On 29 May 2020, the Casa de Mateus Foundation submitted its application to the ADAPTAR Programme, which aims to support micro and SMEs in adapting their establishments, methods of organising work and relationships with customers and suppliers to the new conditions of physical distancing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring compliance with the established standards and the recommendations of the competent authorities, in order to ensure minimal impact on public health.

According with the programme's objectives, we applied to purchase audio guides to support visits to the Casa de Mateus' outdoor spaces, as well as to introduce an automated collection machine at the gate, with the aim of eliminating the need to handle cash in all transactions. The application was approved. The project was developed during the last quarter of 2020 with the production of content for incorporation into audio guides available in 4 languages: Portuguese, Spanish, French, English and German.

The audio guides are only used to complement the visit to the Gardens and the Vineyard Museum.

The visit with the audio-guides provided for the absence of contact between visitors during the visits mediated in groups by a Guide, and also the absence of manual contact with money since an automated collection machine is installed at the Casa de Mateus Foundation Gate in order to meet safety and distancing standards in accordance with the recommendations of the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).

The audio-guide system gives visitors access to historical information about Casa de Mateus, such as the lake, a mirror of water built in the 1950s that perfectly extends the building complex, which is reflected in it, reproducing the image of the main façade, and surrounded by a forest of chestnut and oak trees planted in the 1960s, reflecting the house and placing it in the middle of the vegetation.

João Cutileiro's sculpture, which has been sleeping in the lake since 1981, was once part of the House's image.

The visit also extends to the Gardens, which are located to the east and comprise the staircase at the centre of the building and adjoining trellises. The plans referred to, an inventory from the late 18th century, show the exit to the gardens to the east, and to the south a garden area and the farm.

It also includes the Vineyard Museum with a presentation of some of the native grape varieties, as well as the agricultural practices of organic farming (cover crops, namely tilling and green manure) adopted in recent years by the Casa de Mateus Foundation.

Project name: ADAPTAR-PME

Project code: 16/SI/2020 application no. 69985

Main objective: Adaptation of Casa de Mateus guided tours with the implementation of audio-guides and automatic cash payment system.

Region of intervention: North

Beneficiary: Casa de Mateus Foundation

Approval date: 12-8-2020

Start date: 1-8-2020

Completion date: 31-12-2020

Total eligible cost: €39,944.25

European Union financial support: €19,972.12

National/regional public financial support: €0

Objectives, activities and expected/achieved results:

The aim of this project was to adapt the way we make guided visits to the national monument "Casa de Mateus" through the use of audio-guides and to eliminate contact with money through the installation of a machine for receiving money and returning change automatically.

All the expected results were achieved with great success and acceptance by our visitors.