Those who have been to Porto Covo know: the town has its own pace. White houses, short roads that flow into the sea, and some of the loveliest beaches on the Vicentina Coast. It’s in sync with the slow and easy-going Alentejo pace that we find the Pestana Porto Covo Village.
Just a few minutes’ walk from Praia Grande, the new hotel in Porto Covo was designed as a set of tourist apartments that are part of a condominium with gardens and pools. The simple architecture is in line with regional patterns: low rise, pale colours and a close relationship to the landscape.
The idea is to act as a base to explore the Alentejo coast (costa alentejana) – between days spent at the beach and walks along the Rota Vicentina. The location is perfect for enjoying the village. The centre of Porto Covo retains its original scale: a small square, restaurants that receive fish directly from the port and outdoor tables that promise late afternoons with unhurried meals and drinks to match.
Long days
There’s something magical about waking close to the sea, putting on your swimming costume and getting to the beach before everybody else. The routine writes itself. The morning is spent at Samoqueira beach, considered one of Portugal’s most beautiful, where the rocky formations form natural pools. Middle of the day and it’s time for lunch in the village, ready for fresh, grilled fish and a cool drink, sitting outdoors, near the Largo Marquês de Pombal.
Come the afternoon, it’s time for a walk on the Rota Vicentina trails, along the cliffs (the picture postcard view guaranteed), or just do nothing. Aren’t holidays for that too?
Nights in Alentejo
When the sun sets over the horizon, the Pestana Porto Covo Village becomes a haven of calm and silence. Nighttime is for enjoying being on the balcony, with the sound of the waves as a soundtrack in the distance. For livelier evenings, the village is just next door, with small bars where the locals gather, often with live music.
Who discovers this spot?
The Pestana Porto Covo Village was designed for different types of people: couples who are looking for a refuge far from the noise; families who want to find untouched beaches; groups of friends who prefer a more intimate option of having their own place with a pool, instead of sharing a hotel. Essentially, it’s for those who want to discover Porto Covo and Costa Vicentina, in an authentic and connected way.
The Pestana Porto Covo Village is just the first chapter – a few metres from there, Grupo Pestana is preparing a second tourist project that will open in the near future.
