Description Sunshine & Sardines: Santana

A walled courtyard garden and a sun-drenched lawn terrace make this Sesimbra house a natural place to slow down. The living room, with its fireplace, earns its keep on cooler evenings – and the main suite's freestanding bathtub is a quiet luxury after a day outdoors. Sesimbra Beach is a ten-minute drive away, and the ancient Moorish castle ruins above the town are within easy reach for anyone tempted by a dramatic coastal panorama.

Home truths:
* If you're travelling with little ones, your host can arrange a cot on request. A high chair and children's dinnerware are already in the home ready for your stay.
* A gardener visits every Wednesday morning, so expect some activity in the outdoor area that day.
* Two of the four bedrooms have a single bed with a pull-out bed underneath rather than a conventional double – worth bearing in mind when deciding who sleeps where.