A Portuguese estate with Italian roots

A Portuguese estate with Italian roots
Near Lisbon, the 18th century Quinta do Rio de Milho takes its name from a former river, not of water, but of corn.
By Patrick Blum Published: March 22, 2007


SINTRA, Portugal: Tucked on the western slopes of the Serra de Sintra range and looking out to the sea, the Quinta do Rio de Milho appears deceptively small amid the steep hills, narrow valleys and lush vegetation surrounding it.

About 30 kilometers, or almost 19 miles, west of Lisbon, the 18th-century estate also is strangely misnamed. There is no river, although water is abundant throughout the area from springs and "minas de agua" — underground aquifers.

Antonio Simas, the quinta's current owner, says "milho," the Portuguese word for corn, used to grow along a sinuous strip of land that wound its way through the property like a stream, giving the estate its name.

But water is a distinctive feature of the 10-hectare, or 25-acre, property: The gardens have a narrow stone irrigation channel, constructed like a Roman aqueduct, with gravity keeping the water moving along.

Fountains splash in the gardens, which are planted with a wide variety of trees, bushes and flowers, including the quinta's famed red and white camellias, often described as among the best in the country. In another area stand four mandarin orange trees, the last of a group brought here from France more than 100 years ago.

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The gardens were designed by the estate's original owner, an Italian diplomat, and have been studiously restored by Simas, who bought the property in 1975. "It was a big project," he said. "It needed a lot of work."

At the top of the gardens are the centuries-old ruins of a house once used by the monks who farmed here. Nearby is a large swimming pool made from an old stone water tank.

The quinta's main living space is in two attached buildings, set at right angles, which could be turned into a single home by removing one of the shared walls, Simas said. Between the two buildings — one of which has been used by Simas's family, the other rented out for weddings and conferences — there are several living and reception rooms, 13 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms.

The buildings' facades are simple, unlike some of the more ornamented palaces in the area. The main house has a small chapel that is still used on occasion and traditional furnishings, most of which are included in the quinta's sale price of €12 million, or almost $16 million.

(The sale is being handled by International Realty Group, a Portuguese company associated with Christie's Great Estates.)

Two outbuildings have been restored as self-contained villas, each with its own swimming pool; a third is being renovated now. They are equipped with modern kitchens, central heating, TV and Internet connections and security alarms, and are rented as vacation homes for €1,400 to €2,000 a month.

The quinta's setting — the gardens and the panoramic views of the surrounding villages and the sea — is its most special feature. And behind the estate, the land climbs to the Serra, a protected nature reserve that has inspired Portuguese and international artists and writers from Lord Byron to Luigi Pirandello, the Italian playwright, and François Mauriac, the French writer.

Traditionally, the kings and nobility of Portugal built palaces and homes in the hills to escape from the summer heat of Lisbon.

"It's quiet: You can sit outside, relax and enjoy a glass of wine and the views," Simas said. As he spoke, a pair of Bonelli's eagles soared above the treetops from their nest on the nearest hill.