Casas do Carvalho

Casas do Carvalho is a wonderfully relaxing, beautiful and friendly place with three self-catering apartments in the small hamlet of Vale de Rivas near Alcobaca. We stayed here for a week in May 2023 with our two children (10 and 13). The apartments are relatively new, spacious and clean and contain a small but fully functional kitchen, spacious living room, bathroom with shower and two bedrooms (1 with a 2p bed and one with a bunkbed and sufficient space for a 5th bed). We particularly appreciated the pool amidst the field of wildflowers and the courtyard with its mature trees, lawn chairs and four free roaming chicken (also good for fresh eggs in the morning!), in which we spent some quiet time just reading in sun or shade. There’s a BBQ available for guests on a large common patio. Dutch owners Don and Eduard and their teenage daughter, who live on the same property in the old farmhouse, provide friendly assistance and a chat or glass of wine if you want it – a nice combination of being informative and gracious hosts, and allowing guests their privacy. We would certainly love to come back here!While this part of Portugal might be a little less known, there is plenty to do. Alcobaca is a 10-12 min. drive along rolling hills with quaint farmhouses, blue-and-while murals, wildflowers and the occasional goat. It boasts a huge monastery, colorful streets and good restaurants. It also has a good selection of large supermarkets should you wish to cook at the apartment. Batalha, with another hugely impressive monastery (especially the unfinished open-air chapel – look up and use your wide-angle lens!), is about 20 min drive away. The Atlantic Silver Coast is at about 30 min. Nazare has a huge beach both north and south of the cliffs towering above town, and the stretch between Foz do Arelho and Salir do Porto offers great look-outs over rocky cliffs and the ocean. Further inland, there’s Tomar (about 1 hour) with a very impressive aqueduct and the castle/monastery of the Templar knights, and our favorite (about 40 min): beautiful Obidos with a walkable (if you don’t suffer from vertigo!) wall all the way around the medieval streets. If you’re more a nature person, there’s Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros nearby Casas do Carvalho with semi-mountainous fields dotted with stone fences. We also much enjoyed the busy weekly Sunday market about 15 min. from Casas do Carvalho, which has some great fish, meat, cheese and pottery, as well as local lunch sandwiches – with wine of course.