Stone by the Sea

Stone by the Sea is a two-storey house built in traditional Minho stone, its lines kept clean and uncluttered inside. Four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms sleep up to eight, with a fully equipped kitchen, dining table, and an indoor fireplace for cooler evenings. Outside, a private pool sits among gardens shaded by olive trees, with a barbecue area and outdoor seating for meals in the open air. A games room with foosball and pool table, plus bicycles for guests, round out the practical extras.

The house is set in Afife, a village a few minutes from Viana do Castelo in the Minho region, where green hills run down to the Atlantic. The area is known for its walking trails, wide sandy beaches, and a slower, coastal pace, with horse riding and water sports both accessible nearby.

Mornings might start with coffee on the patio, hills on one side and the sea somewhere beyond them, before a walk down to the coast. Afternoons settle around the pool or a match on the pool table, and evenings end with something grilled outside and a fire lit once the air cools.