Algarve, Santa Bárbara de Nexe, Portugal

Set on an elevated, private plot in Bordeira, in the parish of Santa Bárbara de Nexe, this single-storey farmhouse was once an old ruin a forgotten stone shell among the olive and carob trees. What stands today is the result of a complete, uncompromising renovation that kept the soul of the original building while quietly bringing everything else into the present. The long white façade, with its softly detailed stucco window surrounds, powder-blue shutters and traditional terracotta roof, feels as though it has always belonged to this landscape.

Step inside and the house opens up in a way the exterior only hints at. The heart of the home is a generous open-plan living, dining and kitchen space crowned by a soaring double-height ceiling with exposed, whitewashed beams. Light moves through it all day. The bespoke kitchen finished in a warm, buttery yellow with a Silestone island, induction hob and a full-length mirrored splashback is the kind of room people gravitate towards, at once a place to cook and a place to gather. Art, texture and carefully chosen colour give every room character rather than showroom polish; this is a house that has been styled to be lived in, not merely photographed.

The accommodation is arranged across a comfortable 166 m² of build, with three well-proportioned bedrooms, each with its own ensuite, and a further guest cloakroom. The principal suite enjoys its own dressing area and a calm, restful atmosphere, while the bedrooms throughout are dressed with an easy, collected elegance upholstered headboards, vintage landscape paintings, natural linens and soft rattan light. Fitted wardrobes, ducted climate control and quality finishes run throughout, and the property is offered ready to move into.

Outside is where the Algarve truly makes its case. A wide, south-facing terrace runs the length of the house, framing shaded dining and lounging areas beside a pool that looks out over the surrounding countryside. Cypress trees, lavender, rosemary and gravelled garden paths bordered by dry-stone walls give the grounds a Mediterranean serenity, and the mature olive and carob trees are a reminder of the land's working past. And it is a great deal of land 7480m², which the current owner will extend up to approximatively 11.000m², already included in the price. Privacy, space and possibility, a rarity so close to the coast and to Faro.

What makes this property so unusual is that combination: the intimacy and warmth of a beautifully restored farmhouse, set within a vast and secluded plot, yet only minutes from everything the central Algarve offers. It works equally well as a permanent home, a refined holiday retreat, or a considered long-term investment. The house is sold fully furnished!

Bordeira and Santa Bárbara de Nexe are among the most quietly coveted addresses in the hills of Faro and for good reason. This is the gentle, rolling countryside of the barrocal, where orange groves, almond trees and old stone quintas replace the crowds of the coast, and where a mild microclimate and elevated position bring long distant ocean views and fresh evening air. Life here still moves to a slower, more authentic rhythm: village cafés, Sunday markets, and neighbours who wave as they pass. And yet nothing is far. Faro, its historic old town and international airport lie a short drive away, as do the golf courses and fine dining of the Golden Triangle at Almancil, Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago, and the beaches and shimmering lagoons of the Ria Formosa. It is, in the truest sense, the best of both worlds the peace of the inland Algarve, with the whole coast within easy reach.
Energy Rating: B-
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