Spain has its haciendas, Portugal its quintas - country estates with bags of character. Some are hidden in the hills, some on the coast, some cheap, others very chic, but glorious scenery and a slower pace of life come as standard. In this preview from the new edition of his book, Alastair Sawday picks his favourites.
Rustic chic
Quinta das Sequoias Estremadura
Hidden in a deep forest, this long, two-storey white quinta, dating from 1870, is full of delights and dream-like views of palaces and castles. Corridors and walls are adorned with paintings and sculptures from some of Portugal's foremost artists, alongside fascinating older pieces from all over the world. Bedrooms are individual, with carved beds and polished mahogany furniture, with rugs on tiled floors. In front of the house the garden descends on lawned terraces, with pergolas and lush foliage, to a burbling stream below and a swimming pool with views for miles.
· Estrada de Monserrate, Estremadura (00 351 219 230342); Doubles €145-€160. (Unless stated, prices are per night for a double room with breakfast.)
Quinta de Alcaidaria-Mór Ribatejo
The wisteria-clad manor has been in the family for 300 years and is every inch the grand country house: stately cedar-lined drive, box-hedged gardens, 14th-century chapel. The main house is a cool, gracious building - light streams into lofty, elegant rooms with marble floors, arches and delicate plasterwork. An attractive self-catering house is just up the hill, while the B&B rooms are in the main building - and very special they are, too. Expect antique dressers, beds, comfortable chairs, perhaps a grand bathtub with clawed feet. Add to this great views, a peaceful pool and the natural kindness of your English-speaking host and you begin to get the measure of this charming place.
· Ourem, Ribatejo (00 351 249 542231); Doubles €90-€120.
Silves is the oldest city in the Algarve and Quinta Dimalago has a fantastic view of its Moorish castle, gorgeous when floodlit at night. The big, beautiful, tropical garden with its natural pool and waterfalls is on a migrating path for birds and is a wildlife haven. Choose between the renovated 200-year cottage - stunning with its Sri Lankan doors, Dutch antiques and Moroccan suite - and the newly built quinta, whose modest shell hides a strikingly decorated and superbly well-furnished and equipped interior.
Generous rooms have natural ventilation, while solar panels and rainwater harvesting reflect the green consciences of the relaxed and delightful Dutch owners. They live opposite and welcome you on arrival with a glass of sparkling wine. Heaven.
· Silves, Algarve (00 351 282 445776); Self-catering cottage for four from €595 per week, house for 12 from €1,950.
Enjoy the benign climate and closeness to the sea in the gentle hills of the Algarve hinterland. This old farmstead is a long, low, white building with pretty chimney stacks and broad bands of blue around doors and windows. Parts of the farm are 200 years old but it has been completely renovated. The six suites in the converted outbuildings, fronting a cobbled central patio, were designed with families in mind: open-plan sitting rooms have beds which double up as sofas and open fires for cosy winter days. The restaurant serves Portuguese food (delicious cheeses and chorizo), and there is a sauna, table-tennis, pool and mini-gym.
· Fonte do Bispo, Tavira, Algarve (00 351 281 971484); Doubles €65-€95.
Quinta da Bouca d'Arques Minho
In the grounds of a grand, 300-year-old manor, these modern apartments are sheer minimalist chic. There are old stone walls, contemporary glass panels and modern art, while the luxurious bathrooms have hand-painted tiles, deep baths and fluffy towels. Start the day with breakfast on your own terrace or in the sitting room with its deep sofas; then move to the wooden loungers by the pool before exploring the courtyards and vineyards.
· Vila de Punhe, Minho (00 351 226 179431); Apartments sleeping two from €595 per week.
Close to the coast
Quinta dos Raposeiros Estremadura
Surfing is the owner Tiago's passion. Since childhood, he's searched for the perfect wave. Together with his wife, Sao, he spent two years looking for the ideal spot to live and here it is, perched on a hill. Views sweep down a pine-strewn valley to the beaches around Ericeira, one of Europe's finest surfing spots and a 20-minute walk.
The views, the tantalising waves, the sun and the walks are very special. The modern apartments, neatly tucked in a low building of peachy coloured stone, are fresh, simple and uncluttered; their style is clean and crisp, their colours bright and sunny. Think bold paintings, cool tiled floors, large French windows and sleek wooden furniture.
· Marvao, Estremadura (00 351 93 616 2638); Doubles €100.
The approach is a delight, through groves of olive, almond and orange trees that give way to a subtropical garden where maguey and palm, geranium and bougainvillea, pine and jasmine jostle. The living is easy here; there's a heated saltwater pool, a cabana with 'honesty' bar, a hydromassage Jacuzzi and a small children's playground.
