We spend 5 nights in Ricardo’s La Galetta visiting Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra and beaches from here with ease.
The little windmill is beautifully restored and enlarged to one side in keeping with the original style. So there is quite a lot of space inside by the clever introduction of mezzanine floors. The living room is very cosy with a fully functioning TV with lots of European channels and a lovely wood burner for which Ricardo provided free logs. There is a dining room, bathroom and kitchen 1/2 floor above and another sitting room above the living room ( another 1/2 floor above. The kitchen has a modern cooker and microwave grill, some essentials and an enormous sink cut from stone (the original). All works perfectly!
From there a staircase leads to a single bedroom and then further up to the master bedroom at the top of the old windmill. This is a round room with 3 deep set windows and a beautifully constructed roof - quite mesmerising to look at when lying in bed. The windmill has 2 electric heaters and the wood burner so we could keep it comfortably warm in the cold March nights.
The garden surrounding the windmill has an inbuild barbecue, wooden table and chairs as well as the old grinding stones made into tables and benches. In the mornings the sun was warm enough for al fresco breakfasts and settling down with a book for a little sunbathing. There are two mini-mercados within easy walking distance where all necessary food items can be purchased and Ricardo provides 2 bicycles for those who love cycling.
All in all a magical place with a fantastic host who could not have been more helpful, attentive and generous.
We wholeheartedly recommend Ricardo and La Galetta to all who think of visiting this very beautiful and historical part of Portugal.
Ruth and Steve