Ângela and Luís

Over twenty years ago, outside the legendary café Piolho in Porto, Luís and Ângela met. She, a second-year psychology student; he, a photojournalist.

There was something about her that drew him in—the shy, fleeting smile, the dark eyes that seemed to whisper secrets, the fragile way she moved through the world, like a child exploring a forest. And she sensed in him the grounding she had longed for.

Everyone said they were too different, that they could never last. But months turned into years, and their bond only deepened. Ângela completed her degree, while Luís grew weary of the city’s relentless pace.

Yet, despite their differences, they shared a quiet hunger. They craved silence and freedom. They longed for life’s simplest joys: the song of birds, the scent of rain-soaked earth, sunsets over the hills.

Whenever they could, they fled to the mountains. And whenever they returned, a subtle sadness lingered in their throats, nameless but heavy. Luís understood: the city’s noise and chaos no longer belonged to him. He needed a new life. From that desire, a dream began to take shape.

He challenged Ângela to imagine a rural retreat in the Serra do Açor. She did not answer at once—she was young, still dreaming of changing the world.

But months passed, and the walls of their tiny apartment began to close in. The traffic, the clamor of nights, the endless hunt for a parking space—it all became unbearable. Finally, she said yes.

Together, they explored the Serra do Açor, every winding road, every hidden valley. Thousands of kilometers in an old Fiat, searching for a piece of land that would let their dream breathe. They wated a retreat that blended seamlessly with the mountains. A space where guests could inhale freedom, marvel at the wild beauty of nature, and simply be.

Then, they found Chãs D’Égua, just five minutes from the village of Piódão. And there, in that perfect corner of the world, they found home.