April 17, 2019:
Today we did self-guided driving/walking tours of Vila Viçosa and spent the night in Vila Viçosa.
Overview of Vila Viçosa
Vila Viçosa is known as the “Princess of Alentejo”, Portugal – Although small (about 8,000 inhabitants), this is one of the most precious and charming jewels of Alentejo – The village is truly an open-air historical museum.
Vila Viçosa’s main square Praça da República- Photo: ferias-paratodos.blogspot.com
The name Vila Viçosa (lush village) is due to the fertility of the soils and the charming territory –This village in Alentejo, Portugal is Florbela Espanca’s hometown, one of the country’s most notorious poetesses – The author has written extraordinary works of art of Portugal’s literature – She was also a pioneer in the feminist movement in the nation – So, she was extremely important to make the Portuguese aware of the name of the village, unknown before her time. Unfortunately, Florbela Espanca only reached the age of 36 before she committed suicide in 1930.
Statue of Portuguese Poetess – Florbela Espanca on the main square – Wikimedia – Vitor Oliveira
With a rich heritage created by Man throughout the centuries, Vila Viçosa is full of history – However, Nature was and still is the provider of the raw material with which multiple decorative pieces made of rock are created – The highlight goes to marble, a fundamental part in the economy of the whole county – The marble in the region is of superior quality and known worldwide – It is plenty in the region and comes out from around 160 quarries.
Marble Quarry – Photo: loeildelaphotographie.com
In its early history, Vila Viçosa was occupied by Romans and Muslims, among others – Conquered in 1217 during the reign of King Afonso II, it received its charter from King Afonso III in 1270, giving it the category of village.
King Afonso II, reigned March 26, 1211 – March 25, 1223
King Afonso III, reigned January 4, 1248 – February 16, 1279
In the 14th century, King Denis ordered the construction of the Castle of Vila Viçosa, into which is now implanted a modern building.
King Denis, reigned February 6, 1279 – January 7, 1325
Castle of Vila Viçosa – Photo: www.rachiepie.com
In the 15th century (1461), the village starts belonging to the House of the Duke of Bragança – Duke Jaime (James) I, the fourth Duke of Bragança, ordered the construction of the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa in 1502, this being the most emblematic monument of Vila Viçosa today.
Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa – Equestrian Statue of King João IV – Photo: www.rachiepie.com
João II, Duke of Bragança, accepted the throne of Portugal in 1640, becoming King João IV and initiating the Bragança Dynasty – From here forth, Vila Viçosa started being the royal residence during the holidays.
Duke João II (King João IV),
reigned December 1, 1640 – November 6, 1656
On March 25, 1646, King João IV offered the Portuguese crown to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and consecrated the land to Our Lady to thank Her for victory during the Portuguese War of Restoration (the War of Restoration lasted from December 1, 1640 – February 13, 1668, and resulted in Portugal regaining its independence from Spain with the Treaty of Lisbon) – So, this Saint became Queen and Patroness of Portugal – No other king wore the crown from this date.
Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Procession – Photo: realfamiliaportuguesa.blogspot.com
Vila Viçosa was not lucky for the Braganças. The third Duke, D. Fernando II, had been executed in Évora in 1483 on the orders of his brother in law, D. João II, because he was implicated in treasonable correspondence with the Catholic Monarchs.
D. Fernando II of Bragança
In a fit of jealous rage on 2 November 1512, the fourth duke, D. Jaime, murdered his wife, D. Leonor de Gusmão. He was suspicious that she was having an affair, and when he caught a page boy climbing into the window of her quarters at the Ducal Palace, ´with five slashes he ripped out her life´. The page boy was having an affair with one of her ladies in waiting, and the murdered Duchess was innocent.
D. Jaime of Bragança
D. Catherine of Bragança, daughter of D João IV, was born in Vila Viçosa in 1638. She was not blessed with good fortune. She married Charles II of England but was disliked by the English because of her Catholicism, her inability to produce an heir to the throne and her poor spoken English. Her matrimonial life was not happy since King Charles flaunted his less than discreet mistresses, and one of them, Barbara Castlemaine, was already pregnant with his child on the day when the King married Queen Catherine. The Queen´s legacies to England were the ports of Tangier and Bombay; everyday use of the fork and she also popularised in England the Portuguese custom of drinking tea.
