Pig farm near Silves to become 5-star hotel

It will become a "different Algarve" to be enjoyed by tourists: the Riverade hotel on the River Arade.

The work is about to begin in an area of nearly 50 hectares in Estômbar, in the municipality of Lagoa, with views on the river and towards Silves.

The property used to be an agricultural and cattle raising center where pigs or cows were raised, but had been abandonded for several years.

The €5 million project along the banks of the Arade river is expected to open in 2019.

Developpers are Sociedade Agropecuária Rio Arade - part of the Portuguese agro-business group called Euroeste.

It will include a vineyard and winery as well as eight hectares set aside for agriculture.

As most of the complex is in a protected reserve area which will remain untouched, activities offered to guests will concentrate on the wide outdoors, with boat trips, birdwatching and all things nature-related.