Convento San Payo

Just to clear up a mix-up: one of the reviews here is about the museum, not this place. You can visit the museum without staying here, but it only opens Thursday to Sunday. From there you can see the chapel and cloister. Museu José Rodrigues is right next to this one on the map.

The pool area is great, with plenty of room and everything you need for a barbecue. Kids have lots of space to run around and animals they can feed, too. The rooms are large and comfortable, and there are several shared spaces and kitchens. Staff are wonderful and even prepare breakfast, though I’d have liked a bit more variety in it. And the view is amazing. It’s up on a hill near Cerveira, so getting there can be a sweaty climb, but once you arrive it’s worth it. There’s nothing else around for miles, just you, the other guests and the staff. A really peaceful place to get away from your daily routine.

The museum has a curious mix of drawings, paintings and figures, and I enjoyed reading about the artist as his works appeared along the hallways and in the alcoves. We especially liked the Oriental room and all its history. The gardens and the path down to the creek were lovely. The modern artwork on display was more divisive: one person in our group found it grotesque, while the rest thought it was okay but didn’t fit its surroundings.

The fellow looking after the place was very friendly and happily answered all our questions in decent English for a Portuguese speaker. There were only us and another couple staying, and he let us take as long as we liked. The views over the valley and Rio Minho are beautiful. If the sky is clear, you can see the ocean. You get the same view from the pool, breakfast room and living room.