D. Catherine of Bragança
The life of Vila Viçosa in the 18th century was also shaken by the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake – In the beginning of the 19th century, it was also looted during the French Invasions.
In 1910, with the Proclamation of the Republic, Vila Viçosa fell into decline, mostly because the Republicans wanted to push away all the remains of the Monarchy – However, in the 1930s, Vila Viçosa was reborn due to the exploration of marble in the area and the opening of the Ducal Palace (Paço Ducal) to tourists (as ordered by King Manuel II).
Self-Guided Driving/Walking Tour of Vila Viçosa:
We started our driving/walking tour of Vila Viçosa at the square of the Ducal Palace, the…
Terreiro do Paço (Vila Viçosa):
Here, in the middle of this large square, there is an equestrian statue of King D. João IV.
Estátua King D. João IV – Wikimedia – André Tavares
King D. João IV
The palace square (Terreiro do Paço) covers 16,000 square meters, and is ringed by the Paço Ducal (Ducal Palace), the heavy-fronted Igreja/Convento dos Agostinhos (Church/Convent of the Augustinians) and the graceful Real Convento das Chagas de Cristo (now the Pousada D. João V).
Aerial View – Terreiro do Paço (Vila Viçosa) – Google Maps – Hugo Domingues
Across the palace square (Terreiro do Paço) from the Equestrian statue is the…
Igreja/Convento dos Agostinhos (Church/Convent of the Augustinians):
This Convent of the Augustinian’s construction began during the reign of D. Afonso III, and was the first convent to be instituted in Vila Viçosa – The convent is now home to the Seminario Menor de São José (Minor Seminary of St. Joseph).
Aerial View – Igreja/Convento dos Agostinhos – Photo: www.info4camper.com
The Baroque Church attached to the convent has been, since 1677, the pantheon of the memory of the Dukes of Bragança.
To visit it you have to call in advance at +351 268 980 659.
The next stop on our driving/walking tour is the…
Palácio dos Matos Azambuja (Palace of Matos Azambuja) / Casa dos Arcos (House of Arches):
This palace was built in 1599, with a rectangular plan, with two floors and two bodies and a central courtyard, property of the family of Matos Azambuja. It was eventually owned by the Hintze Ribeiro family, and in October 2007 it was sold and renamed the Casa dos Arcos (House of Arches)
Casa dos Arcos (House of Arches)
Just outside the entrance to the House of Arches is the…
Grand Fountain (Fonte Grande):
This fountain, which is not so grand!, is located in Martim Afonso de Sousa Square, and has been in that place since 1940. The Portuguese historian Túlio Espanca considers that this fountain was “always the most decorated and monumental of the village”, and still remains the most decorated of the town.
Built in the Renaissance style, in white marble, with three branches of Doric columns, it has three outlets of water, which converge in a large rectangular sink, dating from 1693 and which was enlarged when the fountain was placed in this place.
Grand Fountain (Fonte Grande) – Photo: sentirvilavicosa.blogspot.com
Nearby the Grand Fountain, there was a station of the Via Sacra (Sacred Way)…
Station 4 of the Via Sacra (Sacred Way):
The 4th Station of the Via Sacra (Sacred Way) in Vila Viçosa, on Largo José Sande, has azujelo tiles and a painting of Jesus carrying the cross.
Station 4 of the Via Sacra (Sacred Way)
From here, we took a short drive north of the Ducal Palace to the entrance to the hunting grounds of the dukes…
Porta dos Nós (Gate of the Knots):
The construction of this gate dates back to the beginning of the 16th century and was built by D. Jaime, the duke who constructed the Ducal Palace. It has two columns that appear attached to the shoulders by thick ropes – The position of the three knots, which give it its name, symbolizes the Ducal House of Bragança in relation to the Royal House of Bragança.
Porta dos Nós (Gate of the Knots)
We continued north until we saw a fork in the road – we saw on our right the…
Porta do Episcopado (Gate of the Episcopate)/Porta do Vila (Gate of the Village):
This is another gate of the Ducal Palace.
Porta do Episcopado (Gate of the Episcopate)/Porta do Vila (Gate of the Village)
At the fork, there is also a small Mudejar-style building with a sign pointing to the Miradouro (viewpoint).
