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ABOUT US
Barbara and Georg Thomann
While still living in Switzerland, we fell in love with Portugal back in the 1970s. At that time, the country was still considered a well-kept secret among European vacation destinations. Traveling through the country was, therefore, quite an adventurous experience. From the very beginning, we were enchanted by the authenticity and multifaceted beauty of thus country and by its incredibly friendly people.
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When, in 1995, we decided to move permanently to Portugal, it was clear to us that this should be to the Alentejo. This enchanting landscape with its rolling hills, cork oak forests, olive groves and vineyards appealed to us early on.
With the purchase of Herdade da Mata we started our "second life", so to speak, working in agriculture was a completely new territory for us. The first years were intense and involved a lot of effort and work. We learned and experienced many things, we made good and sometimes difficult experiences, we invested a lot of time and personal commitment.
To this day, we have no regrets about the decision we made back then - a decision our family also supported - and we enjoy our life at Herdade da Mata.​

OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our main concern is the welfare of our animals.
Whether they are Lusitano horses, Merino sheep and Miranda donkeys, or dwarf goats, dogs, and all the other two and four legged animals, they should all benefit from the spacious surroundings and high quality of life at Herdade da Mata.
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