La Vigna

A sociable eco farmhouse in Colonia Valdense, whose touchstones are sustainability, organic cuisine and art

If La Vigna’s owners weren’t so obviously passionate about nature and the environment, I’d suspect they created this self-sufficient eco-haven just so they’d never have to leave it… From solar panels to organic vegetable allotments, everything at La Vigna is a perfect cycle.

Former psychologist Lucila and her architect husband Agustin left their Buenos Aires home 10 years ago, trading big city lights for rural eco-living in Colonia Valdense, a town famed for its cheese. Now Agustin is Uruguay’s only sheep’s milk cheese farmer. One look at their farm and a taste of their homemade pecorino, and it’s obvious they made the right move. Set in 30 hectares of farmland in south-west Uruguay, the original 1880s farmhouse consists of 5 unique rooms, tastefully decorated with a mix of antiques, original paintings and recycled furniture. There's also a secluded house for 4-6 on a small lagoon with spectacular vistas, built by Agustin himself.

But unlike most South American estancias, La Vigna is not just about beef and horses. It’s much more than that. Sociable artists and intellectuals come here to meet like-minded souls and be immersed in nature, eat healthy organic food, take art workshops, cycle to the beach, and of course, enjoy that cheese…

Highs

• The setting: a tranquil sprawl of fruit trees and green farmlands, stretching as far as the eye can see
• Agustin’s crumbly homemade pecorino cheese - so good we ate it for breakfast
• An art room: stacks of material for art-lovers to be inspired by, and professional lessons given every week
• The cleverly recycled furniture: from cupboards made of old shutters, to bookcases built from grape boxes, every piece of furniture has a story to tell
• Snuggly, soft ponchos on loan (also for sale), made of wool from the farm’s own sheep

Lows

• The pool is really only a round metal tub and doesn’t quite befit the rest of the high-quality services
• Mosquitoes were lethal during our stay. Although bringing anti-pesticide spray goes against the farm’s ecological ethos, it seems inevitable
• Urbanites who can’t live without TVs and air-con would struggle here. The owners consider both to be “enemies of the environment”
• We've heard the heating's rather erratic in winter