TRAVEL
Paradise in Portugal They say there’s no place quite like home, so SONIA CAEIRO ALVAREZ armchair travelled very close to her hometown in north western Spain and found magic in Midões.
N
estled just outside the village of Midões in the mountains of central Portugal is Quinta
da Alegria. That’s where an exceptional family of horse lovers, horses, and four-legged farm folk collectively create the heart-warming and unique Portugal by Horse riding holiday and farm stay. It is in essence a bucolic wonderland of mountains, meadows
Portuguese passion in abundance. For riders, a farm holiday at Quinta da Alegria is a total immersion into both magnificent nature, and what consummate hosts Liesje Vanneste and João Cabrita call the magic of horses. Liesje and João manage every aspect of the farm stay with heart and soul, and, along with extensive horse riding tours and trails, offer lessons
and rivers, historic villages, deep
in horsemanship and the captivating
culture and the warmest hospitality. In
Dancing with Horses, as well as on-site
reality it’s a captivating farm experience
yoga, reiki, massage, hiking, cycling
with a herd of much loved horses and
and mountain biking tours, crossbow
shooting, canyoning, and kayaking. In 1996, Belgian-born Liesje arrived in Portugal with two horses, two dogs, some chickens and a tipi. She explored the region until she discovered a home for herself and her beloved menagerie: the stunning historical village of Midões, a short train, bus or car ride from Lisbon or Porto. A city dweller from Alcantarilha-Algarve and Lisbon City, João had spent years at university studying and working in IT, until his path collided with Liesje’s. From there, their dream of paradise gained traction as the pair developed a unique horse riding and nature adventure. The property is abundant in water springs and was last inhabited by Pastor António Pereira with his family and a large sheep herd. After his death
50 | H O R S E V I B E S J A N / F E B 2 0 2 1
