Monsanto - Portugal’s magical retreat
- Valerie Charoux
- Sep 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 22
Portugal news - Monsanto, Portugal’s magical retreat, is described by Condé Nast Traveler as a place where travelers can share relaxing moments cooking with the villagers in a historic setting.
The ancient village of Monsanto rises high above a valley overlooking Central Portugal, on one side, and Spain on the other. The narrow cobblestone streets are carved into Monsanto's rocky landscape with houses squeezed between and under massive granite boulders.
The otherworldly setting of Monsanto, that has inspired the legendary movie “House of the Dragon”, is a place where stones serve as roofs and walls for the village’s roughly 800 residents. Monsanto was voted “The most Portuguese village” in a 1938 National contest, and today is listed as one of the 12 official “Historical Villages of Portugal”.
Nestled in the hills of Monsanto, is a magical retreat that reflects the charm and essence of the heart of Portugal. According to Condé Nast Traveler, Bode Country House is a retreat where travelers are welcomed in the kitchen to peel potatoes with the locals to celebrate an unforgettable dinner.
This experience with the locals of Monsanto is because visitors are always welcome, and “bem-vindo” is an experience that visitors take back home with their memories.
Bode Country House, a former olive oil and wine press that once housed life and agricultural activity, is nowadays filled with the aroma of the cakes that Catarina prepares every morning for her guests.
The experience of being welcomed encompasses the whole village if you happen to visit Monsanto during the traditional Festa do Adufe, that provides formal moments of learning the adufe - a traditional musical instrument - as well as moments filled with traditional songs, experiences, legends, and flavors that characterize the magical land of Monsanto in Portugal.
