Casa do Carvalheiro

Portuguese Modern in the Altentejo Woods

A bold architectural block built into a forested hillside on 3.5 hectares, this whitewashed home is defined by its transparency and immersion in the landscape. An intimate refuge in the woods, the house’s floor plan is a large, glass-accented square, with an open courtyard at its heart, offering sky high views and the feeling of being outdoors from the living room sofa. It’s been featured in Dezeen and Abitare for its expansive architectural envelope in the coastal region’s wild. A saltwater swimming pool extends out over the valley below the home, and outdoor showers add to the secluded getaway-in-the-woods atmosphere.

The home’s four bedrooms are intimate windows on the wild, three equipped with double beds and the fourth with singles. Two bedrooms face northward and are situated on one side of the courtyard; the other two run along the square’s eastern side. There are two baths, one on each side. A fully-equipped kitchen opens to the central courtyard with its alfresco farm table, and the glass-enclosed living room feels like you’re out in the open, but with all the trappings of sleek modern architecture. Furnishings are clean lined and minimal, set on concrete floors and against whitewashed walls.

Around

This rural property stands as a bright white slash in the deep green woods of Portugal’s Alentejo countryside. The home is nestled in the Serra de São Francisco, between sugheri, cork oak and pine trees, 1.5 hours south of Lisbon down a long dirt road. The beaches of the coastline between Troia and Sines begin about 20 minutes’ drive from the property, but the house was created to be a retreat from the hustle of everyday life. It's a base for beautiful sunsets and starry skies, and romps around thick woods, an ideal destination to meditate, contemplate and simply swim, cook, read or unwind. This is a villa in the woods for nature lovers, travelers seeking serenity over activity.

Location

Nearest airport: Lisbon (1½ hours)

Best time to visit

May to October