Vila Galé is investing 20 million to restore Quinta da Cardiga in Golegã

This is where the Vila Galé Collection Tejo – Country Resort Hotel Convention, Spa & Equestrian Sports will be built.

Vila Galé will invest around 20 million in the restoration of the Quinta da Cardiga estate, in Golegã, where the Vila Galé Collection Tejo – Country Resort Hotel Convention, Spa & Equestrian Sports hotel will be built.

Classified as a property of public interest since 1952, Quinta da Cardiga has several centuries of history. In 1169, these lands were donated by King Afonso Henriques to the Templars, who built a castle there as part of the defensive system of the Middle Tagus, which also included Almourol, Ceras, and Zêzere.

With the extinction of the Templar Order, the estate was handed over to the Order of Christ. Later, in the 16th century, during the reign of King John III, it was transformed into a palatial holiday property thanks to the intervention of architect João Castilho (who also designed the extension to the Convent of Christ in Tomar). The new constructions, including living areas, cloisters, patios, and agricultural production, were based on the medieval Templar castle, of which the keep remains. From then on, many of the Portuguese nobility and bourgeoisie lived here until, after the liberal revolution and the extinction of the religious orders in 1836, Quinta da Cardiga was sold at public auction for 200 contos de reis [old Portuguese currency]. From then onwards, it had successive private owners until its decline and abandonment in the second half of the last century.

Praising the site’s history, the future Vila Galé Collection Tejo, whose construction work is due to begin in the 2nd quarter of 2025, will be developed in two phases.

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.

It will be themed after the history of the Order of the Templars and the Order of Christ.

The opening of this 4-star unit, which will create 40 jobs in the first phase, is scheduled for June 2026 if approval and licensing is favourable by the end of the first quarter of 2025.