João Gameiro in the Alentejo
POSTCARDS FROM
With his own multidisciplinary & architecture & design studio based in Lisbon, João Gameiro explores the relationships between traditional artisanship & sustainable contemporary design, primarily in Portugal. Interested in preserving the past yet pushing dying craft to new limits, his work has been featured in publications such as The New Meditteranian, a book by Gestalten.
Here, João writes a postcard about the Alentejo’s tapestry town of Arraiolos, where the sunsets are as soft as the light that disappears over megalithic structures.
Postcards from…is a series of love letters to Portugal & a collection of insider guides from our Design Escapes muses; locals & visitors that travel with their eyes open, led always by a quiet & authentic beauty.
Studio Gameiro project for The Gladstone shot by Sanda Vuckovic for Wrong Journal.
Where are we waking up?
We’re heading out of Lisbon & waking up surrounded by olive trees & the stunning morning skies of Arraiolos in the Alentejo where the heat of the sun shines through the light morning fog that swiftly disappears behind the soft landscape.
How are we spending the morning?
After a local breakfast, we’ll meander through the fields of olives for a stroll, then head back to a safe haven, sitting down for some reading before making our way to explore the culturally rich towns around.
It's lunchtime, where are we eating?
After exploring the beautiful countryside & getting some nice deals at the flea market in Estremoz, we are back to Arraiolos town to try the delicious local tapas at the unpretentious Republica do Petisco, especially the best ovos rotos (eggs with dry-cured ham & hand-cut chips) & the Ameijoas à pescador (clams), with a nice cold beer on the side.
Our afternoon plans?
Certainly, we are not missing wine tastings, so we will have a short stroll around town before making our way to Fita Preta winery, just over a ten-minute drive from Arraiolos. The estate is stunning & the facilities are historically so mesmerising. You get to see a wine store taking place at an old church, it just makes total sense.
Fita Preta Winery outside of Arraiolos...
Where are we going for sunset...?
Alentejo skies are unique so the perfect sunset includes an infinity pool, surrounded by the olive trees & holding a nice port tonic to cool down, the perfect introduction to a long & fulfilling dinner.
How about dinner...talk us through it.
There’s no need for us to travel miles away for good food if we’re in Arraiolos. It’s definitely worth going to O Alpendre, right in the town centre of Arraiolos. It’s an obvious choice but they’ve been here for a long time & perfected their ‘açorda’ so so well that you just can’t miss it. We just need to be aware of the big portions before ordering the whole delicious menu…
After dark?
After such a long meal you will need another stroll & the best experience lies a few kilometres away, driving in the dark to watch the most beautiful skies at the Cromeleque dos Almendres, a group of several megalithic structures, for a magical experience to observe the stars & contemplate the beauty of our planet.
It's home time, what souvenirs are we taking with us?
Some nice hand-crafted brass mugs & other vintage goodies from the flea market in Estremoz.
What are we reading or listening to on our journey?
Related to a current project in our studio, a great reading through Alentejo’s beautiful vernacular architecture, from a book called ‘Popular Architecture in the Communities of the Alentejo'.
Where are we heading home to?
Lisbon is my home for the time being & that's because it is where I feel the most welcome, nurtured & challenged. It is a very inclusive city, laid back yet fulfilling with lots going on. Also, it happens to be where my studio has found its main address & for that, I am also very lucky.
Discover João’s work with Studio Gameiro.
At home with Studio Gameiro.
