Are you eager to pick up your tool kit and make a crumbling house your dream home? Portugal is the perfect location to do just that! With so many hidden architectural gems, ripe for restoration and brimming with potential, you can bring new life to a rustic cottage, restore a sun-drenched villa, or create a tranquil retreat in Portugal’s scenic countryside.
From stone village houses in Vila de Rei to expansive plots overlooking the serene Zêzere River in Sertã, these properties present unique opportunities to craft your ideal Portuguese haven. Starting from as little as €6,000, you can transform a historic ruin into a bespoke countryside retreat, a lucrative holiday let, or a distinctive boutique enterprise.
Each property is full of Portuguese charm, set in stunning landscapes with easy access to local markets, history, and cuisine. Ready to embrace a new chapter while crafting something truly special? Our listings are refreshed regularly—don't miss your chance to discover the next hidden gem.
If your dream move to Portugal involves elbow grease, fresh pomegranates and views that stop conversation mid-sentence, this one’s for you. The rustic stone house is a renovation project with serious potential—and it comes with 2,000m² of land, a water mine for your veggie patch, and fruit trees galore. Come for the charm, stay for the cherry harvest.
Price: €55,000 Location: Caria, Castelo Branco Special features: Stone house with renovation potential, water mine, fruit orchard with olive, orange, cherry and pomegranate trees, panoramic Serra da Estrela views Close to: 7 minutes from Caria town centre; easy drive to Serra da Estrela Natural Park
Ruin or retreat? Why not both. This pint-sized plot in peaceful Monte Vascão comes with a registered ruin ready for transformation and a semi-renovated shed with all the modern essentials (yes, even sewage). A perfect DIY escape for those who prefer birdsong over broadband and sunsets over spreadsheets.
Price: €80,000 Location: Monte Vascão, near Alcoutim Special features: Renovation-eligible ruin, partly renovated shed with water, electricity and sewage, quiet countryside setting Close to: 15 minutes from Alcoutim; near Praia Fluvial do Pego Fundo river beach; surrounded by scenic walking trails
A cosy 50m² stone building with a chimney, a fireplace, and a whole lot of potential. This charming cottage near Ponte de Lima is ripe for renovation—and lemons, thanks to the fruit trees outside. With mountain views and a green backdrop, it’s giving rustic romance, just add windows.
Price: €87,000 Location: Ponte de Lima, Viana do Castelo Special features: Original fireplace and chimney, mountain views, lemon trees, stone structure with renovation potential Close to: Historic Ponte de Lima; 1 hour to Porto; set in the lush hills of northern Portugal
If you're the kind of person who sees potential where others see peeling plaster, this quiet countryside casa in Desbarato is calling. Set on 900m² of land, it’s a single-storey shell with space to grow. Access is currently pedestrian-only—but what’s a bit of a stroll when serenity awaits?
Price: €95,000 Location: Desbarato, São Brás de Alportel Special features: 103m² house to renovate, 900m² plot, peaceful rural setting, potential to improve access Close to: São Brás de Alportel town; 30 minutes to Faro; surrounded by Algarve countryside
Looking to start a rural retreat and build your dream home? This semi-restored schist ensemble near Góis offers four bedrooms, three ruins, cellars for your wine (or secrets), and a terrace-covered plot approved for a new 400m² build. The mountain views are free. The potential? Practically endless.
Price: €110,000 Location: Village in Alvares, Góis municipality Special features: Partially renovated 4-bed house, 3 schist ruins (150m²), buildable plot (357.5m²), terraced land with olive and orange trees, mountain views, new roof and bathroom, mains water and electricity Close to: 6km to Alvares (shops, schools, river beach), 12km to Castanheira de Pêra, 15km to Pedrógão Grande
Built in 1857 and still standing—just. This timeworn beauty in Santo Tirso has a generous plot, bags of history, and a wine cellar practically begging to host moody candlelit dinners. The 144m² structure needs a full rework, but the bones are solid and the sunlight is spectacular. Bring vision—and scaffolding.
Price: €250,000 Location: S. Tomé Negrelos, Santo Tirso Special features: 144m² 19th-century house, wine cellar, patio, 1,906m² plot, original architecture, excellent sun exposure Close to: Good access to nearby towns and road links; under an hour to Porto; rural but connected
Tucked away just 25 minutes from Monchique, this single-storey gem is liveable but longing for a little love. With 2.5 hectares of flat land, lemon trees aplenty, spring water straight from the mountains, and solar-heated showers, it’s a rural dream waiting to blossom—just add vision and vinegar.
Price: €360,000 Location: Chilrão, near Monchique, Algarve Special features: 3 bedrooms, 3 living rooms, 2 bathrooms, 2.5 hectares of land, lemon trees, spring water, solar water heating, mains electricity, excellent sun exposure Close to: 25 minutes to Monchique village; direct road access; stunning walking trails and nature on your doorstep
Not many fixer-uppers can claim to have hosted King João I and the Infante D. Henrique. This majestic manor in Mortágua is steeped in history, stuffed with 17 rooms, and blessed with 10 bathrooms—because why not? Fruit trees, ancient stonework, and stories in every creaking floorboard. Needs work, obviously.
Price: €400,000 Location: Vale de Açores, Mortágua, Viseu Special features: 17 divisions including 10 bathrooms, original wooden features, well, fruit trees, courtyard, 1,485m² plot, historical significance Close to: Mortágua town, green spaces, restaurants, historic trails, and commercial amenities
For those who think small ruins are for amateurs—here’s a full-blown manor. Set on 6 hectares near Amarante, this stone estate comes with vineyards, a chapel, a granary (naturally), and a four-storey house in need of a firm but loving hand. Think boutique hotel, retreat, or your very own crumbling kingdom.
Price: €690,000 Location: Amarante, Porto district Special features: 472m² manor house with attic potential, antique interiors, vineyards, olive and fruit trees, chapel, barns, stone tank, additional buildings for tourism or agriculture, 6 hectares of fertile land Close to: 40 minutes to Porto and the airport; scenic views of Serra do Marão; near Amarante’s historic centre and famed gastronomy
Forget sardines and sangria—how about sunsets over the Ria Formosa from your own rooftop terrace? This 5-hectare estate near Luz de Tavira has orange trees for privacy, sea views for soul-soothing, and several old buildings just begging for a tasteful revival. Ideal for your future boutique bolthole, spiritual retreat—or very smug second home.
Price: € Location: Pinheiro, Luz de Tavira, Algarve Special features: 5 hectares with orange grove, multiple buildings for renovation, traditional Algarvian açoteias, panoramic views of Ria Formosa and the ocean, rural tranquillity with development potential Close to: Tavira’s historic centre and beaches; EN125 and A22 motorways; Faro International Airport; walking trails and rustic village cafés
Want to live like a Renaissance noble and host pool parties? This 1.8-hectare estate near Loures features a 1599 chapel, a spring named after a saint, and a manor house with ceilings higher than your renovation budget. There’s even a stable for eight horses—because obviously. Grandeur, meet development potential.
Price: €1,850,000 Location: Near Loures, 10 minutes from Lisbon Airport Special features: 1,300m² main house, 3,937m² urban area, private pool, 8-box stable, 16th-century chapel, Santo António spring, arable land, 50% build expansion permitted Close to: 10 minutes to Lisbon Airport; 20 minutes to Marquês de Pombal; easy access to Lisbon while feeling light-years away
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