Location: Vila Vicosa, Alentejo Region

The Pousada de D. Joao IV is set in the former Convent of Chagas de Cristo in the historical village of Vila Vicosa. Very characteristic with its intricate themed rooms, full of legends and tales, the Pousada has kept intact the convent cells, the retreats and the oratories built by the nuns. You can also appreciate the exquisite conventual recipes.

Accommodation: The Pousada has 29 Standard Rooms, 2 Double Suites, 3 Twin Suites and 2 Luxurious Twins. The Pousada also has the following theme rooms: Hunter Room, Botanical Room, Colonel Room, Poet Luxurious Twin, Musician Suite, Professor Luxurious Twin, Travelling Painter Suite, Astronomer Suite, Infanta Suite and Duchess Suite.  All the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, mini-bar, telephone, cable TV, hair drier, safe, bathing gowns.

Pousada History: Around 1514, the Fourth Duke of Braganca, Dom Jaime, decided to found a religious house close to his palace in Vila Viçosa. It would serve dual purpose of Pantheon for the ladies of his House, and would take in the daughters from his second marriage, who could not find noble husbands. Nobody knows the exact date of the foundations, although documentary evidence suggests that they date back to 1514. At that time, the Duke of Braganca was undertaking a great number of works in the town, especially the new castle and the city walls. Despite its local character, this convent, designed in the early fifteen hundreds, revealed the new aesthetic tastes of the Renaissance - the cultural movement which began in Italy in the late fourteenth century - brought to Portugal by Joao de Ruao and Nicolau Chanterenne. This influence can be seen not only in certain architectural features, in the design of the church doorway, but also in the layout as a whole, in the way the building surrounds the large square, Terreiro do Paco. One of the most interesting features of the buildings is the marble doorway. Italian influences combined with the tradition and tastes of local architects.

Banquets & Other Events: The Restaurant D. Carlos has a refined decoration and offers a voyage through the regional flavours. It has capacity for 100 people. The Bar D. Jaime is decorated with equestrian paintings, that mention the Alta Escola Portuguesa. It is very calm and cosy and is the perfect place for a drink Beside it is the Salao dos Duques, where there are the illustrations of the Dukes of Braganca, as well as the original paintings of D. Amelia Queen. In winter, the fireplace is pleasing and at Saturdays there is piano music to relax and voyage through Portugal 's History. The former kitchen of the Convent and its regional oven is now a typical “tasca” of Alentejo named Bar Sabores da Terra (regional flavours), where it is possible to taste the marvellous “Petiscos”, the great wine and have cosy conversations.

Meetings & Conferences:

SOME SUGGESTIONS OF ANIMATION FOR COMPANIES OR GROUPS:

• Musical animation (Fado and songs of the Alentejo)
• Snooker, Chez, Playing cards and other games.
• Tour to the Palacio Ducal, Castle, Museums
• Tour to the stone-pits.
• Tour to the regional wine cellars.
• Hot ballooning.

Gastronomy: At Restaurant D. Carlos we recommend the “Regional Gastronomy Experiment”, always combined with the excellent regional wines (Borba, Estremoz, Redondo, Reguengos and Evora). On Saturday evenings you may enjoy the great “Buffet”. During summer, Friday evenings are wonderful in the restaurant's esplanade, where you can have the Traditional Barbecue. The deserts of Alentejo are also fabulous.