Quinta de São Lourenço

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This historic house is set within an estate of vineyards and orchards in a village in the Bairrada region and has a fascinating background. In the 19th century it belonged to the First Viscount Seabre who prepared Portugal's civil code of law that was in force from 1867 until 1966. Its an ideal base to visit the Luso and Curia regions. You can taste the house wine, swim in the pool or relax in the games room. The goat stew marinated and cooked in red wine (chanfana) is a house speciality not to be missed and must be ordered in advance.
In “Solares de Portugal – The art of good living”, Edições INAPA, 2007

HISTORY
On its walls, history of ancient times is kept, and if they could in fact speak, they would recite poetry of Feliciano de Castilho.
It is said the house, initially, belonged to the family of the poet António Feliciano de Castilho and to his descendants, who, sold the house to the viscount of Seabra. It was from the viscount of Seabra that Lígia Mexia Leitão grandfather, an ancient farmer of the region, bought the house of São Lourenço. As he had a several children, his intention was to leave a house, in testament, to each one. His daughter's youth was spent travelling from one city to another accompanying her father whenever he had to travel. The judge's profession did not permit him to stay for a long time in the same place. But the São Lourenço Estate was, intrinsically, the only firm settled place they had, and where they would return after each voyage. When her father died she tried to find a way of keeping the propriety that would be very difficult to depart from. For it is there, where all her memories are.
After buying her brothers share, in 1989, she found a way of transforming it, maintaining its original trace.
The São Lourenço Estate, from its ancient name « da lage», name derivative of the characteristic calcareous soil on which the house implants, repeats in its trace, disposition and in its detailed front, the type of Portuguese construction of the 18th century.
In curse of time, repairs of conservation where done that introduced some changes to the original trace of the house. It is known that the Viscount of Seabra, juriconsult and politician (1798-1895), had inherited or bought the property, having been in this house that he retired to elaborate his most known production, the Portuguese Civil Code - a stamp so original and modern that it was kept in force since 1867 to 1966! Many old stories are told of debates formed around certain aspects more controversy of the Code, stories that are object of curiosity and reverence by historians of the juridical science.
Today, The São Lourenço Estate welcomes guests, with all its affection.
Used as a place for Habitational Tourism, the house has all the comfort and functionality that this kind of tourism demands.