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

Our Top Tips

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.

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