Portugal's Costa Vicentina: 11 Top Hotels And Restaurants To Know

Forbes

02-05-2025

Praia do Canal Nature Resort
Let the others have the big resorts and crowded beaches of the central Algarve. Portugal's most magical coastline is its southwest. Purists will argue that it's two regions: the Costa Vicentina in the far south, from Odeceixe down around Cabo de São Vicente (the southwestern-most point on the continent) to Lagos, and the Costa Alentejana from Odeceixe north to Sines. But that distinction is more governmental than psychological, and visitors to both can find one of the last wild places in Europe.
While the beaches aren't great for swimming, many are spectacular for surfing or simply feeling awed by the power of nature. In recent years, local tourism providers have banded together to create the Rota Vicentina—a system of nearly 500 miles of connected coastal and inland trails for hiking and cycling—while Portuguese visionaries and foreign investors have created some excellent places to eat, sleep, rest, play and admire.
A guest room at Praia do Canal
Opened in 2023 by a Madeira-based holding company, Praia do Canal Nature Retreat is the first five-star resort in Aljezur, and with 56 rooms, it's likely the biggest in the region. But those rooms are surrounded by more than 500 acres that stretch down to a nearly deserted beach, and their layout on the central hotel campus calls to mind a seductive Moroccan city. It's the work of Portuguese architect João Favila Menezes, from Atelier Bugio, who was asked to develop a low-impact project inspired by the colors of the coast's cliffs. It has all the resort amenities, including an infinity pool, a spa, a very good restaurant from chef Marcelo Santos, a pool bar with sushi in summer and activities galore, ranging from picnics on the property to jeep tours of the region's most stunning corners.
The Villa by the Sea at Monte da Bemposta
A rare waterfront (or nearly waterfront) property on this heavily protected coast, Monte da Bemposta consists of several buildings, which house classic hotel rooms and studios, larger apartments and the six-bedroom, exclusive use Villa by the Sea, which has a front-row seat on the waves. Guests in any of the accommodations have access to a range of activities, from padel courts and surf lessons, to garden tours and visits to the educational farm with llamas and alpacas, to special lunches or dinners—fresh salads and perfectly grilled fresh fish—that can be prepared for groups with a bit of advance notice. A rustic breakfast with Alentejano bread and homemade jams is, of course, included in the nightly rate.
Herdade da Matinha
The founder of Herdade da Matinha was instrumental in the creation of the Rota Vicentina network, and he's still a passionate defender of the region's charms. The property extends over nearly 300 acres of cork oaks and umbrella pines, much of which he regenerated himself when he started the hospitality project in the 1990s. Now the hotel has grown beyond the original family house, which dates from 1917, to span 35 rooms in several historic and new buildings, none of which pretend to be anything other than what they are. Now the founder's sons are bringing new energy and new ideas to the venture, including an even more thorough regeneration plan for the surrounding region.
Craveiral Farmhouse
A pioneer in slow living in southwestern Portugal, Craveiral Farmhouse is the passion project of a Lisbon lawyer who wanted to reconnect with nature. In the nearly ten years that the hotel has been running, he's found that a lot of people shared that longing. That enabled the place to grow organically to 38 houses (ranging from studios to two-bedroom homes), a full-on farm that supplies the restaurant there and several others in the capital, an ambitious fire-dining restaurant that gets all its ingredients from the onsite farm or producers in the surrounding Odemira region, artistic residencies in partnership with noted international galleries, and serious commitments to regenerative travel. But it's also a place to simply relax, with niceties like indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a new outdoor sauna and an upcoming beach bar in nearby Zambujeira do Mar.
A guest house in Aldeia da Pedralva
Talk about a regeneration project. The village of Pedralva was all but abandoned—with only nine residents left, and about 50 ruined houses—when a group of investors decided to rehabilitate it in 2006. They spent years working to restore the place's life and dignity, contacting hundreds of owners and heirs to negotiate the purchase of 30 houses. Then they partnered with the municipal council to faithfully reproduce the rural ambience using restored furniture and construction materials that were faithful to the history of the region (but with new electrical wiring, plumbing, lighting and other 21st-century necessities). The result is a living village, Aldeia de Pedralva, with not only houses for rent but also an activity center with bicycles to rent, a surf school, hiking equipment, diving courses, a shared swimming pool and a central café and restaurant (heavy on regional specialties, such as salted-codfish stew baked in bread) that's also a social hub.
