algarve and point
It is likely that, at this point, in the Algarve it is difficult to scatter along the coast idyllic isolated houses whose floor is the sand of the beach itself, as is the case in the neighboring region of Alentejo.
This is partly because, to reach the shore of the five islands of wild dunes that make up the southeast of Portugal, we would first have to put on our katiuskas and cross the productive orchard that is the Ria Formosa.
However, architecture and design studios do not miss the opportunity to recover the typical algarvian constructions as soon as they are left creative freedom to paint the blank canvases that are their whitewashed walls with ceramic handicrafts, fibers and textiles.
Facade of Modest House
This is the case of the award-winning modest house , a rural hotel with only nine rooms located in the heart of the Ria Formosa Natural Park and masterfully intervened by the studio PAr (Platform Architecture).
“The main building was built in the 1940s by my great-grandparents and the one across the street was a fish and seafood market. My sister took charge of the recovery project Vania , who is an architect and one of the founders of the Portuguese studio that received the best hotel award at the 2017 Architizer Awards for this refurbishment”, she tells us. Carlos Brito Fernandes , its owner, under the watchful eye of the “public relations of the property”: his restless and curious dog savior.
Mud bricks from Santa Catalina, lime, cork... all the materials here are natural, traditional and local. Even the red clay pots and jars of the tables are of our own design and Algarvian manufacture.
The point lies in having applied them with contemporary logic; also in not having destroyed the past, but in having adapted the original structures to the future needs of the hotel: a pool to use that is now a tank for irrigation in which guests can bathe (even without the water being treated), a cistern transformed into a cellar and our host's old room converted into a kitchen.
Detail of one of the rooms of Casa Modesta
A house with memory is Casa Modesta, where, in addition to being respected and preserved, it is proudly exhibited, as Carlos shows me: “To my grandfather Joaquim Modesto , who was a fisherman, liked to paint and make compositions and, wherever he went, he bought postcards and pasted them anywhere, as in this original door that is now a decorative painting ”.
Surely Grandpa Modesto would be more than satisfied with the fantastic work that his grandchildren have done with Casa Modesta, and that the pristine white that floods everything was never part of his ideal color palette: it was also wooden boat builder for the lagoon and all, without exception, had to be yellow and red to accept the commission. “He was a man of decisions”, says Carlos affectionately –and in impeccable portuñol– without being able to give any other type of explanation for such an imposition.
Also in the middle of the natural park, in a fertile area of Tavira known as the Algarvian Baroque , we find another wonderful example of architectural skill and recovery of the past. “The only thing invented in Agricultural Pensao it is his name ”, he confesses Rui Liberato de Sousa , an engineer dedicated to construction who, after rehabilitating countless homes in Lisbon, decided to embark on the adventure of creating “ a home away from home for those travelers tired of macro-constructions, crowds, queues and searches for parking”.
The essence, the history, the decorative elements and even the linens used in this Algarvian retreat surrounded by fig, strawberry and carob trees were here long before his and his partner acquired the land.
“The only thing invented in Pensão Agrícola is his name”
“The name does not make the thing, the thing makes the name”, Rui continues his argument, while he explains that the decision to choose the word I thought obviously it has to do with its meaning (away from luxuries and grandeur), but also with a coincidence: "Just when we were developing the project, this type of hotel cataloging is no longer official in Portugal ”. And they thought it was cool to use a term in danger of extinction.
Everything in Pensão Agrícola seemed to fit together like a Tetris of white pieces (as are the buildings attached to the main house), since at that time his partner in Lisbon (and one of his best friends) was one of the founders of the well-known Atelier Rua , the architecture studio who finally signed the authorship of the reform project.
Only one essential piece of the puzzle was missing from Pensão Agrícola: the history . There were not a few who encouraged Rui to give free rein to his imagination and invent a story with which to make the business more attractive. Maybe something to do with a sea captain and his travels around the world? However, this Portuguese of Spanish descent had a hunch. All those photos, portraits, books and old furniture that he had just 'inherited' with the purchase of the house had belonged to real people, but those who had sold it to him claimed to know nothing about the matter.
