3 posts tagged “viana do castelo”

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Portugal: Pousadas of Portugal

We stayed at 3 properties of the Pousadas during our week-long trip to Portugal. "Pousada" is supposed to mean an upmarket inn. The Pousadas de Portugal is a chain of upmarket hotels which can be found all over Portugal. I believe they are at least partially, if not wholly, state-owned and definitely have a couple of competitive advantages over the others - ubiquity and splendid locations among others. The Portuguese countryside is dotted with tastefully done Pousadas - many of them in castles, former palaces and other such charming and historic locations. 


The Pousada at Viana Do Castelo was a charming one on the mount of Santa Luzia overlooking the church. Our room was large and well appointed with high ceilings (though we found the wallpaper a bit loud). There is an outdoor area where one can relax and survey the lovely surroundings over a cup of tea or a glass of wine from the bar. 
Outdoor area at the Pousada
Outdoor area at the Pousada
There is a swimming pool and tennis courts and a couple of bikes are available for the use of guests. The restaurant has a somewhat formal feel to it. We got our introduction to the custom of 'couvert' over here - basically the waiter will bring bread, cheese, olives and other goodies to the table immediately after seating you. You later realize that these are not 'free' even though the waiter seems to have brought it on his own accord. Apparently, at least as per our lonely planet guide, it is not offensive to ask the waiter not to bring it or ask what the charge will be. 

The Pousada at Ourem was on a steeper hill - the last couple of curves when driving up being almost unnerving. Like Viana, there is a swimming pool on the edge of the hill with impressive views
The room at Ourem was a bit cramped, though. There is a spot just outside the Pousada which has a Wi-Fi hotspot. Internet connectivity was, otherwise, not a strong point of the Pousadas (which may be a good thing!). None of the Pousadas offered in-room internet. It was down altogether in Viana. Our last Pousada at Queluz didn't offer it in-room either and my laptop somehow never caught the wi-fi in the bar area. Cable TV connectivity was also patchy at Viana (only CNN and SkyNews) and Ourem (no English channel). Queluz had plenty of English channels. But, I digress. Cable TV and internet is what you want top escape from, not look for, in the Pousadas. My advice would be - Don't treat the Pousadas as just a sleepover place - budget some time to spend in them as they are often attractions in their own root.   

The Pousada at Quelez (just outside Lisbon) is housed in an annex to the palace - just across the street from it. High -ceilinged, spacious rooms and an impressive all-pink facade were the distinguishing characteristics here. 


The Quelez-Belas train station is a 10 minute walk from where Lisbon's Rossio station is a 18 minute ride away. It is also just off the motorway (IC 19) which can get you to Sintra in 20-30 minutes. 

All the Pousadas had well-stocked bars. The staff were courteous and efficient. All of them offered a good breakfast spread and had fine dining restaurants. We didn't get the sense that we were in a state-run chain of hotels. For someone heading to Portugal, the Pousadas offer an experience to remember.

Post a comment Tags: fatima, viana do castelo, pousada monte santa luzia, ourem, posudas de portugal, couvert, pousada dona maria …

Portugal : Viana Do Castelo - Charm unlimited

Viana Do Castelo was our first halt in our week long Portugal trip. After landing in Porto, we drove up further north (about 70 km or so) to Viana Do Castelo, a very charming town that nestles between the estuary of the river Limo and the Monte (mount) De Santa Luzia. This hill has a charming “Temple of the sacred heart of Jesus”, a lovely Pousada which has been built one level above the temple and offers breathtaking views of the ocean, the river and the surrounding countryside. 

View from the Pousada
View from the Pousada

The town below has an unspoiled, uncrowded beach (Cabedelo), an elegant town square (praca da republica), a quiet railway station (estacao) and a railway themed mall right next to it (estacao viana). The mall has model railroads in the elevators and a model train running at the roof level in the food court and beyond. An elegant cobblestone avenue runs up from the railway station to the riverfront and it is lined with hotels, cafes, a supermarket and a few, somewhat upscale souvenir shops. 

View from the riverfront end of the avenue
View from the riverfront end of the avenue

There is also a museum at one end of the praca which we didn’t get a chance to visit. There are other elegant building around the praca.

The praca at Viana
The praca at Viana


Post a comment Tags: portugal, viana do castelo, monte santa luzia, estacao viana, cabedelo

Sep 23: A September to remember

This blog is entering blogsphere courtesy of the free WiFi hotspot provided by the municipality of the town of Ourem in Portugal. That is where yours truly is vacationing at the moment. So far, it has been a smooth and most enjoyable vacation. Have covered Viana Do Castelo, Conimbriga and Ourem so far. Landed in Porto but never went into the city. We're headed next to Queluz on the outskirts of Lisbon. Our AVIS provided VW Golf Wagon with manual transmission is getting us around and their TomTom GPS is our reliable navigator. Detailed reports will follow - time and internet access allowing. 

Post a comment Tags: lisbon, portugal, porto, viana do castelo, queluz, ourem