THE FAMILY
They left Cascais behind and a life with three kids, three private schools and hours spent in traffic. They moved away from friends and family and their tradicional lifes as an Architect and a TV Journalist. Together they built “Terra do Sempre”, a storytelling tourism. A country house they bought 6 years ago, in the Grandola mountains, one hour from Lisbon, and they changed their life.
THE STORY
Grandmother as lived in the house for 3 years. It was her that gave life to Terra do Sempre logo. Grandmother, great grandmother to the children read one book per day, and read stories to the kids all the time, that is why stories were so important in the family.
With pale skin and piercing blue eyes she raised an army of children and was going to live alone?! It was the best decision the time she was with us. One of those life changing decisions that will make us smile forever.
Bernardo is 12, Maria do Mar too and Alice is on her way to becoming 5.
Monday, the dog, is named after a week day because that was the day he decided to jump inside our car and never leave again. Two donkeys live also here, Gil and Bernardino, and Juba, the cat!
Pedro is an architect. He draws everyday and cooks, cooks as if he was drawing. To his food he adds the love of those that enjoy spending time in the kitchen. He likes to paint the food with different flavors and our menus come from his imagination. If you like to sing, he will be righ behind you playing his guitar.
Barbara is the daughter and granddaugher of journalists. She followed on their footsteps, against all of their advise and became a jornalist too. Barbara has been a journalist for 17 year and spent 15 of those as a news reporter at SIC, a portuguese private TV channel. She is always ready with pen and paper. Ready to tell one more story to the young ones, to plan a puppet show, a play or another night outdoors watching a movie.
And then there is Luisa. She looks after the house. Luisa was there 5 years ago when Alice was born. When she found out the family was moving to the countryside she packed her and came along. In the mornings try her homemade cakes! Gertrudes lives just in the farm next-door. She cooks portuguese food like a fairy! Gertrudes and Manuel are the owners of the farm where kids and parents can go feed the animals! it´s a go! you ll never forget the experience!
THE PROJECT
Each room tells a story: “Alice in wonderland”, “Peter Pan”, “They lived happy ever after…”, “Romeu and Juliet”, “1001 nights”, and two wood bungalows, where you will find “Robin Hood” and “Tom Sawyer”.
There are no TV’s in the rooms because there are books, stories and time to tell them. There is time to look at the stars, play cards, swing in the hammoks and time to be happy…like in the old days! We have walks in the farm, animal feeding, outside cinema, swimming pool, honesty bar…
Terra do Sempre is 25 minutes away from the sea, from Melides, Aberta Nova and Carvalhal beaches. One hour from Lisbon. Under an incredible sky. Where life and stories fall in love.
WE ARE GREEN
They have installed solar panels because non-green energy sources are only used as a last resource. The water is heated by the sun and they like to save because the planet belongs everybody.
The eggs are golden because the chickens run free. They believe that what goes to the earth returns back.
They composte and recycle and will be looking into other ways to improve and preserve the planet…step by step!