Villa

Vale do Pereiro is set in over 5 hectares (13 acres) of private secluded grounds, with uninterrupted views across naturally vegetated hills. It sits under a wide expanse of sky, which provides all day sun (mostly) and a breath-taking vista of the star filled Milky Way at night. The villa is situated a short distance from the small town of Aljezur, bordering the extensive and stunningly beautiful “Costa Vicentina” national park.

The villa has a large lounge area, a dining room, three bedrooms (two with double beds and the third with two single beds). There are two bathrooms and an additional toilet room. As you would expect there is a fully equipped kitchen and the villa also has a utility room with washing machine & tumble dryer in the basement. Some photographs of the villa interior (the art work is prior to our occupation) are available on this link.

For recreation there is a 12m long swimming pool (1.6m deep) in which the water is kept clean with a salt ionizing system, avoiding the need for eye reddening chlorine or the taste of salt. The solar heating system has proven to be very effective with the water temperature reaching 36ºC in June and still comfortable at 28ºC come October. There is also an outdoor wooden hot tub (ideal for star gazing with a glass of fizz) and a Swedish style wood finished sauna and massage room in the basement.

Behind the villa there is a private man made lake around which a sequence of pathways afford a pleasant stroll. For the summer months, at the front of the villa a large sail like awning creates a shaded alfresco dining area, with spectacular views; while also positioned to keep a careful eye on the safety of children playing in the pool.

The villa is open plan, built on a hill and with the exterior foot-ways constructed as terracing. Any drop is less than about 800mm but which may be a consideration for toddlers. A car port at the back of the villa will keep two cars in the shade throughout the day, which is important given the abundance of sunshine.

The villa offers WiFi which now provides a high speed broadband link over a strong 4G mobile data signal. Sorry to those who want an excuse to escape any contact with work.

Aljezur

Aljezur is a small town dating back to medieval times, it even has its own ruined castle overlooking the surrounding area. This castle was the last surviving Moorish outpost when the Crusaders were repelling them from Portugal. The town has a few bars and restaurants (see recommendation list). It also has a very handy and quite well stocked supermarket (Intermarché) and a daily produce market in the building situated next to the river.

The town is split old from new (new meaning 1700's) by a river floodplain, each section of the town built on its own hill. The region around Aljezur is a popular haunt for surfers who are attracted to the fantastic surf which hits the long and relatively deserted west coast Atlantic beaches. Aljezur is famed for its sweet potatoes which crop up on most local restaurant menus as both 'sides' and puddings (sweet potato cake being a dessert delicacy).

Location

You will find Vale do Pereiro on Google maps here. The pathways around the 'back garden' can be seen, as can the decking around the hot-tub.

It is a little over an hour’s drive from Faro airport (100km) or getting on for around 3 hours from Lisbon. The toll roads* from either airport are normally quiet and fast (unless you foolishly decide to travel on the first Saturday after the schools break up). A car is highly recommended. There is a train from Faro to Lagos and then a bus to Aljezur. You could then get a taxi to the villa or even walk the 3km from the centre of the town. However, without a car getting around to the deserted beaches will be impossible.

The track to the villa is quite rugged in parts but is easily navigable if you pay attention to the tyre tracks left by previous drivers. Note: If driving down from Monchique and you are using satnav don't be persuaded to access the villa from the eastern end of the track; always access the track from the western end by the river bridge.

*As of 2025 the A22 (route from Faro) is no-longer a toll road.

Local habitat

One of the joys of being located on the edge of a vast natural wilderness is that you get a wide variety of wildlife passing through the grounds. We try to keep this list up to date so please when you come to stay do share your own discoveries and sightings with us.

The lake is man made and is one of many built in the local area in the 1930s in an attempt to provide irrigation and a regular water supply. Today, as well as collecting rain water, it is filled by a borehole pump which you pass when heading up the drive. The borehole is 100m deep,  the water flows only when there is enough depth of water. The water is then used for irrigation. The colour of the water in the lake after rain is due to the clay soil. The lake does contain large fish, some form of bass and carp so we are told; both edible if you can catch one. Many frogs also live in the lake.

Birds are in abundance. We are within the territory of a couple of short toed eagles, who announce themselves with their tell-tale call to one another. A hen harrier can occasionally be spotted from the dinning room harassing the family of partridges which live in the undergrowth. Of the many other bird species the bee-eaters and the hoopoe are perhaps the most colourful and unique. A pair of stunning kingfishers can sometimes be spotted darting back and forth into the lake to catch little fish before returning to a nearby branch.  Orphean warblers patrol the oleander bushes with their striking black heads and shaded grey bodies. A nightjar has also been spotted at dusk on the track up to the villa.  Nightingales sing (cheer) during the spring and early summer.

Reptiles, lizards and geckos are of course plentiful. Geckos patrol the exterior walls of the villa and can often be seen at night if you scan the walls with a torch. Lizards are seen darting around over the garden walls in the heat of the day. Occasionally a couple of ladder snakes (non-venomous) can be spotted patrolling the lake on the lookout for unsuspecting frogs. A stunningly marked Horseshoe Whip Snake (also non-venomous) is sometimes spotted around the pool shed and a harmless grass snake occasionally on the back lawn.

Insects, the busy honey bees which frequent the Madroño tree come from a cluster of bee hives situated in a valley on the other side of the goat field which boarders our eastern flank.

Wild boar, family groups of wild boar are regular visitors to the property, they pass through every few days on their territorial wanderings. They have been heard squabbling in the undergrowth in the valley beneath the dam. Their footprints can be seen in mud when it has been wet and their wallows are plainly obvious in the lower dips on the pathways around the lake. Their most noticeable signs of their impact are the areas of dug up soil where they have been foraging. Some guests have been lucky enough to encounter them face to face. But the easiest way to see them is to capture numerous pictures of them on the wildlife camera. The motion sensing wildlife camera is kept in the basement for guests who would like to try to capture their own pictures of what goes on when their back is turned. The best place to position the camera is down by the lake where they come to drink in the drier periods.

Egyptian mongoose, occasionally it can be spotted crossing the dam in broad daylight then tracking down to the lake where it may jump in to the water to catch something before scurrying off up the opposite bank.  The wildlife camera has also caught a photograph of an Egyptian mongoose down by the lake. It is a regular visitor but unless you happen to be looking at the instant it crosses through the grounds you will never know it has been. 

Shopping

With the local Intermarché in Aljezur just a short 3km drive away grocery shopping could not be easier. For fruit, veg & fish do try the small market which is there every weekday morning in the market building alongside the bank of the river. There is a larger Intermarché in Lagos. A huge hypermarket (Auchan) along with a vast number of retail stores is to be found in the mega-mall of “Aqua Portimao” if you want to be spoilt for choice. There are also shops and regular markets in most of the small towns. We particularly recommend; Lagos, Monchique and Silves. A Saturday market located way up beyond the cemetery takes place each week in Aljezur..  A huge shopping mall is alongside the Ikea store on the outskirts of Faro, just as you turn off the A22 for Faro airport.

Beaches, Restaurants & Places of Interest

Suggestions for things to do, places to visit, recommended restaurants and favourite beaches are to be found on the activities page.