THE FAMILY GETAWAY

THE ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL

Since having our baby son Luka, time with him has become very precious. I’ve always loved to travel – to explore other cultures and cuisines, spending a few days or weeks living somebody else’s life – but with a one-year-old, the way we travel has had to adapt. My husband is a chef and I love cooking, so we always try to book self-catering.

Recently, we fell in love with Portugal. Starting in Lisbon, we roamed around the cobbled streets, taking in the museums and the food – especially Vasco Lello’s cooking at Café Príncipe Real (memmohotels.com).

After two or three days, we found ourselves longing to escape to the wonderfully rugged Alentejo region, which has been described as the “Tuscany of Portugal”. This large area takes up most of the central and southern swathes of the country below Lisbon, and yet remains largely undiscovered in contrast to the touristy Algarve.

Our favourite place there was São Lourenço do Barrocal (slh.com), a 200-year-old farm with beautiful cottages, just outside the ancient walled town of Monsaraz. The cottage was perfect for us, with a kitchen, living room and fields for Luka to run around in.

I considered studying architecture and it’s a great inspiration for my collections, so I love to stay in places that have been thoughtfully designed – in this case it was transformed by one of Portugal’s most illustrious architects, Eduardo Souto de Moura. Even with a toddler wreaking havoc, I still find myself calm and at peace here.

“Architecture is a great inspiration for my collections, so I love to stay in places that have been thoughtfully designed” – REJINA PYO