This information has been provided by the Bucaco National Forest

We offer four different types of visits in English, for a minimum of 10 participants. The visits have different degrees of difficulty to allow access to a broad spectrum of visitors.

For information and booking please call (351) 231937000 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

VISIT 1: Visit to the Convent of Santa Cruz

VISIT 2: Visit to the Forest
VISIT 3: Visit to the Convent and Gardens
VISIT 4: Visit to the Convent and the Forest

VISIT 1 

Name: The convent of Santa Cruz
Approximate length: 400 m
Approximate duration: 45 minutes
Degree of difficulty: Easy
Point of departure and arrival: convent
Points of interest: Chapel, Cloister, Cells.

VISIT 2
Name: Visit to the National Forest
Approximate length:3 km
Approximate time: 2 hours
Degree of difficulty: Intermediate
Point of departure and arrival: convent
Points of interest: Via Crucis, Fonte Fria, ponds and fountains, viewpoints, hermitages, outstanding botanical species, arboretum, relic forest and Valley of the Ferns.
Remarks: We recommend light clothing and "trekking" footwear

VISIT 3
Name: Visit to the Convent and to the Gardens
Approximate length:1 km
Approximate length: 1h30m
Degree of difficulty: Easy
Point of departure and arrival: convent
Points of interest:Chapel, gardens of the Palace Hotel, pergola, arboretum, outstanding  botanical species, the camellia garden and theponds.

VISIT 4 
Name: Visit to the Convent and the Forest 

Approximate length:3.5 km
Approximate time: 3 hours
Degree of difficulty: Intermediate
Point of departure and arrival: Convent
Points of interest: Chapel, gardens of the Palace Hotel, pergola, the camellia garden, ponds and fountains, Fonte Fria, outstanding botanical species, Via Crucis, hermitages, arboretum, relicforest and the Valley of the Ferns.
Remarks:We recommend light clothing and "trekking" footwear

Brief description of the points of interest:

The Convent of Santa Cruz, built with the simplicity required by the eremitic tradition of the Carmelite Desert, has a unique design in Portugal: the church, which due to the later addition of the choir displays an ambiguous floor plan somewhere between a Greek cross and a Latin cross, dominates a cloisterless space, with the courtyards affording a sense of regularity to the group of buildings. Or, in other words, in this highly original design for a building to be used for spiritual purposes, it is the church that is placed inside a simulated “cloistered space”, marking a return to the organisation of the mythical design of the Temple of Jerusalem. As a decorative technique extended to convents, the architectural covering of cork or shells reflects the spirit of simple plainness appropriate to the ascetic practices of the friars. Some sculptures, paintings (most notably one work of Josefa de Óbidos) and tiles still remain from the 17th and 18th centuries, revealing a dynamic religious community that was alert to the specific artistic styles of its time.

In 1834, the abolition of the religious orders brought an end to the presence of the Discalced Carmelites in Buçaco, although the last friar, António de Tomás de Aquino, remained here until his death in 1860.

BUSSACO NATIONAL WOODLANDS

The unique characteristics of the Bussaco National Woodlands derive from the time that the Discalced Carmelites spent here, living in their “Desert”. Still containing areas of native Portuguese woodland, the forest was worked upon by successive generations of friars who sought to represent Mount Carmel as the origin of their Order. Protected both by the Carmelites and their benefactors, it also received protection from the Holy See to prevent the cutting and clearing of trees by the local populations.

Today, it is a living laboratory and an important object of study for various Portuguese universities.

Gardens and the Valley of Ferns

The main and most significant garden is the area around the Convent (and the Palace Hotel), known as the “New Garden”. This was created in 1886-87, along with the Santa Teresa waterfall.

Another emblematic garden area is the Valley of Ferns, whose name derives from the existence there of various examples of tree-like ferns. The pathways of the Valley of Ferns were laid out in 1887-88, accompanied by the creation of the Lago Grande.

Relict Forest

This is a climax formation of native vegetation that, according to some authors, still conserves the typical characteristics of the primitive forest that existed before the human settlement of the area. Occupying only a small fraction of the park, at the south-western end of the forest, this place is fairly diversified and houses three different habitats: the oak grove of pedunculate and Pyrenean oak-trees; the laurel grove, dominated by the laurel-tree, but with the frequent presence of strawberry, lily of the valley and holly trees; and the ‘Adernais’ (privet grove) on the southern and south-western slopes. The adernal is a unique plant formation dominated by large aderno trees, spreading from the Cruz Alta to the Caiaphas station of the Cross. In some places, it is almost completely pure, forming a dense wood with practically no other tree species.

PALACE HOTEL AND GARDENS

The Palace Hotel (1888-1907) is considered one of the main places of interest. Created by the Italian set designer Luigi Manini (1848-1936), the building denotes a mixture of romantic and nationalist cultures, with both neo-Manueline and neo-Renaissance features. Built by stonemasons trained at the Coimbra school, it was the first formal expression of the historicist revival that was to spread across the region.

Other contributions were made by Nicola Bigaglia (1841-1908), who designed the Casa dos Cedros, and Norte Júnior (1878-1962), who designed the Casa dos Brasões, both working in styles that blended in harmoniously with the other buildings.

Information: 

Guided tours are organized upon request, for groups with a minimum of 10 people.

Visits for groups with less than 10 peoplecan be booked, provided that the minimum 10 people fee is paid.

Prices (per person):
VISIT 1: Visit to the Convent of Santa Cruz 2 €
VISIT 2: Visit to the Forest 3 €
VISIT 3: Visit to the Convent, Gardens and the Forest 4 €
VISIT 4: Visit to the Convent and the Forest 5€

All photos are Copyrighted by Joana Coutinho

For further information also see Something for Everyone at Bucaco