Wine tourism.Wow: Porto's new trendy neighborhood is a tribute to the world of wine
Portugal.A spa carved out of a marble quarry: the jewel of this Alentejo hotel
What used to be the bedroom of
Mrs. Luisa Teresa
, Duchess of Palmela, has centuries-old furniture, an XXL bed with an antique canopy, a separate living room,
solid wood floors,
superlative ceilings and one of those desirable standing bathtubs where one would spend hours to soak watching how it rains on the other side of the window.
For something, the Master Suite is the most stately room of the 21 that
Casa Palmela has
, the five-star rural hotel immersed in the Arrábida Natural Park, that set of mountains, trails, gorges and forests attached to the sea considered still
one of the best kept secrets of Portugal
, even for our own neighbors.
"Many national clients are surprised by this unspoiled wonder surrounded by
beaches with turquoise waters
that look like the Caribbean. They don't know it, despite the fact that we are just 40 kilometers from Lisbon", says Salvador Holstein, director of this peculiar refuge converted into a hotel in 2016. it reproduces the
traditional architecture of Portuguese estates
and even classic
cottages
in the British countryside.
He is also a descendant of Mrs. María Luisa and Don
Bernardo Sousa Holstein Beck
, the Dukes of Palmela, patriarchs of the extensive family saga (they had 10 children) who owned the place since the 19th century.
A 17th century estate
The house, of course, has been standing since the 17th century, when it was created as a Jesuit seminary within the
Quinta do Esteval,
a 75-hectare estate located in the middle of nature and surrounded by vineyards of
Shyrah and Moscatel
grapes
,
the typical ones of the area. .
"A local grower grows them and gives us some bottles for our guests to enjoy.
Everything to make them feel at home, our motto,
" adds Holstein.
One of the 21 rooms at Casa Pamela.
The exclusive quinta has the attraction of being one of the few existing properties within the
Arrábida Natural Park
, since it has been prohibited to build in it since 1975. And there is land for it, since this protected space extends along more than 10,000 hectares from the
port city of Setúbal
to the sanctuary of
Cabo Espichel,
the southernmost point of the mouth of the Tagus (to locate us, it is just below the nose of Portugal) and a place full of religious apparitions, ancestral mysteries and various telluric forces.
Madonna
herself
chose him to record the video for her song
Dark Ballet
.
Among works of art and original tiles
Already at the time of the monks, the estate had two buildings with two floors where their rooms were distributed, a
cellar
, a stable and different rooms to pray, now converted into rooms with views of the charming
outdoor pool,
a the mountain and the garden, one of the jewels of the house.
There was also space for a
small chapel
that is still preserved "and in which several members of the
Palmela family
have married
," says José Burnay, the hotel's head of Public Relations.
Facade of the entrance of the Portuguese complex.
Other common spaces such as the library would be missing;
the spa where they develop the philosophy of
slow wellness,
whose aim is to find oneself through
personalized treatments
, and several rooms dotted with furniture, books, photographs and works of art from the family or antique dealers.
From
a 19th century baby carriage
to sculptures carved by the Duchess of Palmela herself.
Don't forget those wonderful
original 17th century
blue and white patterned
tiles
, so representative of Portugal, that line
patios, balconies and staircases
.
In another adjacent building, the
three luxurious independent villas stand out
with all the hotel services available for those seeking greater privacy.
Visits to cheese shops and wineries
The gastronomic section is enjoyed in the dining room with a vaulted ceiling and fireplace that hides the
Zimbral restaurant,
where the Jesuits also used to have lunch.
Specializing in seasonal products and all kinds of
native delicatessen, it
has a terrace in the garden where, in good weather, copious breakfasts and
themed dinners
with live music
are served
, focusing on
traditional Portuguese cuisine
, the more avant-garde, hunting in winter or the spectacular seafood and fresh fish from the area.
Breakfast is served on the garden terrace.
"All meals are paired with local wines and we even organize
wine dinners with winemakers,
" says waiter José Machado as he serves some clams
à bulhão pato
,
dressed
with olive oil, garlic, coriander, pepper and white wine sauce.
A couple from
Santiago de Compostela
with their two daughters in their twenties enjoy the first thematic version, that of typical cuisine, with oysters, grilled sardines,
cod cakes
with tomato sauce and the very Portuguese
picapau
, a somewhat spicy dish made with beef cut into strips and marinated with white wine.
"The food is wonderful, but
the best thing is the peace that this place transmits
and how well they treat you. Wherever you look, you see nature," says Laura, one of the girls.
Common and vaulted room of the hotel.
The whole family has also signed up for a
bike route through the farm
, one of the à la carte activities proposed by the hotel.
It can also be done on foot, on horseback, by bike or even
by helicopter.
There are many more proposals: boat trips,
sailing sessions, fishing or golf
(there are 10 courses in the vicinity of Casa Palmela), yoga classes at sunset,
picnics among vineyards,
excursions to Lisbon, Setúbal, Sintra or Comporta or visits to the traditional cheese factories and wineries of
Azeitão
, a picturesque village just 10 minutes from the hotel.
| Palmela House
.
Quinta do Esteval, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 33.5, Setúbal (Portugal).
Phone: +351 265 249 650. Internet: www.hotelcasapalmela.pt/es From 180 euros per night.
More information at www.visitportugal.com/es
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
tourism
Portugal
Luxury
LotteryNew luxury hotels to pamper yourself in 2021 if you get the Christmas Gordo
PortugalThe luxury hotel where King Juan Carlos used to party
Getaway Madeira: the wonders hidden in the island that everyone talks about
See links of interest
Check Lottery
Getafe - Celta de Vigo
Verona - Internazionale
Fenerbahce Istanbul - Olympiacos Piraeus
Zalgiris Kaunas - FC Bayern Munich
Real Madrid - Granada CF