We had spent the night at Luso, a spa town in the mountains behind the coast. A modern spa and hotel are surrounded by renovated and abandoned villas from a time when this little town must have thrived.
Above Luso a convent of the Discalced Carmelite was established in 1628. The monks of the Convento de Santa Cruz do Buçaco not only built a convent but also created a luxurious garden with many species of trees. The Carmelites left Buçaco in 1834, following the dissolution of the monasteries in Portugal.
There were plans to turn the ancient convent into a royal residence for Queen Maria Pia, wife of King Luís I. However, difficult political circumstances soon led to the decision to turn the palace into a hotel. It was built between 1888 and 1907 like a romantic palace in Neo-Manueline style, evoking the 16th-century architectural style that characterised the peak of the Portuguese Age of Discovery.
The palace is still open as a hotel, and we could not only walk around, but also get a peek inside from the lobby. When you come in the afternoon after 3 pm, you would have the chance to go for a tea in the hotel.
To visit the palace, we had parked at the Porta de Sula (40.375115, -8358739) where you could also stay for the night. From there we walked through the forest to the palace. Sadly, there is not much left of the luxurious garden but some huge trees.
Later we also drove to the highest point of the park at Cruz Alta from where you can not see the palace but get great views in the direction of the coast.
From Cruz Alta we took a lovely winding road south, along the mountains, to reach Coimbra, our next destination. More soon!