U2 Loft

Loft U2 occupies part of a 300-year-old watermill on the banks of the Coura River, one of three independent lofts within the building. Stone and timber walls frame two bedrooms — one double, one twin — sleeping up to four, with a kitchenette, dining table and private outdoor space with garden and river access. Air conditioning, heating and a washer-dryer cover the practical side.

The loft sits in Vilar de Mouros, a riverside village in Alto Minho known for hosting Portugal's oldest music festival, and for the Coura's crystal-clear water and sandy banks. Caminha, with its medieval centre and ferry crossing to Spain, is 5km away; Vila Nova de Cerveira and its hilltop castle sit closer still, and the Atlantic beaches at Moledo and Vila Praia de Âncora are 10km off.

Mornings start with coffee on the patio and the sound of the Coura running past. Days can be spent swimming from the river beach at the doorstep, kayaking, or cycling into Caminha; evenings settle back into the garden or by the water, with the mill's stone walls holding the day's warmth.