Casa Agrícola da Levada is family owned and managed, and we strive to make the estate as ecological and self-sustainable as possible.
We are aware of the amount of waste and residues typically produced by the hotel industry, and we reject this business model.
Ecology is our mission (Green Mission, our blog) and we go way beyond the current environmental legislation. In 2024, we emitted 20, 000 tons of CO2. Subtracting this from the 80,000 annual tons our trees capture makes us a carbon-negative territory. In the past five years, we have reduced the volume of waste produced by 60% and, with the help of solar panels, Batteries and inverters, we produce 60 % of the electricity we consume. Find out more at Eco Passport.

Architecture and Construction

The original agricultural farmhouse, now sustained by tourism, preserves its heritage. The Farm workers houses and agricultural dependencies have been transformed into rooms and independent houses, reimagining the lifestyle of this ancient village with new inhabitants: our guests.

• In 1992, 5 rooms were renovated on the ground floor of the Main House, a space originally used for food storage and sewing. The granite walls were covered with lime plaster for comfort, the pine floor and plasterboard ceilings feature interconnected air chambers and breathers in the exterior walls, allowing for ecological air circulation. The interior and exterior walls were whitewashed to allow the granite stones to breathe and protect them from humidity.
• From 2000 to 2018, we restored the old garage and driver’s house (Casa da Trepadeira), 6 houses of former Farm workers (Casa do Meio; Casa Quadrada, Casa do Ferreiro; Casa da Varanda; Casa da Vinha); the old granary (Casa da Eira) and the warehouses: the distillery, wine press, and olive oil press (Casa do Alambique; Casa do Lagar and Casa da Azenha), all designed by architect Teresa Nunes da Ponte. These renovations of granite stone houses, many dating back to the 17th century, were carried out using only local techniques and materials: autoclaved pine wood rafters, Portuguese tiles, slate stone bathrooms, interior walls coated with lime mortar and whitewashed.

Plans for 2024-2027:

To reinterpret, renew, and elevate the project to a new level of innovation in sustainable tourism and construction, we have chosen architect Luís Rebelo de Andrade.

• Innovative “zero emission” houses, designed to minimize environmental impact through optimal solar orientation and high-performance insulation, in accordance with RT 2012 standards.
• Renovation of a large warehouse to host workshops and training sessions.
• Redesign of the reception area to improve operational and logistical efficiency.
• A new iron greenhouse space, serving “Km 0” meals with vegetables and fruits from our garden and local organic producers’ gardens.

Governance and Social

The legacy of Maison Agricole de la Levada is built on preserving the memory and identity of Trás-os-Montes with a long-term vision.

• We respect legal requirements for safety and labor rights and go beyond environmental expectations.
• Children are encouraged to spend the day with their parents at work and share the property recreational equipment with guests.
• In 2020 and 2021, we organized informal schools for the children of our collaborators, “La Famille de la Levada,” to ease confinement.
• Two of our collaborators are volunteer firefighters.
• We promote training for our collaborators in hospitality, foreign languages, and technical areas (apiculture, permaculture).
• Collaborators and guests are actively involved in waste separation for composting and feeding chickens.
• We have acquired an electric car to facilitate access for guests with reduced mobility.
• We partner with local producers and suppliers, promoting fair trade and the sale of artisanal and food products.
• We recover ancient recipes, customs, and traditions, such as cooking in pots on the ground.
• We are a grassroots ecological project and combat greenwashing with clear and consistent communication.
• We have curricular internship protocols with UTAD (University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro), the Polytechnic of Guarda, and the Professional School of Mirandela.
• We partner with various entities for the exchange of native seeds.

Plans for 2024-2027:

• Registration with agencies and associations: registration with various agencies, associations, and NGOs for responsible tourism.
• Reactivation of the “Green Mission” blog with more recipes and information.
• Partnerships with UTAD in programs like SoloVivo, which analyzes soil health and quality to combat degradation.
• Also with UTAD, monitoring leaf pigmentation to detect plant stress and diseases.

Zero Waste

Waste reduction and management has always been a top priority for us. We implemented a few very
simple measures to cut down refuse by 60%:

• About 40% of the fruit and vegetables our family and guests consume is grown in our garden and orchards, thus eliminating unnecessary transport and packaging.
• We began our canning workshops in 2021, in an effort to prolong the shelf life of our fruit and vegetables. Watch our videos at Green Mission.
• We provide shampoo, shower gel and soap in dispensers, never individually wrapped items.
• We have two recycling points (plastic, paper, glass, lightbulbs, corks, batteries and coffee capsules) and composting boxes, which separate organic residue into compost and food for our chickens and rabbits.
• We encourage our guests to use them with several activities in our Eco-Levada program.
• We have replaced minibars in the rooms and have reduced packaging by opening our Honesty Shop, where you can find fine wines and local produce from small, organic producers, as well as environmentally-friendly toiletries.
• We produce our own cleaning products, scented with lavender and citrus from our grounds.
• We do not sell carbonated drinks, only water and beer in returnable glass bottles from a local supplier.
• We do not use paper napkins, plastic straws, cups or cutlery, or any single-use packaging.
• We limit paper use with digital documents, invoices and receipts.

