Stepping into the stone-clad entrance of Santa Clara 1728, its grandeur astounds me. The moon-shaped lamp by designer Davide Groppi hangs above a sprawling sofa, and a mighty staircase invite us to explore. This 18th-century building in the heart of the Santa Clara quarter in Lisbon hides an impressive guest house, where historic legacy and architectural elegance intertwine. The owner is João Rodrigues, a pilot by trade and hospitality devotee by heart, who decided to transform family-owned houses into places where guests can disconnect and be one with nature – and themselves. Within this gracefully understated space, João tells the story of how Silent Living came to be – organically, with time, and without an explicit plan. Now, Silent Living stands as a growing collection of five houses, two restaurants, and one estate, all between Lisbon and Alentejo.

The first house was Casas na Areia, which began as a weekend house, a place to escape to and be together as a family. In addition to an aesthetically uncluttered vision brought to life by long-time friend and architect Manuel Aires Mateus – who worked on all the properties – this house stands out for a remarkable feature: a floor covered in sand with a heated concrete pavement beneath, an ode to its idyllic location in the dunes of Comporta, in coastal Alentejo. Soon, it was not just João and his family gathering there, but friends. Friends of friends. And before long, strangers. The house, once private, had opened its doors to a quiet kind of hospitality rooted in memory and simplicity. Then came Cabanas no Rio, two thatched roof fisherman’s huts facing the Sado river and sitting very close to Casas na Areia – both properties located inside the natural reserve, where guests are free to enjoy nature in all its glory.

KEEPING SUSTAINABILITY AT ITS CORE, CEIA SOURCES MANY OF ITS INGREDIENTS FROM ANOTHER SILENT LIVING PROPERTY, HERDADE NO TEMPO, HOLISTIC FARMING ESTATE IN THE HEART OF ALENTEJO

Back at Santa Clara 1728, where João and his family have moved in permanently, Lisbon hums just outside its heavy wooden doors. The rhythm of the city overwhelms even the most adventurous. But inside, time stands still. Light moves gently through the tall windows, softening these centuries-old walls. Next to the main entrance we find Ceia, the fine dining restaurant that has been captivating food enthusiasts all over town. The epicurean experience is led by head chef Renato Bonfim and team, delighting guests with a 10-course menu spread across a communal table that accommodates up to 14 diners. The new chapter – ‘Change’ – evokes the need for environmental education and encourages guests to reflect on the role food plays in our lives. 

Keeping sustainability at its core, Ceia sources many of its ingredients from another Silent Living property, Herdade no Tempo, a 1000-acre regenerative and holistic farming estate even further south, in the very heart of inner Alentejo. Entrusted to João’s family in his grandfather will, both Herdade no Tempo and Casa no Tempo – yet another unique guest house that feels like a dream within a dream – have been restored and cared for to keep the cycles of nature running as smoothly as possible. Every detail was generously crafted to blend with the surrounding landscape, where nature and design truly come together to create a home. Here, silence is vast, almost tangible. Casa na Terra, still in Alentejo, close to the Alqueva lake, is the fifth and last – so far – house belonging to the Silent Living collection, an architectural, mostly concrete work of art, with the only visible element being a canopy with a circular skylight emerging from the ground.

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