Casa de Vilarinho de S. Romão

The 17th century farmhouse Casa de Vilarinho de Sao Romao is located in the peaceful village of the same name and had been in a state of disrepair for some time until the present owners, the Van Zellers, bought it a few years ago.

With the help of family members, some of them architects, they set out to renovate the house with a simple brief in mind - to keep the old character of the house intact. In this, the years of hard work have paid off, right down to the reproduction of the striking and domed wood ceiling in the dining room - an exact replica of the original - the carvings of the fountain with stone carved dolphins, the stone bowl, not to mention the plane flanked alley leading to the house.

All 6 rooms have been carefully thought out and were individually decorated in the best northern Portuguese tradition, hence the rather sober old time atmosphere, stonewalls and wide windows opening onto a typical vineyard landscape. One of the place's other charms is its location. Being right at the centre of the Port Wine country, an area classified by UNESCO as World Heritage, it is the ideal starting point to visit the Douro valley, visit the famous Port wine farms, sail on the river Douro or take the train along the Douro or Tua valleys.

On the other hand a stroll through its vineyards, groves and orchards will be a wonderful experience in itself.