ALMA DO VALE - Portugal
Destination: Alma do Vale
Location: Algarve, Portugal
Alma Do Vale - Finding rhythm in the hills of inland Algarve.
I always look forward to a trip to the Algarve, the southern sun, the vast landscapes, the way the air smells purely of summer. When Carlijn and Niels, owners of Alma do Vale, a newly opened boutique stay in the hills of inland Algarve, invited me for a stay, I couldn't say yes fast enough (pinch me).
Located in São Marcos da Serra, just 45 minutes from Faro Airport, slightly off the beaten track of the small village, you can notice the noise fade away as you get nearer, the valley landscape stretching wide. The roads narrow, the hills roll on a little longer than expected, and by the time you arrive, whatever pace you brought with you has already started to slow down.
Alma do Vale is a place you find your rhythm. It's not an escape from your life or your bubble, but somewhere to give yourself a little more space to notice the things that can get lost amongst busy days. A first coffee in the morning. A slow breakfast by the pool. An afternoon with nowhere you need to be. A chance to work, read, create, or simply see where the day takes you.
Originally from the Netherlands, Carlijn and Niels have travelled the world together. After years spent travelling, several trips to Portugal up and down the country, and getting married here, and two years spent searching for the right home before relocating fully to São Marcos da Serra. Alma do Vale is not just a stay, it's a home, built from the ground up.
Alma do Vale itself consists of two one-bed studios, 'The Room' and 'The Studio' both perfect for a couple or a solo traveller, or booked together for a joint family trip or a getaway with friends. The hills of São Marcos da Serra surround the property on all sides, and from almost anywhere on site, you're met with the same wide, uninterrupted view across the valley.
There's a softness to the design, a warmth that comes from natural materials, muted tones, and furniture that feels chosen rather than sourced. Nothing is overdone. Every room, every corner of the garden, feels like it was made with a specific feeling in mind, one of ease, of settling in.
Look closer, and you start to notice just how much of Alma do Vale was made specifically for it, and for the people who stay. The ceramics scattered throughout the property, the mugs, plates, a wonderfully tactile noughts and crosses board carved into clay, all created lovingly by Luclay Ceramics especially for Alma. There's something quietly grounding about sipping your coffee from a mug you know was made with this exact place in mind.
The artwork carries the same spirit. Created by artist Beatriz Art based in Portugal, the pieces celebrate the mornings and nights shared within these walls, and echo the palette of the rooms around them. The lighter, warm tones of the woodwork set against bolder, more characterful touches: oversized ceramic pots, an antique wardrobe and tiling that isn't afraid to make a statement.
That statement is loudest in the bathrooms, where a burgundy and cream chequerboard floor brings a playful, almost retro energy to an otherwise calm space, the kind of detail you photograph before you've even unpacked, or at least that’s what I do… The bathroom amenities offer a nod to Carlijn and Niels' Dutch roots, turning a simple shower into something a little more considered, a little more elevated.
Breakfast made its way to the garden, a service available to add on to your stay that I'd genuinely recommend building into yours. The dishes are Niels and Carlijn's own recipes, brought together with local ingredients sourced from nearby markets, and soon, straight from their own garden, already brimming with fruit, with vegetables not far behind.
We were lucky enough to enjoy two dishes during our stay. The first was a homemade lemon and poppy seed granola, layered with caramelised peaches, pistachios and natural yoghurt, served in a beautiful blue bowl that, quite by accident, matched my jumper perfectly. Alongside it came fresh orange juice and, of course, a coffee (or two). The following morning brought avocado and feta on toast with sliced tomato and dressing. If you know me, you'll know how much a good Portuguese tomato can make my day, finished off with a slice of homemade peach cake for something sweet.
From there, days drifted between the striped sunloungers by the pool, the gentle sound of the pool's small waterfall feature a constant, calming backdrop, dipping in and out of the water whenever the sun got a little too much. For those wanting to move a little, there's a dedicated space for yoga, set with the same wide views of the valley and the surrounding hills rolling out beyond.
If you do want to explore, the surrounding countryside offers quiet hiking trails, small local villages, and the kind of scenery that rewards slow travel, no rush to tick off sights, just the freedom to wander and see where the road (or the trail) takes you.
When evening came, the garden table was set for two, surrounded by the garden in bloom and the soft glow of early evening light. The starter was, without exaggeration, one of the best I've ever had: a sharing plate of burrata with anchovies, citrus, olive oil and mint, served on a beautiful stainless steel platter, a perfect balance of flavours I've been thinking about ever since. The main course followed with steak and homemade pistachio pesto, alongside a fennel and onion salad dressed with orange, paired with a wonderful local Portuguese red wine. Watching the sun go down over the valley as we ate, it was picture-perfect, and just as good on the plate.
Alma do Vale is for those craving a slower kind of travel, one that leaves room to think, to create, to simply be. If you're looking for the Algarve beyond its coastline, somewhere quieter, more grounded, and entirely its own, it's worth the short drive inland.
Sophie x
