SIÈCLE & Villa Alentejo
Published on Monday, January 1, 0001
VILLA ALENTEJO
Historic cities represent the identity of a territory, of a population.
By settling in the center of historic towns, Alentejo Villas creates a new local tourism where the past and history open up the discovery of sensations and experiences, for visitors in search of heritage, authenticity, identity, history.
Co-founder and artistic director of the SIÈCLE Paris brand for 30 years, Marisa has developed a universe around the art of hospitality, the love of decorative arts, handmade and excellent craftsmanship.
To welcome you among her creations while making known this wonderful region of Alto Alentejo where she spent so many good times of her childhood, here is now her ambition.
The city of Crato, by its historical importance, the preserved nature which surrounds it, the quality of its gastronomy, is the privileged place for this project.
The small size of its urban center allows you to interact with the local population and fully enjoy what the Alentejo knows how to give best: a place where you can recharge your batteries, surrounded by nature, peace, pure air.
This very special way of apprehending Time in Alentejo makes us understand perfectly that ultimately it is, perhaps, one of our most precious possessions.
It is to take full advantage of the essence of all this that Marisa Osório Farinha has patiently restored and redecorated La Maison des Oiseaux, thus allowing this strong historical heritage to be shared with its visitors, in the authenticity of the local culture, while living the uniqueness of an author's house, a designer's house.
With this rather special partnership, SIÈCLE is happy to present you the best of the Upper Alentejo - Portugal region, starting with three great makers.
Pedro Capao, guide of the High Alentejo
Through his company TOOBRA, Pedro explains to us
TOOBRAA (Tourist Offers On the Beautiful and Rich Alto Alentejo), a tourist animation company based in Alto Alentejo (Crato) was created with the aim of filling the lack of a type of tourist animation that could serve the whole region of the Northeast of Alentejo.
Seeking, renewing, educating and encompassing all tourism agents and stakeholders in a single thought - "final customer satisfaction and more sustainable action in the field" - is the mission we have had in hand since 2020, the year in which the business was launched.
Herdade do Gamito, vineyard
In the county of Crato, district of Portalegre, in the upper Alentejo, the vineyards are geographically integrated into the wine-growing area called Vinho Regional Alentejano. From Roman times, wine was produced in this region. The vineyard was installed in three phases. The first phase in 2001 (10 hectares), the second in 2003 (14 hectares) and more recently an installation of 3 hectares of vines in white grape variety.
Chosen according to the characteristics of the terroir, the grape varieties used in our blends and varietals include: Aragonêz, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Verdelho, Arinto and Alvarinho.
Haras Monte Barrão, horse breeder
Monte Barrão is a traditional agricultural enterprise in the region. Located near Alter do Chão, it includes three areas with a fantastic natural landscape, where there is no shortage of spaces and settings for country picnics, mountain biking, walking, horseback riding, carriage rides, hot air balloon rides, boat trips... or for activities on its two dams, such as jet-skiing, water-skiing and canoeing. The climate determines the uniqueness of the region's landscape, where species such as cork oak, holm oak and olive trees predominate. The dams allow the practice of sport fishing and the observation of different animals, guaranteeing visitors a good time.
Dispensa Fransiscana, ginja & local products
Owners of an ancestral Ginjinha recipe, which was transmitted to my husband, in secret, by his great friend, brother Francisco de Santo António, of the Order of Saint Francis of Assisi, we finally decided to give color and life to this heritage and to keep the promise made by my husband: To plant a ginjinha and create a ginjinha in an artisanal way according to the ancient formula: the "Conventual Franciscan Ginja".
Ginjinha was the starting point of our desire to make known to the world the best of these lands of northern Alentejo. This is why we have created the despensafranciscana.com online store, which brings together a unique selection of products and partners from the region.
