Tapada Beautiful and Unique Mountain Getaway

Farm producing vinho verde, set in the mountains, but only 5 minutes from the village of Longos and 15 minutes from the historic Roman towns of Braga and Guimarães. Beautiful spacious apartment, covering the whole ground floor of the farmhouse - suitable for 6 people. The new swimming pool is a delightful place to spend time, with a terrace in front with sun loungers, sun umbrellas, a table and chairs. The pool is square, 6m x 6m, and has spectacular views all around. Tucked behind the pool is a little fridge, which guests can stock with drinks and snacks. The pool's depth is a constant 1m45 and it is accessed via a short ladder with 3 steps down. There are kiwis planted on 2 sides of the pool and guests walk under a wooden pergola, through a meadow, planted with fruit trees, to arrive at the pool (2 minutes from the house). The pathway is illuminated at night, as is the pool itself. The accommodation consists of 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (each with showers, toiletries provided). The Green Bedroom has a new super king size bed (1m80 x 2m), the second bedroom has a large double bed measuring 1m50 x 1m95 and the third bedroom has 2 large twin beds, each measuring 1m20 x1m95. There is a spacious, characterful sitting room/kitchen/dining area. The granite walls of the living room/kitchen provide coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter. Granite is the local stone, found all over the Minho area. There is central heating throughout the house and a wood burner in the living room. Dressing gowns and slippers are provided. In the living room there is satellite TV, a table for up to 8 people, a leather sofa, coffee tables, lamps, bookshelves with lots of books, Wifi. Next to the Green bedroom is a new Events' Room/Wine House/ Cinema/Exercise room - a fun place to spend time, with its large sliding glass doors and wooden floor, looking out over a beautiful view. It has a large flat-screen wall-mounted TV with Netflix (and also Portuguese TV channels) - and comfortable armchairs - so you can relax and choose a good film, with a cup of tea and a biscuit or two - there is also a kitchenette, equipped with a Nespresso coffee machine and tea. Gardens and vineyards are all around. Open the door of the sitting room onto a patio area, covered with wisteria and jasmine. It has a table and chairs for 6. To the side is a built-in BBQ. There is also a fun fire pit - with can be used to roast marshmallows or as a BBQ (as it has a separate grill). Wood is provided. There is a further table with sun umbrella and chairs in the middle of the garden in front of the patio, a great place to play a game of cards. The farm is situated in the heart of the countryside, overlooking vines and mountain ranges but only a 12 minute drive to the historic towns of Braga (with the oldest Cathedral in Portugal and the Forum Altice concert hall) and Guimarães (with UNESCO World Heritage status). The village of Longos is a 2 minute drive away, with a small supermarket, 4 cafes and 3 restaurants. The historic churches of Bom Jesus and Sameiro (with beautiful gardens and cafes around) are near the house, within walking distance. The kitchen is extremely well equipped with a washing machine, dishwasher, electric cooker set into a kitchen island, so guests can cook and chat to the family and friends at the same time. There are various coffee machines, and all the pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, glassware you could wish for. Fruit trees abound and guests can help themselves to oranges, lemons, kiwis, clementines, plums and figs. A juicer is, of course, provided! The bread man comes to the gate of the farm every morning and leaves off a bag of bread for the owners and one for guests - it's quite fun popping down to the gate to see what selection of bread he's chosen for the day. The farm produces red and white vinho verde and guests are offered a few bottles. As the owners have chickens, guests are offered free range eggs - subject to the hens laying! On the animal front, we have 2 dogs, one a Golden Retriever (Skye) and a Labrador (Luna) - they are very friendly and like company. The owners go on frequent dog walks through the forest trails behind the house - guests are more than welcome to join them. We also have a cat (Andy Pandy). The Celtic settlement of Citânia de Briteiros is just 10 minutes drive from the house. There are many nice walks nearby. The Roman spa town of Taipas is 5 kms away, replete with an abundance of cafés, outdoor swimming pools, parks and, of course, spa treatments, including a luxurious naturally heated indoor pool, with Turkish bath and sauna. Guimarães and Braga are packed with museums, churches, monasteries, gardens, restaurants and cafés. Braga has recently opened its doors to a new indoor municipal market, with fruit and veg, meat and fish, wine and cheese. The Forum Concert Hall in Braga and Vila Flor in Guimarães hold concerts/shows on an almost daily basis. The seaside, Ofir/ Apúlia/ Esposende, is only 40 minutes away. The whole coast has interesting towns and beaches. The beach area of Fão is popular as it is so quiet and Apúlia is popular because of its fish restaurants. At Ofir it is possible to have surf lessons. The city of Porto is less than an hour's drive away and for those who don't want to drive (.lots of port tastings) they can leave their car at Braga or Guimarães train station and catch the train. It's also possible to drive to the Douro valley (1.5 hours away) and be back home in time for afternoon tea. For breathtaking scenery, walking and water sports, Gerês national park is 40 mins away. If you want to have a relaxing holiday in a beautiful setting yet near everything in the north - this is a good central base. Quinta da Tapada is a real home, with the sounds of nature all around and close to Braga, Guimarães and Porto. The owners, with their 3 teenage children, also live at the farmhouse, and have their own entrance. They are at hand, if necessary. Want to know more about the area? Download the app: What 3 words: tenuous.brief.temptation. You'll see we live in the country but when you drive down the hill to the right you have Braga and to the left Taipas, Guimarães and Porto.