It may sound like an extravagance, but the world is changing and the new luxury is to make the right real estate bet on where we want to live. Have you heard of green architecture? The future is definitely going to pass that way. Of course, none of us alone can save the entire planet, but each of us can make an investment in a private, healthy, sustainable and, on top of that, paradisiacal place. To buy a village, more than an eccentricity, is to acquire a winning ticket.
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In Portugal there are several villages for sale, small paradises waiting to become great treasures. Most are situated in the interior of the country, and this distance from major urban centres, and especially from the sea, is not always appealing to people. But the LUXIMOS Christies International Real Estate has a kind of jackpot for sale: the Funcho de Diante Village, It's located in São Bartolomeu de Messines, in Silves, in the Algarve, has 10 acres of privacy, breathtaking views and is only 30 minutes from Armação de Pêra - home to some of the best beaches in the south of Portugal (Praia dos Beijinhos, Praia da Coelha, Praia da Oura, Praia de Santa Eulália and many others), and approximately 50 minutes from Faro International Airport. It is one of those rare moments in life when you can have the best of both worlds: the countryside and the beach. On the one hand, seclusion and nature in a virgin state; on the other, the proximity of commerce, services, international schools, golf and the entertainment that characterises the Algarve.
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The village of Funcho de Diante has been abandoned since 1974, when construction began on the dam at Funcho, part of the Rio Arade catchment area. Since then the village has had no more inhabitants. It's literally a diamond, not waiting to be polished, but waiting to be inhabited. Recently, Ricardo Costa, founder and CEO of LUXIMOS, was interviewed by daily newspaper "Inevitável" about the characteristics and potential of this magical place. And he confirmed what is otherwise visible to the naked eye: "It's a unique place", he said. And he gave several examples that support his assertion: "Everything about this place is inviting. The superb natural landscape that invites relaxed walks along the banks of the River Arade, the traditional houses leaning over the river, the walks in the hills, the dives and the sporting or leisure activities on the river and, not least, the peace and quiet and the gastronomy on offer here." The natural conditions of the village leap to the fore and the businessman leaves the tip: "It's an extraordinary setting! It's the perfect place to develop a sustainable rural tourism project or a project linked to health and well-being".
For Ricardo Costa, the advantages of buying an entire village are obvious, especially for those who want to realise a dream project. The buyer will have "the opportunity to design a project from scratch, which is environmentally friendly". And he adds: "In this context of climate emergency, it is urgent to think of projects that encourage a more ecological and sustainable lifestyle. The opportunity to create a unique project, in a unique location, makes perfect sense, because it is possible to think and intervene in the almost 10 hectares in a global and articulated way".
Sharing the thoughts of the younger generations, whose environmental awareness is a huge inspiration, the person responsible told the newspaper he believes that "architecture, nature and well-being can and should go hand in hand". Also for that reason, this is the perfect ecological investment. The village provides "unique conditions for nature lovers, who enjoy walking trails of great beauty, bathing in the clean waters of the River Arade, enjoying truly paradisiacal landscapes and nooks and crannies, with absolute tranquility, authenticity and comfort". Added to all this is the fact that the village is in the middle of the Iberian Lynx Route, "with the Iberian Lynx reproduction centre just a few kilometres from the village. It's a stunning landscape that you can explore with your eyes or on foot, discovering places that remain almost intact".
If tourism surrounded by nature has been gaining more and more followers in the country and abroad, and if the younger generations cannot conceive of their existence without concern for defending the planet, this is by far the right place to relearn how to live differently. On the site there are already eight ruined houses, surrounded by fauna and flora that are hard to find anywhere else. All they lack is a visionary to bring them to life.
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