The first will be dedicated to restoring the main centre of the unit, comprising the Palace - preserving its large halls, domes, and secular vaults, as well as the many tile panels and statuary - the winepress and the barn. But also the old buildings of the stables, the horse riding ring, so that it could host official competitions, and the chapel, decorated with patterned tiles and a stone altarpiece in the chancel with a high relief of Our Lady of Mercy (Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia).
It will include 71 rooms, a reception, panoramic bar, restaurant, spa with indoor pool, massage rooms, and gym, outdoor swimming pools for adults, children's play area and football, paddle tennis and multi-sports pitches, as well as outdoor and covered horse riding rings and stables.
The second phase, which will take place in 2027, will be dedicated to the group of buildings to the north of Quinta da Cardiga, which are also disused and in ruins. Here there will be 45 more rooms and a large events hall.
“We want to build a high-quality hotel here that will attract more tourists and visitors to the region. It will be a country resort which, of course, will be closely linked to the equestrian tradition. But it will also honour the historical value of the Palace and the entire property, taking advantage of its location and the beauty of the surrounding landscapes”, says Vila Galé's chairman, Jorge Rebelo de Almeida.
“This is yet another heritage recovery project and, once again, in the country's inland, because we increasingly want to contribute to its development, not least to relieve the tourist burden on the coast”, he emphasises.
