São Lourenço do Barrocal

The ancient olive trees, and spring time wild flowers, beg to be photographed!

Gnarled ancient olive trees — some thousands of years old — can be found scattered across the 780 hectare estate. The estate produces olive oil. You can do a tour of the groves. I always buy a bottle or two of the oil to take home!

In love with the way in which old spaces have been architecturally re-imaged. The old olive mill room, is used to create this unusual bar, full of corners to nurse a drink in. Many of the spaces feel almost ecclesiastical in their simplicity and spaciousness

The hotel’s 5 star status can be felt in the soft, luxurious bedding. I open the windows to be woken by birdsong

There are 40 rooms, including 2 suites and 16 cottages. The cottages offer elegant living spaces, to feel at home in

Free bikes are always available (adults and kids) as a way to exercise and explore the surrounding landscape. The estate is relatively flat, so perfect for riding, and for those feeling more energetic it is possible to cycle up the hill to Monsaraz

The open grassland plains offer wonderful space for children to play, or adults to picnic, and lead to the outdoor swimming pool and organic gardens. A large fire pit is lit up every evening and offers a beautiful place to gather

A salvation in shape of a pool to escape the dry Portuguese summer heat

Sao Lourenco do Barrocal was once a thriving farming village, founded more than two centuries ago by Manuel Mendes Papança. The village was home to about 50 families. The buildings were re-imagined by architect Eduardo Souto de Moura

There are two restaurants: the main one (open year round); and one by the pool (open in the warmer months only). I love sitting here in the mornings after breakfast as it offers a quiet and sun-drenched spot to read and write

Exploring the area with my daughter by horse was magical. Apparently there are also 8 wild horses on the estate — free roaming following the abandonment of the estate after the Carnation revolution in 1974

Spot the cow grazing behind this ancient olive tree! The meat served at the restaurant comes from the beef herd which roam the estate. I am a vegetarian myself but believe if you eat meat it is best to support local, organic and free roaming production

The food at Barrocal is delicious. They use fresh, organic, local and seasonal ingredients. Originally quite meat/dairy heavy, they have recently added a “plant based” section to their menu

In the Barrocal shop, you can buy beautiful locally hand crafted products and organic vegetables from their gardens (which are also served in the kitchen and bar). We took this giant pumpkin home and turned it into jam!

A table outside our room to enjoy a glass of cold rosé. Barrocal has operated vineyards since 1820, and their wines are made from organic grapes harvested by hand. You can certainly have fun tasting the different wines on offer

An ancient bull ring reminds us of the building’s history: as bull fighting was the “entertainment” for the families who lived and worked at Barrocal for centuries. Happily today we can spare the bulls and watch Netflix instead

Barrocal’s “talha” wines are made using centuries old giant clay vessels, like this one — to ferment the grapes for six months with skin on, using a Roman technique. I loved the Talha white, and Barrocal’s Talha red

The Susanne Kaufmann spa is in the part of the building that was home to the village single men: with bedrooms turned into treatment rooms (a strange, nice thought to muse on, as you are massaged!) The is also sauna and a fitness room

As the sun sets on the wide open plains, you can see on the hill top the white-washed medieval village of Monsaraz, sitting above