Casa Serena

Urban Sensibilities in the Portuguese Coastal Countryside

Striking the perfect balance between contemporary architecture and barefoot boho beach house, this spacious, sinuous home by native son Nuno Carvalho of Nieta Atelier curves across its scrub, cork-oak and pine-dotted rural lot. It has a big swimming pool out back and terraces top to bottom, with beaches 10 minutes away.

Vividly whitewashed, with a trendy blend of beech wood, coastal cane and grass accents and polished concrete, terracotta and brick floors, there’s textile art in wall hangings and rugs, toys for the kids, a poolside bar and a rooftop yoga deck. Kids can sleep or play in the expressly designed bunk room and adjacent playspace, while the indoor living area offers a seductive, organic, pit-styled spot with a fireplace for adults to unwind. A multitude of terraces surround the home, and the huge, 50+-foot swimming pool makes the 10-minute trek to the beach a maybe.

The house is perfect for six adults and six kids. There are three spots on the property ideal for yoga: the deck in the garden (fits six), the rooftop, and the pool area.

Additional features

Pool heating is upon request for guests coming in winter. The guest must request it on the day they book the property. It is free of charge.

Family equipment is available (baby bed and high chair). Photo shoots are on request only, with an additional contract and proof of insurance required.

Around

Set in the Vale da Cobra, a region between Melides and Carvalhal not far from hip, happening Comporta in Portugal’s wild Alentejo region, the home is secluded at the end of a winding dirt road. The region’s name translates as “snake valley,” so named for the curving country roads that slither around traditional stands of Alentejo cork oak and pine trees. The nearest beaches are both a 10-minute drive, with Praia Alberta Nova known for its high dunes, piney backdrop, and unpopulated sands and Praia da Galé its golden cliffs and massive rocky outcroppings. This coast of Portugal has some 40 miles of relatively unspoiled, undeveloped beaches of golden sands with ochre cliffs as backdrops. Grass-tufted dunes insulate the waterfront areas from local communities, and Carvalhal is rural and slow-moving, surrounded by rice paddies and pine forests. The village is adjacent to the Sado estuary’s nature reserve and is made up of a single main street flanked by homes, hotels, and shops. Carvalhal beach feels a bit lost in time, a quiet stretch of sand on the outskirts of town that’s a favorite of local families and famed for its sunsets. There’s a small beach restaurant serving traditional fare, and loungers and umbrellas for rent. Pego beach is set more deeply into the pine forest and dunes, a remote crescent of sand that’s home to a locally famed restaurant, and a pod of dolphins named for the Sado reserve. 

Melides is more happening, a new favorite enclave of design-conscious shoppers and patrons of the arts who delight in the burgeoning selection of galleries, studio/workshops, and carefully curated boutiques. Simple coastal cafes sizzle with the sound of grilled sardines or locally-caught eel here, and new white-tablecloth-quality restaurants arrive on the scene each month. Lovers of the laid-back and rugged will thrill with horseback rides along the rolling surf. The area’s golden sand stretches extend for miles, backed by dunes, cliffs, and wind sculpted pines—beaches known by surfers for their big, rolling waves. Not to be missed are Praia da Galé-Fontainhas, Praia da Comporta and the Praia da Melides and the protected lagoons, their waters rich with birds and wildlife, including Lagoa de Santo André and the Lagoa de Melides.

Location

Melides, Setúbal, Alentejo, Portugal. Nearest airport: Lisbon (1.5 hours)

Best time to visit

April to October