About Us
We are Ana and Miguel, your hosts at Terracota.
Terracota is a house dating from 1934, restored by us over several years with patience, care and deep respect for its history. We wanted to preserve its character, recover original materials and details whenever possible, and create a lived-in space where art, design, craftsmanship and simplicity come together naturally.
Ana works in curating, art consultancy and cultural management. Miguel is an artist and sculptor. Together, we also run Estúdio Onze, an artistic project founded in the Algarve in 2016.
Terracota grew from that same way of seeing the world: a love of materials, handmade objects, pieces with a history and the distinctive light of the Algarve. Rather than creating an impersonal holiday rental, we wanted to share a home with character — welcoming, imperfect in just the right way and designed to be truly lived in.
We hope you will find time here to rest, reconnect and discover a quieter side of the Algarve, between the hills and the sea.
How to experience the house
Terracota was never intended to be simply a place to sleep. It is a house to be enjoyed slowly, following the different rhythms of the day.
Start slowly | Open the windows, let the light in and have breakfast in the garden. Make coffee, pick up fresh bread in the village and enjoy the stillness of the early morning.
Follow the light | Throughout the day, the house offers different places to pause: the gardens, the pool, the hammock, the shaded corners and the roof terrace. Choose your spot according to the sun, the shade and the mood of the moment.
Cook and stay at the table | Visit the market, choose local ingredients and prepare a meal without watching the clock. Light the barbecue, open a bottle of wine and let the conversation linger around the table.
Live surrounded by art | Art is part of the house’s identity. Take time to notice the artworks, objects and materials in each room. Some pieces tell our own story; others introduce the work of artists and craftspeople we admire.
Go up to the roof terrace | At the end of the day, head up to the roof terrace and watch the light change over the village. It is one of our favourite places to talk, read, look at the stars or simply sit in silence.
Explore the hills and the sea | Terracota allows you to experience both sides of the Algarve. Begin the day on a countryside trail and end it by the sea, before returning to the calm of the house and the village.
Do nothing | That is part of the experience too. Take an afternoon nap, read in the hammock, go for a swim, listen to music or let the day unfold without a plan. At Terracota, slowing down is not about losing time — it is about experiencing it differently.
