Due to life circumstances, Ella and Sergey Smotrov, owners of Vinte – Quinta da Boavista, decided it was time for a change. They left their home country Russia and travelled around Europe. Eventually they visited Portugal, namely Ponte de Lima, during a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Rumour has it that it was love at first sight and from then on, they knew they had to leave their mark on the charismatic town. They found a property that had been left unoccupied for ten years and renovated two of the buildings on it. They named it Vinte – Quinta da Boavista, a name justified by the day they decided to change their lives, December 20, which, coincidentally, is also the number on the door of this rural establishment. Today, the estate is growing, in step with the seasons, and that’s where we’re heading.As we get closer, the hills begin to appear, lined with woodland, and there is beauty to be found among the evergreen trees. The reverie soon ends when our eyes direct us to the sign that we insist on spelling out «Vinte – Quinta da Boavista». At the entrance Maria Lopes, the reception manager, welcomes us with a sincere smile. We know we’ve arrived at the peaceful retreat when the town around the estate becomes unnoticeable. We are enveloped by a light aura that accompanies the verdant landscape of a November afternoon. Following the cobbled path that leads to the rooms, two fully renovated houses come into view, joined by a shared courtyard. One is the Casa do Caseiro (caretaker’s house) and the other is the Casa de Familia (family house). We’re given the latter, which has three bedrooms, one of which has a double bed and a walk-in wardrobe. There is a kitchen with equipment for preparing daily meals and, continuing around the accommodation, there are living areas and two bathrooms. In order to intensify the experience, we take our shoes off. The floor is heated and the room temperature creates a sense of nostalgia and emotional comfort. On the table, we’re spoilt with seasonal fruit (picked on the estate) and the house wine, called Vinte. In the bedrooms, televisions are out of sight, all we need is the built-in speaker and a bed whose pillows and mattress ensure restful sleep.
Where time passes slowly