If you head north from Lisbon and follow the road to Óbidos, that medieval town like no other in this country where the sun shines almost every day of the year, you’ll find a turn-off at about the halfway point to Santa Cruz, a small paradise for wave lovers. Its long sandy beach is mythical, as is its Ocean Spirit Festival (the name says it all), where water sports are taken extremely seriously. We’re in the heart of the Oeste, that part of western Portugal by the Atlantic coastline that has been transformed over the last few decades into a privileged destination for nature experiences and, of course, a gastronomic territory of unrivalled freshness – maritime, of course!
The Santa Cruz Beach splits into several until it reaches the Mexilhoeira Beach. From there to the Areias do Seixo Hotel is exactly 14 minutes on foot. And there aren’t many places like this in Portugal. Between rooms and villas, everything is literally a program in itself. There are accommodations that are olfactory and chromatic sensory experiences, with a jacuzzi, fireplace and ocean view. There are rooms where recycled and natural materials evoke family stories. For perfect isolation from stress, there are charming tents set up between the gardens and the pine forest, with no internet connection (compare to this, glamping is commonplace). Next to the hotel, the six villas, perfect for families or groups of friends, transport you to specific, safe universes, with private swimming pools.
All this architectural and sensory experience, designed with superior taste down to the smallest detail, including the very refined spa experiences, unfolds in the enjoyment of the surrounding nature, between bike rides along the coast or unforgettable hours of surfing or SUP. But the first great architect is Nature: the sea, the dunes, the trees – the Portuguese West at its best.