Monte do Cansado

We are used to say "the first impression counts". And the one I had at Monte do Cansado was one of the bests from my stay in Portugal this June. Lia and Helge warmly welcomed us like family with a spontaneous late lunch "à portuguesa": bread, choriço, cheese, tomato salad and red wine. I talked with them about their projects at Casas da Serra Tavira and about their life path. I had a very inspiring start into my stay at one of their houses.

Lia went to Berlin to finish her studies in journalism when she met Helge and they fell in love. They both share another love, one for sunny Algarve! Helge spent some time of his early childhood in Portugal and has therefore a strong connection to the country too. In Algarve, precisely in an almost abandoned little village in the foothills of the Serra Algarvia about 10 kilometers from Tavira and 8 kilometers from the sea, they've found their happy place.

Four years ago, Lia and Helge decided to move to Portugal with their family and started working on their first two holiday homes Serro da Volta and Monte do Cansado. They rebuilt the houses in the traditional Algarve style, employing local craftsmen and using traditional materials such as handmade roof tiles, canes and hydraulic tiles.

View from Monte do Cansado to the other holiday home Serro da Volta.

Monte do Cansado is situated on the edge of the “Mata da Conceição” National Park and has two rooms, a generous open-space kitchen and a large terrace with breathtaking panoramic views over the hills, valleys and villages of the Serra de Tavira. It is ideal for those seeking peace and quiet, hikers, nature and beach lovers who do not want to stay in the crowded apartment complexes at the cost. I've already written about how I (and Mike) like to feel at home when on vacation. For us, home is linked to a certain aesthetic, a pure, natural but also exclusive one. We like handcrafted pieces but also high-end quality products and design.

Lina and Helge share the same love for details and design. Carefully, they made a beautiful selection for their holiday homes. Some pieces remind me of my very modest childhood. But they go wonderfully with modern furniture. Monte do Cansado is a modern, authentic Portuguese home or as we say it "uma casa portuguesa".

Spacious open kitchen and living room

To preserve the house's heritage was very important for Lina and Helge. In addition to the authentic reconstruction and the materials they used, the person who will check you in is the daughter of the former owner. For her, Monte do Cansado is an emotional place linked to her family. I felt like she is very thankful and happy that Lina and Helge kept somehow a bit of her past in the house and that she is proud to still be a part of it.

Monte do Cansado is, as mentioned, one of the two holiday homes. We'd like to visit the bigger one, Serro da Volta, soon too. Lina and Helge are rebuilding another house next to Monte do Cansado and if everything goes according to the plan, a forth house will follow. We are very curious to see their wonderful projects grow. They are important, so Algarve can combine authentic tourism with exclusive experiences. With Casas da Serra Tavira Lina and Helge are not only promoting the slow kind of traveling but also preserving Portuguese heritage.