The picturesque Beiras region, cradled between the Douro and the Tejo rivers, stretches from the Atlantic Coast all the way to the Spanish border yet few people outside of Portugal would be able to place it on a map. Friends Manuel and Victor have long known of the region's charms and when they happened upon a remote, abandoned hamlet, Aldeia de Cimao, with stunning views of the emerald-hilled Sicó valley, it was 'game on'.
Bringing urbane sophistication to rustic origins, they oversaw a remarkable renaissance that has given life to a cluster of self-catering cottages for 2-5 guests, which marry a strict eco-brief with chic, decorative pizzazz. The living spaces are as comfortable as they are functional, with a funky mix of contemporary paintings, ethnic art from all corners of the planet and iconic furnishings. A sense of retreat, coupled with genuine privacy and peace makes Villa Pedra a great choice for romancing or deep relaxation, but the cottages are big enough for family groups too.
Highs
- Really stunning cottages, with oodles of TLC and quality lavished on every last detail
- Fabulous owners and staff, who couldn't be more welcoming
- A feast of a breakfast included in the rates and delivered to your door each morning
- Amazing value
- The walled pool is a blissfully quiet spot to while away your afternoons, plus each cottage has a private garden
Lows
- The restaurant is currently closed so you'll need to self cater or hop in the car to eat out
- You're well off the tourist-beaten track, and a fair drive from the beach, but that's all part of the charm
- Not much to do locally other than visiting historic Coimbra - this is a place to read, snooze and recharge
- Only a handful of loungers around the pool, so it can quickly feel crowded
- High chair
- Cot (1 per house)
- Baby bedding
- Baby bath
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
Cottages are self-catering and come with food processors, microwaves and all the ingredients you could possibly need for breakfasts. There\'s an on-site restaurant serving evening meals. You are a bit of a drive from other restaurants and about 6km from the closest market, and will probably eat in most evenings here.
- Gardens and a huge lawn for ball games
- Aviary with Austalorp chickens, Java ducks and Australian parrots
- Swimming pool with shallow end
- DVD player and satellite TV
- Roman ruins at Conimbriga
- Walking and hiking in the hills
- Coimbra city (20 minutes\' drive) has a playpark with all the important Portuguese buildings in miniature for children to play in - Little Portugal
- Boutique Retreat
- 10 cottages for 2-5
- Self catering; breakfast incl
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Concierge Service
Rooms
At the end of a very quiet country lane, a clutch of cottages wait amongst the olive and walnut trees. There's no noise from passing traffic: guests leave cars at the entrance to the hamlet then walk the last few metres to the cottages.
The restoration followed a strict eco brief: natural renders, Kambala hardwood from renewable sources, local limestone and marble. Exposed blocks of original stonework speak of the age of the buildings; numerous windows keep things light.
Decorative elements combine '50s and '60s furniture, Murano glass, splashy canvases (some by Victor), Philippe Starck and Kaiser lamps with cushions from Morocco, brass candlesticks from India and carvings from the Amazon. The look is eclectic and it all works brilliantly; you'll want to recreate it at home.
We were amazed by the incredible attention to detail (including a few surprises we won't ruin for you). Best of all, each cottage has a very spacious private garden. Some are rocky, some are grassed, all are immaculately maintained.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Iron
- Mosquito net
- WiFi
Eating
Each cottage has a fully equipped kitchen with beautiful branded crockery and all you need for culinary preparations - plus dining tables indoors and out. Basic things are provided (washing up liquid, bin bags, salt, pepper) and there are grocery shops and a market 6km away in Alvorge, along with a couple of restaurants if you don't feel like cooking.
The ingredients for breakfast are provided by your hosts. In your fridge you'll find butter, milk, Rabaçal cheese, yoghurt and cold cuts; freshly baked bread is delivered in a pretty linen bag every morning. You're also provided with Nespresso pods and homemade jams, as well as oranges for juicing. An extra treat comes in the form of fresh eggs from Villa Pedra's chickens.
Features include:
- Barbecue
- Breakfast
- Dishwasher
- Food blender
- Fridge
- Full kitchen
- Hob or stove
- Kids' meals
- Microwave
- Oven
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Toaster
Activities
- Visit the Roman ruins and museum of Conimbriga, one of Portugal's most fascinating Roman sites
- Laze in a hammock, doze by the pool and rediscover the joy of doing precious little
- Visit the nearby Monastery of Lorvão, one of the oldest in Portugal
- Follow the woodland walkways of the Fragas de São Simão from the pretty village of Casel de São Simão to a beautiful river bathing spot
- The mysterious village of Piódão is one of Portugal's most beautiful; historic ruins with many windowframes and doors painted blue
- Visit a couple of vineyards for wine tasting
- Spend a day on the beach near Figueira da Foz then have dinner in Pombal on your way back to Villa Pedra
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Pilates
- Plantlife / flora
- Shopping / markets
- Swimming
- Well being
- Wildlife
- Wine tasting
Best Time to go
This is a place where you'll be comfortable at any time of year and every season in the Beiras has its own rewards. The landscape changes colour throughout the year, with stunning red golds in autumn, crisp white snow in winter, beautiful mountain blossoms in spring and blue, blue skies in summer. Walkers would naturally choose the months when there's less likelihood of rain, meaning late spring, summer and early autumn. But, like Scotland or the Lake District, those days when you are immersed in mist and rain have their own unique beauty: seeing a blanket of morning mist gradually lifting from the surrounding hills and valleys is a memory which we'll savour for many years to come. And to trek out from the hotel into the high Beiras when the snows are down would be an extraordinary experience. Summer temperatures are around 28C; winter around 6C.
Our Top Tips
You'll have fun shopping for cooking ingredients in the Aniaos market (6km away), where you'll find stacks of local produce - seasonal fruit and veg, tangy Rabaçal cheeses as well as the softer ones of the Serra da Estrela, a huge range of smoked meats as well as Chanfana veal and suckling pig from Bairrada: the Beiras is known throughout Portugal for the quality of its meat.
Location
Villa Pedra is set on a slope of Serra do Sicó, in the centre of Portugal. Even though it feels miles from the madding crowds, it's an easy drive from both Lisbon (approx 170km) and Oporto (aka Porto, approx 160km). Day trips to the beach are perfectly feasible and a foray out to Coimbra can be nicely combined with a visit to the Roman ruins at Conímbriga.
By Air
Fly into Lisbon or Porto. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
The hotel can arrange transfers - see Rates - but we'd definitely recommend driving here. You'll need a car to get to restaurants, given that public transport is virtually non-existent. But if you'd prefer not to drive, you could take public transport to either Coimbra or Pombal then jump in a taxi: it would be utterly blissful to hide away here with no thoughts of going anywhere at all.
By Car
See our car rental recommendations.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Portugal and getting around
Airports:
- Lisbon 170.0 km LIS
- Porto 170.0 km OPO
Other:
- Beach 40.0 km
- Shops 3.0 km
- Restaurant 3.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 3 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape