The direct route to Parador Casa da Insua would have taken us two hours but we took back roads and went through Serra da Estrella Nature Park, a Portuguese National Park in the Serra da Estrella Mountain Range. On AllTrails I found a great short hike in the village of Sameiro. It was a beautiful day and we had fun exploring the village.
After our hike we went down the road a bit and found a great spot for lunch.
We wound back and forth up through the mountains.
Duke and I have stayed at Casa de Insua twice before. It is the only Parador in Portugal. Staying here is like staying in a museum. The mansion was built by Luís de Albuquerque in the late 1700s. Albuquerque had previously been the governor of the Portuguese Colony of Brazil.
After our welcome drinks and a couple of games of 500 we went out to explore the grounds.
We had dinner at the Patador.
After dinner we walked through the old rooms of the mansion.
Marion's Blog 