Welcome to Valeferro!

The South of Portugal is always short of water. Please be economical. The garden needs a lot to stay green Use washing up water on the front courtyard garden. Please flush the loos only when brown. Feel free to water the garden, ask Britta the housekeeper about this.

Sometimes there is a knocking from the solar panels on the roof. This is trapped air and is normal, don’t worry.

Be aware of fire risks when smoking and having barbeques!

The code for the Internet is: for upstairs – 2F707713E12 for the Studio - 35259978
 

 i) Water and WCs

            The house has clean filtered water from a bore hole. It is drinkable, but you may prefer bottled water for taste. There is a septic tank and flushing paper waste is fine. The garden is watered automatically by an irrigation system. You may hear the pumps when this is running. Hot water comes from solar panels. In the summer the water gets very hot - be careful!

ii) Power

            The gas is used for the hob cooking. It will not run out, but if it does, contact our Housekeeper, whose number is below under important phone numbers. The oven, fridge dishwasher etc run on electricity. If a fuse trips, the fuse box is next to the front door. There are many lights inside and out. Please check that you don't leave them on when not in use – especially when you leave.

iii) Access and Door/Window Use

            The door handles on all the doors except those that lock, are shut when vertically pointing down wards, open when horizontal and will open as a window when vertical and pointing upwards.

Some doors have locks. For security, please keep these doors locked when you are out:

            the two small bedrooms,

            the studio door to the lower terrace,

            the door from kitchen to upper terrace,

            and the main front door.

Also the two gates leading to and from the outdoor kitchen must be kept locked when you go out. They are useful to have open when you are in. The keys are available in the house.

The main gates have an automatic controller that you will be given. Please don't lose it as the cost of its replacement is £40 and will be decucted from your deposit. It is suggested for security that the gates be closed when you are out and when you are in the house.

All the keys stay in the doors for convenience. You will be shown where to hide the front door key when you finish your time at the house if you cannot hand it to the Housekeeper.

iv) Basic Cleaning

            Please do basic cleaning for the kitchen surfaces. The tiles on the floor are very porous and, if you spill coffee or wine, will stain permanently if you don't wipe up straight away. If the Housekeeper has to do special cleaning taking her extra time, this will be deducted from the deposit.

SMOKING - Please do NOT smoke in the house as the next guests may not like the smell. If you smoke outside be sure to be safe and clean with the cigarette ends. The surrounding area is dry and can easily burn. Please use the pots provided.

The Kitchen 

i) Equipment

            The cooker, microwave, hob and fridge are no problem to use. The dishwasher and washing machine are tricky so look at the special instructions. There is a kettle and toaster and, in addition, there are coffee makers, a food chopper and soup-stick are in the cupboards. Please keep the kitchen and its equipment clean and in good order. If you break anything, please tell the Housekeeper or replace it please as the next people in the house may need it.

Special Instructions for dishwasher and washing machine.

Dishwasher:

           Fill with dishes. Insert washing powder provided. Close door.

           Press left side button then press right lower button marked with a diamond with a vertical line through

           It starts.

Washing Machine:

            Put clothes in.

            Both dials must be at 0 then choose temp and number from list eg: 3 – 6o'.

            Then turn left dial to the temp and the right dial to the number

            Press left hand button marked :  > ¦¦  It starts.

            Best to use setting 6 for quick wash. Sometimes the other programmes stick!

ii) Rubbish

            Rubbish disposal is segregated. Bottles and tins are put in the red box or bin in the outside kitchen. Other waste and rubbish is put under the hob in separate containers. Organic rubbish is put in the left hand bin then in the big black bin near the washing line. The right hand bin is for general rubbish or you can use the red pedal bin as you please.

Please take all rubbish to the skips in the village at the bottom of the hill before you leave. Please don't leave rubbish in the house after you leave.

iii) Outdoor Kitchen

    There is an additional fridge and small fridge for drinks and a freezer in the outdoor kitchen.

Entertainment

i) Internet and Equipment

            There is a TV for internet Now TV and for a player for DVDs and videos. Each has a remote control. Only two things can be connected by scart lead at a time. There is a junction box where you will be able to change a scart lead over when necessary. There are DVDs and videos available to watch. 

Please switch the equipment off when not in use. The wireless router is in the living room and switched on to access the Internet.

The Pool and Outside

i) The Pool

            The pool water should be clear and clean when you arrive. If there is any problem with the water, call the Housekeeper, Britta 

Take great care when you walk on the decking as some of the boards are slightly uneven.

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE GLASSES INTO THE POOL AREA. BROKEN GLASS IN AND AROUND THE POOL MUST BE AVOIDED!

There are plastic wine glasses and tumblers provided.

ii) The Lower Terrace

            There are two sun umbrellas on the lower terrace. If they are not open when you come, please make sure the metal pin is located at the top to keep the umbrella up. The pull string isn't reliable to do this.

iii) The Garden

            Please walk in the gravelled garden taking care with children that they don't stand on any of the smaller plants. Children running around or playing with balls in this area is NOT allowed. Please be aware, some of the plants are spiky! Please do not disturb or move the irrigation pipes, system or controllers. The land beyond is steep and uneven but you are welcome to explore here. Please watch out for plants and young trees planted here.

Other Things To Do

Going Out, Shopping and Eating Out

i) Local Walks

           There are many lovely walks just around the woods behind the house and beyond. You will need stout shoes or boots for some of the tracks.

ii) The Village of Valeferro

           There are two shops in the village selling very basics. Vans with provisions come daily. If you can communicate with the villagers (not easy unless you're Portuguese!) They do not speak English in this area.

