Pousadas de Portugal

Tuesday, 08 September 2009 20:25

For over 60 years, Pousadas de Portugal Living History Hotels has offered visitors more than 40 historic and unique places to stay throughout Portugal and by the end of 2009, the group will have added another location to the list. The Pousada Palace of Freixo in the city of Oporto is scheduled to open by the end of the year, giving the public access to one of the finest examples of Portuguese civil baroque architecture. Built in 1742, this distinctive palace was commissioned by the Dean of Oporto Cathedral and was designed by the well-known architect, Nicolau Nasoni. The building and gardens were later sold to the Harmonia firm, which used it to set up a milling factory. In 1910, the palace was classified as a National Monument and was acquired by the government in the 1980s. Since 1942, the Pousadas de Portugal hotel group has been focused on offering quality accommodations in historic buildings or areas of outstanding natural beauty. Each hotel’s architecture, décor, restaurant cuisine and wines are intended to reflect the history and culture of the region. Created as a way to highlight the best that Portugal has to offer, the group has expanded over the years to include 44 Pousadas throughout the country, as well as two restaurants in the Lisbon area. For more information call +351 21 844 20 00 or www.pousadas.pt