Pestana Palácio do Freixo - Pousada & National Monument

In Porto, a city whose jumble of architectural wonders takes in everything from Palladian villas and Gothic churches to works by Gustave Eiffel and Rem Koolhaas, it’s only natural that Pestana Palácio do Freixo’s sleek, contemporary guest rooms should be housed in a salmon-pink flour factory adjoining an 18th-century Baroque palace. One minute you’re watching your LCD television in quiet, air-conditioned comfort, the next you’re taking tea in a gilded hall of mirrors — perhaps with a dip, in between, in that stunning pool on a terrace above the banks of the Douro River. And why not? Portugal’s laid-back second city is so relentlessly pleasant, sunny and breezy and pretty at every turn, that the inconsistencies quickly wash together into a sea of eccentric charm.

The location is a couple miles from the historic center of town, but what it lacks in immediate proximity to Porto’s sights is easily made up in breezy, riverside atmosphere. The mellow vibe, with boats cruising by and wooded hills rising from the water, is an appropriate mood for this city, anyhow; one doesn’t exactly come for the late nights and the bright lights, though there is plenty to explore — museums and galleries, restaurants and bars, cobblestone streets and plenty of history.

The idea behind Portugal’s pousadas and historic hotels is that you get not just a nice place to stay, but a well-rounded experience of the local culture and heritage, and dining plays no small part. This is even more true in the Douro Valley, a place any good oenophile knows as home to far more than Porto’s famous sticky wine. The city itself supplies much of the country’s seafood, and the countryside beyond is a pastoral wonderland of olive and citrus groves, vineyards and farms, with food to match. The hotel’s restaurant makes good use of the bounty, with an emphasis on fresh local seafood and traditional specialities like francesinha. The latter is like a croque-monsieur, only homier and meatier and saucier. In typical local fashion, the idea is to keep piling on one good thing after another, knowing full well that sometimes more is indeed more.

How to get there:
Pestana Palácio do Freixo - Pousada & National Monument is 18 km from Oporto Airport.