Aldeia da Pedralva

Aldeia da Pedralva is a rural hamlet in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, in the far west of the Algarve. More than a hundred people once lived here, but by 2006 only nine original residents remained and around fifty houses were in an advanced state of ruin. Over two years the promoters traced more than 200 owners and heirs, in Portugal and elsewhere in Europe, to buy thirty of the houses, and by 2010 the village was ready to receive guests.

Rather than building anew, the project restored the existing houses, using building materials faithful to the old constructions and restored furniture, while the municipality renewed the paving, lighting and plumbing and buried the electrical cables, keeping the look of the old villages. The accommodation holds the Green Key certificate, awarded to tourism businesses that meet criteria on efficient use of resources, waste management and environmental awareness, and it publishes an environmental and social declaration.

Guests stay in country houses with one to three bedrooms, some with a patio, and share a swimming pool, the village oven area and the Sítio da Pedralva restaurant with its Café Central. An activity centre has bicycles for more than 300 kilometres of mountain bike trails, along with a surf school and walking equipment. Pedralva is reached from Vila do Bispo on the road towards Aljezur, turning right after about eight kilometres.