Our story

We’re Iara and Nuno, locals who found each other through yoga and built something special together in Nazaré.

It all began in 2014, when I started hosting by dividing my own home. Two years later, I met Nuno — a former lifeguard with a deep love for nature, surf, and sports.

In 2021, while searching for a place to live closer to nature, we found a hidden valley with forest and water. That’s where Nativo Nature was born — and where our shared vision truly took root. One year later, in 2022, we created our company and began building Nativo together.

Today, we live between town life, the forest, and moments of quiet solitude — sharing our spaces, our joy and our vision of simple, present living with those who seek more than just accommodation.

We don’t just welcome you to stay. We invite you to pause, feel, and reconnect with what truly matters.

From Hospitality to Heart-Led Hosting: Our Journey

Roots

I, Iara (pronounced Yara), studied hospitality and worked in the field before joining Emirates Airline in 2010 as a flight attendant. Flying around the world opened my eyes to how different cultures live — and how spaces can make you feel and inspire.

In 2014, I returned home to Nazaré. By this time, Nazaré was beginning to make headlines for the world’s biggest waves. I completed a post-graduate degree in Food Culture and entered the world of short-term rentals out of necessity. I divided my own house in two — living in one part and renting the other. Soon, my foreign neighbors started asking for help managing their homes. That’s how it all began, and over time, I built a portfolio.

Finding Each Other

In 2016, I met Nuno during a yoga class. He had been a lifeguard for many years, even performing a rescue for surfer Maya Gabeira. Passionate about nature, yoga, jiu-jitsu and agroforestry, he brought strength, presence and calm to this path we began walking together.

We studied permaculture, opened a retreat center, and ran it for five years. In 2020, we welcomed our daughter Oceana into the world — and, like everyone else, navigated the uncertainties of Covid. During that time, we started looking for land to call our own and grow our food.

Nativo

The Birth of Nativo

Then we found it — a valley with two hectares of native forest near Nazaré, with water. We just knew. That’s where Nativo Nature was born, and our company got its name.

We chose the name “Nativo” because our valley is covered with Portugal’s native greenery, bushes, and typical fruit trees. The word carries connotations of authenticity, connection to the land, and being rooted—values that deeply resonate with us.

Nuno began building with his hands. I continued hosting — but this time, with renewed purpose. Not out of necessity or simply applying knowledge, but from the heart. I no longer wanted to run a business just for business. I wanted to love every space I touched and have the freedom to create what truly felt like us. I let go of several properties and chose to keep mostly the ones that belong to us, stepping away from co-hosting — with one exception, Nativo Sea Garden, the only property we co-host.

In 2022, we officially established the company and embraced it more seriously — as a mission, a rhythm, a life project. It has been a continuous learning process. We feel the company grows as we grow.

Our Philosophy

Travel has a quiet power — to inspire, to ground, to realign. At Nativo, we provide spaces, curated with intention, that honor that potential.

Whether you’re longing for a meaningful vacation, a moment to rest, a place to ignite creativity or gain clarity — our doors are open.

This is more than a place to sleep. It’s a place to slow down. To breathe. To transform.

We consider ourselves fortunate and blessed. We get to work and enjoy, to slow down and truly live. That, to us, is true luxury.

Our Invitation

We welcome you not just to stay — but to pause, to breathe, and to reconnect with what truly matters.

Mission

To provide inspiring stays, carefully curated, that transform people’s lives.

Core Values

Ethics

We operate with honesty, fairness, and respect for all.

Focus

We give our full attention to creating meaningful experiences.

Beauty

We seek and cultivate beauty in our spaces and interactions.

Enthusiasm

We approach our work with genuine passion and energy.

Autonomy

We value independence and self-direction for ourselves and our guests.

Team

Iara

Founder & General Manager

Holds the vision and curates each space as a story to be lived.

Nuno

Founder & Builder

Dreams, builds, and fixes — he’s the one who saves the day when something happens.

Eva

Operations Manager

She arrives after the cleaning teams to make sure every detail is in place and ready to welcome.

Marco

Gardener & Maintenance

He keeps the land cared for and the spaces running smoothly.