Cerdeira - Home for Creativity

Education & Eco-tourism Construction & Housing Health & Wellbeing Products, Consumption & Circular Community & Social Innovation

Cerdeira - Home for Creativity is a revived historic schist village in the Serra da Lousã, with EU Eco-Label-certified accommodation, arts and crafts workshops, and nature and wellness retreats. It won the 2021 National Tourism Award in the Authentic Tourism category, and pairs heritage architecture with a working creative community.

Education & Eco-tourism Construction & Housing Health & Wellbeing Products, Consumption & Circular Community & Social Innovation

Cerdeira is a centuries-old schist village in a small valley at 700 metres in the Serra da Lousã. Farming was abandoned here in the mid-20th century, and the village was at risk of disappearing. New inhabitants, craftspeople and artists from across the world have restored it since. The revival started around 2000, when two families joined forces to restore several of the village houses using regional building techniques, local labour and ecological materials. The first arts festival, Elementos à Solta, was held in 2006. The wider village project was formally launched by 2012 and relaunched in 2018 as Cerdeira - Home for Creativity. The village is now one of the 27 Aldeias do Xisto (Schist Villages). The restored schist houses are eco-certified accommodation, keeping their traditional architectural character alongside modern comfort. The Arts and Crafts School runs introductory workshops, longer courses and family workshops in disciplines such as ceramics, woodworking and basketry. There are also retreat packages: nature retreats, corporate retreats, yoga and wellness retreats, and family mountain holidays. Social responsibility and sustainability have guided the project from the reconstruction work through to daily operations. Cerdeira holds the EU Eco-Label certification and won the 2021 National Tourism Award in the Authentic Tourism category. It is managed by Soulcraft, Lda, and has nearly 33,000 followers on Instagram, with a community spread around the world.

Our Goal

To bring a centuries-old schist village back to life by combining quality eco-certified accommodation, an Arts and Crafts School and nature retreats that encourage artistic creation, cultural exchange and sustainable rural tourism.

Our Wishes

Cerdeira welcomes artists, craftspeople, nature lovers and curious travellers from around the world to visit, take part in workshops and become part of its creative community.

Our People

Sérgio Alves
Executive Director
Community buildingEvent organizingDigital marketingSocial entrepreneurship
Community buildingEvent organizingDigital marketingSocial entrepreneurship

Upcoming Events

Nov2010:00

Kiln Building Workshop | With Renato Costa e Silva and Kerstin Thomas

Workshop

Serra da Lousã, 3200-509 Lousã, Portugal

Kiln Building Workshop | NEW DATE 2026 Are you thinking about starting to make ceramics but don't know where or how to fire your pieces? The lack of a kiln to fire ceramics is an obstacle difficult to overcome as it requires a large investment that most people are not ready to make. Fortunately, there's alternatives! In the Kiln Building Workshop, we will build small gas or wood fired ceramic kilns where we can fire our pieces with great care. About the tutors: Kerstin Thomas, a sculptor an…

May510:00

The Shapes of Esparto with Andor Studio

Workshop

Serra da Lousã, 3200-509 Lousã, Portugal

In this hands-on course, we'll explore the shapes of esparto as a starting point to learn traditional craft techniques. Over three immersive days of learning, we'll create brooms, brushes and other functional or decorative objects, using only sustainable materials such as esparto and organic cotton and hemp cords. These will be available in a range of colours, allowing each piece to be uniquely personalised. At the end of the course, each participant will take home all the pieces they've crea…

Jun110:00

Green Woodworking Course

Course

Serra da Lousã, 3200-509 Lousã, Portugal

This is a truly comprehensive course on making green wood furniture, shared in the stunning surroundings of Cerdeira. There are two basic methods of construction used in green wood furniture making, and by the end of this course you will be conversant in both. You'll learn the technical basics of how to work with green wood; splitting and shaping with hand tools, then use these two different methodologies to make unique furniture by hand. Over eight days, including a rest day immersed in nat…