Maria's Home  |  Cottage in Vila do Conde

We were surprised by the the very nice house with a beautiful garden! It was even better than expected!We were very well informed in advance and very friendly received upon arrival.The house is equipped with all comforts and all our questions were answered quickly and well.All in all a fantastic stay that we can heartily recommend!

A Hidden Gem – Peaceful, beautiful and Perfectly Maintained!We had the most incredible stay at Maria’s home VRBO property! The location is quiet and serene, it was the perfect vacation home for a family. We were impressed by the landscaping and well-maintained yard. We enjoyed eating breakfast with a view every morning. 10/10 Recommend!

The property is gorgeous The‘pool house’ part of it is the only disappointing part with the shower right on top of the toilet and the cramped bedroom

The week at Emas place was terrific. Beautiful house, perfect for big families.

What's a great place very quiet and secluded with a nicely fenced backyard and a pool. Definitely looking forward and staying there again

We stayed in Maria's House in late August, and it was a real pleasure. the property managers / owners were so welcoming and helpful, we had no problem or any issues at all. This property is a real hidden gem, from the outside it looks like a very humble farm house, but once you step inside its like a little paradise. There is so many lovely outdoor spots: two outdoor dining areas, large lounge, BBQ, pool terrace... all set in the most beautiful and loved garden we have even seen in a self-catering property. The indoors spaces are also spacious and very comfortable. The property is about 15-20 minutes to Vila du Conde, and the village itself has not much in the way of amenities, so a car is a must. However once you're in the property its very difficult to leave! We hope to be back. Thank you Ema & Joana.

Cannot be faulted

We have to say the pictures on the website do not do it justice. We stayed at the villa at the end of July 2019 as we had a wedding to attend to in the neighbourhood. We were 2 couples and 4 children of 14/13/12 and 12 and were very pleasantly surprised by the size of the property and the ground. The house marries modern and old perfectly. There are 3 bedrooms on the fist floor, 2 ensuite and a single with a seperate bathroom. On the 2nd floor there is another double with a balcony which you can access with a spiral staircase. All bedrooms and bathrooms were amazingly clean and modern. Lots of towels were provided as well. There was hairdryers in the main bathrooms. There was so much space outside to sit and entertain , we had BBQ all the time, basically you could have had the wedding party in there. As well as the main house there was a separate small building with a double bedroom, a shower / WC room and a laundry room. So we could easily have had another couple of friends staying with us. There was also a separate building with a room equipped with a table tennis and some toys. As well at the back of the house there is a space to park your car and a basketball hoop and an orchard. Joanna, Ema's assistant welcomed us very warmly on arrival. There was the essential in the fridge like milk/bread/butter which was so kind of Ema and Joanna. During our stay I was in contact with Joanna if I had any questions and she always replied promptly and was very helpful. Ema came to see us off on the last day and brought us some lovely local speciality which was such a kind gesture. All is all a good holiday, shame the weather was not so great but we can't do anything about that . I would greatly recommend the villa although it was out of the way, you would need to car to get around but there are Uber easily accessible, we usually waited 15min to get one. The only time we had problem is when we wanted to go for dinner in Vila de Conde on the Sunday night. And getting a taxi back from there to the villa got a bit tricky as there was no drivers around. Thankfully some locals ordered us a normal taxi . I guess Sunday is a rest day for locals and there wasn't as many drivers available as usual.

We were a party of three couples with children. Upon separate arrival each couple expressed the same astonishment that this is a millionaires home. The images are accurate but do not give the impression that all the areas are for your sole use. We thought there were shared areas but no, each photo is of your own space. If this was a house for sale i would be looking to buy it and the outside space is superb and all of us wished we could take the gardens home. The house is away from the main tourist areas so you need a car to get around but we visited Porto, Vila de Conde and Braga successfully.

We had a fabulous time here in July 2016. Our extended family (7 people) all fit easily - in fact, the home actually could sleep 10. The property is very private, with stone walls surrounding it, so you can sit outside for a family meal, for instance, and feel completely at home. We really enjoyed the two dining terraces. The pool and surroundings were great, much enjoyed by our 3 kids. The interior of the home is also beautiful, very romantic yet comfortable. We found the kitchen well-equipped (the owner was kind enough to stock it with some groceries and wine for us!). If, like us, you haven't been in the area before and don't know what to expect, the town is about 40 minutes from downtown Porto, maybe 30 min from the airport and about 20 min to the closest beach. The nearby valley of the Douro river is worth a visit, with beautiful winding roads and charming villages. The house itself is a few streets off the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James). The weather was perfect, warm enough to enjoy the pool and eating outside, but never too hot, with beautiful blue skies every day. Finally, the owner and her family are helpful, warm and friendly. The entire experience was just fabulous. We would love to come back!!