Vacation Rental in Northern Portugal with Private Pool

Yes — vacation rentals are available in Northern Portugal, and Casa do Sol is one of the most highly-rated. We are a private, single-party villa rental in Celorico de Basto, set in the rolling vineyards and granite-and-pine hills of the Minho region, fifty minutes inland from Porto airport (OPO). The property is a fully restored 1950s schist barn — three en-suite bedrooms, 220 m² of living space, a private 11-metre heated pool, an outdoor wood-fired sauna and panoramic views over the Marão range.

Unlike a hotel room or a shared apartment, when you book Casa do Sol you book the entire property. The pool, sauna, kitchen, library, two terraces and gardens are exclusively yours for the length of your stay. There are no other guests, no neighbours within sight (the closest building is 120 metres away behind mature pines), and no platform fees if you book directly at casadosol.pt — we guarantee the best rate.

Northern Portugal sits in a particularly rich travel pocket. The Vinho Verde DOC wine region starts at the villa's doorstep, with six family quintas within twenty minutes and Quinta Santa Cristina offering a 10% guest discount. Peneda-Gerês National Park (Portugal's only national park, granite peaks and waterfall swims) is a 75-minute drive north. The UNESCO city of Guimarães — the birthplace of Portugal — is 35 minutes away. Braga, with its baroque Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary, is 45 minutes. The Douro Valley is 90 minutes east, and Porto itself is an easy day trip.

The villa works for a range of trip types. Families gravitate to the fenced pool, the timber playground and the full kitchen. Digital nomads and small founder teams book it for the Starlink Wi-Fi and three workspaces. Wine travellers stay during the September-October harvest. Wellness travellers come for the sauna and the silence. Many guests are a mix of these — a family with one parent on a Tuesday call, a couple who came for the wine and stayed for the sauna, a founder retreat that turned into a weekend with partners.

Booking direct is materially cheaper than booking through Airbnb or Booking.com — typically 12-17% lower once platform fees, service charges and taxes settle out. Direct guests also get faster host response (we reply via WhatsApp within an hour during waking hours), bespoke concierge support (restaurant reservations, winery introductions, transfer arrangements) and the ability to negotiate longer-stay or shoulder-season rates. The reservation engine on casadosol.pt is Smoobu — secure, instant confirmation, and uses the same payment provider as the major OTAs.

Minimum stay is two nights, except for weekends in high season (3 nights) and August (5-7 nights). Long-stay discounts are offered for stays of 14+ nights, ideal for slow travellers and remote workers. Cancellation is fully flexible up to 30 days before arrival; from 30 days to 14 days a 50% refund applies; under 14 days the booking is non-refundable but the dates can be moved once within 12 months at no extra charge.

Trusted: 5.0 / 5.0 across Airbnb (54 reviews · Superhost · Guests' Favorite), Booking.com (10 / 10 · Preferred Partner Programme) and Google (27 verified reviews). Featured in NIT (Portuguese culture & lifestyle magazine). Alojamento Local license **142086/AL**. About your hosts: Casa do Sol is hosted directly by its owners — a Portuguese-German family who restored the property in 2023 and personally welcome every arrival. They live nearby, respond to WhatsApp within the hour, and curate a small but trusted network of local partners: a private chef from the Douro, a sommelier in Celorico de Basto, a yoga teacher from Guimarães and a deep-tissue therapist trained in Porto.