Mi Tesoro Viveiro: an accommodation to feel like 'hobbits' in Middle Earth
Updated on the day : 07/17/2020. Even those people who are not so fans of The Lord of the rings have to admit that the trilogy of Tolkien , brought to the screen by Peter Jackson, has photography and landscapes worthy of David Attemborough himself and his series Planet Earth . Large aerial shots of green nature, lakes, mountains... few people can watch these movies without feeling an overwhelming desire to visit New Zealand , where the images that brought middle-earth to real cinematographic life were recorded.
Although it is not New Zealand – nor does it claim to be – Galicia also has landscapes capable of taking the visitor's breath away almost as much as its New Zealand antipodes. Specifically to the north of the autonomous community, where the beaches surrounded by greenish tones, and the blue and rough sea offer the visitor a picture of living and beautiful nature.
This is what you must have thought Virginia Mateos , from Madrid settled in Galicia, when she decided to open a hobbit village inspired hotel – beings known for their respectful way of living with the environment – from the famous trilogy.
Frodo, are you there?
“I am from Madrid, from the center of Madrid, and from a very young age we always came to spend the summer in Viveiro because my father was a fan of fishing and here he saw a perfect place for this hobby”, says Virginia. "Over time we settled down here, and there came a time in my life when I decided to settle permanently . And, as I say, I was adopted . Now that I live in the countryside, when people from the interior of the peninsula visit me, many say that this is wonderful and that some wooden cabins could be built here to live in. And that was how the idea of creating these accommodations under the name of My treasure Viveiro ”, She tells Traveler.es.
The best of this project, subsidized by FLAG and with funds from EMFF , is that it seeks to respect nature by merging with it, something that the fictional residents of this type of cabin did and something that Virginia understands is increasingly common in a world increasingly concerned about environmental protection.
“We began to investigate on the internet about ecological and sustainable houses . They caught my attention a lot green roofs because now, when I visit Madrid as a tourist, my friends take me more and more to the terraces and roofs . In them there is organic gardens, vertical gardens … there is more and more world on the terraces”, explains Virginia. “And that is why the idea of green roofs and bioclimatic apartments . And also of the hobbits with their houses with round doors and windows, since they are experts in merging with the landscape and not impacting”.
And you, Billy?
Virginia and her team intend to open at Easter and have already received many calls from people interested in sleeping in this particular hotel , but she admits that even she doesn't know what the exact opening date will be , since they depend on the growth of the plants that will be part of the natural experience of the environment. “We have the challenge and the illusion of opening at Easter, but we cannot commit ourselves because the weather is not very favorable either. It is raining quite a lot, and although the apartments are finished, we still have the exteriors, which is the soul of this project, the gardening and others”, says Virginia.
“We have already received many calls from interested people, and although we take note of these people, we cannot commit to accept reservations , since we will not open until it is at least green. Although it is true that it is a project that will grow little by little and where the soul of the visitor and his ideas will also be shaped as new people come”.
As in The Lord of the Rings but Galicia level (which is much better)
Although there is no exact date, they do assure that in summer they will be ready to welcome people willing to live a unique and bio-sustainable experience. Virginia also adds that the most important thing is that people enjoy and learn from the environment of this area, known as The marine , and that, for this, in addition to sleeping, in My Viveiro Treasure They offer other types of activities.
“They are especially for people who like activities related to the sea. Paddle surf, kayak, we also have a small boat that can be rented … We will also dedicate ourselves to visiting places of interest in the Marina and even the ports, to visit the shellfish harvesters, the canneries, etc.”, says Virginia.
It is about connecting the interior with the coast of Mariña Lugo
In the end, Mi Tesoro Viveiro seeks to connect people from the interior with the coast , so that they understand a little more the work of fishermen and other professionals in this field. “We want to relate everything a little with the sea world and with these professions, arts and trades that are very much in the shadows and that people like me, who come from the interior, do not know them because we only see the final product on the plate. L The idea is to get to know the work of these people who often give their lives to offer these products”.
Mi Tesoro Viveiro promises to be almost as much an experience as it is accommodation, where the land, the sea, environmentalism and love for the environment , and for the way of creating different projects that connect tourism with learning about the places we visit, they are the main protagonists. Something that seems taken from the own history of The Lord of the rings.
Souto da Retorta, Viveiro