Route length: 7.5km routeEstimated time: 1.5hCercal do Alentejo
Cercal do Alentejo is a 7.5-kilometer hiking trail managed by Rota Vicentina. It forms part of the local walking network (lwn).
Herdade da Matinha
Cercal do Alentejo, Portugal
A restored Alentejo estate where 55,000 hand-planted trees, an organic garden, and a spice-led kitchen shaped by three continents form a living act of communion with the land.
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Uniqueness
Fifty-five thousand trees stand where barren slopes once flooded after every rain. Cork oak, arbutus, Portuguese oak, and stone pine now cover the hills around Cercal do Alentejo. The Rota Vicentina trails leave directly from the estate, crossing mountains toward the Atlantic coast. Rooms look out over restored montado woodland and a valley that was lifeless just decades ago.
The founding family arrived to desertified land and chose restoration over development. Three generations of ancestors from India, Europe, Africa, and a Jewish heritage shaped the kitchen, the garden, the pace. Matinha's story shows us that we can be happy with little. There is space to just be. The ecosystem beats again, slowly, like a heart finding its rhythm.
activities at herdade da matinha country house & restaurant
The Rota Vicentina trail network starts at the front door. Matinha is an official partner on this 750-kilometre route through Alentejo countryside and coastline. Reception keeps maps for self-guided hikes, or the estate arranges guided walks.
Electric bikes rent from twenty euros per hour. Riders follow dirt roads and quiet tarmac through cork oak hills. Yoga classes run weekly in the bright shala overlooking the mountains, combining Yin and Vinyasa with pranayama and meditation. A ferry from Vila Nova de Milfontes crosses the Mira River to Praia das Furnas. Surfing and bodyboarding lessons happen on Costa Vicentina beaches. Stand-up paddle works on the Mira or the open Atlantic. Wine tastings at nearby Herdade do Cebolal round out slower days.
Hiking
Cycling
Yoga
Surfing
Paddleboarding
Boat Tours
Walking
Mindfulness
Activities Nearby
Explore additional experiences in the surrounding area.
Route length: 7.5km routeEstimated time: 1.5hRoute length: 19km routeEstimated time: 4hRota Vicentina - Trilho dos Pescadores - 2
Stage 2 of the Rota Vicentina - Fishermen's Trail covers 19 kilometers from Porto Covo to Vila Nova de Milfontes. The route includes 294 meters ascent and 288 meters descent.
Route length: 4.5km routeEstimated time: 1hPraia do Sissal
Praia do Sissal is a hiking route that covers a distance of 4.5 kilometers. It is part of the Rota Vicentina network and operated by Rota Vicentina.
Route length: 6km routeEstimated time: 1.5hCharcos Mediterrânicos (curto)
Charcos Mediterrânicos (curto) is a hiking route of approximately 6 kilometers located in the Rota Vicentina network. It is officially designated as PR7 ODM and marked with a distinctive symbol on maps. The trail is also known as Mediterranean Ponds (short) in English. Detailed information about the route can be found on the Rota Vicentina website.
Route length: 12km routeEstimated time: 2.5hCharcos Mediterrânicos (longo)
Charcos Mediterrânicos (longo), also known as Mediterranean Ponds (long), is a hiking route designated as PR7 within the Rota Vicentina network. The route covers a distance of 12 kilometers and is marked with the symbol red:yellow:red_lower:7ODM:black. It is part of the local walking network (lwn) and is officially operated by Rota Vicentina.
Straight-line distance from hotel: 17 km directEuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route - part Portugal 6
EuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route part Portugal 6 is a cycling route running between Vila Nova de Milfontes and Melides. It is recognized as part of the international EuroVelo cycling network.
Route length: 0.5km loopEstimated time: 6minLoop routeMoinho da Asneira
Moinho da Asneira is a leisure park that also serves as a hotel destination. It offers visitors a place to relax and enjoy hotel amenities in an outdoor park setting.
