23 years ago, Margarita & John made Monchique their home. They love living close to nature and the elements. With backgrounds in international rural development and business, they are now committed to sharing their offgrid and self-sufficiency journeys with you.

Montalma was, some 13 years ago, an abandoned mix of roofless cattle sheds and unimproved cottages. In restoring the best parts of the original building we used as many local materials as possible while meeting the highest standards of insulation and thermal efficiency. Over the last 4 years we have added on what is now Montalma - Casa de Campo. Again our focus has been on using local materials to create a building with as low a carbon footprint as possible, and which, over its lifetime, will be a substantially low energy user. Our energy certificate rates us as A+. This reflects the high levels of insulation, the wood-fired heating system, the solar water heating system and the electrical system that captures our energy from the wind and the sun.

Although Monchique is a small town it has much to offer. While Montalma offers a cozy and welcoming retreat, we encourage you to venture out and discover the charm of this special little place.