CASA GARCIA, Amareleja, Alentejo, Portugal
Amaraleja miała być przystankiem przed właściwym celem podróży, czyli Monsaraz. Okazało się, że dała mi o wiele więcej niż tylko chwilę postoju. O wiele więcej, niż mogłam się spodziewać, gdy wyruszaliśmy z Ferragudo pewnego upalnego dnia.
Magiczna Casa Garcia
Amaraleja podarowała mi głębokie, piękne i wzruszające świadectwo wielopokoleniowej rodziny, która przybyła do Alentejo z Andaluzji, by kontynuować swoją sagę na ziemiach Portugalii. Rodziny niezwykłej, mądrej, twórczej, wykształconej, z misją wzbogacania świata dobrymi uczynkami. Jej historię opowiedziała mi cudowna Ana – jedna z właścicielek Casa Garcia.
Spędziłam w Casa Garcia magiczne chwile. Każde z wielu pomieszczeń tego niezwykłego domu jest stylowe, eleganckie, urządzone wytwornie i z miłością.
Casa Garcia przepełnia sztuka i piękne wspomnienia kolejnych pokoleń, które niegdyś ją zamieszkiwały. Ten pobyt był ucztą dla mojego serca i wrażliwości estetycznej.
Thank You Dear Ana for giving me such a testimony 🧡
1. What inspired you to start and run this charming family-owned place?
Our family is quite large and very united. That’s why we like to pass our family history to new generations and preserve its heritage, as Casa Garcia holds many events from our ancestors and human values that we cherish, which would otherwise be lost.
On the other hand, we also think it is important to contribute to ensuring that the rich heritage of the interior of Portugal is maintained and becomes accessible to people from all over the world and to the growing demand that Alentejo has had for people who want to discover and experience all its cultural richness, architecture, gastronomie, countrysite.
Therefore, for the recovery of Casa Garcia, we mobilized the great aesthetic sensitivity and diverse personal and professional skills our family members have.
At the same time, it is very interesting and rewarding to see how this family project brings us together as a family, makes us discover so much about each other, allows us to create synergies to overcome obstacles and co-create new possibilities.
The path we have taken is, and will continue to be, as rich as the result.
2. Could you tell me a bit about the history of Casa Garcia? It looks beautifully preserved.
Casa Garcia is the headquarters of an agricultural house that has seven generations in Amareleja. Originally from Sanlúcar del Guadiana in Spain, the Garcia family arrived in Portugal in the 19th century to continue its agricultural activity in the municipalities of Moura and Barrancos. Amareleja and this house were the first center of Garcias’ agricultural activity in Portugal.
For more than 200 years this House was everything: Headquarters of the agricultural activities, refuge for persecuted politicians, field hospital during the civil war in Spain, «Health Center» of Amareleja, residence of professors detached by the Estado Novo, social gathering of farmers, house of the Company of Jesus, headquarters of Missão País, family home and, above all, a place of peace where the door was never closed to anyone.
The House and everything it contains are part of this memory, a memory that belongs to the Garcia family but also to Amareleja, its people, and, in a way, part of the rural culture of the Alentejo. Each name of the suites in this House celebrates the memory of one of these Garcias, Andalusians made in the Alentejo who, having lived and worked here, contributed to Casa Garcia reaching the 20th century. The Garcia family is very happy to welcome everyone to their house hoping that their stay will create excellent memories for all.
3. I know that each room has its own amazing history and patron. Please, tell me a bit about that.
We are aware that nowadays travelers want to live meaningful experiences, learn new things and create impactful memories. That’s why storytelling is so important. As Casa Garcia is a house in which each space and each object have so much history and so many meanings, we found it essential to share them with our guests.
To this end, we identified the people who gave life to Casa Garcia in a more intense and relevant way, while contributing to the cohesion of the family, to the social and cultural dynamics of Amareleja and to the region.
We have seen that guests really enjoy learning about the story of the people who name each room and that this fact awakens many emotions in them, which makes them feel at home and part of the Garcia family.
On the other hand, we also took care to place in each space at Casa Garcia objects that were part of the Garcia family’s dailylife, thus contributing to the dissemination of the Portuguese way of life, work and culture, m specific of the Alentejo region.
On Casa Garcia’s website, and in all rooms, there is a document in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French that tells the story of the village, the house and of each of the people who name each room.
4. What makes your guesthouse stand out from others in the area?
Casa Garcia´s building has unique and very interesting architectural characteristics, as it is an impressive and noble building in the center of the village of Amareleja, which respects the architectural and chromatic features of the region (yellow and white).
The social function that Casa Garcia has had over the centuries also makes it absolutely unique.
Furthermore, Casa Garcia differentiates itself by offering suites consisting of a bedroom, a living room and a bathroom with much larger areas than usual, giving guests the feeling of being accommodated in a house where they can stay for significant periods both for leisure purposes and like work.
Casa Garcia also has a large room for family and professional events and a very pleasant outdoor space, where guests can enjoy the fantastic Alentejo climate.
5. Can you describe the interior design and decor? It looks truly captivating.
When restoring the house for local accommodation purposes, which was mainly carried out by the architects of the Garcia family, who have long owned the renowned company Promontorio (www.promontorio.net), we took care to maintain the original structure, flooring and materials of the house, introducing harmoniously and non-invasively the equipment that allows guests to enjoy all modern amenities and comfort (e.g. air conditioning; fully equipped kitchen; etc.).
6. What amenities can guests expect during their stay at Casa Garcia? How are the apartments, kitchen equipped? Is there a parking spot available for guests?
We want our guests to have a stay at Casa Garcia that makes them feel at home, enjoying all the amenities they would have in their own home, while the surprise themselves with new experiences. Therefore, the kitchen offers all the equipment and accessories guests would have in their own home, allowing them to cook their own meals here.
The privileged location in the center of the Amareleja villageallows guests to access supermarkets, bakeries, pastry shops, gourmet shops and renowned Alentejo restaurants on foot, although Casa Garcia may also provide meals for groups, upon request.
Casa Garcia offers ample free parking around the house, andcan also provide private parking with charging for electric cars.
7. What kind of experience do you aim to create for your guests during their stay?
We want everyone to enjoy a unique family house surrounded by the quietness of Alentejo, feeling at home and part of the Garcia family.
We want to offer each person the possibility to reconnect with themselves, reviving senses, discovering and contemplating.
We want families to enjoy unique emotions by strengthening the bonds that unite them.
We want companies and teams of professionals to be inspired by new possibilities, reinforcing their alignment and group spirit.
We want everyone to have a unique and enriching experience that they want to repeat and recommend to the people they care about.
8. What are some of the local attractions or activities that your guests often enjoy?
The Amareleja region is full of local attractions, for the most varied tastes, such as: walks and picnics in the Alentejo cork forest; birdwatching; participation in agricultural activities; hunting and fishing; boat trips and river beaches in Alquevalake; BTT; Trails; Wine route; Cante Alentejano shows; visitsto Noudar Castle; popular parties.
Casa Garcia can organize all these activities for its guests.
Stay with us 🙂
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Instagram: casagarcia.amareleja
Facebook: Casa Garcia – Amareleja
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