Around Paris, France
Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay
A hotel in a former 12th-century Cistercian abbey in the Rambouillet forest, 40 km from Paris. The ruins of a Gothic church stand right in the park.
Castles & palaces
Photos: Pedro from Maia (Porto), Portugal, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0); No machine-readable author provided. Journeyme assumed (based on copyright claims)., Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); David Francisco, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Portugal
Bussaco Palace Hotel
A Neo-Manueline palace (1888–1907) in the Bussaco forest on the site of a Carmelite convent. A national monument and a hotel.
Bussaco Palace stands in the Bussaco hills (Mealhada municipality) in central Portugal. Next to it survives part of a Carmelite convent founded in 1628; the monks planted a forest garden around it, conceived as an image of Mount Carmel and of paradise.
The palace was built in 1888–1907; its first architect was the Italian Luigi Manini. It was originally planned as a residence for Queen Maria Pia but was turned into a hotel instead. It is a national monument of Portugal.
History
In 1810, after the Battle of Bussaco, Viscount Wellington spent the night in the convent — a memorial plaque recalls it. The Carmelites left Bussaco in 1834.
Interiors
Neo-Manueline stone carving, arcaded galleries and azulejo panels.
Views from the rooms
Bussaco National Forest and the garden in front of the palace.
Who it suits
For photo shoots, romantic trips and lovers of unusual architecture.
What to see nearby
- The Mata Nacional do Buçaco forest.
- Coimbra and the Luso spa town.
Location
Mata Nacional do Buçaco, 3050-261 Luso, Portugal
Open in Yandex MapsChecked by our editors: 28 October 2026.
Sources:
Wikipedia (EN); Official website; photos — Wikimedia Commons (free licences, authors credited under the photos)
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