The modern, spacious Quinta da Vicente is guaranteed to give six guests a lovely, peaceful time during their holiday. Set in a private 1500 sqm plot with a fabulous swimming pool and lovely trees and mature plants, the villa is tranquil and relaxing. It is situated 4km from the centre of Portimao, 3km from Alvor and 3km from Playa da Rocha. The fabulous Penina Golf Club is just next door.

 

The beautiful fishing town Alvor lies on the banks of the Alvor Estuary, overlooking the gorgeous protected marshlands of the Ria de Alvor Nature Reserve. Alvor boasts narrow cobbled streets, whitewashed houses and colourful fishing boats pulled up along the banks of the river. The pretty historic centre is full of atmospheric restaurants. The square of Largo Ribeira has a wonderful fish statue giving a clue to the favoured dishes. The palm tree-lined riverfront leads to the south and the breathtaking Praia do Alvor.

 

Quinta da Vicente is contemporary with a lot of space, comfortable furnishings and features marble and wooden floors. The open-plan living and dining space is full of modern furniture and leads to a separate fully-equipped kitchen. The villa is very light and airy with huge doors and windows. Both the kitchen and the living area lead directly to the garden and terrace.

 

On the first floor, there are three delightful bedrooms, all with wonderful ensuite bathrooms. One of the bedrooms has a queen-size bed, and the other two have twin beds. All of the bedrooms enjoy direct access to a lovely, furnished terrace. There is also a second living area which enjoys great views and lots of light. It is the perfect place to escape with a good book!

 

The outside space of Quinta da Vicente is impressive with a gorgeous 15m x 6m swimming pool, lawns, established trees and hedges. There are plenty of sun loungers, alfresco dining, an outdoor shower and a barbecue. Quinta da Vicente offers great accommodation and plenty of space in a quiet, pretty setting.

Alvor has a stunning sandy beach with ochre sandstone cliffs rising at one end of the beach along with grottoes and caves. The impressive three sea stacks are known as the Tres Irmaos or Three Brothers. There are extensive dunes threaded with pleasing, elevated wooden boardwalks. The Ria de Alvor Nature Reserve is fabulous to explore and enjoy the fauna and flora. You might even spot some flamingoes. You can explore by foot or hire bikes to get around.

Praia da Rocha is only 3km from the villa.  It is a jolly, lively resort with a fantastic beach and vibrant, themed bars in the main street, Tomas Cabreira. The marina complex is smart and stylish, with many restaurants serving gourmet meals. 

Portimao was traditionally a centre for shipbuilding, sardine fishing and fish processing but is now a large tourist and residential city. The city’s old fishing docks have been transformed into a pretty, popular promenade which leads to the atmospheric tree-lined plazas of the old town and the stunning Azulejo tile paintings in the Jardim 1 de Dezembro. Shopping is excellent in Portimao. The Museu de Portimao celebrates the fishing heritage of the area.

Abicada is 8km from the villa and definitely worth a stop to enjoy the Roman ruins and the pretty mosaics. The Roman villa, Quinta da Abicada, has two peristyles, a hexagonal and a square one. The pavements are covered with multi-coloured mosaics and geometric motifs.

For an alternative to beach days, you could take a river trip down the Arade River to Silves. Silves was originally the ancient capital of the Algarve. It is peaceful, historic and delightful with an imposing red brick castle and a Gothic cathedral. There are plenty of open-air cafes along the cobbled streets.

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