Mudejar-style building with a sign pointing to the Miradouro
We took this road until we reached an unnamed gate. Here we turned a sharp right.
Unnamed gate on the unnamed road
This road to the right continued to a viewpoint, named Varandinha dos Namorados (Veranda of the Valentines), and from there we walked a short distance to see the Ermida de São Bento.
Varandinha dos Namorados (Veranda of the Valentines) viewpoint
Ermida de São Bento
Interior – Ermida de São Bento – Photo: gerador.eu
Nearby the Ermida de São Bento there was a small shrine, not sure to whom…
Shrine next to Ermida de São Bento
After returning to our car, we drove to and parked for free on Praça Infante de Lacerda outside the castle walls…
Parking on Praça Infante de Lacerda outside the castle walls (at Town Gate) – Google Street View
Google Map of the Castle Walls/Gates – The Castle surrounds the Museum on the lower right – Photo: londontraveller.org
We entered the castle walls through the gate along the path to the left…
Fortaleza de Vila Viçosa – portal Norte da muralha (Town Gate):
This gate is protected by round towers and the gateway leads into a few streets of low houses.
Fortaleza de Vila Viçosa – portal Norte da muralha (Town Gate)
Walking uphill from Town Gate
Some of the buildings were deteriorated, but still picturesque
We finally reached a large square, with a cemetery gate and church to the left and a cross in the middle. We reached the…
Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Vila Viçosa (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Conception of Vila Viçosa):
The current building is the result of a renovation carried out in 1569, D. Sebastião reigning, being a large temple of three naves, where the regional marble predominates like material used in the construction.
Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Vila Viçosa
(Sanctuary of Our Lady of Conception of Vila Viçosa)
The three naves of the Church of Our Lady of Conception – Photo: ferias-paratodos.blogspot.com
There was also a statue of Pope John Paul II outside the church in the square, signifying his pilgrimage to this sanctuary in May of 1982.
Statue of Pope John Paul II commemorating his pilgrimage here in 1982
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Conception of Vila Viçosa is also known as the Solar da Padroeira (Home of the Patron Saint), because it contains on its main altar the image of Our Lady of the Conception, patroness of Portugal. Unfortunately, during our visit, this part of the main altar was screened off.
Screened off Our Lady of Conception on the main altar
Our Lady of Conception (unscreened) – Photo: seminariodeleiria.wordpress.com
On February 6, 1818, King D. João VI granted new blessings to the Shrine, erecting a new military order, the Ordem de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Vila Viçosa (Order of Our Lady of Conception of Vila Viçosa), thanking the Patroness for the national resistance to the French invasions of Portugal.
Grand Cross star and sash – Order of Our Lady of Conception of Vila Viçosa – Wikimedia – Alexeinikolayevichromanov
There is a great annual pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Vila Viçosa which is celebrated every year on December 8th, in the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, for the Patroness of Portugal.
Annual Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Conception – Photo: funchalnoticias.net
In spite of not seeing Our Lady of Conception, we enjoyed viewing the interior of the church.
Interior of Our Lady of Conception Church
We particularly liked the wall tile decorations…
Wall tile decorations
We toured the cemetery next door…
Cemetery next door
The cemetery includes the tomb of the famous poetess of Vila Viçosa, Florbela Espanca.
Tomb of Florbela Espanca – Google Maps – Sylvio Fróes
We now made our way south of the church to a southwest facing gate in the castle walls…
Fortaleza de Vila Viçosa – portão W da muralha (Évora Gate):
This gate in the city walls provides a great view of Vila Viçosa.
View of Vila Viçosa from the Fortaleza de Vila Viçosa – portão W da muralha (Évora Gate)
Cannon outside the Évora Gate
It was a short walk down the hill to see the…
Pelourinho de Vila Viçosa (Pillory of Vila Viçosa):
The Pillory of Vila Viçosa stands on the site of the old Praça Velha, near the Largo D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, right alongside the Avenida Duques de Bragança (the prison used to be nearby).
The Pillory consists of a punch of four quadrangular marble steps, of parapet, redone in the decade of 1940, when the shaft was raised on a simple smooth step; on them lies the base, a limestone pedestal made up of four hybrid animals (batrachia) of rough form and Romanesque inspiration (sculpted frogs?), certainly an allusion to the gross forces of Nature as a foundation, in what is a typical Manueline formulation.
