Quinta da Bacalhoa in Azeitao, Setubal

Quinta da Bacalhoa

Located on the N10 road, in the small town of Vila Fresca de Azeitao some 19kms west of Setubal, is the delightful Quinta da Bacalhoa, also referred to as the Bacalhoa Palace. It is regarded as one of the finest early examples of domestic Renaissance architecture in Portugal.

It is highly likely that “Bacalhôa”, by which the old Vila Fresca estate in Azeitao became known, originated from the fact that the wife of Dom Jerónimo Manuel was referred to by this name, the female form of “Codfish”. This estate was established as one of the artistic treasures of Portugal.

The son of Afonso de Albuquerque, who had been a great mariner and viceroy of India, also liked travelling. He journeyed to Italy, became a connoisseur of Italian art and admired their gardens. This inspired him to make a villa on a peninsula south of Lisbon. It has logias and patios for outdoor living and philosophical discourse. A great tank garden is flanked by a hall with three pavilions and decorated with glazed tiles (azulejo) and terracotta busts.

Based on a simple pattern of geometric squares, the gardens are fashioned out of carefully manicured boxwood. The remarkably ornate garden is arranged around a central fountain. Each parterre displays a different boxwood pattern, and each has a distinct meaning: an “R” at the center of one symbolizes rei, which means king of Portugal.

A little museum and public reception room on the ground floor of the house are open to visitors. This museum (consisting mainly of unimportant antique paintings, plus a scattering of artifacts related to the history of winemaking at the quinta) is worth visiting only if you are already there viewing the gardens.

The Quinta was classified a National Monument in 1996 by the Institute of Management for Architectural and Archaeological Heritage (IGESPAR).

Contact us if you wish to know more information about Quinta da Bacalhoa or to know about the Wine Tours available.

See the Quinta da Bacalhoa Gallery of Photos:

We invite you spend some of your vacations and holidays time visiting Arrábida Hills. We invite you to visit Setubal and to visit Portugal. Just take your fligth to Faro airport or Lisbon Airport, reserve accomodations,hotel , choose a restaurant and activities and welcome to Portugal Dream Coast.