roadtrip portugal - casa mãe

Casa Mãe - Lagos

The second stop of our roadtrip was in Lagos. We stayed 3 days at hotel Casa Mãe, a very special place by the city walls of Lagos.

Last year we found the Casa Mãe magazine in a bookshop in Lisbon. At that time they were still building the hotel. In this magazine there are interviews with all the designers, craftsman, chefs, gardeners. We already knew we would like to visit Casa Mãe one day...

Casa Mãe is much more than a hotel. It opened in October 2016. Casa Mãe is about colloborations with Portuguese designers. Overlooking the old historic city and the sea, Casa Mae comprises three very different houses combining old and new, traditions and modern design.

They have managed to preserve the traditional skills and techniques, experimenting with new ideas and designs. For example the handwoven rugs by GUR you can find everywhere in the building. The hotel also has it's own organic vegetable garden and out of town farm.

Perfect base to explore the well-kept secrets of the wild part of the Western Algarve.

roadtrip portugal - olhão

Olhão is full of character with Moorish-style houses, an influence from the commercial links with Africa.

It's a city for people who love the authentic Portugal.

The colorful buildings reminded me sometimes a bit of Cuba.

This photo report says it all...

roadtrip portugal - casa modesta

Casa Modesta - Olhao

The first three days of our roadtrip we stayed at Casa Modesta.

Casa Modesta is right in the centre of Rio Formosa Natural Park and only 50 meters from the sea.

A traditional former family home, was turned into a small luxury hotel with nine individual suites.

Owner Carlos succeeded very well in creating a sense of local culture. All materials and foods are sourced locally and they even have a small organic vegetable garden.

We loved the relaxed atmosphere, the peace and quiet in the middle of nature, personal touch plus the amazing view!

portugal

[photo was taken in the summer of 2016 in Portugal]

Bom dia!
The two of us are on a roadtrip in Portugal.

For the third time in a row we will spend our summer holidays in Portugal.
We will start our journey in the beautiful nature of the Rio Formosa area and travel to Lagos & Lisbon.

You can follow me on Instagram @woodwoolstool
Adeus!

slow summer evening

Summer is not over yet...
We are enjoying one of the last August summer evenings.

The turtle pillow was a project I already started in May and it truly turned out to be a S L O W project!

Between the pile of unfinished projects, the turtle emerged and I finally took the time to finish the slow turtle pillow last week.

Isn't he cute, chilling on the daybed?

new stuff on the sofa

New stuff on the sofa.

A couple of pillows I made recently, two harlequin and a brand-new herringbone design.

Some will soon be for sale in my Etsy shop.

Because of satisfactory enthusiasm, I had to post this colorful pillows-on-the-sofa picture...