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Estalagem Vale Manso Inn is on the banks of river Zezere with delightful views over the dam of Castelo do Bode.
The position is midway between the interesting towns of Tomar and Abrantes and is near the main Tagus river that flows to Lisbon and the sea.
Abrantes looks above the River Tagus and over the centuries has had strategic importance. It played a vital role in the reconquest of Portugal after 300 years of Moorish rule.
In the later years of the Peninsular wars (1808-14) against Napoleon, the Duke of Wellington made it one of his bases.
Tomar is an interesting town situated in a large and beautiful valley on the banks of the River Nabao. It has medieval cobbled streets and ancient buildings and monuments. There are close links to the Knights Templar who were very active during the Crusades.
In I983, UNESCO classified the Templar Castle and the Convent of the Knights of Christ, as a unique monument in the history of the western world, and designated it as a World Heritage Site.
This impressive structure comprises seven cloisters, a temple, a church and a huge bell tower.
Estalagem Vale Manso is the only five star hotel in the area and was opened in Autumn 1998.
It has twenty two bedrooms and two suites with all of which are air conditioned and have en suite bathrooms. Equipment includes satellite TV, direct dial telephone, hair dryer, safe, bath robes and mini bar.
Each room has a private veranda with views over the dam.
There is a bar and two restaurants in the hotel serving a wide variety of local dishes.
Outside there are two swimming pools (one of them for children), two tennis courts, a squash court and a children's playground.
Nautical sports such as water skiing, jet skiing and canoeing, horse riding, paint ball, etc., can be arranged for the guests subject to previous reservation.
The hotel has its own river marina for small boats.
Estalagem Vale Manso also offers conference facilities including 2 meeting rooms for up to 210 people with sophisticated audio-visual equipment.
Lisbon airport is about ninety minutes drive away with almost the whole journey being by modern highway.
Porto (Oporto) is located approximately 220 kilometres to the north.
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