I love listening. It is one of the only spaces where you can be still and moved at the same time. — Nayyirah Waheed — Monday June 29th — —

The idea is to die young as late as possible. — Ashley Montagu — Monday June 29th — —

“What art does — maybe what it does most completely — is tell us, make us feel that what we think we know, we don’t. There are whole worlds around us that we’ve never glimpsed.” Greil Marcus — Monday June 29th — —

Rosa et Al

Before we travelled to Porto at the beginning of last May it had been 8 years since we visited the beautiful city on the North-West coast of Portugal. Over the last few years we have visited its big brother – and one of our favorite cities period – Lisbon and the beautiful South of the country several times, but a little over two months ago we decided it was time to revisit the city located along the Douro river estuary and name giver to the most famous Portugese export product: port wine. And what a difference it was from earlier experiences. First of all the city appeared to be much cleaner and felt more fresh, we were able to find better places to eat its incredible cuisine, and compared to last time we were able to find more appealing places to stay. The wonderful Rosa Et Al is one of them, in which we truly enjoyed our stay in beautiful Porto.

With only six elegant and spacious exclusive varanda suites, Rosa Et Al is not your typical bed and breakfast, but rather an incredible characterful townhouse in Porto which is open for rent.

Located on the border of the Massarelos and the Vitória area, on Rua do Rosário, 233 – in a relaxed neighborhood, surrounded by art galleries, artist’s studios and concept stores – Rosa Et Al is made by travelers, for travelers. With the emergence of nearby Rua Miguel Bombarda as the premier art-gallery strip in Portugal’s second-largest city, the Rua do Rosário is blissfully benefiting from a spillover effect. As faded town houses fill with upstart designers and upscale food shops, giving the area a whole new appeal.

The spacious suites of Rosa Et Al are tastefully furnished, giving one a true sense of homeliness which we look for in every place we stay, created from a elegant mix of whites and different kinds of untreated wood, vintage furniture and new pieces. The large garden which is attached to Rosa Et Al is open for its visitors as well, offering a perfect place to enjoy the warm evenings and nights.

When leaving the housing of the suites one finds their restaurant on the backside of the building – which is also open for lunch and dinner if you don’t stay in one of the suites – offering a wonderful breakfast for its guests out of which the rich selection of teas stands out, making it perfect spot for tea lovers. Also attached to the building you will find a little shop offering all the fine Porto essentials one finds in the city.

If you are planning a trip to Porto make sure to contact the wonderful staff of Rosa Et Al!

Photography by Joachim Baan.

For all information and to book see here.