Pelourinho de Vila Viçosa (Pillory of Vila Viçosa)
Pillory details – Photo: londontraveller.org
We returned to the Évora Gate and after reentering the gate…
Reentering the Évora Gate
We continued straight until we reached another gate on the right, this one to the Castle…and the…
Gate to the Castle/Museum
Museu de Arqueologia e Museu da Caça (Archaeology Museum and Hunting Museum)/Castelo de Vila Viçosa (Castle of Vila Viçosa):
The Castle now integrates two museums, an Archaeology Museum and a Hunting Museum). We crossed the Castle drawbridge/moat to visit both museums.
Castle drawbridge – entrance to the museums
Castle Moat
A visit to these museums is a must – if only for an excuse to wander through the castle itself (think ‘secret’ tunnels, giant fireplaces and wonderful vaulted ceilings).
Wandering through the Castle while visiting the Museums
All visits to both of these museums are by Portuguese guided tours (about 1 hour total) and tickets are purchased at the castle (€3 total).
Castle/Museums Hours – Open October to May: Tuesday, 2 pm – 5 pm (last entry 4 pm); Closed Monday; Wednesday – Sunday, 10 am – 1 pm (last entry 12 pm); 2 pm – 5 pm (last entry 4 pm); June to September: Tuesday, 2 pm – 6 pm (last entry 5 pm); Closed Monday; Wednesday – Sunday, 10 am – 1 pm (last entry 12 pm); 2 pm – 6 pm (last entry 5 pm)
Museu de Arqueologia (Museum of Archaeology) – We first visited this museum. There were a lot of relics and archaeological displays, which spanned various eras from the Palaeolithic to the Roman – there were even ancient Egyptian treasures.
Archaeological displays
View from the top of the Castle – After touring the Museum of Archaeology, we climbed up to the top of the Castle to get some great views of Vila Viçosa.
Views from the top of the Castle
Museu da Caça (Hunting Museum) – This museum is stuffed with guns and the duke’s animal trophies.
Hunting Museum
We returned to our car and drove to the square which faces the Évora Gate…
Praça da República (Republic Square):
Praça da República facing the Évora Gate – Wikimedia – Stephen Colebourne
One of our first stops here was the…
Busto de Florbela Espanca (Bust of Florbela Espanca):
This bust stands in front of a theatre named after her as well, the Cine-Teatro Florbela Espanca.
Busto de Florbela Espanca (Bust of Florbela Espanca)
Busto de Florbela Espanca and the Castle of Vila Viçosa – Photo: ferias-paratodos.blogspot.com
Florbela Espanca
Florbela Espanca was a Portuguese poet known for her erotic and feminist writing – The famous Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa later said she was his “twin soul”.
Florbela Espanca,
Born: December 8, 1894, Vila Viçosa, Portugal;
Died: December 8, 1930, Matosinhos, Portugal
She was a writer and poetess, and her life is associated with various troubles, evident in her literary production and life.
She was married three times, but her perception of herself was not stable or positive, despite being a beautiful woman by many who knew her.
In the sonnet, “Amar” (Love), which was published in her last book, Charneca em Flor (Heath in Bloom), Espanca expressed a “consuming desire to satisfy her need to love freely as a woman and her inability to channel that love into a socially acceptable, exclusive, monogamous mode,” which according to Thomas Braga, was a revolutionary statement for Portuguese love sonnets.
Espanca’s brother died in an airplane accident (some believe he committed suicide, due to his fiancée’s death), which deeply affected her – His death inspired the writing of As Máscaras do Destino (The Masks of Destiny).
After being diagnosed with pulmonary edema, Espanca starting keeping a diary and twice attempted suicide shortly before the completion of the poem Charneca em Flor.
Thirty-six years after her birth, on the day of her birthday, she actually committed suicide in Matosinhos, where she lived. Years later her remains were transferred to Vila Viçosa.
