Hotel Convento do Desagravo

In winter there is skiing on the upper slopes. It is also the only area where a rare species of mountain lizard is found.

The small and remote village of Belmonte is 40 kilometres away. The village is of considerable interest and overlooked by a restored thirteenth century castle. This castle was the family residence and birthplace of the Discoverer, Pedro Alvares Cabral, who first found  Brazil.
Some reports suggest that he was going around the Cape of Good Hope on his way from Portugal to the far east. A fierce Atlantic storm blew him off course and the famous discovery was by accident.

The Convent was built on the orders of the Bishop Count D. Francisco de Lemos de Faria Pereira Coutinho in 1780 and the construction works finished about 20 years later. About one hundred years later, when the last nun living in the Convent died, the building was converted into a Military Hospital.

It has been extensively and carefully restored by the Bissaya Barreto Foundation with great attention being paid to all the details.

It was opened in August 2002 and is is now a luxury hotel, offering very high standard accommodation in superb surroundings.

The Pousada has 20 standard bedrooms and 4 superior rooms all with en-suite bathroom, hair dryer, bathing gowns, air conditioning, Cable television, telephone, locker and minibar. There are elegant lounges with very comfortable seating and a restaurant with doors leading out to a terrace with beautiful views over the pine trees.

As in all Pousadas, the restaurant specializes in the dishes of the region.

The shaded convent cloister and formal gardens are oasis of calm to relax in from the heat of the day.

The swimming pool is set in the lawned gardens, next to the tennis court and children's playground.

The Pousada has facilities to hold meetings.

The area has wonderful conditions for activities such as canoeing, climbing, mountaineering and excellent picnic sites.