From Arvad and its vineyards to Caniço and Sueste, Pedro Garcia de Matos is bringing wine, hospitality, gastronomy and tourism together through a growing portfolio of Algarve projects
Some entrepreneurs simply develop projects, whilst others strive to bring the visions and concepts behind them to life. Pedro Garcia de Matos belongs firmly to the latter category.
Born in Lisbon, he found in the Algarve a place where his different interests could coexist. Long before he was drawn to wine, restaurants and tourism, he already had a connection to the region, where he has holidayed for many years.
Coming from a family with a background in agriculture, he began his career in the sector, building agricultural businesses that went on to operate internationally.
He describes himself as an entrepreneur rather than a manager, a distinction that defines his professional identity.
“I enjoy managing things in the early stages because the beginning is what excites me most. I’m motivated when an idea doesn’t yet exist and has to be turned into reality,” he says, revealing his passion for creating businesses both large and small. His investments extend well beyond Portugal.
In Angola, he was involved in agricultural projects employing thousands of people and developed a business providing services to large farming operations.
In Brazil, meanwhile, he works in property and agriculture, with more recent ventures in tourism and hospitality. Yet it was in the Algarve, beside the Arade River, that he found a setting where he could envisage something far beyond agriculture.
ARVAD
When he first saw the grounds in Estômbar that would become Arvad, he immediately recognised their beauty and potential. He began to shape a vision that would take years to realise: bringing together wine, nature, tourism, and experiences.
He acquired the land in 2012, the first vines were planted in 2016, and the inaugural harvest took place three years later. What began as an idea connected to a future hotel eventually took on a life of its own, developing into a wine brand and wine tourism project with a distinctly Algarvian identity.
ARVAD
“I didn’t know I was going to make such a good wine,” Pedro Garcia de Matos admits of those first results. Despite the uncertainty, he was convinced that the land had the right conditions to produce wines with personality and offer a different kind of tourism experience.
That remains central to his approach: rather than allowing the experience at any of his properties to be defined solely by its location or food, he brings together different elements to create memorable moments.
His two restaurants, Caniço in Prainha and Sueste in Ferragudo, hold particular personal significance, as both are rooted in family, local traditions, and regional cuisine.
Pedro Garcia de Matos had been a customer at Caniço for many years and knew its former owner, so when the opportunity arose to help revive the restaurant, he did not hesitate. The decision marked the beginning of a more integrated concept, bringing together the restaurant, beach, swimming pool, events, and accommodation to create a destination offering guests a variety of experiences.
SUESTE
At the start of the year came the additional challenge of managing Sueste. Deeply rooted in local identity, the historic restaurant has entered a new chapter under Pedro Garcia de Matos and his daughters, Mafalda and Rita.
Pedro Garcia de Matos with his daughters, Mafalda and Rita
Together, they intend to preserve everything that has always made it special, whilst adding a contemporary approach in which the Arade River and Arvad play key roles.
His plans to connect the different projects in original and dynamic ways are now taking shape, including through boat trips along the river, allowing the various businesses to work together rather than independently.
And this is only the beginning. Pedro Garcia de Matos reveals that construction is already under way on a five-star hotel among the vineyards, which will have 44 rooms and is due to open in March 2028.
In the near future, a guest could stay at the hotel, have lunch at Caniço, cruise along the river, and end the day with a wine tasting followed by dinner at Sueste – an itinerary that celebrates the area and showcases the beauty of the region.
These luxury experiences are united by a concept that is central to his vision: charm. It is this sense of charm that Pedro Garcia de Matos seeks to convey through distinctive, exclusive experiences tailored to individuals, couples or groups.
“For me, charm isn’t necessarily associated with ostentatious luxury, but with the way a place welcomes and serves people, and how it makes them feel,” he stresses, adding that “true charm is defined by what you feel and cannot be compared with anything else.”
Respect and good manners are, for Pedro Garcia de Matos, “essential values in any business” and central to the way he works. Although reluctant to put his success down to any one formula, he points to the importance of trusting his teams and knowing when to delegate.
His daughters are now taking on greater responsibilities within the business: Mafalda in management and operations, and Rita in communications and marketing. Working together as a family is, he says, “a long-term project”.
ARVAD
More than a decade of work has gone into Arvad, from acquiring the property and planting the vineyards to developing the concept and its wine tourism experiences, and the results are now beginning to show.
Despite the considerable progress already made, there is still much more to come, with originality and exclusivity remaining key priorities. New projects are under consideration, including river experiences, events, weddings, and other activities, as well as plans to extend this approach to Vilamoura in the future.
ARVAD
Pedro Garcia de Matos makes no secret of his desire to continue developing his projects in the Algarve, but on one condition: growth must be about quality rather than quantity.
“The focus isn’t on mass tourism, but on tourism for people with good taste and the financial means to enjoy it,” he emphasises. In southern Portugal, that philosophy translates into activities that respect what makes each place unique.
Internationally, he continues to explore agriculture, hospitality and tourism, particularly in Brazil, where he intends to establish links with his Algarve operations and take advantage of the different seasons to encourage exchanges between teams.
Ultimately, his career follows the same philosophy that lies behind his projects in the Algarve: start with a place, understand what makes it special and, from there, build something that makes sense, step by step.
It is an approach driven by the belief that there is still much more to create, and that a place can become a destination in its own right – one with charm at its very heart.
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