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It takes a ruined village? Portuguese inns set in ancient villages

So many people are looking for something beyond a hotel - and in Portugal, a land of nearly 900 years of history, you can have some fun choices! Here is a list of some of our favorite inns, set in the ruins of ancient villages - ready to give you a memorable, fun and authentic experience!
Cuada1
 
Alentejo: S. Gregório 


The earliest written records of the ancient village of S. Gregório date back to1483. Set on a hill with the Serra d'Ossa for backdrop, the location chosen for this settlement could not have been better. This once prosperous village was at its peak home to over forty people. The surrounding land is very fertile and is used today to grow vines

Both the village and surrounding land were once the property of a rich nobleman, D. Luís Galvão Coutinho Freire. Its location was its downfall. Being so close to Estremoz, Borba and Vila Viçosa its inhabitants gradually moved to the cities, abandoning the village permanently in 1980s.

S. Gregório suffered no changes to its original 15th Century architecture and layout. With the passing of time the streets were covered over by weeds and the walls and roofs of the building fell in. But, this did not change the original style of the village, making it a unique location of incalculable historic value.

Deserted and abandoned, the village was bought in 1998 with the aim of restoring it.


Aldeia de São Gregório 
Santiago Rio de Moinhos 
7150 - 390 Borba 



Centro/Beira: Aldeia de Póvoa Dão 

A real medieval village located 14 km from Viseu in the village of Silgueiros.

This village was abandoned a few years ago with only one inhabitant and the remaining houses in ruins.

It has since been recovered, rebuilt and became a tourist village where the houses, all in granite and with the wooden interior, were kept in their original form.

In the village there is an already well-known restaurant and it excels by the various local specialties.

There is also a swimming pool for the exclusive use of the inhabitants, as well as a tennis and soccer field.



Mafra: Aldeia da Mata Pequena

Located between Mafra and Lisbon, Aldeia da Mata Pequena is a small rural village that was completely restored and transports visitors into the past in an untouched green landscape.

The 13 whitewashed houses outlined with blue and yellow have its own living room, kitchen, bathroom and backyard. They are equipped with cable TV, heating, sofas and wardrobes. Houses can accommodate 2 to 6 persons.

Guests are invited to explore the gastronomy of the region but alternatively they can prepare their own meals at the rustic fully equipped kitchen available in each house. Barbecue facilities are available, and the property leave


Aldeia da Cuada

Cuada was a tiny village that saw it villagers emigrate for a better life decades ago. When Carlos and Teotonia Silva started to buy up the ruined houses  it was over grown, its ocean views no longer viable. Over two decades they bought and restored 15 of the towns’ 17 houses (one is still in the hands of a family, the other is a chapel), and made them into simple one and two bedroom cottages. The Aldeia (or Village in Portuguese) has the feel of an ancient town, with its rough stone paths (no cars allowed) open fields, and stone houses all with kitchenette, and furnished in period antiques.
 
And,  the town is connected by a new road,and ancient paths to the nearby towns Fajã Grande and Fajazinha. Views to the west are of the sea, and to the east of the waterfalls.
Aldeia da Cuada (H, B)
 
 
Casas do Coro
 
Located in the ruined medieval village of Marialva, Casas do Coro has rooms, suites and villas which all come with a unique décor, combining modern features with some rustic details and pieces. The unit has a large swimming pool, its own chapel, a vegetable garden and an Eco Friendly Concept Spa.Almeida, Castelo Mendo, Castelo Rodrigo, Linhares da Beira and Trancoso, historic villages in the area, are just over a 1-hour drive away from the property. Free parking is available. 
 

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