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Area sceneryStraight-line distance from hotel: 11 km directPraia do Porto das Barcas
Praia do Porto das Barcas is recognized as a viewpoint located by the coast. Visitors can enjoy views of the beach and ocean environment at this site.
Straight-line distance from hotel: 50 m directElectric bicycle rental
Guests can bring their own bicycle or rent an electric bicycle at the estate. The hotel states that electric bikes are available to guests over 12 years old.
Route length: 1.9km linearEstimated time: 9minLinear routeEstrada do Paiol
Estrada do Paiol is a tertiary gravel road with two lanes and no one-way restrictions. The road is located in a rural area and has a maximum speed limit defined by Portuguese rural standards. It is suitable for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling due to its unpaved surface and rural surroundings.
Gastronomy
The restaurant began as family dinners. The first guests, too lazy to go out on the road to eat, preferred to book dinner. Chef Alfredo cooks from what the garden gives him. Tomatoes, courgette, pumpkin, broad beans, aromatic herbs, and seasonal fruits grow in the organic beds outside the kitchen. Alentejo bread comes from a neighbour, Dona Ercilia. Oranges drop from estate trees.
The kitchen follows what Matinha calls 'The Three Generations.' Ancestors from India, Europe, Africa, and a Jewish heritage built its flavour. The nights smelled of curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin, paprika. Give Alfredo a handful of mushrooms and some cabbage leaves and he improvises something worth remembering. Breakfast runs from 08:30 to 11:00. Lunch and dinner serve daily, anchored in whatever the land and the neighbours provide.
Local Cuisine
Organic
Seasonal
Foraged & Wild
Cultural & Storytelling
Handmade
Sustainability
Rustic
Wellness
PAZ Wellness takes its name from the Portuguese word for peace. The founder's path began in an ashram in the Algarve in the late 1970s, studying with Prem Rawat. That personal search shaped this space. It is a temple of well-being empty of sacrosanct images.
The yoga shala is large and bright, with mountain views through the windows. Weekly group classes blend restorative Yin and energising Vinyasa with pranayama and meditation. Sessions start from thirty euros. Massage rooms open onto an outdoor relaxation area surrounded by natural gardens. Treatments begin at ninety euros and require advance booking. The estate also hosts dedicated wellness retreats.
Nature Immersion
Relaxation
Slow Living
Stillness
Views
Sustainability at Herdade da Matinha Country House & Restaurant
Sustainability is not a policy at Herdade da Matinha. It is the origin story. The land was barren and flood-prone when the family arrived. Intensive agriculture and pastoralism had stripped the soil. They planted 55,000 trees, species by species: cork oak, arbutus, Portuguese oak, stone pine. Water cycles slowly returned. Two decades later, the ecosystem is restored, like a heart that, little by little, beats again.
The organic vegetable garden feeds the kitchen with seasonal produce. Bread comes from Dona Ercilia's oven next door. Remaining food travels short distances from local producers, keeping the ecological footprint almost non-existent. Matinha is a certified partner on the Rota Vicentina sustainable trail network. Animals rest freely on the property. Guests cross the Mira River by ferry instead of driving. If we respect the land, it gives us the best.
Sustainability
Water
Rooms
Herdade da Matinha Country House & Restaurant offers 3 accommodation types.
Old House Double Room
Located in the main house, with a cosy, simple, light and harmonious atmosphere. Rooms have access to a small typical Alentejo patio that opens directly onto the garden.
Family Farmhouse Deluxe
Located in the new Farmhouse, built from scratch; connecting rooms designed for families that become spacious family rooms. Private outdoor area with views over the forest or the valley.
Old House Large Double
A double room with extra space, located in the main (old) house.
Reserve
Sleep among 55,000 trees on a restored Alentejo estate. Wake to mountain views, garden-fed meals, and trails to the Atlantic coast.
www.herdadedamatinha.com
Herdade da Matinha, 7555-231 Cercal do Alentejo, Portugal
reservas@herdadedamatinha.com
+351 968 848 579
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