Vidago Palace History
Nestled within the verdant Vidago Thermal Park, in the northern municipality of Chaves, the regal Vidago Palace Spa & Golf is a true national icon. Housed in a century-old palace surrounded by fragrant pine, cedar and maple woods, its allure is steeped in the pristine mineral waters that course through its veins and brought a majestic vision to life.
In the 19th and early-20th centuries, the spa village of Vidago was a magnet for Portugal’s elite, a coveted destination for thermal well-being and restoration. The exceptional quality of its waters garnered global prestige and inspired King D. Carlos I’s vision of creating the ultimate spa retreat.
Tragically, D. Carlos I was assassinated before his vision could materialise. His successor, D. Manuel II, also missed the grand inauguration as he fled into exile the day before the hotel opened, which coincided with Portugal being forcibly declared a Republic.
This masterpiece of thermal luxury was finally inaugurated on October 6th, 1910, and swiftly became one of the most prestigious spa retreats on the Iberian Peninsula, evolving into a social and cultural hub sought by European royalty, luminaries, and aristocrats.
Its legacy lives on in the Vidago Palace Spa & Golf. In the early 2010s a very extensive and masterful remodelling of the original palace-hotel took place under the guidance of renowned Portuguese architect Siza Vieira. Today, an Art Nouveau pavilion houses a modern spa that harnesses the healing essence of the local springs, complemented by a world-class 18-hole golf course and farm-to-table fine dining.
Vidago Palace Hotel is a world where history intertwines with modern luxury, embodying a legacy of sophistication and charm from bygone eras that captivates the hearts of today’s global travellers.
