07/06/2026
We are Herman and Angela — a Dutch-Brazilian couple who fell head over heels for the Algarve and never quite recovered. Honestly, we never wanted to.
Our story here didn’t start with a business plan. It started with a feeling. The warmth of the people, the quality of the food, the unhurried pace of life, the wine shared at long tables as the sun goes down — we were completely, helplessly in love. We kept coming back. And each time, the pull grew stronger.
When the moment came to put down roots, we knew one thing clearly: we didn’t want to simply build something new and beautiful. We wanted to preserve something real. For both Quinta da Lila and our first project Casa da Lila in nearby Silves, we deliberately sought out abandoned ruins — not despite the challenge, but because of it. These places deserved to be saved.
Quinta da Lila, nestled in the hills of Monchique, had been sleeping for over 40 years when we found her. Overgrown, forgotten, but still quietly magnificent. We didn’t choose this estate — we’re quite certain she chose us. Restoring her has been a labour of love: driven not by profit, but by a deep desire to honour what was here before us and give it a future.
For centuries these hills were home to vineyards, until the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century wiped them out almost entirely. We’ve planted a new vineyard at Quinta da Lila to change that — bringing wine back to a landscape that was always meant to grow it, and continuing a story that was never really finished.
When you stay here, you’re not checking into a holiday rental. You’re stepping into our dream — and we hope it feels every bit as magical to you as it does to us.
Welcome. Make yourself at home. Really.
Herman & Angela
