Colares

Colares is a small, historically rich parish located on the Atlantic coast within the Sintra municipality, close to the westernmost point of continental Europe. Its identity is profoundly tied to a unique and resilient winemaking tradition.

The region is celebrated for its Colares wine, one of Portugal's most exclusive and historically important appellations. This winemaking is unusual because the vines-primarily the Ramisco red grape and Malvasia Fina white grape-are planted in sandy soil (chão de areia) protected by low wooden fences, a practice that developed after the European phylloxera blight of the late 19th-century. These deep-rooted vines were one of the few in Europe that survived the pest, lending the wine a prestige of scarcity and preservation.

Colares sits within the protected natural landscape of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, characterized by rolling hills, cork oak forests, and dramatic coastal views. The area includes the rugged beaches of Praia Grande and Praia das Maçãs. The environment here is one of refreshing coastal air, historic farm estates (quintas), and a focused, deliberate rural-agricultural heritage, all maintained under the scenic shadow of the Sintra mountains.