It's easy to see why this town is a very popular tourist destination. It's tucked into steep hills and laced with tiny streets, and filled with fascinating palaces, homes and gardens to explore. Even now in the off-season there are many visitors.
Following a recommendation from our host in the Moon Hill Hostel we walked first to the Biester house, an amazing structure surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens at the edge of the town. The house was constructed in the late 1800s, occupied by a succession of families over the years, and has only been open to tourists since last April.
Because the house is not that old and has been mostly occupied it's in immaculate condition inside.
The gardens are carefully laid out on the hillside, laced with paths and packed with a tremendous variety of plants from all over the world.
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| Tomato tree |
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| Tea and snack break in a greenhouse |
Next stop was the Regaleira Palace, another elegant former estate turned into a museum. Although this one is highly touted in the guidebooks, it was a little disappointing. While the Biester house as filled with clear signage to explain everything, the Regaleira is very light on explanation and context. The grounds surrounding the Palace are filled with quirky sculptures and features.
There's a 27 meter deep well, surrounded by a spiral staircase, which leads down to a maze of tunnels carved in the rock.
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| On the way down |
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| Looking back up |
Behind the openings in this artificial lake as a large grotto area made up of many tunnels and passageways.
Another grotto features Leda and the swan.
