Animals
We’re sure you’ll agree, the presence of animals is very much central to the charm of staying at Quinta Castanheira. Up in the communal areas—including the bar, courtyard, pool deck, and garden area—you may well encounter a peacock, our farm cats Tiberius and Cleopatra, and our big friendly dog, Logan. In the distance, you will see cows, pigs, and chickens merrily roaming about.
While we ask that guests don’t enter the fields because the cows are relatively wild-natured, you certainly won’t miss out on the entertainment they provide. In fact, the sense of a show is even greater on the swimming pool deck as it extends out over the field, allowing a panoramic view of farm life without leaving the comfort of your sun lounger!
Animals galore!
Always something to see
The layout of the property means that guests can almost always see a scene playing out from their window, whether it’s Vietnamese potbellied pigs rooting under the trees, Brahma chickens scrabbling about in the dirt, or Cachena cows lounging in the sunshine.
If you are uncomfortable with dogs, we would ask that you let us know so that we can accommodate accordingly. Ours are very friendly and only allowed in the communal areas when we are with them. At other times, they remain closed up within our own private garden. We always endeavor to clean up after the peacock promptly, which can be necessary from time to time as he loves nothing more than having a siesta in the bar or sitting on the poolside!
We recommend keeping in mind that this is a countryside environment and not a holiday destination for the animal adverse. Nighttime noises can include the sound of chirping crickets, frogs singing, owls hooting, foxes calling, wild boar snorting, and herd dogs barking, so while urban sounds are absent, a Quinta setting does have its own soundtrack.
Cachena Cattle
Cachena are a heritage breed of cattle, native to the north of Portugal. Although it can be difficult to tell from a distance, they are one of the smallest cattle breeds in the world, reaching no more than 1.1m in height to the shoulder! These characterful cows were originally raised as triple-purpose animals, used to pull ploughs and carts, for milk, and for meat. They are nimble and well suited to mountainous terrain—equally content on grass and hay as they are on a diet of herbs and scrub plants.
As modern farming machinery and domesticated cow breeds became the norm, Cachena came very close to extinction. In 1986, only 30 cows of this breed remained. Portugal launched a plan to try to save the species, and today they number in the thousands but are still relatively rare. We are excited to offer a home to our girls as part of a small but growing movement, keeping these beautiful animals for their fantastic capacity to keep land clean, thus reducing fire risk. You will notice their stunning lyre-shaped horns, which grow to impressive lengths in proportion to their size!
