Bucket List

Heralded designer Nini Andrade Silva created the visual concept for the arresting Vila Foz Hotel & Spa, newly opened in Portugal’s chic coastal city, Porto. In an affluent area boasting boutiques and a lively restaurant scene, and a bastion for all things design, the 68-room hotel sits in splendour on one of Porto’s finest avenues in Foz do Douro. Silva’s vision recreates the intimacy of a boutique residence set within a palatial 19th-century restored manor house, and marries her love of clean, contemporary lines with classical romanticism. Rich decorative elements are complemented with warm colours, pattern and soft textures, which soften the grandness of the large space. Modern rooms contrast natural wood and stone with mirror and glass, all the better to capture decor in shoreline-inspired tourmaline greens and earthy browns that recollect the wild Atlantic oceans surrounding the city. Also taking its inspiration from the bewitching locale is chef Arnaldo Azevedo’s seasonal seafood-rich cuisine. Should you wish to experience the coast yourself, make a beeline for the beach. Pass by the impressive 17th-century Castelo do Queijo fortress and through The City Park urban gardens, where 10 miles of trails and lakes will lead you to sand and sea.

www.vilafozhotel.pt/en/home