House with 4 bedrooms 7 km from the beach

Casa da Insua is an incredible gem in one of Portugal's most beguiling and beautiful regions. Our family rented the house for an extended two months in the summer of 2018 and loved every moment we spent there. Here are some highlights: 1. The house sits on a plot of land surrounded by mountains and trees, and features 4 large terraces planted with grapevines, vegetables, and fruit trees. The most persistent sounds in the summer were those of birds. Only 1-2 cars an hour passed on the small, cobblestone road, and the surroundings are all gardens and cornfields and grapevines galore--incredibly bucolic and lush and beautiful. The immediate backyard had a sprawling, soft green lawn and beautiful flowers and fruit trees surrounding it. There's a gorgeous stone table outside that is completely shaded by jasmine vines in the summer--wonderful for grilling with friends outside at night. 2. The main house has three ample bedrooms, a beautiful, well-equipped library, an office, front room, dining room, a big, airy bathroom with a large clawfoot tub. The living room is spacious but cozy and comfortable, and the whole house is alive with art--paintings, figurines, sculptures. The kitchen has every cooking utensil and device and dish a serious chef might need, and its huge fireplace--whether you need to use it or not (we did, in June!)--is just beautiful. 3. The proximity to Caminha and other incredible towns and beaches along the western coast, including Spain only a 20-minute ferry ride away, made Casa Insua's location super convenient for us. We visited at least ten different beaches within 30 minutes drive up and down the coast--all gorgeous and clean. The surrounding countryside is magical and fun to explore, and all of Spain's Galicia is within daily striking distance. 4. Casa Insua's host, Vica, is a visionary and intuitive guide to all things local and Portuguese, a truly lovely human who helped us immeasurably during our two-month stay. And her collaborator/helper/gardener/farmer-extraordinaire, Maria Jesus, showed unforgettable kindness to our children when we needed someone to tend them for a few hours each week, taking them on tractor rides and letting them feed her chickens. We feel enormous love for Casa Insua, the warm and welcoming town of Caminha, and this whole culturally-rich region of Portugal.