Cafe Porfirio is in fact extremely good, we have been there with students. Jose is the bar owner and his sister Maria is the cook, but to eat there in the evening, you have to tell them the day before and order what you want.

Sometimes they will cook to order if you know what (traditional Portuguese food) you want. You will have to try communicating in signs and mimes if you want this.

Try Porco Preto Alentejano or Estufada de Carne or Bacalhau com Natas and Pudim Flan for dessert.

Do try it though they are very friendly, though Jose can be surly at first, but it is well worth it for the food and experience and quite cheap too.        

iii) Going Out

There are two ways to go out of the village: 1) If you want to go to Odemira and the village of Reliquias and the restaurants near Reliquias or 2) if you want to go to Milfontes and Sao Luis;

 To Odemira, Amoeiras-Gare, Sao Luis, Colos and Reliquias

i) Odemira

Go back the way you came into the village to the main road N263. Turn right and follow signs to Odemira which has the nearest supermarket: Intermarche – look for a sign on the main road just after you enter the town after the fire station (bombeiros), turn right.

There are restaurants in the town, go down the hill to the main square. At the bottom of the hill if you turn right Fonte Feria an excellent restaurant is in a park at the end of this road which is a cul-de-sac. The other is O Tarro which is further along to the river at the traffic island where there are two petrol filling stations.

Going further and over the bridge and up the hill, keep going and you will get to a round about. Turn right to go to Milfontes and a Lidl supermarket or go straight on for Aldi and then further to Sao Teotonio and Zambujeira do Mar, which is also a lovely beach resort. Nothing is really close so be prepared to drive a bit.

Zmar, near Zambujeira is a family Eco-Tourism park with a good website for information www.zmar.eu.

ii) Reliquias, Amoeiras Gare, Sao Martinho das Amoeiras

Turn left at the main road (Aljustrel) for a local restaurant which is after the crossroads (about a kilometre) at Barreiros. At the cross road is a café that does food and pizzas in the evening! There's a restaurant sign for it on the road to the right It is Cafe Barreirinho

1. Reliquias is a nice village, which climbs up the hill to a windmill with a great view north over the flat plain. There’s also a good village shop (better than Vale Ferro’s), but it’s very hard to find. It’s behind the shop you see on a corner, go up that road and go in the first door you see there’s no sign you go through the bar and it’s at the back.

There is a new restaurant in Sao Martinho das Amoeiras run at the ashram of the spiritual leader Mooji (Google him) called Nirvana. It is very beautifully arranged and food is good but there is no alcohol served. It is a lovely lunchtime venue, but there are pizzas in the evening. It is closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

2) To Milfontes and Sao Luis

The other way out of the village is to go past the recycling bins then go straight on instead of turning left to go to Odemira. Go past the big bar with the satellite disc, and turn right, go on then follow a right fork signed to Sao Luis, the after a while turn left to Sao Luis, following signs now to Milfontes.

There is a village called Lameiros on the way, which every Sunday, has a pop-up wood fired pizza place. It’s good fun and food is good. Turn sharp right after you enter the village, coming from Vale Ferro. It's the only right turn.

Sao Luis has a good butcher (talho) on the main road and lots of cafes. Find the Multibanco ,on this street there is a nice cafe for dinner and lunch with a small patio at the back In the mornings there is a small market with fish and vegetable stalls. In the market square there are two cafes: the Yellow Taverna (Amarelo Taverna) and The Old Blacksmiths (O Ferrador) which is very good. There is also The Varanda. On the third Sunday of the month there is a car-boot sale with local produce and various things to buy.

To Sao Luis is about 20 minutes and a further 20 to Milfontes and the coast. The main restaurants, very good for seafood, in Milfontes are:

Dunas Mil, Dunas Parque, A Feteixa for good fish look fordown by the Cais (quays) Largo do Cais, Telf. 28399641

Tasca do Celso Rua dos Aviadores nº 34, Telf: 283996753, less easy to find as it's small and in a back street but very good. Also easy to find on the promenade,  and with a lovely location is HS Hotel Social. There are many others.

Some Words: In Mifontes and Odemira some people speak English but elsewhere, not.

Peixe = Fish                 Atum = tuna               Dorada = sea bass               Bacalhau = salt cod

Mariscos = sea food Carne = Meat           Novilho = mature veal more like beef (Vaca)       Borrego = lamb       Cabrito = goat

Coelho = rabbit         Churrasqueria = a barbeque meat restaurant         Frango = chicken                  Presunto = ham           

um cafe = an expresso      uma bica = black with some milk    um meia de leite = half milk and coffee    uma galao = very milky coffee

Uma garafa/copa de vinho tnto/ branco = a bottle/glass of red/white wine     Agua com gas = sparkling water     Sobremesas = desserts

Local Markets

There are markets selling fish, fruit and veg. in Sao Luis, Odemira and Milfontes. Odemira never seems very busy the few stalls there are locally grown, fresh and cheap though. The market at Milfontes is better and every day including Sunday but not Monday. Sao Luis market is in the centre of town and best in the morning.

There is a big travelling market at Brunheiras on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Brunheiras is near Milfontes. Turn right instead of left at the first round about when you approach the outskirts of Milfontes where the big garden pottery shop is. For Sao Luis market, go straight on at the 2nd junction where you would turn right to go th Milfontes. Go on for about a kilometre on the left where there are lots of trees. 

Important Numbers and Emergencies

Britta (Housekeeper) – 00351  962886334 / 920144205

Emergencies 112

If you need medical attention there is a 24hr emergency room (Centro de Saude) in Odemira. With the European Health Insurance Card you will only be charged 15€ for any treatment.

I hope this is helpful and that you enjoy your stay at Vale Ferro. - Ian and Gordon