Villa Placida

About this property

Around 50km north west of Lisbon, in the prime surfing territory of Ericeira, Villa Placida enjoys a wonderfully peaceful coastal setting. Within walking distance of the sandy beach, up to twelve guests can enjoy this modern five-bedroom villa with private heated pool and hot tub and gorgeous sea views.

The spacious garden includes a lawn area and a paved terrace with dining table and chairs, large enough to seat twelve guests. You also have a barbecue at your disposal, and a generous array of sun loungers to lay back and relax on.

At 10m x 5m, the private swimming pool is a good size and extends from 1.1m at the shallow end to 2.1m at the deep end. If you would instead take a dip in the hot tub, there’s room for five in there.

Step inside, and you have an open-plan living and dining room with comfy sofas, television, DVD and music system and direct access to the garden. A spacious kitchen provides appliances large and small, from a fridge freezer and dishwasher to a kettle and coffee machine.

The ground floor also features a twin bedroom and bathroom, while the remaining bedrooms can be found on the next level. The master suite has its own en-suite with whirlpool bath and shower, and the three other bedrooms can be configured as either doubles or twins, sharing the use of two further bathrooms, one with a bathtub. On the upper floor, you have a games room with table football, darts and table tennis.

Praia de São Lourenço is 800m from the villa, so early morning or late-night walks on the beach can become a regular fixture. Much loved by the Portuguese but relatively undiscovered by visitors –apart from surfers, of course – Ericeira is charming and chilled out with four sandy beaches and some excellent seafood restaurants.

Around 10km away, Mafra, with its monumental National Palace – one of the grandest you’ll find in the whole of Europe – forms a must-see destination for those intrigued by Portugal’s history.

With its dramatic coastline, pounding Atlantic waves and numerous golden beaches, it’s surprising that Ericeira isn’t better known to tourists. Effortlessly cool and charming, it provides excellent value and serves as an excellent base for exploring the wider region.

A wander around its cobbled streets, and pretty fishing harbour is not complete without stopping for a bite at one of its highly-rated seafood restaurants – the catch doesn’t get much fresher than in Ericeira.

Those who do visit often combine a trip to Ericeira with the nearby town of Mafra – the grand Palácio Nacional de Mafra, built on the order of King João V in the 18th century, being its star attraction. This Baroque marvel, with a stunning basilica, convent and library holding 36,000 volumes, has to be seen to be believed.

Ericeira lies just to the north of the expansive Sintra-Cascais Natural Park which runs down Portugal’s most westerly fringe. The two towns which form its name are both worthy of an excursion. One of the key attractions of Cascais is the opulent Castro Guimares Museum, featuring artefacts of Portuguese history dating back many centuries.

Another favourite reason to visit Cascais is the Boca do Inferno, a rugged cliff formation which has taken a visible battering from the Atlantic and continued to do so. It’s informally referred to as ‘Hell’s Mouth’ – visitors in winter will experience the full drama.

Sintra is historically rich and fascinatingly so, with numerous notable buildings. From the romantic Palacio da Pena to arabesque Palacio de Monserrate and gothic Palacio Nacional, the variety could keep you going for days.

The surroundings are just as striking, providing beautiful and challenging conditions for hiking, rock climbing, cycling and the like – and if that sounds a bit much, regular trains will whisk you rather more effortlessly to Lisbon in just 40 minutes.

Accommodation

The Villa
Villa Placida has a bright and airy feel and is located in a quiet village 50 km away from the capital. There are 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, and it can accommodate up to 12 people.

Ground Floor
- Twin bedroom
- Bathroom
- Home theatre
- Dining & living area
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Access to the patio & pool area

First Floor
- Double bedroom with en-suite bathroom
- Three double bedrooms

Second Floor
- Games room

Exterior
- Swimming pool (10x5m)
- Large patio & garden area
- Sun loungers & parasols
- Outdoor sitting & dining area
- Covered terrace
- Outdoor shower
- Jacuzzi
- Bicycles
- BBQ area
- Private parking