Featuring a lounge, cultural centre and local accommodation, Aldeia opens its doors to bring the local community together.
A new social hub has opened its doors in the heart of Portimão’s old town. Designed to bring the local community together with an Algarve village vibe, Aldeia (Village) offers a place where people can meet, listen to music and even spend the night.
Focusing on Portimão’s local community, Aldeia was inaugurated on the last weekend of January. The project and its motto – feed, shelter and enliven souls in the Algarve – was created by the Wentinks, a Luso-Dutch family who extensively refurbished the two-story building.
Located behind Portimão’s main church, at number 28, Rua da Igreja, Aldeia presents a new concept with one objective: to create a community where people know each other by name and feel at home.
Aldeia features three distinct areas. On the ground floor, the lounge bar is where light meals and cocktails are served. The relaxed lounge, which extends to an interior patio with a terrace, can also be used by locals as a coworking space.
Opposite, the Cultural Centre has a small stage and capacity for 250 people. And, on the top floor, a local lodging unit offers five bedrooms, three of which are ensuites, accommodating up to 14 people.
Aldeia’s objective is to value local talent. According to Yuri Wentink, one of the founders of Aldeia, “If there is one thing Portimão lacks, and that is common to the whole Algarve, it’s a venue for meeting and sharing. The amount of talent that exists in the south of Portugal is impressive. But little can be done because there are no places where people can meet or exhibit their art.”
Yuri and his family decided to open a multipurpose venue where they could do “a little of everything, parties, concerts, DJ sets, theatre classes, dance, yoga, board games and chess championships”, offering activities for all age groups.
On the first floor, the local lodging establishment is ideal for artistic residencies and, in the summer months, as a primary source of income. “Unfortunately, living on culture alone is very difficult “, points out Yuri.
Everyone is welcome in this Village, regardless of their nationality. But there is a specific target audience, the local community. “Tourist venues already exist everywhere. Many even close during the low season. Whereas a consistent site dedicated to the Algarve population is rare. So, Aldeia is, above all, for our villagers, the local population”, he justifies.
The Cultural Centre’s objective is also to create specific groups through eclectic programming. Music is a big focus, including jazz, hip-hop, and electronica. There will also be comedy, poetry, cinema and dance sessions in the future.
Aldeia will also launch its own publication, the Jornal do Aldeia. It will be developed by Yuri’s sister, Kiara, who has a degree in Communication Sciences.
The publication will feature Aldeia’s quarterly cultural programme, the lounge bar’s seasonal menu, and a series of interviews and reports on the Aldeia community.
As for the future, the Wentink siblings point out that the objective is not to replicate the Village in other Algarve municipalities. They want to consolidate a strong community in Portimão. “We want this space to encourage more and more life in the city centre. It is such an interesting area, but it has had little life in the last decade.”
Aldeia is open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 11:00 to 00:00, with opening hours extended until 02:00 on Friday and Saturday.
There are certain predefined activities, such as jam sessions every Wednesday from 20:00 to 00:00 and Coro da Aldeia (Village Choir) on Thursdays from 19:00 to 21:00.
The Cultural Centre’s full schedule can be found on Instagram (@aldeiadeportimao).
