Front of house

Sitting/dining room

Double bedroom

Guests patio area

Prices Currency Conversion

Rental periods	6/7 persons
January - April 2008	£300
May/June 2008	£400
July/August 2008	£450
September - December 2008	£300

Notes on prices
Prices shown are for the property per week in pounds sterling. Guests may pay the equivalent in euros (depending on the exchange rate).

Changeover day
The house has a full time maid so any day is fine.

Accommodation

Notes on accommodation
The farmhouse has central heating and a wood-burner in the living room. The farm is walled in and there is a stream and several water tanks, one with goldfish. There are chickens and friendly dogs. Guests will be offered fresh farm produce of the season and a welcoming snack is offered on arrival. Fridge will be filled with fresh milk, yoghurt, cheese, ham, water, wine, and the kitchen is always stocked with tea, coffee, biscuits etc. The accommodation is a beautiful, quiet haven with spectacular views all around. There are lots of walks through the eucalyptus trees just behind the house and the area abounds with parks and gardens. The bedrooms are luxuriously furnished, with romantic mosquito nets draping the beds to ensure a quiet night's sleep. The living room/kitchen used to be the original wine house and retains the thick granite walls, which keeps the room cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Fans are also provided.

Amenities/Facilities provided

Accessibility
Wheelchair access is good as the outside area is paved with granite blocks and the doors and corridors are wide, the narrowest doors being 75cms. Note, however, that there is no bath and the kitchen/bathroom units are of standard height.

Outside
Extensive front and side gardens, planted with abundant fruit and decorative trees. The guests entrance leads out to a patio area, covered over with wisteria and jasmin, below which is a table and chairs. There are also sunloungers, a swing seat and a large parasol. There is a built-in barbecue area next to the patio. The farm is on 5 different terraces, with a sunken garden area. This also has a wronght iron table and chairs around. Forest walks are 2 minutes behind the house. Guests can walk to Sameiro and Bom Jesus, where there is a boating lake, pony treks, lots of ornamental gardens, cafes with outside terraces and spectacular views over Braga. The owners have small children and guests' children are encouraged to use the swings, paddling pools, slide etc. Tennis and badminton rackets are provided and there is lots of space around the house to play racket games or football. The nearby village of Taipas has indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

Coast/Beach
Esposende, which is about 35 minutes drive away, has an extensive white sandy beach. Other popular beaches in the area are Póvoa de Varzim, Vila do Conde, Viana do Castelo and Caminha.

Special interest holidays
Churches, monasteries, religious sanctuaries all abound in this area. Braga is known as the Rome of Portugal. The religious sanctuaries of Sameiro, Bom Jesus and Santa Marta are within walking distance from the house.
There are lots of excellent woodland walks around the house and in the area, which is quite mountainous and very scenic with eucalyptus and pine trees everywhere.

Travel
The nearest airport is Oporto, 1 hour away from the house. We recommend hiring a car, as public transport is not available in country areas.

Distances
Santa Cristina de Longos is a 2 minute drive away from the house. The religious sanctuaries and gardens of Bom Jesus and Sameiro are 10 minutes away by car. The town of Caldas das Taipas is 5 minutes drive away. The historic towns of Braga and Guimarães are about 20 minutes away.

Further details
The village of Santa Cristina de Longos is small however does have several cafes, a good bakery, a butchers and 2 grocery shops. Taipas spa town is only 5 minutes away and has lots of cafes, bakeries, restaurants, Intermarché supermarket, banks, a post office, a large outdoor swimming pool complex, thermal baths with a pool, jacuzzi, offering various types of spa treatments eg massage. Market day is Monday. Braga and Guimarães are very attractive historic cities, with Bracalândia, a theme park for children. There is a cable car going up to the attractive wooded Penha area in Guimarães. There are lots of churches and museums to visit and excellent restaurants, from very reasonable to fairly expensive. The owners have a file in the living room of the apartment, setting out all the restaurants in the area and directions how to get to them. The area is filled with vines and eucalyptus trees, very picturesque and also fairly mountainous. It is of particular interest to people who enjoy walking and to families with children. There are lots of parks, pools, an adventure park, beaches not very far away. Citania de Briteiros, an ancient Celtic settlement is of interest to those fascinated by life over 2000 years ago. This is only a 15 minute drive from the house. The area is full of farms, producing their own wine. This is on sale directly from the farmer or in the local restaurants, of which there are many. Guests can drink the wine from Quinta da Tapada free of charge.

Booking notes
50% to be paid on booking and 50% to be paid on your arrival.

Guest comments
" Thank you for making this one of our happiest holidays..and for making your home and garden a magical place for our two children."
" Your house is a gem..we have visited some truly beautiful places."
" A wonderful introduction to Portugal, enjoyed every minute."

This advertiser joined Owners Direct in March 2005,
and has advertised this property with us since March 2005.

Property Ref P1470
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