Pieces of art and relics are everywhere: from the 18th-century decorative carvings in wood and gold leaf to the huge Arraiolos carpets displayed on the tallest walls. Outside, the garden extends to the castle’s north wall, home to a terrace and, a little further on, a swimming pool, where the last rays of sunlight can be enjoyed.
Built upon the ruins of the Nossa Senhora de Aracoelli convent, and situated between the two lines of walls that make up the castle, the pousada, which was previously known as King Afonso II, towers above the town. We can see the whole of Alcácer do Sal, from the bridges to the surrounding rice paddies. En route to the castle there’s a swing that describes the place as the “old, vain queen of rice and salt”.
Founded in 1573, the convent was functional for three centuries, before being left abandoned for many years. In the early 1990s, after extensive rebuilding, it was transformed into a tourist pousada, successfully maintaining its Gothic and Renaissance architecture, while adding a range of contemporary features.
Building work was made more complicated, as well as time-consuming, due to the discovery of abundant archaeological remains. The various Roman, Muslim, medieval and modern structures indicated that the site had been occupied by humans from the 7th century BC. The archaeological work, which lasted more than four years, can be seen in the castle’s archaeological crypt, on the floor below the hotel.
Inaugurated in 1998, with 35 rooms in total, the Castelo Alcácer do Sal Pousada has maintained many of its original features, such as vaulted ceilings and ogival (pointed) windows, which can also be found in some bedrooms. Throughout the pousada there’s a combination of old and contemporary, as well as stone and wood. We find them in the restaurant and lounges, in the cloister and chapter house, not forgetting the bar, which has a pool table downstairs, as well as a reading room upstairs, on a mezzanine that offers a front row seat for the game.
Essentials
