Living large in Portugal

Sometimes in life, you are just lucky.  Staying at a former palace in the hills of Portugal was one of those times.  Built for the last king of Portugal in the 1800s, the style still knocks most buildings aside, and takes the gold medal for best place to stay in Portugal. 

Stained glass windows, intricate carvings everywhere inside and outside, top notch food, one white swan in an outdoor pond, immaculate gardens and more.  A couple nights here did the body good, although we couldn't see too much the first day due to some major fog.  Being fogged in at a huge old palace, with not many guests, brought up a feeling of living as Jack Nicholson in The Shining.  Old woodwork, empty rooms, random sinks and a sense of old grandeur.  Just ripe for someone to go crazy up there, not being able to leave the mountain.  Sadly, we woke up to a feast of a brunch laid out for us, and I was able to stock up on some long missed bacon and eggs.

Here are a few pictures from this amazing experience.  A couple from the first misty day, but mostly just sun shining beautifulness to show the palace in all its glory.  If you're ever in the middle of Portugal and see a palace up on the hilltop, come on in, Justus has moved in!

Our rooms are better than your rooms

Our rooms way up in the tower, topped with quality rose window

Smooth marble.  Where's my bowling ball at?

Stairwell up to our rooms

Swan coming over to say hi

Guardian angel protecting the palace for centuries

A home isn't a palace without some nice columns

A fountain for the visiting P-B royalty

The boss gets a shower

Portuguese tilework on the stairwell going up

Just an average window on the palace

Archway to the dining room, just beckoning you in to eat!