I will be in Carvoeiro soon and while I am there I would like to visit the palace at Estoi and possibly Lisbon.
Is there somewhere in town that does trips like this?

Thank you
Janet

Not sure about Estoi, but there is a travel agent in town on the "out Road" opposit Bellismo cafe, it is called Easy go holidays, they have a website www.easygo-holidays.pt, where they mention tours to Lisbon and other places

Thanks Rene I will have a look at the website.
Janet

We went years ago when it was still a ruin. It was lovely then. Now, I believe it is just an upmarket hotel and attractions like the Three Graces statue are seldom open.

Went to the palace at Estoi in May. Usually try to visit now and again to see what's changed. For those who haven't been, or haven't been for a while, the new low rise hotel is built at the side of the palace and isn't too obtrusive. The palace itself has been impressively restored inside and out, with beautiful ceilings and large mirrors. There is lots of period furniture and decorative fittings. The gardens and fountain in front of the house have been restored also, as well as some of the statues. I'm not sure if you can stay in the building itself, but there are bars and places to eat, so perhaps these are for folks staying in the adjacent hotel.
When it was a ruin, the house and formal gardens directly in front were off limits, but the secondary driveway from the road was open and you could access the grounds. Then you could climb steps up to the fish pond and the second more elaborate fountain. The pond used to contain goldfish, but now it's dry and the fountain is not working. The area was surrounded by ornamental stone balustrades which were badly damaged. These were cordoned off so I presume they will also be restored in due course. The two driveways are now gated off (or at least they were in May) while work carries on in the grounds.
To access the palace just go to reception which is at the rear of the building, and ask if it's ok to have a look around - we've never had a refusal yet. Don't forget your camera!
Was going to add a photo, but the 256kb size limit is very restrictive. I will try to re-size it and try later.