Casa do Terreiro do Poço

Borba is a small Alentejo town best known for its tasty wines and its laid back, lazy feel where time has been kind in preserving its pretty streets and facades. Perhaps one day it will also be renowned for the Casa do Terreiro do Poço, a charming collection of houses, which are certainly well accustomed in the art of southern Portuguese hospitality - with an added slice of good taste.

Connected by a series of terraces and stairways, the 3 buildings that make the Terreiro do Poço look over an attractive citrus garden and really do provide a stress free environment. This is not only thanks to the houses themselves and their super decoration, but also the charming owners. It may sound like a cliché, but they do try their utmost to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.

They actually live in the main house on the ground floor, but the first and second floors take in the “Varanda” and “Patio” rooms as well as the “Torre” Apartment, which features lovely frescoes and even a private tower. Casas do Jardim have their own private entrances via the garden and provide relaxing living areas, kitchenettes and en-suite bedrooms. The other two houses are entered from the garden and have the added advantage of being by the swimming pool, so there’s no excuse not to take a dip on those balmy Alentejo summer days!

But whatever the house or room, there is always the surprise of little details, be they classic pieces, vanguard design or ethnic objects from far distant lands. Even the aromas from the garden such as jasmine, tomatoes and orchards are a revelation (by the way some of these products end up on the breakfast table), but then, this is the Alentejo, where experience takes in the sights, sounds and smells of one of Portugal’s most emblematic regions.

In the heart of Portugal, the pretty village of Borba, authentic and profound, has houses neatly whitewashed in white, and a predominance of marble, in door and window frames, trimmed chimneys, road signs and monuments. This fact is explained by the existence of high quality marble quarries in this region. 

Don't miss the local wine and olive oil.