The bust of Florbela Espanca was followed by a modern statue…
Escultura de Homenagem a Doutor Couto Jardim (Sculpture of Homage to Dr. Couto Jardim):
Escultura de Homenagem a Doutor Couto Jardim (Sculpture of Homage to Dr. Couto Jardim) – TripAdvisor
Dr. Couto Jardim was a doctor and great benefactor in Vila Viçosa. He was greatly admired for his kindness and thirst for knowing more, always guided by the concern to apply this knowledge to his patients’ illnesses.
Back of the Sculpture of Homage to Dr. Couto Jardim
In the middle of the square is a fountain…
Fonte da Praça da República (Fountain of the Square of the Republic):
The Fonte da Praça da República, the former Fountain of Carrascalem, is made of marble, and is located in the rotunda-axis of the Praça da República.
Fonte da Praça da República (Fountain of the Square of the Republic) – Google Maps – José Paiva Wolff
Facing the Fonte da Praça da República is the…
Igreja da Misericórdia de Vila Viçosa (Church of Mercy of Vila Viçosa):
A church of the 16th century, despite its Renaissance home, located next to the hospital, it consists of a nave and a main chapel – The hospital at one time had an operative block, with maternity, hospitalization, own kitchen, laundry, etc.
Igreja da Misericórdia de Vila Viçosa (Church of Mercy of Vila Viçosa) – Photo: ferias-paratodos.blogspot.com
Also facing the Fonte da Praça da República and next to the Posto de Turismo de Vila Viçosa (Tourist Information Office of Vila Viçosa) is the…
Câmara Municipal de Vila Viçosa (Vila Viçosa City Council):
The municipal council is the collegiate executive body of each of Portugal’s municipalities. By extension, the term “city council” also refers to all the departments and services of the municipal administration. Regarding the Municipality of Vila Viçosa, the Executive is made up of the President and four Councillors.
Câmara Municipal de Vila Viçosa (Vila Viçosa City Council)
Continuing west on Praça da República there is a…
Monumento de Henrique César de Araújo Pousão:
This bust remembers Vila Viçosa native Henrique César de Araújo Pousão (b. January 1 , 1859 – d. March 20 , 1884 ), the most innovative Portuguese painter of his generation, reflecting in his naturalist work the influences of impressionist painters such as Camille Pissarro and Manet.
Monumento de Henrique César de Araújo Pousão – Photo: Wikiwand
At the western end of the Praça da República is a large church…
Igreja de São Bartolomeu (Church of St. Bartholomew):
Also known as the Igreja de São João Evangelista (Church of St. John the Evangelist), this church was built by order of the Dukes of Bragança (1636), to host the Jesuit college of St. John the Evangelist, founded years before, in 1601.
Igreja de São Bartolomeu (Church of St. Bartholomew)
The imposing façade, lined with the marbles of the region, is split by three orders of windows and the same number of portals, flanked by Doric columns. Flanked by two quadrangular bell towers, it still has the façade with the clock placed there in 1822 by the autarchy.
Aerial photo of Igreja de São Bartolomeu (Church of St. Bartholomew) – Photo: www.info4camper.com
Inside, the temple is a classic example of Baroque architecture, standing out the altarpiece of the high altar made in gilt carving by the Calipolan Bartolomeu Gomes in 1726.
High Altar – Photo: ferias-paratodos.blogspot.com
As we continued west past Igreja de São Bartolomeu, the street became Estr. Nacional/N254. Shortly on the right is the…
Capela de São João Baptista (Chapel of St. John the Baptist):
This small chapel, is composed of a nave, a transept, a chancel and a sacristy.
Since there is no parking near the chapel, we parked across the street on a dirt lot. The façade is painted white and, on the bottom edge, unusually trimmed with blue.
Capela de São João Baptista (Chapel of St. John the Baptist)
Just outside the Chapel of St. John the Baptist is a statue of a dove.
Statue of a Dove outside the Chapel
Continuing on Estr. Nacional/N254, we next turned right on Alameda das Piscnas. On our left is the…
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lapa (Church of Our Lady of Lapa):
In the Field of Restoration, commonly known as the Campo do Carrascal, stands the Shrine or Church of Our Lady of Lapa, a Baroque pilgrimage temple built between 1756 and 1764, with the permission of the Archbishop of Évora, Br. Miguel de Távora.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lapa (Church of Our Lady of Lapa)
Directly across the street from this church is the…
Cruzeiro de Vila Viçosa (Cross of Vila Viçosa):
This cross is a Manueline construction classified as a National Monument since 1910, which dates back to the first decades of the 16th century.
