CASA DO VALLE

To start our outdoor activities at Casa do Valle this summer are Yoga classes!  Starting the 25th of July (and continuing on all Wednesday afternoons at 530 pm), Cátia Pereira will lead us to relaxation after a busy day out, preparing for a good night sleep in a rested body. Cátia is a 'lisboeta', meaning born in Lisbon. She enjoys teaching yoga with a focus on breathing techniques and mindfulness.  She was certified in India, having traveled to Thailand and Australia, where she took wellness training courses, including massage therapies such as Ayurvedic massage, Thai massage and reflexology. Cátia believes cultivating yoga is a profound body, mind and soul expression, while the Universe and the alignments of the planets and stars influence each one of us. She teaches Hatha, Vinyasa flow,  yoga Nidra, and Meditation and also leads meditative walks. Other activities to start in the beginning of August are special massage days and guided hikes, such as walks to th...

This spring and beginning of summer, the question we have answered the most to our guests is 'What's with the weather?' Or 'Is this weather normal here this time of the year?' Mostly we answer 'No, it's not normal' or 'Well, there is really nothing we can do about it'. It really has been much colder and wetter than 'normal'. In March it rained 4 times the normal average amount, and it was the second coldest March in the history of Portugal (since the measurements begun). It HAS been cold.  It HAS rained a lot. Yes, we still have heaters on in the rooms in JUNE! Unheard of! But it is not raining continuously. Luckily it is nothing you cannot cope with, with a coat or a sweater. As we are entering the month when summer officially begins, we keep hoping that the morning shower of each day will be the last one. And we also keep hoping that the fall will be like last year - beautiful weather until the end of November! To me the wea...

For a nicer, friendlier and safer place for residents and tourists alike, new traffic regulations are in place in Sintra to stop the huge volume of cars. The Historic Center is now almost car-free. Many streets were changed to one-ways, and the traffic in many of them has been restricted to authorized vehicles only.  Who is authorized? Residents – up to two cars are allowed by residence to get a permit to circulate and park in the historic centre. Business owners – up to three cars are allowed to get a permit to circulate and park in the historic centre. Special Permit owners: there are two types of special permits – circulation only and circulation and parking. Circulation only is meant for those who for instance drop their children off to school in the restricted area.   Circulation and parking permit, or ‘Do not disturb’ is a permit for those who want to drive to and park in this area. Each accommodation can request a limited number of these perm...

Thinking of whether to bring a car to Sintra? Think well before you do.  Here are a few things for your consideration: The most visited monument in Portugal is the Pena Palace on the Sintra mountain, in  the middle of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.  The Moorish Castle is right next to it, and the National Palace and Quinta da Regaleira are in the Historical Center of Sintra.  These 4 monuments alone have an average of 3.000.000 visitors a year. The Historic Center of Sintra is like any other Historic Center - narrow streets, many one-way streets, almost no parking and LOTS of tourists on foot, in busses, in their own cars. Only, unlike most Historic Centers, Sintra is not closed for traffic. Yet. And most rental cars are with manual gears. In the summer months people spend up to 2 hours in a queue during the last few kilometers to get to Sintra or passing through it.  Add to the normal chaos, the works in the water lines that the City Hall is doing during ...

Madonna recently moved to Portugal Recently the ´Queen of Pop’, Madonna, moved to Portugal.  There was a lot of talk about her buying in Sintra but she did end up in Lisbon.  Where John Malcovich lives, as do Michael Fessbender and Monica Belucci, among other famous people. Harrison Ford When I first moved to Portugal 29 years ago I bought a book called ‘They came to Portugal’. It was a book on the famous people who came to Portugal a long time ago.   The Spaniards, the Moors, famous authors and philosophers, foreign kings and alike.  It was intriguing, as what we know about history is that it was the Portuguese who travelled the world and went everywhere, conquering lands and colonizing. During the Second World War, Portugal became a safe territory for thousands of refugees and exiles – among them the monarchy from Spain, John Malcovich Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Austria, Hungary and Denmark.   Throughout her modern history, P...

During your escape to the green hills of Sintra, complement your stay at Casa do Valle with our wellness offers. This summer, to make the most of your stay with us, we have developed a special program for our guests, together with our expert Lena Lönnbäck. Having Sintra as scenery you can enjoy a relaxing or invigorating massages, walks in the less known paths of the Sintra mountain, and renew your energy with a fitness session, ranging from calm and relaxed stretching to stamina building exercises. You can even have a one-on-one health promotion consultation with our expert, Lena Lönnbäck – more about Lena at the end of this blog. Free Wellness Activities: Guided morning walks in the mountain, to the palaces and around the neighbourhood, 2-3 days a week Exercise classes , 5 times a week, including:          Stretching and core strength            Functional Training         ...

2017 is the the International Year of Sustainable Tourism, and in June, Casa do Valle received the Green Key award .   The Green Key award is the leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry, in 55 countries. This prestigious ecolabel represents a commitment by businesses that their premises adhere to the strict criteria set by the Foundation for Environmental Education. A Green Key stands for the promise to its guests that by opting to stay with the Green Key establishment, they are helping to make a difference on an environmental level. The high environmental standards expected of these hotels are maintained through rigorous documentation and frequent audits. Green Key is eligible for hotels, hostels, small accommodations, campsites, restaurants and attractions.(   www.greenkey.global/ ) At Casa do Valle we believe that the more companies that are ‘green’ the better it is f...