Taverna Lusitana

It was a thrill to stay in the middle of Monsanto! The owners are lovely. The little tavern is a delight. And the breakfast bountiful and delicious.

First of all: Monsanto!!! What a winner. Total gem. Next, this lovely stay at Tavern Lusitana was the icing on the cake. The location wasn’t far as described and also close to the castle and the hiking locations. The place was clean and tidy. My family of four (10 year old and 13 year old) also enjoyed themselves. We LOVED the breakfast as well. Maybe cause we were on vacation mode, but everything tasted exceptional.

I did think maybe a clothing rack would have been nice to hang the wet swimsuits but the outdoor furniture worked well as an alternative.

The tavern is about a 10 minute walk up a very steep, narrow street. It's part of the charm but you need to be aware it's not easy if you have any mobility issues. The owners recommend that you just carry up the essentials that you will need. We left most of our luggage in the rental car. Another 10 minute walk further up hill takes you to the castle. Well worth a visit for the history and the views. We got up at 6 to get good light for photos. The owners were very cheerful and welcoming. They ask what time you would like breakfast and prepared a feast. Wonderful way to start the day. The parking lot at the top of the mountain, as far as visitors can go, is not very big. If it's full you will be parking lower down so a longer walk. The restaurant at the car park is very good and serves some Portuguese specialties. Our waiter was very nice and the view was spectacular.

It was very hot the day we arrived and the room only has fans, no AC. We were fine but a couple more fans would have been helpful. Be aware if you travel in summer.

Super cool place to stay

Only towels were a bit mildew smell