In the 17th century, Quinta da Carvalheira was the agricultural heart of a small village: Carvalheira de Cima. It belonged to Inês’s great-great-grandparents and provided work for many families, with plantations that stretched across the fields, a mill that produced olive oil and a wine cellar that produced wine. It was a land of abundance, but also of community and mutual aid.

Over time, the Quinta changed. During Inês’s great-grandparents’ generation, the space became a place of healing, where Dr. Pimenta cared for the people of the village. The land continued to bear fruit, and people also came seeking relief from their ailments. The Quinta welcomed, cared for and healed — of body and soul.

But like so many rural stories, this one also lost its life. The following generations migrated to the city. Inês' grandmother was born and raised in Soure, got married and moved to Benfica do Ribatejo (Santarém), where she lived and raised her children. Inês' mother had studied in Lisbon, where she decided to stay to develop her professional life and build a family. Now far from the village, Inês grew up in Lisbon even further away from rural life. The countryside fell silent — saving stories, waiting for a new cycle.

This cycle arrived in 2022. At a time of profound change, Inês felt the call of her roots. The superficial life of the city, full of rush, stress, noise and disconnection, no longer made so much sense. She missed nature, an environment of belonging and mutual support, a space to explore her self-knowledge and her roots. It was then that she began to dream about what a new cycle of Quinta da Carvalheira could be.

But her return was not a nostalgic gesture — it was a new beginning with vision. Inês decided to restore the Quinta by following the principles of regeneration: of the land, of relationships, of time. She began to study and practice regenerative agriculture, to revitalize ties with the village, to create bridges between the past and the present.

Today, Quinta da Carvalheira is a living space. Courses, workshops and retreats are held here, where the sounds of nature and the landscape help us to listen to our inner selves. There are activities that bring together locals, from children and the elderly, to curious visitors, sharing knowledge and creating community. It is also a coliving space that welcomes people seeking a more connected, healthier and purposeful way of life.