Casa de Salão

An ex-libris of Porto Santo's heritage: a low, modest-looking house whose roof is covered with "salão", the sandy clay of the Serra de Dentro hills. In summer the dry weather cracks the salão and air circulates; in winter the clay soaks up the rain, swells and becomes watertight. Inside, a living room, a bedroom and a kitchen with an oven and a stone chimney; reed partitions filled with straw, fern or small stones and coated with lime, and an earthen floor.