The house began as a rural farmstead in the late eighteenth century, and its former outbuildings have been converted alongside it. Chestnut, oak and cork trees shade the grounds, while a green, flower-filled garden opens towards the Freita range. Each bedroom has its own balcony facing the woodland or garden, with rooms arranged in four different rural styles. For a group that would rather stay together, Casa Ricardo is a rustic house on the estate with a shared living room and kitchen. Around Arouca, trails wind through the mountains and alongside rivers, some opening onto natural river beaches; the grounds also have a swimming pool and gym.