If you have a GPS in the car, don’t use it after you have left the highway. He sends you down a very steep dirtpath which is not the way to go.
You can check in between 1500 and 21.00 hours on the arrival day. The check out time is 11.00 on the day you leave.
Please, Llet us know when you arrive. My (Jacqueline) number is 00351 966011630
Thank you and have a very nice trip and see you soon,
regards, Jacqueline and Menno
Vinha Da Manta is located in the center of Portugal, on the edge of Nature Park “Serra da Estrela”, in the province called Beira Interior. We are about 35 km from the Spanish border and more or less 140 from the coast. This part of Portugal in terms of tourism is still an unexplored area and there is much to discover.
From Porto it takes 2 hours to get here, from Lisbon 3 hours, from Valladolid 2 hours and Madrid 4 hours.
From Porto : From the airport follow first the A44 or A4 to Porto till you see the A1 (toll road) towards Lisbon . Follow this until the exit Aveiro/Viseu to the A25. Take the direction to Viseu and after Viseu the direction to Guarda. Leave the motorway at junction 28, follow signs IP5/Porto de Carne/Sobral da Serra. Take exit Transito local/Porte de Carne to the N16 where you turn to the right. Follow this road, take the roundabout almost straight (second exit) then follow about 5.5 km and then turn to the right to Faia and drive down into the valley. At the roundabout turn left into the village of Faia (3th exit). Continue straight through the narrow streets of the ancient village, the road winds to the right and then left (igreja sagrada familia). At the end of the village begins a new tarmac road. Don`t go left up but go straight and up! Follow this road up until you’re on top of the hill and the road curves to the left, follow the road and after 500 meters (50 meters after the white water basin with letters and painted flowers) on your left (almost straight up) is a dirt track (300 meters) that leads to our estate. You can park at the signs parking. Leave your luggage in the car, we will help you to get it to your lodge.
From Lisbon : From the airport follow the motorway A1 direction Porto until the exit of Torres Novas, Castelo Branco and Abrantes. Then follow the A23 to Guarda, exit 35. Up the exit, at the roundabout, go to your left into Guarda. Follow the signs Hospital, to the roundabout with the modern image in the shape of the letter G. On the roundabout to the right, second exit. From there, follow the signs for Vale do Mondego. Drive through the villages Cubo, Prado and Chaos, where you will see the lake on your left. Then take at the end of Chaos just before a big turn to the right, the exit to Pero Soares, Mizarella on the left towards the lake. You have the lake on your left till the dam. Continue the road , towards Vila Soeiro and Pero Soares, leaving the dam on your left. After Pero Soares, after the cemetery, you get a sharp bend to the left, In that bend, take the turn to the right, in the new asphalt country road towards Faia. After 500 meters, after going up reasonable steep, there is a dirt road to the right. This is the entrance to Vinha da Manta. It only takes 300 meters to get to our estate. You can park at the signs parking. Leave your luggage in the car, we will help you to get it to your lodge.
From Salamanca, Spain (also if you will be arriving by car from England) : Cross the border at Vila Formosa on the A23 and drive to Guarda. Take the A23 towards Castelo Branco and turn right at the first exit, number 35. Up the exit to your right, first exit on the roundabout, and follow the signs Guarda centro/Hospital, to the roundabout with the modern image in the shape of the letter G. On the roundabout to the right, second exit. From there, follow the signs for Vale do Mondego. Drive through the villages Cubo, Prado and Chaos, where you will see the lake on your left. Then take at the end of Chaos just before a big turn to the right, the exit to Pero Soares, Mizarella on the left towards the lake. You have the lake on your left till the dam. Continue the road , towards Vila Soeiro and Pero Soares, leaving the dam on your left. After Pero Soares, after the cemetery, you get a sharp bend to the left, In that bend, take the turn to the right, in the new asphalt country road towards Faia. After 500 meters, after going up reasonable steep, there is a dirt road to the right. This is the entrance to Vinha da Manta. It only takes 300 meters to get to our estate. You can park at the signs parking. Leave your luggage in the car, we will help you to get it to your lodge.
There are quite good bus connections from Porto, Lisbon and Madrid to Guarda.
Public Transport:
Take the train or bus from Porto or Lisbon to Guarda. From Guarda you can take a taxi to Faia (+/- 12 €).
For information about the bus: HYPERLINK “http://www.rede-expressos.pt/” t “_blank” www.rede-expressos.pt
For information about the train: HYPERLINK “http://www.cp.pt/” t “_blank” www.cp.pt
Finally: Late at night we can see the international “night train to Lisbon” from Paris passing through the mountains like a small yellow caterpillar. It also stops in Guarda.