Monuments in Vila Vicosa

Sightseeing by visiting monuments in Vila Vicosa is a very relaxing occupation. On this occasion we visited old favourite and also made two new discoveries. The town is very attractive and you could just as easily sit in the main square with a coffee and pasteis de nata and people-watch!

The Ducal Palace in Vila Vicosa

I wrote about the Ducal Palace in some detail in 2016 so there is no need to repeat the information here – do have a look at the post. Photography inside the palace is still forbidden but we wandered in the garden after the tour, which is rather more truncated than in the past. One member of the group lingered at the rear and photographed every room on her phone, with her children watching – what an example!

The entire facade of the palace is covered in marble which is of course very beautiful. It is mined in the area and is a major export for Portugal. But it is also a finite resource and I found it sad to see the many quarries and spoil heaps around Vila Vicosa.

The gardens are attractive and a little later in the year they are more colourful.

The gardens and outbuildings of the Ducal Palace in Vila Vicosa

The Pantheon

The Augustine Convent in Vila Vicosa was founded in 1267 and since the 17th century it has been the pantheon of the Dukes of Braganca. The church attached to today’s pousada was the pantheon of the Duchesses of Braganca. On this visit we were able to see inside the church, but there was no access to the cloisters of the Convent.

Pantheon of the Dukes of Braganca in Vila Vicosa — Pantheon of the Dukes of Braganca

The Castle Museum

In 2016 it was possible to photograph inside the Castle Museums, so again I refer you to the post. We enjoyed our return visit although the many trophies in the hunting museum make me feel a little ill. But as the guide said, it happened at that time and we should be aware of wrongdoing in the past.