Get your heart rate down and then get it up again while surfing between high waves: this is how we spend our days at Aethos Ericeira on the Portuguese Atlantic coast. But being an adrenaline junkie is not a must. The spa area, an in-house bar and luxurious rooms with sea views allow for endless relaxation.
The Atlantic Ocean is known as a wild, untamable mass of water that only professionals dare to enter with their surfboards. At Aethos Ericeira in Portugal, however, neither a surfboard nor a swimming certificate are compulsory. The endless blue can also be admired from afar. From the floor-to-ceiling windows of the renovated building, you always have the ocean in view – thanks to its location high on a cliff. If jumping into the cold currents of the Atlantic is too risky, the pool offers the perfect simulation: heated and with salt water, it feels almost like being in the open sea – minus the high waves and sand. If you want to become a surfing pro during your vacation, the hotel offers group lessons and private lessons. A trip to the surf mecca of Nazaré, just over an hour away, is also on the program – but it’s better to remain a spectator there.
Tailor-made relaxation
Wellness is a top priority at Aethos Ericeira – both indoors and outdoors. A hammam awaits you in the indoor spa, while you can watch the waves from the outdoor sauna. If that’s too much rest and relaxation, the gym beckons with the next sweat session. While these offers are nothing unusual for a luxury resort, the Aethos goes one better: if you fancy a real retreat but don’t know what it should involve, fill out a form on the website. A proposal for a personalized retreat will then flutter into your virtual mailbox. In between relaxing and activities, one thing must not be forgotten: Culinary delights. Aethos has its own restaurant and bar that celebrate the motto “shareable, sustainable, seasonal”. Local farms supply fresh vegetables and the seafood comes from fishing boats from the nearby port of Peniche.
Aethos Ericeira Hotel
The more obstacles you face, the more magnificent the end result. This seems to have been the motto for the Boutique Hotel Aethos Ericeira. What now looks so modern was created by renovating a former farmhouse located in a protected area. Despite numerous restrictions, the team of architects succeeded in realizing their vision. As a result, nature was not harmed and part of the original building was preserved. The shape and color allow the hotel to merge with its surroundings. Thanks to its location on a cliff, the view of the Atlantic is guaranteed.
Aethos Ericeira, R. da Estalagem, 2640-255 Encarnação, Portugal, aethos.com
Surfing, hiking, relaxing or simply admiring the hotel’s architecture? Book your next break here.
Where else are we drawn to? To the island of Samos, among other places.
Photos: © Francisco Nogueira
