Pousada

Pousada History

Setubal - Sao Filipe historical Pousada was built in the fort with the same name. It rises up in the hill above a beautiful recess of the river Sado, over the port of Setubal and the narrow peninsula of Troia. Arrival at the Pousada, is made through crossing the thick walls of the fort, and traveling the road while appreciating the neighboring panoramic views of Arrabida, the estuary of Sado and the Atlantic ocean. The fort was built in the 17th century by order of Filipe I of Portugal (II of Spain). However the fort's initial construction dates back to 1582 and its purpose was to defend the Setubal borough.

The construction plan and project was entrusted to the Italian architect Filipe Terzi. Following the military architecture of that time, where the artillery had an increasingly important role in the art of war, the Fort of S. Filipe presents a starry form of six walls with very sharpened vertexes.

The fort's defense line is surrounded by a ditch. On the land's side arises a second wall external to the first and the ditch. Another defense wall in rectangular form, long and with bulwarks spreads towards the sea. This was done certainly to veil an important technical deficiency, the inability to reach the ships that entered the river.

The entrance to Setubal's Pousada is made through a large castle like door, strategically positioned in an inconspicuous corner at the base of the fortress. The national shield with its five edges sculpted in stone, representing the Portuguese crusades is the only ornamental element of the fort's porch. Although there are no signs now of a ditch with water outlining the construction, there are recognizable lines on the walls, evidence of the previous existence of a movable bridge.

Access to the Pousada and the top area of the fort is made through 40 large worn-out steps lining a high and arched hallway tunnel. In the middle of the flight of stairs there's a room that is now used as a meeting area. Four hundred years ago it was the entrance to the fort's prison. Upon arriving at the top of the stairs, on the left side, there's the private chapel, built by order of king D.Manuel in 1736. In the interior, a coating of tiles dating back to the 18th century line the walls and the vaulted ceiling.

Aftger the church, one arrives at the fort's esplanade where with a breathtaking view of the surrounding land and sea. Glance of the immense blue water of Setubal's bay can be had, as well as the riverside zone, the wonderful beaches of the peninsula of Troia and the exuberant mountain of Arrabida.

To the right of the esplanade is the entrance to the Pousada. Inaugurated in 1965, it nests among the bastion of the fortress. The interior is rich of small runners and vaulted ceilings, allowing one retreat in time and visualize the life of the troops in that entangled of tunnels and compartments.

Today, everything in the Pousada of Setubal is adapted to receive the guests and the decoration has been adapted to the place and time. Some pieces of furniture in the corridors are part of the furniture left behind over the years.

Some of rooms are located in the old cells of the fort, and for this reason, the dimensions are not big but the excellent use and the good taste in the decoration of the rooms provide for a pleasant stay. Eight of the rooms have a sea view and eight are inner rooms. The Pousada also features a bar, a living room for socializing and relaxing, a small games room, a dining room featuring excellent local cuisine, and a great external terrace.

For those who like history, you can ask the inn manager, Carolina Marafusta, to arrange a visit to the underground galleries. It is worthwhile even to go inside of the depths of the catacombs going back centuries in time. A certain rustic ambiance truly gives the Pousada a relaxed atmosphere, seasoned with appropriate, simple and sober decoration.

In the summer, one ca enjoy the nights at the Castle, with a program that includes a dinner buffet, a craft exhibition, and a lot of animation such fado singing and fireworks. For programs outside the Pousadas, it is worthwhile to travel through the natural park of Arrabida, try beaches of Portinho of Arrabida, try the cheeses and wines in Azeitãao and visit the magestic Cabo Espichel.