The house had stood for almost 50 years intact like in a time capsule. Finally, after the occasional casual meeting with neighbors in the area, a visit without treachery to the cemetery and pulling a thread in the form of initials engraved throughout the property, Rui managed to discover the hidden story behind that archicloned MSG : Manuel da Silva Gomes was the husband of Rita da Silva Gomes , the first owner of the house and to whom her parents had given it as a wedding present in 1920.
A husband who, after becoming a widower, provoked a sounded scandal by marrying a second time with a woman much (but much) younger than him.
Terrace of Pensão Agrícola
If you have been wanting to know more details about this 20th century radio soap opera , it is best to book one of their six suites with private patio –three integrated into the original farm and another three independent– and, when you are having a drink on the idyllic terrace or eating any of their zero kilometer origin Under the shade of a century-old olive tree witness to everything, take advantage and ask Rui directly about such love affairs.
So we did and, during the talk, we received as a gift, in addition to some delicious fresh raspberries recently picked in the farm's orchard, a pleasant surprise in the form of hotel spoiler : a few meters from Pensão Agrícola, Rui and his partner they are rehabilitating the old inn of the town to convert it into another rural hotel that he will take by name The hostel.
The concept will be very similar, only the building will be structured more in the style of a riad , and the intention is to respond to the high demand for the original project, as Rui clarifies: “ We are only open from March to November and we have practically complete reservations before the summer, so there is never room for the Portuguese and Spanish, who do not usually organize vacations too far in advance”.
a perfect portuthai is the language practiced by Anantara Vilamoura , a hotel in which to feel the asian awesomeness intrinsic to the luxury brand, but with an accent that is as Portuguese as the local products and experiences that it draws from every day so that the traveler is aware of where they are at all times: in the Algarve Golden Triangle , made up of Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo.
Feel the Asian grandeur in the heart of the Algarve
If there is a cultural heritage in Portugal that stands out, it is undoubtedly its gastronomy, as natural, close and authentic as the Portuguese character itself. For this reason, Anantara Vilamoura pays special attention to this aspect, and has given the baton of the kitchen to the Algarvian by birth and heart Bruno Viegas.
The chef is quite an artist, beyond being asked for autographs when he tours the Loulé market while accompanying guests who request the activity to make their purchases Spice Spoon , whose objective is to learn to cook a cataplana , the most traditional and identity stew of the Algarve.
There are those who highlight the perfect execution in technique and presentation of his dishes, however, we cannot ignore the interest that the chef has shown in research the most unknown ancient recipes in the area to implement them here in its own way and in a current key.
Bruno is not alone in shaping the culinary show that is enjoyed in emo , accompanied by the wine guru Bruno Cunha , who manages more than 350 labels that he interprets as if they were scores with which to orchestrate a complex concert worthy of a long applause and even an encore.
Petiscos in Anantara Vilamoura
You will discover other details of the Portuguese identity in the Anantara Vilamoura through the use (and enjoyment) of quality products ‘made in Algarve’ , such as extra virgin olive oil from the mill monterosa –which uses granite millstones to grind olives as the Romans did–, wines from Quinta dos Sentidos –whose logos are the children's drawings of the younger generation of the owner family– or handicrafts from the RATE Project , an initiative in charge of giving value, protecting and transmitting ancient Algarvian arts and techniques that were about to disappear: intertwined with vegetable fibers (empreita, malha and tabua), molded with clay or worked with brass.
The secret so that baskets, chairs, bags, lamps or plates are of a exquisite beauty , again, lies in applying contemporary logic in its design and finishes. It was Vera Iachia who taught us that there is nothing more effective (and gimmicky!) than a relaxed interior design in which the details –simple and few– commune in harmony with the environment.
The success of the tasty Lifestyle of Comporta , of which this Portuguese interior designer was the forerunner, resides in having achieved a perfect balance between the rustic and seafaring tradition of the Alentejo and the contemporary decorative language.
