Colares, on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, is known for its ability to grow ramisco and malvasia grapes for wine – they’re rooted deep into the sandy soil, protected from the salty winds. At the foot of the Sintra Mountains, it’s an under-an-hour scenic drive to Lisbon, UNESCO Heritage Sintra or Cascais.
Within Colares is the whitewashed village of Azenhas do Mar, and just outside it is Casa das Arribas, perched on the cliffs and overlooking the craggy coast from Cabo de Roca to Ericeira. This villa in Portugal was built in the 1940s as a family estate by renowned architect Raul Lino, who has designed many historic buildings throughout the country, like the Moorish-style Casa de Santa Maria in Cascais or the neoclassical Tivoli Theatre in Lisbon.
The owners of Casa das Arribas carefully renovated the building and converted it into apartments. The original wooden stairs lead to the entrance of this apartment, Piso Alto, which takes up the whole upper floor, creating an extra sense of privacy. It boasts sea views on three sides and is flooded with light. Rustic-modern wooden furniture was handmade for the apartment by local artist Glen Samuel Friedman.
The views to the south reach as far as the cliffs of Cabo da Roca, the westernmost spot in mainland Europe. From the north-facing bedroom, you can see all the way to the surf town of Ericeira and the Berlengas islands. Meanwhile, the western bedroom looks straight out across the sea.
The apartment shares amenities with the rest of the property, and includes access to the 9,000 sqm garden, pool and tennis court. The wellness menu extends to a Finnish sauna, and a hot and cold plunge pool.
It’s all to say that Casa das Arribas is the beach house of Portuguese summer dreams.
