Solar Egas Moniz Charming House

It’s a familiar dilemma when traveling internationally: we long to know locals in the city we’re visiting, someone to show us around, to introduce us to the local cuisine, to help us navigate tricky languages and crowded marketplaces. But do we actually want to stay under someone else’s roof? Solar Egas Moniz, located in Paço de Sousa, a half-hour’s drive outside Porto, aims to merge the concept of hotel stay and local experience.

The 19th-century family manor offers many of the amenities of a hotel: ten lovely and traditionally outfitted guest rooms, a complimentary breakfast, free wi-fi, an enoteca for wine tasting, and a swimming pool. But the owners provide cultural experiences, and personally tailored amenities, that you’re unlikely to find at a hotel: a self-service kitchen, Portuguese embroidery workshops, a traditional family living room where you can sit and chat with the owners by the fireplace. They’ll babysit your child, if requested, or escort you on a hike and picnic in the countryside. They’ll even pick you up in Porto and drive you personally to the manor. But unlike when you’re an actual house guest, you’re also free to operate totally independently, if so desired. For culturally minded travelers, it’s the best of both worlds.

The busy city of Porto, which few realize is one of the oldest cities in all of Europe, is a short drive away, making it possible to go into town for dinner and a stroll before returning to more peaceful surroundings. You don’t even have to clear it with your hosts — they won’t wait up for you, after all, unless you ask.

How to get there:
Solar Egas Moniz is about a 30-minute drive from Oporto, or a 3-hour drive from Lisbon.