Reviving stone houses and nurturing wild mountain life.
Castro Laboreiro, Viana do Castelo
(Peneda-Gerês, North Portugal)
Castro Laboreiro, Viana do Castelo (Peneda-Geres, Portugal)
Between ruins, castles, and transhumance traditions.
Quick Facts
Location
Peneda-Gerês National Park, Northern Portugal
Structures
Castle ruins, schist and granite houses
Environment
Distinctive
Seasonal abandonment, historic transhumance culture
Wild mountains, rivers, forests
Snapshot
Status:
Semi-inhabited, many houses abandoned in winter
Population:
~500 (seasonal)
Access
Road via Melgaço, 2 hours from Porto Airport
Sources
Key Features:
Medieval castle, stone houses, mountain setting, rich cultural heritage. Castro Laboreiro Dog (shepherd dog). Ancient Roman bridges and archeological sites.
Potential:
Its seasonal abandonment makes it ideal for cooperative living and cultural residency projects, aligned with the rhythms of nature and heritage.
Vision:
Castro Laboreiro as a cultural-ecological hub: reviving stone houses, linking Northern Portuguese traditions to eco-tourism, revival of local crafts, artist residencies and workshops, fractional co-living and farming.
