Countryside Home in Melides, Alentejo

5.0

(4 reviews)4

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The experience

Olá 👋 I’m Laura (46), HR manager working remotely in the startup world for 15+ years. I live in a family home in the countryside near Melides, really in the middle of nowhere 🌿✨. If you love dogs, nature, and quiet days (with some chaos thanks to 4 furry friends 🐕🐕🐕🐕), this is the place for you!

I need help with taking care of our dogs, land and home!
With dogs, there is always something to do. The land is big and needs lots of care!

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What you offer

25 hours of help per week

Pet Sitting: Taking care of and looking after pets.

Cleaning: Help clean the kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas.

Housekeeping: Help with changing the bed linens and general housekeeping.

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

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What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Bikes at your disposal: You can use our bikes any time you want.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

Use our equipped kitchen: Feel free to use our kitchen and make your own delicious food.

Fast Internet Access: High-speed internet for you to work remotely

Dedicated Workspace: Specific space for you to work remotely

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Requirements

Fluent Portuguese or Fluent English

Over 25 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

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What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

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Program Details

I need help with taking care of our dogs, land and home!
With dogs, there is always something to do. The land is very big and needs lots of care: watering, planting, caring, collecting wood, cleaning forest & paths, moving sand and soil, etc. It's the kind of place where there are always new projects that can be done.

Our last volunteer (who ended up staying for two years!) will be returning home in November, so we are looking to have new volunteers around.

🌟 Why You’ll Love It Here

🌳 Real countryside living — silence, stars, and space to breathe
🐕 Daily time with four unique dogs (endless love + some challenges)
🌱 Connection with the land — perfect if you like nature, gardening, and permaculture
🏖️ Explore nearby beaches, villages, and hikes
🍷 Shared meals and good talks when it feels right
This is the place if you’re kind, open-minded, autonomous, and motivated, with a genuine love for dogs and rural life.

📩 How to Apply

Please send me a personalized message 🙏 telling me about your dog experience & your motivation and what you’d bring to our little countryside life.
Looking forward to welcoming you to this special patch of Portugal 💛

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Activities & Shift

🛠️ What You’ll Do

Dogs, dogs, dogs! 🐶
•Early morning walks (starting as early as 6:30am) 🌅
•Feeding, water, playtime, cuddles
•Picking up after them (yes, that too 💩)

Home & Garden Work 🌱
• Tidying up and cleaning the house
•Getting your hands dirty outside: gardening, planting, maintaining outdoor areas
•If you have permaculture knowledge, that’s a big plus! 🙌

About 5 hours a day, divided between mornings and evenings.

🛏️ What You’ll Get

•A private bedroom 🛌 and shared cozy spaces
•Meals provided (sometimes I cook for everyone, sometimes you cook your own) 🍲
•A bicycle 🚲 for exploring the area
•Space and quiet to work on personal projects, rest, or recharge 🌍
•Beaches just 15 minutes away 🏖️ — the Alentejo coast is one of the most beautiful in Portugal
•Couples welcome 💑.

🍽️ Food & Meals
• Groceries provided for your own cooking.
• Shared meals: Occasional lunches/dinners together.

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Rules

🚙 Important to Know

•Driver’s licence is essential 🚗 (remote life + dogs = you’ll need it).
•Dog experience is a must 🐕 (if you only walked your neighbour’s cat once, sorry, that doesn’t count 🙃).
•No smokers 🚭.
•Minimum stay: 3 weeks ⏳.
•I speak Portuguese 🇵🇹, English 🇬🇧, and Spanish 🇪🇸.
•Buses do exist, but to explore freely you’ll want to drive (or use the 🚲 bicycle we provide!).

💖 Ideal Volunteer Profile (Open to singles/couples)

• Dog lovers (rescue experience a plus)
• Comfort with rural solitude and farm tasks.
• Non-smoking
• Proactive, open-minded and friendly attitude