Casa da Volta

Set on a remote twenty acre plot in the Serra do Grandola valley near the small town of Grândola in southern Portugal's Alentejo region, Casa da Volta sits within easy reach of the Atlantic coastal beaches of Melides and Comporta to the west and the cobblestone streets of Santiago do Cacém to the south, on a stretch of inland Alentejo that remains largely free from international tourism.

Designed by Lisbon-based Promotório Architects in collaboration with Silva Cravo Architects, the house draws on the ancient Portuguese tradition of the Alcáçova, the fortified rural houses of the region, with thick perimeter walls enclosing an interior courtyard centred on an ancient olive tree, six en-suite bedrooms arranged around the courtyard, and interiors by José Luis Barbosa combining mid-century furniture with rustic handcrafted pieces and a North African influence.