Vale Do Ninho Nature Houses

I visited these houses in May 2023 and was inspired by the design, the integrity of the approach and the programme that it is part of (Aldeias do Xisto) that is bringing life back to the Schist villages of central Portugal. The owners are also promoting the development of surrounding cork oak forests that protected the village from significant wild fires in 2017.
Information from the project: “Casas do Vale do Ninho are the result of the reconstruction, with sustainable construction techniques and energy efficiency, of the ruins of old stone houses and haylofts existing in the place Vale do Ninho, at the entrance of the Schist Village of Ferraria de São João. These old constructions were built during the 19th century. The reconstruction was total, in order to offer a high level of comfort all year round to our guests. Opened in 2014, after a long and careful reconstruction work with a project by Architect Pedro Brígida, 3 accommodation units are available for rental.”