The bedrooms, each with a small terrace, are in a converted barn and stables and overlook the gardens. They are Algarve-rustic, with wooden ceilings, white walls, modern art and beautiful country antiques. In colder weather you breakfast in a cosy dining room but most of the year it's mild enough to sit out on the rooftop terrace with views.
· Estrada da Barragem; Algarve (00 351 282 798425); Doubles €80-€110.
Quinta de Santo Amaro Estremadura
Looking out to the Arrabida mountains, this gracious quinta has a deliciously homely feel. The lovely garden has shady walks and a discreet pool. It's the sort of place you won't want to leave. Breakfast is a help-yourself feast of homemade breads, jams, cheeses, eggs and bacon, home-grown oranges and the neighbour's strawberries when in season. Lisbon is an easy drive, the beaches of the Setúbal peninsula are nearby, and the local Fonseca wine cellars are well worth a peek.
· Aldeia da Piedade, Estremadura (00 351 212 189230); Doubles €90. Apartment sleeping six from €255 (€1,680 per week).
Quinta da Cebola Vermelha Algarve
This old farmhouse, 15 minutes from the sea and away from the hustle of some of the Algarve's resorts, has lots of personality. Much of the mood is Moroccan and the bedrooms sparkle with colour. The swimming pool is huge, set about with straw parasols and smart recliners, and with a lawn fragrant with orange trees to one side - bliss for a lunchtime snack. There are also some very gnarled and magnificent old olive trees. Let our inspector have the last word: 'I defy anyone not to like it here: it is utterly gorgeous.'
· Campina, Algarve (00 351 289 363680); Doubles from €95.
Stay at one of the oldest manor houses on this Portuguese island. It is flanked by the mountains and has views that sweep over its vineyards to the sea. The 17th-century homestead - all flagstone floors, wooden ceilings and hand-painted tiles - exudes tradition. The owner's family, of English origin, once ran the biggest sugar cane mill in Madeira. Now the dining room - where food and wines are delicious - is in the old kitchen, and the old prayer room is a reading room; both are adorned with elegant antiques. This peaceful and gracious atmosphere extends to the lush grounds, where you may stroll among the tulip trees and the angel's trumpets, and perhaps pluck a passion fruit or two. Then back for a glass of the quinta's very fine madeira.
· Lombo dos Serroes - Est Calheta, Calheta, Madeira 00 351 291 824086; Doubles €75-€100. Cottages sleeping two or three from €560 per week.
Bargain boltholes
The food at this beautifully-restored 17th-century house is a treat: for breakfast, miniature pasties, homemade bread, Chaves ham and smoked sausage; for dinner, served at a table for 12, a hearty stew perhaps, and a good wine from Valpacos. The bedrooms are equally special. The chestnut floors, dark panelled ceilings, stone walls and hand-painted tiles are the perfect backdrop for Arraiolos rugs, crocheted bedcovers and antiques, and the lingering scent of woodsmoke add yet more character. In the well-tended gardens are two tennis courts and a pool. There are bikes to borrow and peaceful walks through the wooded slopes of the Brunheiro mountains.
· Estrada de Valpacos, Chaves, Tras-os-Montes (00 351 276 340030); Doubles €80.
This is perfect for lovers of the great outdoors: the setting is a dream. The house hides in a stand of old oaks on the banks of the small lagoon. Bedrooms are not large but have a sunny feel; bathrooms are modern, and there are lots of verandas and captivating views down to the river. In summer, life is spent mostly outdoors; birdsong at breakfast, and, at night, the lights of Santa Comba dao twinkle across the water. With canoes, a rowing boat and a windsurfer for guests to borrow, this would be an idyllic place for a sporting holiday.
· Santa Comba dao, Beira (00 351 232 892784); Doubles €55-€65.
Quinta Vale de Marmelos Alentejo
Here you can see Spain from your bedroom window, across orange, lemon and olive groves. It's a farmstay, set in a neo-gothic building with extraordinarily high ceilings. Friendly and impressively integrated in local life, owners Tim and Ann are English and strike a beautiful balance between being welcoming and leaving you to your own devices. Rooms have their own separate entrance and are simple and clean, furnished with Alentejan hand-painted furniture; ask for the one with a veranda. In the rambling, shady grounds are a pig, sheep, snoozing cats and, come twilight, a resident pair of tawny owls. Oh, and a brand new pool.
· Elvas, Alentejo (00 351 268 626193); Doubles €55-€75.
