Casa Modesta

Casa Modesta is a nine-room rural guesthouse on the edge of the Ria Formosa lagoon in Quatrim do Sul, just outside Olhao. The house was built by the family of Joaquim Modesto de Brito, a local fisherman known as "o Campeao", and later restored by his descendants as a way of preserving the family's memories of the place. Rooms open onto private patios, and the grounds include an organic vegetable garden, formal gardens and a solarium, with the daily rhythm of the property shaped by the tides of the surrounding lagoon. The design is contemporary rather than traditional: clean lines, natural materials and an emphasis on quiet, unhurried stays. The guesthouse has been recognised by Conde Nast Johansens, Architizer and the Travel and Hospitality Awards, and holds Turismo de Portugal's Clean and Safe certification. Bookings run through Casa Modesta's own reservation system.