Pousada Convento de Belmonte History:
Set on the slopes of the Esperança Mountain, at just over a km from the town of Belmonte, the birthplace of Pedro Álvares Cabral, the Pousada de Belmonte was buit by renovating the runs of the former Nossa Senhora da Esperança Convent.
Before the monastery this was the site of a hermitage founded in the thirteenth century, and ancient pagan cults probably used the same location. The Cabral Family were patrons of the hermitage, and the image of Nossa Senhora da Esperança today on display in the parish church of Belmonte is thought to have been carried to Brazil by Pedro Álvares Cabral.
The Pousada has preserved the Monastery’s heritage intact (The sight was classified as a building of public interest in 1986), included amphitheatre architecture layout in the pine woods on the slopes of Esperança´s Mountain, and stunning landscape with views over the Cova da Beira region and Estrela’s Mountain. Inside, the chapel and sacristy have been converted into lounge and bar and the careful restoration work is typical of the high standard applied since conversation work began in 1997 and a good example of the harmonious blend of historical architecture and modern construction and comfort.
Guests can use the Pousada as a base for exploring the many historical monuments is the region, including the castle, the burial vault of the Cabral family, the Judiaria or Jewish Quarter, and the mysterious Centum Cellas, as well as the natural beauty and folk traditions of Serra da Estrela (Estrela´s Mountain), one of the Europe’s most important natural reserves.