Hillside Sanctuary sits on a rural estate in Silveira, São Marcos da Serra, within the municipality of Silves in the Algarve interior. Surrounded by rolling hills, cork oaks, wild herbs and the quiet rhythm of inland Portugal.
This is not the coastal Algarve of beach resorts and golf courses. It is the other Algarve — quieter, wilder, more rooted.
A different kind of sanctuary
We are building a regenerative agri-tourism and wellness sanctuary that renews guests, supports dignified local livelihoods and restores the land.
Our approach is deliberately small-scale, host-led and community-linked. We are not a mass-market wellness retreat. We are not a generic rural rental. We are a private sanctuary where land, water, Aloe, bees and human wellbeing come together.
“Agricultural activity is not decoration. It is a core part of who we are.”
Most tourism operations keep guest spending inside their walls. We do the opposite.
We are building a network of 43 community partners across São Marcos da Serra, Silves and the wider Algarve — therapists, yoga teachers, craft workshops, local restaurants, beekeepers and food producers.
Water, Aloe and bees
The property encompasses agricultural terraces, a natural spring, one small dam, mature trees and space for Aloe cultivation, an apiary and regenerative planting.
We treat water as precious — every drop is monitored within a drought-conscious model appropriate to the Algarve.
Contemporary comfort, deep roots
The renovated main house includes a modern open-plan kitchen, multiple bedroom suites with marble ensuite bathrooms, a pool, terraces, covered outdoor kitchen and a distinctive dome building.
Every room balances contemporary design with natural materials — marble, wood, and light.
Hillside Sanctuary Lda
Operated by Hillside Sanctuary Lda, a Portuguese company founded by Andre and Ilana Jankowitz. The property was acquired in 2026 with the intention of building a long-term, responsible and community-contributing enterprise.