Initially placed in the convent of the Monastery of St. Augustine, it was transferred in the mid-nineteenth century to the Campo do Carrascal, where it is now found.
The Cross is embraced by a serpent, in relief, a very rare and strange representation of the Crucified Savior (a figure that symbolizes the redemption of sin and the hope of salvation).
Cruzeiro de Vila Viçosa (Cross of Vila Viçosa)
We continued north on Alameda das Piscnas until we reached the end of the road – turned left, parked and got out of the car to view the…
Museu Agrícola e Etnográfico (Agriculture and Ethnographic Museum):
This used to be the old railway station and is now a museum. We stopped to look at the azulejo tiles covering the building.
Colorful tiles – Museu Agrícola e Etnográfico (Agriculture and Ethnographic Museum)
We now had one more stop on our tour – the…
Museu do Mármore Raquel de Castro (Raquel de Castro Marble Museum):
The Marble Museum offers an interesting look at Alentejo’s local marble industry, which has sustained Vila Viçosa and made it prosperous. There are guided tours in Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French – €2.
Museu do Mármore Raquel de Castro – Photo: www.mindat.org
This Museum used to be housed inside the old Vila Viçosa Railway Station (see above) – but it recently moved to the site of a former quarry, on the road out of town toward Borba.
Former Marble Quarry located at the Museu do Mármore
Hours – Open Tuesday – Sunday, 9:30 am – 1 pm; 2 pm – 6 pm; Closed, Monday.
Marble art
Tools of the trade
Model Quarry
Pieces of marble
Our Accommodation in Vila Viçosa – Pousada Convento:
We were fortunate to have been able to stay at this wonderful hotel for three nights while using Vila Viçosa as a home base to explore Estremoz, Portugal and Mérida, Spain.
Also known as the Pousada D. João IV, the hotel is situated in the former (a mouthful!) Igreja e claustro do Convento das Chagas ou Real Convento das Chagas de Cristo (Church and Cloister of the Convent of the Wounds or Royal Convent of the Wounds of Christ).
Pousada Convento Vila Viçosa (aka Pousada D. João IV)
History of the Igreja e claustro do Convento das Chagas
ou Real Convento das Chagas de Cristo
(Church and Cloister of the Convent of the Wounds
or Royal Convent of the Wounds of Christ)
Originally founded in 1514 by the fourth Duke of Bragança, D. Jaime, to be the Pantheon of the Duchesses of Bragança, the Convent was occupied since 1535 by the Poor Clares of the Monastery of Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Beja.
Superior Mother Jeronima of the Poor Clares of Beja
Here young women of the best nobility of the kingdom who were entering the religious life were gathered, many of them born of ‘sinful’ extramarital affairs. This noble lineage assured that the Convent received vast rents and annuities, thus becoming known as the “Rich Nuns Convent”.
Igreja e claustro do Convento das Chagas
(Church and Cloister of the Convent of the Wounds)
Some of the nuns had private dwellings and were accompanied by their maids. At its peak, during the reign of D. João V, the Convent had 80 nuns.
D. João V (reigned 1706-1750)
The Convent was the last to close its doors after the extinction of the religious orders in Portugal in 1834, becoming a possession of the House of Bragança. The last nun, Sister Maria Carolina da Piedade, died in 1905, ending 350 years of religious life in the Convent.
In the years that followed the Convent was used as a seminary, summer camp, and finally, in 1997, converted into the Pousada D. João IV.
The Pousada has kept intact the convent cells, the retreats and the oratories built by the nuns over the years.
Decorated ceilings, chapels, cells and oratories
An old well
Decorated tiles
The restaurant at the Pousada Convento is the top glamour spot in town (Restaurante D. Carlos) (main dishes from €20), and there’s nothing nicer than having breakfast overlooking a cloister and orange trees.
Restaurant D. Carlos
Breakfast buffet
Breakfast in the cloister – Photo: TripAdvisor
The Cloister of the Convent
Ground floor sitting areas
Recreation areas
Hot tub and swimming pool – Photo: Trip.com
The church and cloisters of the convent have been classified as a National Monument since 1944.