Vila Viçosa

Vila Viçosa is located 75 kilometers from Quinta do Pomarinho on a stretched out plaque full of orange and lemon groves in the Alto Alentejo. Vila Viçosa is sometimes called the marble museum town with its large houses of white marble and its impressive palace from the 16th century. Vila Viçosa means ‘fertile valley’ and the city received that name after the Moors were driven back in 1226.

Places of Interest Vila Viçosa

The Paço Ducal palace was the favorite place to stay for the dukes of Bragança. The rooms on the first floor are beautifully decorated and still radiate the wealth of a bygone era. The Room of the Duges is decorated by beautiful frescoes and tapestries from Brussel. Also the geometric gardens are impressive and reflect the architectural style of the palace in Vila Viçosa. Another special feature is the Porto do Nó, the gateway of the palace that is made from marble and schist with ‘knots’: the symbol of the Braganças.

The 14th-century church Nossa Senhora de Conceição possesses a gothic Mary statue that is probably from England. Located in the former monastery Convento das Chagas are the tombstones of the duchesses. This monastery in Vila Viçosa is now a pousada.

Surroundings Vila Viçosa

On the plateau where Vila Viçosa is located there are several villages with Moorish castles, for example in Juromenha,

Alandroal, Redondo, and Terena. In the villages and castle you will find wrought iron balconies, robust Gothic towers, and wood paintings and baroque altars. The village of Redondo is also known for its special ceramics.

Events Vila Viçosa

The Feira de Maio in Vila Viçosa at the end of May is wonderful to experience. In September there is the Fiesta dos Capuchos, where ‘vacada’ is also held next to the bullfighting. This is where bulls are released into the main street and men try to jump over them to prove their courage.

In Vila Viçosa there are several markets, including the large market on Wednesday morning and the vegetable market on Saturday. In January and June large annual markets are organized in Vila Viçosa.

Restaurants Vila Viçosa

Vila Viçosa has many affordable restaurants where you can go to enjoy a meal or a drink. Special is ‘Framar’ where the dining room on the first floor has a rural scene painted on wood. Praça da República, the main square, has several restaurants and cafes, of which some have a terrace.

Carefree relaxation in a beautiful landscape

Visiting Vila Viçosa from Pomarinho

Quinta do Pomarinho is located 75 kilometers from Vila Viçosa, thanks to which Vila Viçosa is not hard to reach from our quinta. The trip will take you through a rolling landscape filled with fields, olive trees, and cork oaks.

Spending the night at Pomarinho

We have a camping and several holiday homes on a large terrain of 62 acres where you will find rest, space, and nature. You can stay in a room in our Friends of Nature House based on Bed and Breakfast, or rent a whole floor or the whole house with your family or group. You can also stay in a unique detached holiday cottage, in one of our comfortable apartments that are built in the old stables of the farm or in one of our three rental caravans. You can stay based on self-catering or including partial breakfast (-service) or full care.