Estói Palace

The Palácio de Estói was begun in the late eighteenth century and finished a hundred years later by the Viscount of Estói, in a late rococo manner that had gone out of fashion everywhere else - pink and white facades, and a garden laid out on descending terraces with balustrades, azulejo panels, busts, urns, a nymph grotto and a tiled pavilion, all in a state of dishevelled ornament that the Algarve does not otherwise offer. It fell into decay through the twentieth century and was restored in the 2000s as a pousada, with a modern wing added behind. The terraced gardens remain open to the public at set hours, which is how most people see it. The village of Estói is otherwise small, and the Roman villa at Milreu - with mosaics, a bath complex and a temple later converted to a church - is a few hundred metres away.

History

In the 18th century the site held a garden and a small house belonging to the Bishop of Faro, and work on the Quinta de Estoi began in 1782-1783. Fernando José de Carvalhal e Vasconcelos, who knew King Ferdinand II and admired his Pena Palace in Sintra, set out to turn his parents' property into a palace with gardens, and on 27 February 1817 he acquired the land of the Jardim de Estoi (Wikipedia, Estoi Palace).

What's there

• The terraced gardens - descending levels with balustrades, azulejos, busts and urns.
• The pink facade - a late rococo palace finished a century after it was begun.
• The pavilion and grotto - tiled garden structures on the lower terraces.
• The pousada - the restored palace working as a hotel with a modern wing.

When to go

March to June and September to November. One to two hours, including Milreu next door. Garden hours are set and limited - check before going.

Practical notes

The palace interior is a hotel, so public access is limited to the gardens and set hours. The gardens are smaller than photographs suggest. Summer heat inland is severe. Public transport from Faro is infrequent.

Nearby

The Milreu Roman villa is a short walk; Faro is south.

Key facts