Our story

In 2019, two brothers living in Amsterdam, Marcel and Jurgen, decided to quit their jobs and explore the
world. They bought a camper van and traveled through Europe and Northern Africa, including Germany,
Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, France, and Belgium. When they
were in Italy, they did a cruise on the Mediterranean. During that cruise, Jurgen met Natalia from
Chicago. They fell in love and stayed in touch.
In March of 2020, the brothers had to go to the Netherlands for the camper van’s annual checkup. While
there, Jurgen planned a trip to meet Natalia in Paris and Marcel planned his annual winter sport with
friends. But then Covid started, and Europe was in lockdown. Natalia had to return to Chicago and Jurgen
and Marcel had to stay on a camping site for two and a half months in the Netherlands. When the
lockdown was over, they drove to Spain. While in Spain, Jurgen booked a flight to Mexico, where he met
Natalia and Marcel drove with the campervan to Portugal. He traveled across Portugal for one and a half
months.
Jurgen returned from Chicago to meet Marcel and the brothers started to explore Portugal together. They
came in contact with a Dutch family who own a B&B named Quinta Antes o Vento. They worked at the
quinta as volunteers, repairing cabins and fences, building a firepit, and constructing a tiny house from a
campervan. They enjoyed it so much that they decided to stay in Portugal and start their own B&B.
To help Natalia get a visa to live in Portugal, Jurgen bought a small bungalow at a bungalow park in
Patais. He then went to Chicago to marry Natalia. Covid was still running rampant, so Jurgen’s family and
friends were not allowed to join in the festivities. After their wedding, Jurgen, Natalia, and her cute dog
Zephy came to Portugal. They lived in the bungalow for six months. There, a tiny kitten came to their
doorstep and joined the crew.
Marcel bought a house in Prova and Jurgen and Natalia came to live with him. After a year of
renovations, they opened the B&B Quinta Vista do Vale. The bungalow in Patais, called Cloud Nine, is
also being rented out. Marcel, Jurgen, Natalia, Zephy the dog, and Wink the cat enjoy living and
welcoming guests at Quinta Vista do Vale very much.