JOIN the AFICIONADOS
To receive our world of travel and style delivered straight to your inbox.
Considered the “Hawaii of Europe” at 900 to 1,200 miles (1,400-2,000km) west of the Iberian Peninsula, the Azores are a hidden Atlantic oasis. Uninhabited until the 15th century, this far-flung archipelago was created by volcanic eruptions and is as mountainous as it is geologically diverse — its quiet beaches only disturbed by the sounds of whales and dolphins.
We recommend hiking to the above sea-level lake of Lagoa das Furnas, visiting the ornate chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias, or travelling through the Japanese cedar lined roads of São Miguel. Or, you can even head below the surface and scuba to see rays, turtles, and moray eels in the bay, marlin and tuna along the peaks of submerged volcanoes and underwater cliffs, and the many shipwrecks that line the seafloor.
The tiny hilltop Pico do Refúgio on the lush volcanic island of Sâo Miguel in the Azores plays host to a creative palette of art, design and heaps of nature.
read more
One of the oldest cities in the world, the sun-kissed coastal capital of Portugal, Lisbon, lies between the azure blue waves of the Atlantic Ocean and the magic of its legend-shrouded Seven Hills. Once a stop-off on the road for Greek hero, Odysseus, its Mediterranean climate and myriad mix of Roman, Moorish and late-Gothic heritage make it irresistible to the modern traveller.
read more
Casa Fortunato is where design, history, and soul collide. A postmodernist retreat wrapped in Portuguese heritage, vintage glamour, and artistic rebellion – set in the Alentejo’s quiet charm.
read more
Alcácer do Sal – where Portugal’s past meets a slow, design-savvy present. Moorish echoes, Roman roads and riverside charm collide with boutique hotels, cultural cool and a straight shot to Comporta’s wild shores.
read more
A noble Palácio of cor de rosa in the leafy Príncipe Real district dates back to 1877, a luxurious family residence that courted Lisboan high society. Aptly, this former heritage palace is a rather fabulous boutique hotel of style – it is grandeur: suitably chilled.
read more
Barefoot brutalism meets citrus calm. Hospedaria is the crash pad for design lovers, where vintage finds, art, and concrete cool rewrite the rules of rural Algarve stays.
read more
Raw edges, Baroque bones and Port-fuelled cool – Porto is Portugal’s cultural powerhouse, remixing heritage and design into one irresistible creative crush.
read more
Built on the blueprint of a former woodwork and abandoned timber yard, Pátio do Tijolo has more than a cue of industrial chic infused with design, art and contemporary accents.
read more
A cohesive blend of wine culture, raw nature, commitment to the environment and design are the quintessential hallmarks of L'AND, which give the retreat a sense of belonging and an original bond to oenology.
Tavira doesn’t flex – it smoulders. A slow-motion townscape where terracotta peels, chimneys whisper Moorish secrets and the Atlantic waits – just offshore, just perfect. No filter required.
read more
A whitewashed farmhouse reborn with rustic cool – Pensão Agrícola is Tavira’s slower, softer side: all heirloom nostalgia, citrus groves and vintage edge, with a donkey named Ernesto in tow.
read more
From the wild beaches of the Atlantic coastline stretching inland to the Spanish border, Portugal’s Alentejo region is characterised by an addictive peacefulness and slow lane pace, where ancient cork forests meet megalithic rocks, pine scents the air and pockets of wholesome cuisine and under-the-radar vineyards mean the good life is never far away, minus the crowds.
read more
To receive our world of travel and style delivered straight to your inbox.