The olive paradise in the Algarve
An ingenious mix that, while comforting (without visual noise or excesses), contextualizes the traveler at a glance. This same formula is used by someone who in the past was a collaborator of Andy Warhol to design the interiors of the Vila Monte Farm House of Moncarapacho , in the municipality of Olhão, only this time with a result 100% Algarvian in which rural modernity strongly embraces the Arab influences of southern Portugal (see the latticework or the play of light and shadow) .
A creative "wherever you go do what you see" that is complemented by various experiences with which to feel the true essence of the Algarve: an oyster picnic in the middle of the dunes , a meal based on petiscos seafood and fresh fish in your restaurant to Terra (led by chef Adérito de Almeida) or a visit by boat to the almost deserted Barra da Nova beach . Who would want to get into some invasive constructions with a sand floor, having exclusively the hammocks that the hotel has in this wild and lonely sandbank with views of the infinity of the Atlantic?
Modernity embraces a 100% Algarvian essence
WHERE TO SLEEP
modest house
Rural hotel where you can knead and bake bread, see the stars, watch birds, chat with the neighbor in the hammock next door and, if you have time, visit a nearby beach: they will tell you that Fuseta It's closer to hand, but it's worth going to culatra, one of the best kept secrets in the Algarve.
Agricultural Pensao
A place where you can brush Ernesto the donkey, have an "honest" aperitif next to the designer pool, rest in a suite with a patio and a lot of history!, spray yourself non-stop with the fig perfume created exclusively by the perfumer lorenzo lucena and, once this list of tasks is finished, decide to know the hectic cultural life of nearby Tavira or the marine essence of Santa Luzia.
Anantara Vilamoura
A five-star refuge where you can share local dishes at the outdoor tables of your Ria Restaurant (or in the privacy of your room), in which to request a safari through the Algarve mountains and in which to see in the distance – from its privileged rooftop spa – Vilamoura beach while you let yourself be pampered with treatments based on almond oil, citrus or local wine.
Vila Monte Farmhouse
Design Hotel with a boho chic look where you can get lost in its nine hectares of gardens (a design by the landscaper Teresa Barao ), find yourself in any of its suites with sea and mountain views and enjoy a creative menu in your Laranjal restaurant.
Demijohns in Casa Modesta
grandhousegrand
The first luxury boutique hotel in Vila Real de Santo Antonio, next to the Guadiana River and, therefore, almost on the border with Spain, it has reopened after a profound reform in which it has wanted to maintain its essence as the great hotel that it was in the Belle Epoque . A classic that is now cool, very cool.
Vila Vita Park
We could not ignore what is undoubtedly one of the epitomes of luxury not only Portuguese, but worldwide. Discretion, impeccable service, two Michelin stars in one of their restaurants, Ocean , and the seal of Leading Hotels of the World. You will find it in Porches, between Albufeira and Portimão.
WHERE TO EAT
Gathering Algarvia
determined to recover the traditional cataplana of the Algarve, They organize tailor-made experiences.
Beef Steakhouse
carnivorous temple located in Quinta do Lago , the decoration bears the seal of Lázaro Rosa-Violán.
Come Na Gaveta
Friendly gastrobar in the town of Tavira.
WHERE TO BUY
RATE Project
They investigate the culture of the region so that you can buy the products in their showroom Loule . In May we published one of his objects in El souvenir.
Empreita House _(Rua Vice Admiral Cândido dos Reis 20, Loulé) _
Here the Algarvians continue to weave baskets, lamps, rugs...
Office of Craft Boilers _(Rua da Barbacã 28; Loulé) _
They work metal as in the past, shaping the cataplanas, the casseroles that give the dish its name.
WHAT TO VISIT
Monterosa oil mill
Here you will taste one of the best EVOO from Portugal.
Armaçãoda Praia do Barril
Old fishing enclave that leads to Barril beach. Go by boat from Tavira or on the little red train, it brings you closer to the facilities.
***** _This report was published in **number 130 of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine (July-August)**. Subscribe to the printed edition (11 printed issues and a digital version for €24.75, by calling 902 53 55 57 or from our website). The July-August issue of Condé Nast Traveler is available in its digital version to enjoy on your preferred device. _
Algarve AND POINT