Tucked away in the rugged beauty of Palmela, near Setúbal in Arrábida, Quinta das Caçadoras isn’t just a farm, it’s a battleground for second chances and wild dreams, starting with its proprietors: a couple of years ago, Claudia and Tiago, two city-born Lisboetas, traded office cubicles for open pastures and the chaos of Lisbon for something wilder (and much furrier).
With over 75 rescue animals calling the farm home, this isn’t your typical rural retreat. It’s a place where pigs rule (in a much friendlier way than Orwell imagined), chickens cluck their approval, and every soul—human and animal—gets a shot at a better life. We were lucky enough to infiltrate this barnyard rebellion, and what we found wasn’t just peaceful—it was downright inspiring.
But what sparked this leap from Lisbonites to liberators of the land? And what does it take to run a farm where all animals are equal (but maybe the cats think they’re a bit more equal)? We caught up with Claudia and Tiago to get the inside scoop.
Claudia told Atlas, “When I met Tiago, we didn’t know it, but we had the same dream. We wanted our own place in the countryside where we could take in rescued animals. So, we started plans to go in that direction, even before COVID, when we were living in Lisbon.” Once lockdown restrictions eased and they were called back into commuter culture, they knew the time had come to follow their hearts and make the move.
Little did they know, in a few weeks they would own what would become a rescue animal menagerie with a saltwater pool just under an hour away. “We sold the house in Lisbon and we decided to search for a little piece of land in the country where we could start with a cow and a chicken and build the farm from the ground up.”
True to farmer form, Tiago and Claudia began waking up at the crack of dawn, not to start morning chores, but to be the first to track new properties added on idealista and other similar sites. And one such morning, they struck gold. Just a 40-minute drive from Lisbon in the sleepy town of Palmela, the property and the family who owned it presented themselves.
Tiago contacted the owner of the quinta that had placed the listing on the app only a few hours before. A few hours later, Claudia and Tiago were there for a visit, meeting the family of artists who had owned the farm for almost 10 years. “Even with a lower proposal, they accepted because there was an immediate connection. It was meant to be,” Claudia said. “We moved in and started working on the house and on the land. And then, the animals started to come. One friend gave us a sheep, chicken, and rooster. Then we got a goat to keep the sheep company because they need to have friends.”
And then, the requests started to trickle in. A dog, a donkey, and a horse were the next to be presented to the rescue and now, after four years, the quinta hosts around 75 animals and can accommodate eco-tourists looking for a little respite. ”We built guest rooms because, as animal lovers ourselves, we assumed people would want to come see and enjoy this environment. And we were right. It’s amazing to see all the animals together walking around freely in their own space.”
As a visitor, I can attest that being surrounded by these curious and cuddly critters works miracles on your mental health. And that’s why the quinta has hosted over 200 visitors since it opened its grounds and have more than doubled the number of guest rooms and suites they offer. “No noise, no car sounds or people rushing. It’s the absolute silence and connecting with your own thoughts,” Claudia said, whether you’re feeding the animals, relaxing in the saltwater pool, or just doing nothing in the hammock.”
And it’s not just people who beneft from the refuge, the animals do too. They learn to carve out their boundaries naturally over time and adjust to life on the farm, as it generally looks very different from the situations to which they had grown accustomed. According to Claudia, “Some were rescued from being killed, others were being abused or were abandoned. And now they know they are safe. They don’t need cages. They love to receive people and get cuddles.” Even from the littlest visitors.
So what’s next on the horizon for the Quinta das Caçadoras? After successfully founding their own association, some definite perks down the road will relieve the financial burden of rescuing so many animals. Upon approval by each supermarket, grocers like Auchan can donate unsold leftover food to the quinta on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, which will be an essential part of keeping the animals safe and fed over the long term.
Photos by Vanessa Raposo of Minime Fotografia – @minime_fotografia_familiar
Thinking of joining the rebellion? Claudia told Atlas that volunteering (currently a summer-only gig) or donating directly to the quinta are great ways to become part of their Animal Farm-esque uprising—minus the sinister overtones, of course. Want to escape the city? Book a few nights’ stay and immerse yourself in a world where the pigs and goats might not write manifestos, but they’ll happily greet you alongside cozy accommodations. And if your New Year’s resolution is to rest and reflect, this could be the perfect spot — surrounded by a “support team” that’s more interested in snacks than unsolicited advice.
Get in touch: Book directly with Claudia at (+351) 939 760 163 to avoid third-party fees, or click here if you’re a booking.com devotee.