Amaria
One of the newest hotels in the Aljezur area, Amaria has gone all-in on slow living and artful simplicity. The whole place feels like a mood board come to life, a result of the owners' two years of living on the farm before they set about turning it into a hotel. Along with the 11 cozy accommodations (ranging from simple suites to a large, three-bedroom apartment), it has communal living areas, a wood-burning sauna, a large yoga deck, acres of gardens, access to coastal pathways and beaches, and (soon) a saltwater infinity pool. In keeping with the coast's alternative character, they can arrange for Reiki practitioners to come by and work their magic, or explain all the energy efficiencies and sustainable choices that went into the architecture and design. They're also in the process of bringing biological and organic practices to the small vineyards on the property.
Lamelas
Ana Moura, the chef at Lamelas, is rightly proud of the fact that hers is probably the only oceanside restaurant along the Alentejo Coast that doesn't serve grilled fish. She cooks excellent fish, to be sure, but in ways that showcase her creativity and the technique she picked up while working at Michelin-starred restaurants like Arzak in Spain's Basque Country. There's just enough of that flair to work well in the tavern-style restaurant, which used to be run by her mother (and takes its name from her grandfather, who was born in Porto Covo). Even now, it's a family business, with her mother in the dining room while Moura is in the kitchen. The food is all a bit elevated—fish liver paté, a zingy octopus salad, cozy feijoada (white bean stew) with triggerfish and an excellent Basque-style cheesecake—but deeply satisfying as well.
Cal Arrifana
Chef Susana Felicidade made a name for herself in Lisbon with several high-profile projects, including the popular Pharmacia beside the Santa Catarina viewpoint and a stall in the always-bustling Time Out Market. But it was with great pride that she returned to her childhood home, alongside Praia da Arrifiana, to open a destination restaurant that blends her culinary experience with a casual setting and the coast's surf and yoga retreat culture. Perhaps that's why Cal Arrifana serves super-traditional Algarve dishes like the marinated carrots that come with the first snacks, cuttlefish with 'Arrifana-style' sauce (with a special type of pepper), and roasted octopus with the famous sweet potatoes from Aljezur, alongside a surprising number of vegetarian options, like grilled portobello sandwiches and that same sweet potato in a dish with mushrooms, spinach, pea and a low-temperature egg.
O Sargo
More than a surfer café with poké bowls and detox juices (though it has those too), the seaside O Sargo has a menu that's globetrotting yet logical, full of dishes that make sense on sunny, salty days. It's eclectic, ranging from a classic (but bright and zesty) Portuguese octopus salad and tuna skewers with lemon rice to unexpected offerings like wagyu carpaccio, scallops with black rice, and duck breast with gnocchi. The simple terrace, overlooking the long beach of Monte Clérigo, has some of the best ocean views in the area.
Yabalulu
On a coastline dotted with traditional Portuguese fish restaurants, Yabalulu stands out for its inventive Middle Eastern vegetarian dishes. Partners Henry d'Aguiar and Noam Martin call their concept 'fun dining' with a 'dash of playfulness.' That means homemade veggie burgers on big fluffy buns, deep-fried cauliflower with house-made aioli, Greek salads with solid hunks of salty feta, homemade hummus with hard-boiled egg and an Instagram feed full of tattooed arms reaching across tables to share the colorful plates. Buoyed by the success of their first location in Praia das Furnas, they opened a second location in Cercal do Alentejo last year.
Ar'Terra Bistro
Live music, DJs and jam sessions are part of the draw at Ar'Terra Bistro, but the partners and cooks are also having some fun with what they're putting on the plates. They call their gastronomic experience a mix of traditional and alternative, a hybrid that manifests in a dining room that looks like an eccentric friend's beach house, and in plates like açorda (garlicky bread stew) with cockles, salted cod and big sprigs of rosemary; colorful panipuri with wild boar, caramelized red onions and edible flowers; and a medley of roasted local vegetables topped off with a pile of sweet potato chips and a vivid rosette of purple potato cream.