The dogs dozing in the shade set the pace for this traditional bougainvillea-clad Minho farmhouse, ideal for those who love peace and tranquillity, country walks and birdsong. An enormous drawing room feels more like a conservatory, with high windows opening on two sides, family photos, a woodburner and plenty of sofa space. The dining room is off to one end; at breakfast there will be a big spread and a chance to admire the large collection of old porcelain. In warmer weather you eat out under the orange trees with views of surrounding hills and the farm's kiwi fruit vines. Bedrooms are large and filled with unusual antiques.
· Lugar de Portas, Minho (00 351 253 632466); Doubles €70.
This is a typical port-wine producing quinta, perfectly positioned above a small river, imbued with a homely yet stylish decorative touch. Ronald, the Dutch owner, is ex-wine trade and organises walking and wine tours. His partner, Jet, cooks, and dinners are great fun. Your hosts live in the next village but return to prepare a fine breakfast before you've stirred from your pillow. Views stretch over the valley to the vines beyond and through the olive and juniper trees you can glimpse the river below. It's bliss to laze in a deckchair on the lawn, dine on the terrace, or catch the train at Pinhao for a trip along the douro. The whole place is exceptionally peaceful and relaxing, and great value for money.
· Vale de Mendiz, douro (00 351 254 731246); Doubles €62.50.
Away From It All
Quinta do Barranco da Estrada Alentejo
Hugging the shore of one of the Alentejo's largest lakes, the quinta is heaven if you love wild beauty. The whole area has a micro-climate that keeps the water warm enough for a long swimming season and nurtures an amazing range of plant and animal life; visit in spring and the wild flowers will enchant you. The eco-friendly renovation of the original low house took a decade to complete and then a row of guest rooms was added. They are light, cool and pleasingly simple and their terraces have stunning lake views. There is a vine-festooned terrace for sultry summer days, while a further series of terraces have been planted with hibiscus, oleander, palm, jasmine, plumbago and cactus. Follow the path to the jetty where you can canoe, fish for crayfish, sail, water-ski or walk the shoreline.
· Santa Clara a Velha; Alentejo (00 351 283 933065); Doubles €70-€150.
The old farmstead in its hillocky seven acres is surrounded by pine forests and olive groves; the Serra da Estrela, Portugal's highest mountain range, rises nobly beyond. Bedrooms are named after the colour of each of their sloping wooden ceilings: Green, Yellow and Pink. Green is perhaps the nicest, with its own terracotta bathroom and ochre-painted wrought-iron beds. Up on the hill, sharing a bathroom, are two self-catering cabanas - simple and private. A fun, wacky place to stay in one of Portugal's prettiest green corners.
· Nogueira do Cravo, Oliveira do Hospital, Beira (00 351 238 602988); Doubles from €33. Cabanas sleeping two €200 per week.
Though you're close to Porto, it's blissfully quiet here. The 80-hectare organic farm is in a wide and beautiful valley and has been in the family for 600 years. The self-catering cottages are hidden well away from each other, and from the lovely 15th-century main house. Soutelo, the largest cottage, is 17th-century, solid and traditional - a typical Minho dwelling. Built of honey-coloured stone and facing south, it has big comfortable bedrooms with separate bathrooms and a well-equipped kitchen with masses of space. Bouca, once the farm manager's house, is contemporary, elegant and truly charming. Whichever you choose, you will be looked after by a delightful bunch of young people in love with nature, and eager that you should enjoy life on their farm.
· Vila Nova de Famalicao, Braga, Minho (00 351 252911204); Self-catering cottages for four to six people from €75-€160.
Quinta do Rio Touro Estremadura
The Reino family have planted mor than 5,000 trees on their farm in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. Lush organic gardens heave with fruit - peaches, bananas, strawberries and, above all, limes. Feel free to pick your own. Scented jasmine tumbles over the entrance and other fragrant bushes tempt you into the gardens day and night. Choose between the rooms in the main house with their balconies and sea views, or go for a more private room in the little house at the foot of the garden. The locally sourced and organic breakfasts are outstanding: home-laid eggs, local pastries, fresh cheeses, their own honey, ginza jam and pumpkin chutney.
· Sintra - Cabo da Roca, Estremadura (00 351 219 292862); Doubles €100-€200.
Irrepressible Nuno has left careers in bullfighting and international publishing to restore his heritage: a pretty farm in a very lush setting. The apartments are single-storey and rustic in style, with dark beams criss-crossing ceilings and simple rugs softening black slate floors. Walls are white, spotlights sparkle, sofas have throws and table lamps create a cosy glow. There are smart white showers, teensy kitchenettes and white linen bread bags to hang outside your door for the morning delivery. Pathways edged with dry-stone walls lead to the remains of an old sweet-chestnut plantation and a blissful pool.
· Serra de S Mamede, Alentejo (00 351 937 218654); Doubles €80. Apartments sleeping two €560 per week.
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