Villa Extramuros
We stayed at Villa Extramuros in June 2016 – what a stylish and relaxing place! First we did not dare knocking at the door. Mike was sure, we ended up at a private villa and that this could not be the place I actually booked for us. It looked so amazing! And then François opened the door and welcomed us in. We were at the right place.
Let me tell you, when you enter Villa Extramuros, you feel like being part of a shooting for a fancy interior design magazine. The owners, François and Jean-Christophe, did an amazing job. The architecture is a mix of concrete, marble, glass and cork. And the interior decoration blends a warm collection of vintage furniture and art of the 1950’s to the 1990’s, with pieces of local handicraft.
The Villa Extramuros is located in Arraiolos, Alentejo, at mid-distance between Lisbon and Spain, and very close to Évora, a Unesco World Heritage City. In the heart of a preserved landscape of cork oaks and olive trees, and in a region rich of centuries of History and Culture, the owners invite you to come and discover a small villa-hotel of contemporary charm, immersed into nature. It's so quiet and calm. We specially enjoyed the slow start into the day with a delicious breakfast in the patio.
Inspired by the traditional design of roman villae and medieval convents, around a patio, the contemporary architecture of the Villa Extramuros reflects the charm of the villages in Southern and Mediterranean Europe. The emblematic materials of Alentejo, marble and cork, were given a core place in the construction and decoration. We specially loved the view from our superior suite overlooking Arraiolos. Every room has a private terrace and panoramic views. In 2017, they opened two cork bungalows with a junior suite, at short distance from the main Villa, in the middle of the olive grove. The same modernist architecture,with an "eco-pop" decoration.
We can't wait to be back in Alentejo in January. Winter is specially beautiful and very different to the summer landscape - all green with flowers! Thank you François and Jean-Chrstophe for being such lovely and friendly hosts.
See you soon hopefully,
Liliana
Architecture
Voar Arquitetura: Jordi Fornells & Rolf Heinemann 2011
Pictures © Villa Extramuros