environments for creators. Except Quintas in Alentejo are bathing in ‘eternal sunshine’ and the silence of millenary dolmen and olive trees. Quinta do Moinho has an allure of a movie set. Viewed from above, the property has a cool cinematography perched on its hill right outside town. Weren’t you, like us, dreaming of those large Mexican haciendas when watching Western movies back in teenage years? These houses and their stucco walls, red clay roof tiles, and rustic wood would always hide enamored renegades and other misfits ripping a beauty’s heart off with a stolen ring and escaping at dawn after a one-night stand. Watch out, though. The Portuguese Quinta might reverse the script. Many landowners around eco-projects are women. Read, for instance, our story of another castle-city fairytale called Estremoz, to unfold how an adventure each housing can be.
The Quinta, characterized its ‘jazz trio’ of palm trees swinging by the swimming pool and annex, brings Los Angeles swagger to Alentejo, as if prepping for a film set.
The main house, with a surface area over 250m2, displays two levels adorned with original tiles on the walls of its corridors and original large fireplaces. On the ground floor, a row of rooms with ensuite bathrooms can all be found, each offering privacy and oblique lights.
The kitchen is a rustic-wood U-shape, and within its prolongation, a mini-saloon has large camel leather armchairs. The living room and its acajou furniture and bar call for Cuban nights.
On the upper level, the spacious attic could simply be transformed into a minimal space without much more to do than following the Alentejo design playbook, fond of simplicity.
The swimming pool annex is itself a blessing for long tables to stretch into late stylish dinners al fresco. And for serious reptile and baby-predator collectors, a kennel, dovecote, and chicken coop can be preserved or otherwise cleared for further functions.
The vegetable garden and orchard will speak to permaculture experts as well as amateur gardeners, cooks, and chefs.
Facing the garden, the far-stretching building annex contains flexible open-plan volumes that surely will trigger anyone’s imagination. When facing it, from left to right, each extremity has a large porch that can support parking with a total area of 260m2.
The Quinta's high-ceiling kitchen spanning 103 m2 and the party room with an expansive 152m2 area are adjacent and fully operational.
Next is a spacious, high-ceiling kitchen spanning 103 m2, complete with a traditional ground fireplace. This space transitions into the 'Party-Party' room—an expansive 152m2 area with a central fireplace, ideal to host events with skill, endurance, and a strategic business plan. On the right side, the doors lead to three bathrooms and a wine cellar. On that same building side, the caretaker's house has an area of 50m2. To reach the property, a wrought iron gate will help filtering the guest list.
The property and estate are priced at €1,150,000, for a land area of 10,554m2 and a house of 253 square meters. The whole property is fenced with an area of 1.03 hectares.
At the forefront of a town steeped in layers of history and future endeavors, this estate, a 20-minute drive from UNESCO World Heritage Evora, is without a doubt an opportunity for entrepreneurial minds and pragmatic dreamers who envision working and playing in the region. This estate is set for a re-awakening that could lead to a proper hospitality business up and running for the summer of 2024.
Montemor-o-Novo is a neighbor to Evora and an hour's drive to Comporta-Melides with semi-closed eyes on the empty highways A6 / A2 / A26.
The beaches of Comporta and Christian Louboutin's hotel Vermelho in Melides, below.
From red-sole high heels to LVMH Birkenstock, a new way of life is sketching its look book on West Coast Alentejo, where Christian Louboutin has just announced the acquisition of a second hotel in Melides, completion in Summer 2024. The success of his Hotel Vermelho (meaning red) required expanding the offer.
The Sado Estuary and its pure coastline offer the discretion of a protected natural reserve made of rice paddies and pine trees rolling over dunes and under silver lights. To everyone famous, now slamming 'Comporta-Melides' as the Californian escape hideaway, the once tranquil fisherman land has since turned its simple life into a marketing buzzword.
Alentejo inland is an open space beyond time, trends, and posture, while busy in high season, with its increasing number of cultural visitors, eager to be entertained and accommodated.
Traversing Alentejo is a journey of meditative motion. With a musical stream on empty roads, the landscape unfolds along distanced rows of olive and cork trees extending to the horizon. The impressionist skies paint a palette of blue, pink, and orange hues. Alentejo embodies the mystique of the desert. It’s a space to reconnect with the earth, touch the soil, walk barefoot, and immerse freely in the absence of human presence.
[Above] Almendres Cromlech, at 30-minute drive from Montemor-o-Novo. [Below] Lavre's Twin Holm Oak Trees in Lavre.
In this region, the authentic heroes are unassuming and tranquil—dolmens, twin-trees, cattle, and resilient castles with fortified walls that once thwarted invaders. White-washed towns adorn sunlit hilltops. Alentejo witnessed the passage of Neolithic civilizations, Phoenicians, Romans, and Arabs. Today, the region transitions from agriculture to hospitality, offering seclusion and ample workspace for entrepreneurs, artists, royalty, and people with fan base. Things to do:
Exploring the Outdoors: For outdoor enthusiasts, use Alentejo's historical markers as guides for bike rides through small villages. Identify distinctive features like São Cristóvão's Convento de São Cristóvão de Lafões or Lavre's Twin Holm Oak Trees (Azinheiras Gémeas) at kilometer marker 70 on Road 114 to Evora [see picture above] .
Family and Animal Lovers: Animal lovers can visit the Monte Selvagem animal reserve in Montemor-o-Novo, Lavre. Established in 2004, the reserve is home to a variety of animals, including zebras, ostriches, yaks, Japanese macaques, peacocks, ducks, swans, lemurs, porcupines, emus, and kangaroos. It hosts over 350 animals across 70 species on 20 hectares. The park is open between February and March. Monte Selvagem. Castle and Historical Enthusiasts: Explore Montemor-o-Novo Castle, starting at the Porta da Vila and heading towards the Torre de Relógio (Clock Tower). Discover the view of the 3rd-century citadel Paço dos Alcaides, churches São João Batista and Santiago, and the Saudação Convent. The castle played a strategic role in Portuguese history, serving as a defense against Castile and during the Portuguese Civil War. Serious Wine Enthusiasts: Alentejo offers a rich wine experience with over 250 producers and a variety of grape types like Antão Vaz, Arinto, Roupeiro, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, and Trincadeira. For more information, visit Visit Alentejo.
For fine dining and a crash course in wine tasting, visit the five-star Relais & Chateaux LAND Vineyards, a retreat and hotel situated 4 km from Montemor-o-Novo. Meet Portuguese head sommelier Gonçalo Mendes, whose infectious passion for Alentejo and Madeira wines ensures memorable evenings near the fire.
#ecotourism #enotourism #culturaltourism
In Alentejo, the creator, host, chef, curator, aesthete, and athlete you aspire to be will discover an open board for creativity and fulfilment time, where your neglected dreams can finally be peacefully molded into reality.
Monte Selvagem host over 350 animals across 70 species on 20 hectares.
For live music, theatre and exhibitions, Evora has a rich cultural agenda all year round.
Relais & Chateaux LAND Vineyards, a retreat and hotel situated 4 km from Montemor-o-Novo.
Mojo is a Boutique Real Estate guiding and assisting investors and buyers in Portugal. We scout and cherry pick the best possible property within your brief and budget. We manage and coordinate the purchase process with expertise in renovations.
Call / text via whatsapp: +351.962.621259 | Follow us on Instagram Mojo for sale: properties for sale in the Alentejo Mojo Concierge: short and long-term rental