Volunteer in the Portugal countryside
A new host reached out through our FB community. Just 50 km from Lisbon, in the village of Alcoentre, Alex is restoring a 100-year-old country house into an ambient farm-style hotel. The property spans 6 hectares (including eucalyptus woodland) with vegetable beds, fruit trees, aviaries, chickens and a lively cat clan. Heâs looking for one or two practical, hands-on volunteers to help move the project forward with gardening, DIY and animal care. If you enjoy slow countryside life, learning new skills and sharing ideas, this could be a rewarding exchange in rural Portugal.
What youâll help with: planting and pruning, building/repairing small structures, setting up gazebos or tree platforms, mosaics or furniture upcycling if youâre crafty, basic animal care (birds/chickens; future goats), if relevant photo/video or social posts about progress.
Start from 1 November for 1â3 months.
Languages: English (plus RU/UA/PT welcome).
Whatâs included:
private bedroom, use of a shared or private kitchen, laundry, gym and a heated pool; groceries for your meals; occasional shared cooking; local station transfers; âŽ200/month pocket money; lift or car use when available; and great weekend options – Ãbidos, NazarÃĐ, Peniche, Alcobaça and Lisbon are all within easy reach. Visa/work permits are not provided (you must be able to enter Portugal independently).
Location
Alcoentre is a quiet rural village in the municipality of Azambuja, about an hour from Lisbon. Surrounded by rolling hills, vineyards and eucalyptus woods, it has a traditional Portuguese atmosphere and a strong sense of community. The area is peaceful, sunny, and close to nature, ideal for countryside living with easy access to the city.
How to apply ðĐ
Form: Application form
Email: alex AT mauglis DOT com
Introduce your skills (gardening/DIY/animals/crafts), dates, and any links to past projects.
Volunteer Portugal countryside / Original message:
âHello, iâm alex. over two years ago i changed my life: i moved from the united states, where i grew up but had gradually become disconnected, to portugal â a place with a slower pace, lower consumerism, strong community empathy, beautiful nature and more opportunity to live off the land.â
âI bought an old country house with lots of land and fully renovated a 100-year-old estate. it now blends the old soul of the property with modern comforts. the house is located about 50 km from lisbon and sits on 6 hectares, including roughly 3 hectares of eucalyptus woods.â
âI plan to launch an ambient country hotel here with animals, a vegetable garden to feed guests, small goat-cheese production and more.â
Highlights from the past two years
- planted over 100 trees and hundreds of other plants
- established a vegetable garden
- built two aviaries (30+ birds)
- care for 20 chickens (fresh eggs daily)
- feed and care for 15+ resident cats
Who iâm looking for
one or two hardworking people with skills in diy, gardening, agronomy, animal care, basic woodworking, construction, electrical or plumbing for small renovation and repair tasks. i relate to progressive, responsible and empathetic people who are passionate about rural life.
Main tasks (ordered by priority)
- working with the land: planting flower beds, pruning and watering, trimming branches, building treehouses and gazebos
- diy decorating: mosaics, repairing or aging furniture, basic woodworking
- veterinary or farm-animal experience to help with new animals and cheese production
- video production or social marketing to build project socials
What you will get
- private bedroom, access to kitchen (own or shared), laundry, gym and heated pool
- groceries for meals (sometimes i cook, but not always)
- pocket money to help with local travel (200 eur / month)
- use of the car when available
- transport to and from the train station when needed
- beautiful local surroundings: hiking, nature exploration and day trips; lisbon is under an hour away
Location: town/village of alcoentre
nearby access:
- about a 50-minute bus ride to Lisbon
- 15 minutes to a mountain peak and hiking
- 30 minutes to the unesco town of Ãģbidos
- 30 minutes to Caldas da Rainha
- 40 minutes to NazarÃĐ
- 35 minutes to the monastery of Alcobaça
- 35 minutes to Peniche and Foz de Arelho beaches
- direct bus connections from our village to Porto, Coimbra and other major cities
Timing: start available from november 1. duration: 1â3 months.
Important: i cannot provide a visa. you must be able to enter portugal independently. if you wish to stay longer, i can assist with residence applications.
Interested? please fill out the form: forms.gle/xvpxe… or email alex@mauglis DOT com.
I speak english, ukrainian, russian and basic portuguese.â
