Long ago, in the storied city of Guimarães, there lived a man named Francisco. Fate carried him to Porto, where he toiled as a merchant. It was there, amidst the hum of trade, that his heart was captured by the daughter of his employer—a girl born of Briteiros, a land verdant and pastoral. Enchanted not only by her but by the lush embrace of her homeland, Francisco began to weave his dreams into its soil. Plot by plot, he acquired parcels of land, and thus Quinta da Tapada was born.

But this was no grand estate, no manor of noble airs. It was a working farm, a place of purpose. Through the years, the farm passed from hand to hand, bearing the legacy of those who loved it. Today, it rests with José Carlos, Francisco’s great-grandson, a child of Porto yet bound by his lineage to the green heart of Briteiros.

In time, José Carlos’s vision took root. He looked upon the farm’s houses - the caretakers’ modest home, the sturdy cortes sheltering cattle, the humble espigueiro storing golden corn for winter’s loom, and ficos the practical house of tools - and saw not decay, but possibility. Breathing new life into its walls, he transformed all of them into small havens, all places to dwell and dream.

And so, the rebirth of Quinta da Tapada came to life, being now José Carlos’home and all the Casas da Tapada are shared with visitors from all over the world —a tribute to its history and a bridge to its future.