The mountain that was inherited by an illegitimate son and turned into rural tourism
The property has been owned by the Masmorra family for over 150 years. It is located in Montemor-o-Novo and started receiving guests in June.
Carla and Antonio TOradinhas, both 51, remember well the holidays they used to spend with their children on a hill that had been in the family for more than 150 years, in Montemor or Novo. They did not have a swimming pool, but they enjoyed taking outdoor hose baths. Without the Internet or television, they spent their days “seeing who could win the most board games.” Another memory they cherish is having films from the Video Club in Santiago do Escual, which they watched outdoors thanks to a projector they bought for this purpose.
They experienced “magical nights” in Alentejo -And now they want to offer similar experiences to those who visit them. They decided to turn Monte Da prison cell De Baixo is in a local residence and began receiving guests in June.
The land has always been owned by the family that still calls it today, but no one holds that title anymore. This is because Antonio’s great-grandfather, Alexandre Masmura, offered part of the estate to his illegitimate son [o avô do atual proprietário] – Which he did not recognize until the end of his life – He decided to keep his mother’s name.
And so it was passed from generation to generation, But even today you can find memories of times gone by there. “We found documents among the ruins showing taxes had been paid since 1879, letters written by the previous owners to the family when they were in the forces,” Nate begins telling Carla, the wife of the current heir.
In the past, there were three small independent houses where the workers lived, “who walked from corner to corner” around the hill. In the 1960s, they were still trying to sell the land, but the deal, fortunately, never went through. Once Antonio became a homeowner, about two decades ago, he immediately began restoring the property and preserving its ancestral history.
“It was a warehouse and we only went there to take care of the land, which had some fruit trees. However, Three years ago, we were able to buy the rest of the housess,” he reveals. They have only managed to preserve the structure of one of them. The rest were demolished and rebuilt, preserving the typical design of the Alentejo Mountains.
When they inherited the entire Monte da Masmora di Baixo, they realized that the space was too large for the family, who would only spend a few summers there and then a few. Then the idea of converting it into local housing was born. “The project was created to support the costs of maintaining the mountain, and to give others the opportunity to enjoy the magic of the Alentejo,” he admits.
Rural Tourism is located in the village of Santiago do Escual, on an area of 2 hectares, ideal for a “relaxing holiday in the countryside”. Of the three homes they recovered, only two are available for rent. Each has a double bedroom, a mezzanine bedroom (with stairs) with two single beds, a bathroom, a fully equipped kitchenette and a living room. -And they already have a TV.
The infrastructure also includes a saltwater pool, deck chairs, an outdoor table, hammocks and a charcoal grill. The hill is quite isolated, on land with “typical Alentejo trees”, such as olive trees. But you are likely to find there (outside the walls) a flock of 80 sheep. “We partner with a local pastor. We give them part of the land and they end up clearing the land. It’s great to be able to see them by the pool,” highlights Carla.
Each accommodation can be rented individually, but it is also possible to book both houses together. In this case, you will have exclusive access to the pool and its surrounding area. As for the cost of accommodation, it is about 120 euros per house. Reservations can be made at Booking.
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