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Villa Lussu
Tavira, Algarve, Portugal
Villa Lussu
Tavira, Algarve, Portugal
A Sustainable Beach House
A grid-based modular architectural design by Mima Housing, an eco-firm that’s the darling of designers like Philippe Starck, this sustainably built villa is green inside and out. It's also set in the Algarve’s protected wetlands, where white sand beaches, vivid lagoons, salt marshes and barrier islands welcome bright pink flamingos and sunworshippers soak up golden rays in relative solitude.
Brand new, spare in its styling, and ultra energy efficient—renewables make up more than 95% of the home’s energy supply—this sustainable villa doesn’t scrimp on sophistication. The rectilinear retreat offers clean, uncluttered lines and an easygoing interior that favors wood, reflective walls, neo-mid-century furnishings, and cool concrete underfoot.
A chlorine-free lap pool stretches out along one bleached façade, and a pergola spans the front of the house, offering soft shade. Activities include ebike rentals, wine tastings and tours, and concierge services for shopping, dining, and wellness. Innovatively designed, the villa feels as unspoiled as its location within the boundaries of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, a southern Portuguese wonderland of protected beaches and limpid lagoons teeming with birds, aquatic wildlife, and bright, welcoming white sands.
AROUND
Located in the Algarve, a popular, sun-soaked region that’s long been a favorite playground of northern European vacationers, Villa Lussu stands alone on a green rise, surrounded by cultivated fields and neighboring vineyards, only minutes from protected beaches, barrier islands and lagoons.
The town of Tavira, on one edge of Ria Formosa Natural Park, is a crossroads of Portuguese heritage and Moorish influences. The town tops an ochre cliff and stands as a labyrinth of cobbled streets and tile-roofed houses crossed by the Gilao River. Shallow mudflats divide Tavira town from its beaches on the adjacent Isle of Tavira, reachable by ferry from the town center. Much lower-key than other communities in the Algarve, Tavira offers a pretty fishing harbor and promenade, ancient churches and shaded plazas lined with family-run cafes and taverns. Moorish architectural ruins are a draw, and the unique Anchor Cemetery on the Praia do Barril is a must see.
The Ria Formosa Park extends along the coastline from Tavira to Faro. Within its boundaries, white sandy beaches offer a protected habitat for wildlife and make for great sunbathing, including the beaches of Cacela Velha, Ilha da Culatra, Fuseto, Faro, and Barril. Salt marshes, fresh and brackish lagoons, mangroves, saltpans, and sand dunes also occupy the park, an area that’s famously home to flamingos as well as other bird species, small mammals (foxes, badgers), reptiles and amphibians (turtles, snakes, frogs, and newts). There are miles of nature walks, and the park’s visitor center offers guidance on how to visit the Ria Formosa’s five beautiful barrier islands. The villa’s owners are food lovers and locals who offer bespoke services and activities by reservation, and also welcome the opportunity to give local recommendations to guests.
LOCATION
Tavira, Ria Formosa Natural Park, Algarve, Portugal. Nearest airport: Faro (60km)
BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to October
