One Couple Rebuilt An Entire Abandoned Village At The Edge Of Europe
Emily Marie Wilson | Shutterstock On the edge of Europe, on the tiny volcanic island of Flores, there was a town that had been abandoned for decades. Until one couple with a dream took on the challenge of rebuilding it with nothing but love and determination. If you leave the mainland of Europe behind and travel two thousand kilometers out into the Atlantic Ocean, you will find a tiny speck of land. Flores Island, part of the Portuguese Azores Archipelago, looks like paradise. Lush green forests, volcanic lakes, waterfalls, and ocean waves.
However, beauty comes with a price. The island is small and isolated, and it faces heavy winter storms. Hurricane Lorenzo completely destroyed their only harbor in 2019 and disconnected them further, making it almost impossible to receive deliveries and imports that the island relies on. Problems like this are not new, which is why most of the initial population moved to the United States, Canada, or mainland Europe, leaving many villages abandoned, including the village of Cuada. That's where Teotónia and Carlos Silva come into the story. They bought a vacation home there in the '80s and slowly but surely rebuilt the entire village.
Teotónia and Carlos Silva rebuilt the entire abandoned village of Aldeia da Cuada in the Portuguese Azores.
Aldeia da Cuada had been inhabited for around 400 years, with a maximum of 122 residents in 20 traditional stone houses. The walls of these houses were made of nothing but loose volcanic rocks stacked on top of each other; some did not even have a roof.
Emily Marie Wilson | Shutterstock
Not a single person owned shoes, despite the hard labor on the fields and the rough lava rocks everywhere. Just like everywhere in the Azores Archipelago, people were simply too poor to afford footwear. Life was hard, and in the 1960s, the little village of Cuada was abandoned.
Many years later, the old houses had transformed into ruins and had been overgrown by the wilderness. Until Teotónia and Carlos Silva, a determined couple with a dream, purchased the old, forgotten village. Their love and determination made an incredible transformation possible.
It took them nearly 40 years, but stone by stone and house by house, they rebuilt the entire town of Cuada, making it Aldeia da Cuada.
Emily Marie Wilson | Shutterstock
As the Silvas began rebuilding, they realized they didn't just want to make the village inhabitable; they wanted to bring it back to life. Instead of modern architecture and building materials, they remained true to the island's heritage and painstakingly renovated the lava stone houses with the accuracy and charm that first drew them to Cuada.
As travel bloggers Inês and Chris wrote for RandomTrip, "Every year they tried to buy some dilapidated cottage with their savings, gradually restoring the village houses, preserving their old architectural features and adapting them for tourist use."
It took them nearly 40 years, but today, Aldeia da Cuada is an elite vacation destination with 21 houses, including reception, restaurant, guest houses, and houses for external services.
Today, tourists can visit and rent those rural historical houses and experience the mystical location of the village.
JoaLacerda | Shutterstock
Fog hangs over the mountains close by on most days, and you can hear the ocean breach against the cliffs. The houses still hold the charm and simplicity of the old times while offering luxuries such as hot water and electricity.
Internet, however, is nowhere to be found, and cars must be left outside the village. This way, the time at Aldeia da Cuada remains authentic and allows you to truly immerse yourself in the nature, silence, and soul of this place.
By restoring 16 of the 20 original houses and naming them after their last owners, the couple has created a magical place that honors the history of not only this specific village but all of the Azores. The Silvas, who made all of this happen, still live in one of the stone houses, but they do not interact with visitors. They have retired and do not want to be out in public. Their daughter Carlota and her husband Silvio have now taken over and will welcome you with open arms.
Under their careful guidance, Aldeia da Cuada grew into the most beloved tourist accommodation on Flores Island that now also offers a small restaurant at its entrance. It has also received awards for its unique and romantic setup and its sustainability.
Their dream is to carry her parent’s life’s work into the future and make it a temporary home and safe haven for people from all around the world. As new parents, they are also looking forward to passing on this incredible heritage to the next generation when the time comes.
Tasmin Hansmann is a storyteller, poet, and writer. She is the author of "The Anatomy of Waves" and "Welcome Home Dear Soul."
