Pousada Mosteiro de Guimaraes

The Pousada Mosteiro Guimarães is rightly considered to be one of, if not the finest Pousadas in the whole of Portugal and it is easy to see why. Having won the National Architectural prize in 1985 for the renovation work carried out it is, simply put, a stunning tour de force.

Set on a hill overlooking the lovely city of Guimarães, the superb twin-towered building seems to have a little bit of everything that is beautiful in Portuguese architecture, including granite fountains, vaulted ceilings, rich 18th century glazed tiles, cloisters, balconies and terraces with views over the city. It is imbued with a rich sense of history and magnificence.

Rooms are luxurious, the gardens beautiful and cuisine sublime. Guimarães, known as the “birthplace of the Nation” (it was first the capital of Portugal) is also nearby.

The city possesses an impressive array of medieval buildings testifying to its glorious past as a symbol of Portuguese nationhood. The pousada and the city seem to go hand in hand and both are, without a doubt, the finest examples of their kind in Portugal.