Coimbra, Porto and the Douro Valley by Jens Hoffmann.
You should go to Coimbra, the city is not so crowded like in Lisbon -which is also fantastic – just the perfect destination, I enjoyed it very much, especially lovely narrow streets.
We stayed in a lovely hotel. On the site of a famous but tragic fourteenth-century love story between Prince Pedro and Inês de Castro, Quinta das Lágrimas Palace holds the secrets of this fateful affair.
It is a beautiful old hotel with a modern conversion that contains additional rooms.
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We stayed in the older building and our suite #3 was spacious, lovely decorated and had a high-quality linens.
For sure the Quinta das Lágrimas Palace has an romantic fair.
The yellow and white façade of the hotel gives a grand and stately impression. With superb gardens packed with rare trees, the fountain that is said to be born of the tears of the fateful Inês de Castro, murdered for her illicit love affair, and the beautifully decorated rooms throughout, this hotel is both enchanting and totally unique. It is perfect for a romantic getaway with a spa, golf course, well maintained gardens, a small art museum, and a Michelin-starred restaurant on the premises. We stayed here for two nights, for foodies like us the place was ideal, our dinners in the hotel restaurant consisted of superb food presented with flair and culinary class. The breakfasts were also of good international quality with sufficient variety.
The fun part of Quinta das Lágrimas is wandering the halls and the many rooms open to guests—a cozy bar, many rooms in which to read, or meditate over the ponds and fountains and views of the estate, or fiddle on your laptop while the economy burns. The halls go so many directions that we encountered lost guests asking for directions in diverse languages, but no matter where you turn you find yourself in a sweet place, lost or not, so the experience was a pleasure. The garden is large and delightful and has a bizarre true history. Providing a great choice of accommodation, guests may choose from the magnificent 18th-century palace, the Garden residence or the slick modernity of the Spa building, and enjoy a a nine-hole pitch-and-putt course.
Furthermore there is a lake, two pools and a Michelin-starred restaurant.
We played the pitch and putt hotel golf course and did a couple of romantic strolls through the gardens and along the River Mondego in Braga Park, overlooking the city. Perfect days in a special city with a university and fascinating streets.
