Emigrating To Portugal: Our First Winter In Portugal | Quinta Da Cerejeira

A year in Portugal. Exactly one year ago, at the end of January, we arrived in Portugal. We've now experienced a full winter. Want to take a look at everything we've done?

After months of renovating, exploring, and settling in, we have experienced our first full winter in Portugal. In this blog, we share how we experienced it, what we did, and how we prepared for the new season. Will you read along?

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Last updated on 1 February 2025

Holiday!

Cleaning up and then... vacation!

At the end of October, the campsite closed, but our studios and apartments remained open as usual. We cleaned up the grounds and thoroughly cleaned the sanitary building. Then, we packed our bags and went on a wonderful vacation as a family of three.

We drove part of the N2, a stunning route that our campsite is also located on, exploring Portugal. The plan was to stay away a bit longer, but after two weeks, the weather in the south took a turn. So, we decided to head back home—especially since, at this point, our own home still feels a bit like a vacation too!

Around Christmas, we also spent a lovely week in the Netherlands with family!

Our winter in numbers

New tiles

Days closed

Cats adopted us

Renovating and DIY Projects

We had quite a long to-do list waiting for us, ranging from small tasks to major projects. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve accomplished:

All studios and apartments have been freshly painted.
Our 4-person apartment has been completely renovated, including a new floor and bathroom.
Lots of pruning—so much pruning!
The swimming pool has been converted from a chlorine pool to a saltwater pool, which is better for both the environment and your skin.
Did I mention all the pruning? 😉
We’ve started building a fourth apartment and are currently working hard on it.
The yoga studio is finished! It took a lot of effort, but the result is absolutely worth it.
Workspaces for digital nomads are in development.
The waste disposal area has a new fence and a fresh layout.

It has been a busy but incredibly productive period!

Less than a month to go until we open our doors ag

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Wow, what an incredible moment for us! 🏆 We’r

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Upgrade of the sanitary building

Although we had received a lot of positive feedback about the sanitary building, we felt it could use some extra love and attention. As often happens with us, what started as a plan to just paint ended up turning into a full renovation.

We began by replacing the toilet doors, which immediately gave the space a fresh and modern look. Next, we removed almost all of the wall tiles and replaced them with new tiles featuring a fresh Portuguese style. After that, everything was painted. To top it off, we installed water-saving faucets—an intentional choice in a region where water is scarce.

We won the Best Small Campsite in Europe award!

In January, Emile traveled to Stuttgart for the PiNCAMP awards ceremony. Along with two other campsites, we were nominated in the *Best Small Campsite in Europe* category. And guess what? We won!!!

Exploring the Surroundings

Besides all the renovations, we’ve also continued to explore the area. Although we had already seen a lot, there was still so much more to discover! We enjoyed beautiful hikes right from the campsite and discovered new towns like Abrantes and Obidos. We also tried out various restaurants—we, of course, had to test them ourselves before recommending them to our guests.

Now it’s February, and we’re gearing up for the new season, which we’re really looking forward to! Reservations are already coming in, and behind the scenes, we’re working on the website, and a new information folder is in development!