Torel Palace Porto
Our one week trip from Serra da Estrela to Douro and back to Porto ended perfectly with a stay at the five star hotel Torel Palace Porto. The elegant palace in the heart of Porto was carefully renovated and opened its doors in February 2020. The Palace used to be a historic townhouse – Palacete Campos Navarro - and will take you back in time. The building still spreads a romantic charm but also plays with modern interior pieces.
In Torel Palace Porto, Portuguese writers and poets, among them Eça de Queiroz, Florbela Espanca and, of course Fernando Pessoa are honored. Another name with special emphasis for his exceptional work, the Nobel prize winner José Saramago, is celebrated in their Blind bar and restaurant. We stayed in the room Alexandre Herculano (1810-1870). He was a Portuguese writer, historian and journalist, and one of the principal exponents of Romanticism in Portugal, alongside Almeida Garrett and Antônio Feliciano de Castilho. The room truly is perfect for a romantic getaway. The spacious Deluxe Suite offers you comfort and the beautiful terrace invites you to sit outside. The biggest highlight is for sure the private jacuzzi on the terrace, which is so romantic used at night with some candle light only.
Torel first opened its doors in Lisboa with Torel Palace Lisbon. But our absolute favorite is Torel 1884 Suites & Apartments (also in Porto) which will take you on an exotic sailor adventure. We specially love how the owners managed to keep the history and atmosphere of every building alive. At Torel Palace Porto they kept for example all the original floors in the lobby. The renovation was made with a lot of attention to details.
The amazing architectural highlight is the exceptionally stunning skylight (“Claraboia”).
Due to Corona, we were not able to experience the restaurant Blind in the restaurant itself but the renowned Chef Vitor Matos surprised us with an outstanding and delicious three course menu in our room. We savored every dish. Breakfast was also served in our room and we had plenty of options to choose from. We specially like how Chef Vitor Matos describes his cuisine:
“My cuisine would be different had my story been a different one, had there been different memories and experiences in my past.”
In every Torel hotel you'll feel and experience a bit of its past. The buildings are filled with memories and meaning.
Located in the heart of the city, Torel Palace Porto is just around the corner from Batalha square with its imposing Sáo João National Theatre and the Santo Ildefonso Church. Don't miss strolling through the famous Bolhão market, with its traditional liquor, cheese, and pastry shops – it's only a few minutes’ walks from the hotel. And next door is our favorite Pastéis de Nata bakery Manteigaria. Also in walking distance, you can reach the bridges Ponte do Infante and Ponte Luís I and soak in the beautiful view over Porto and the Douro river.
An oasis in the middle of the city. Here you will be able to rest from sight seeing while sipping a delicious cocktail from the Blind Bar. We love to stay in city hotels with a retreat like this one.
In every room you'll find a cozy corner that invites you to slow down and read.
Our stay at Torel Palace Porto was the grand finale to our one week tour through central and northern Portugal. A big thank you to the team that made us feel like at home and safe during the uncertain times we were in (and still are). See you soon!
Liliana