Plans for 2024-2027:

• Creating an art studio that will further reduce waste by using recycled materials in our creativity sessions

Water and Energy

• Part of the electricity used at Levada is produced from photovoltaic solar panels, and since 2024, it has been stored using batteries and inverters, 60 % of the total energy we used in 2024 did not contribute to our carbon footprint. That’s an extra 130 days of clean energy annually. In the height of summer, We generate 10 hours of clean energy daily, covering 90% of our daily consumption through efficient storage
• Our rooms are not air-conditioned. We provide fans in summer. With their one-metre (three-foot) wide granite walls, wooden shutters and double-glazed windows, our room are always cool, even on the hottest days.
• In winter, along with central heating, all rooms and houses have a fireplace or a wood-burning stove, fuelled by firewood from our forest.
• The gardens and pools are watered from our rainwater reservoirs. Excess water flows into the river.
• We store around 360 cubic metres of rainwater for our gardens and pool.
• We inspect and monitor water consumption on a weekly basis, repairing leaks as soon as we detect them; and we keep water consumption to a minimum with low flush toilets and low flow nozzles on all taps.

Plans for 2024-2027:

• We are recovering 7 of the 14 granite water tanks on the property and will connect them gravitationally increasing our well and rainwater storage capability to 800 cubic metres.

Green Areas

A great deal of our time and energy is devoted to tending Levada’s 6.7 hectares/16.5 acres of gardens, vegetable patches, orchards, vineyards and woods.

• We use organic fertilizer from our composting and locally sourced goat and rabbit manure.
• We haven’t used chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides or fungicides for over twenty years.
• Consequently, Levada is now home to a rare species of firefly, as well as red squirrels (previously extinct in Portugal), frogs, toads, wall and eyed lizards, turtle doves, golden orioles, moles, hedgehogs, ferrets, otters and wild boars.
• We promote biodiversity by planting a wide assortment of fruit and flowering plants, providing year-round food for birds and bees.
• We allow all wild seedlings to grow between our vine rows. These semi-wild areas are the habitat and a food source for countless living organisms, increasing Levada’s biodiversity.
• Replaced many invasive plants with native trees and shrubs (strawberry trees, bay trees, oak trees and many others) thereby enriching our ecosystem, developing new habitats, increasing the storage capacity for CO2 in our small territory and providing food and shelter for our native animal species. Another landscape improvement!
• Redesigned our vegetable garden and orchard to incorporate permanent plants that attract pollinators and naturally control pests
• We use mulch from various sources to cover the soil, such as leaves, straw, and pine needles.
• We use green fertilizers like wild strawberries, lupins, and oats.
• We practice litter composting, vermicomposting, and biodynamic composting columns.
• About 40% of breakfast and evening snack foods come from our organic orchard and vegetable garden.

Plans for 2024-2027:

• Increase the number of beehives from 12 to 24
• Organize regenerative agriculture workshops
• Continue the work initiated in 2020 with Silvia Floresta (Permaculture) and João Castella (Biodynamics) and Graça Saraiva (Herbs)
• Create research laboratories for natural insecticides for pest control
• Continue interpretive signage in the garden and vegetable gardens to explain the plant cycle, such as flowering and maturation, and carbon capture correspondence translated into understandable examples, such as equivalence in kg of car or liters of milk.

Green Activities

We are deeply committed to environmental tourism, and encourage our guests to make the most of Levada’s environment and to explore Nature all around us.

• We offer guests several custom-designed maps with local activities (walks on the grounds as well as Vila Real, Casa de Mateus, the botanical gardens, the Douro and the Alvão Nature Reserve), with public transport, cycling and hiking details. Maps are available in Reception upon your arrival.
• We’ve leveled the River Walk’s incline and extended it by 1.5 km (1 mile), making it even more irresistible for hiking and cycling.
• Signage describing the flora, fauna and historical buildings, with a total of 300 multilingual signs.
• We will include an estimate of CO2 stored in the trunks and roots of our centennial trees.
• Maps of cycle routes and other activities accessible by public transport and bicycle.
• Passport for 8 to 12-year-olds, awarding a stamp for each goal attained. You can see the first draft here: Passport Activity Notebook to Record Your Adventures with Us
• Electric six-seater car for rides along Levada’s river, so that our younger guests or those with restricted mobility can see our grounds.
• Construction of a second ‘Tranquil’ pool, perfectly positioned for sun exposure, for guests seeking peace and relaxation.

Plans for 2024-2027:

• Opening an art studio for our guests to create art with recycled materials
• Acquiring more mountain bikes for guest use
• Purchase of kayaks for strolls on the Corgo River
• Individual or group “Treasure Hunt” game with environmental and observation questions

Housekeeping and Maintenance

• We change bed and bath linens every four days and we air-dry all our laundry, weather permitting.
• Sheets and towels are 100% cotton, so we avoid adding microplastic to our waterways and oceans.
• All washing machines operate on low temperature and short cycles, with clean energy when it is sunny.
• All cleaning products used at Levada are eco-certified. We make some of them ourselves with natural products like vinegar, perfumed with lavender, lemon peel and orange peel from our garden and orchard.
• We only use LED lamps.
• Free self-service laundry for our guests, with an outdoor drying area