The Pousada is located on a beautiful Alentejo country estate nine kilometres outside the town of Santiago do Cacem.

It is attractively laid out with terraced gardens, a rustling stream, pool, shady nooks for sitting and even a small private chapel.

This typical farm is surrounded by the Alentejan plains yet only 20 kilometres from marine lagoons and the dramatic Atlantic coastline of the Costa Dourada.

The town of Santiago do Cacem is overlooked by its Castle, built by the Knights Templar, with views across to the Atlantic Ocean which are not to be missed.

A walk through the municipal gardens will bring you to the museum housed in the old prison. The archaeological section contains exhibits from the nearby Roman site of Mirobriga, 2 kilometres out of town.

Blow away the cobwebs with a 15 km trip to the Costa Dourada beaches. Here you can stroll along the vast stretches of sandy beach overlooked by majestic cliffs and watch the Atlantic waves rush to the shore.

Separated from the ocean are two lagoons, de Melides and de Santo Andre, where flocks of water birds enjoy the calm waters and abundant food.

Further afield (approx. 50 kms) but worth a visit is Alcacer do Sal (Castle of Salt). The town is on the River Sado, it was originally occupied by the Phoenicians and later became an important settlement under the Moors.

As its name suggests it was an important salt producing area, and many of the salt pans can still be seen along the river bank.

The marshes at the river edge have been reclaimed and are now one of the most productive rice producing areas in Portugal. The country is the biggest rice producer in Europe, and the town is surrounded by verdant paddy fields.

Due to its former prosperity it has some fine buildings of note, including the ruins of a Moorish castle keeping watch over the town.

The municipal museum stands amid a row of white buildings bordering the river and has an interesting collection of Stone Age, Roman and Moorish artefacts.

Churches worth visiting include Igreja de Santa Maria dating from the 12th Century which has some wonderful painted tiles.

The Convento of Santo Antonio has a fine Renaissance doorway and beautiful marble decoration. The 13th Century church of Senhor dos Martires is of particular importance to the towns people. It houses the tomb of Diogo de Pereira who freed the town of Moorish occupation in the 13th Century.

The Pousada do Santiago do Cacem is a peaceful haven and is the ideal location to recharge your batteries. It has 13 bedrooms all with ensuite bathroom, hair dryer, bathing gowns, air conditioning, Cable television, telephone and minibar.

For those wanting absolute solitude there is also a small two bedroomed cottage in the grounds.

Facilities at the Pousada include restaurant, bar, terrace, parking and, a swimming pool which used to be a private irrigation reservoir.

Dining in Portugal is usually very good. The restaurants of the Pousada group hotels offer a variety of dishes including a selection of local and regional specialities.

Activities available nearby include shooting, fishing, cycling tours, windsurfing, golf, cruises, four-wheel driving, paintball, bird watching, carriage tours and donkey cart tours.

The international airport at Lisbon (Lisboa) is approximately 142 kilometers from this Pousada of Portugal.