Relaxing at Aquadome, Portugal

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

At noon, we drove our Nissan Qashqai from Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta in Ervedosa do Douro to  H2otel / Aquadome in Unhais de Serra.

During our two-hour drive, we stopped for lunch at DouroSerra Restaurant in Valongo dos Azeites at 13:00. We had made lunch reservations previously (to avoid having problems getting seated).

When we arrived at DouroSerra, we were seated on country-style benches on a makeshift patio. Our waitress did not speak English but did speak French, so we managed to communicate using bits of Portuguese and French,

We ordered the following items from the DouroSierra menu:

• Appetizer: Olives, bread basket, scrambled eggs with chips
• Boris: Beef (steak) with Rice and French Fries
• Inna: Beef (steak) with Rice and French Fries
• Drinks: Sparkling water

The scrambled eggs appetizer was a hit, uniquely prepared and delicious. The beef with rice and french fries was a substantial portion, so much so that we couldn't finish it all. While not as tender as Filet Mignon, the beef was still enjoyable, and the french fries were a standout, made from a different and delicious potato variety.

Despite the rain, our journey to the spa was smooth, with the roads mostly deserted. We arrived at H2otel / Aquadome at 16:00, checked in, and headed to room #511 on the 5th floor. 

Our large room had beautiful views of the surrounding hills and mountains. It also had many high-tech features, such as automated curtains, a big-screen TV (which we never used), and a king-sized bed in the center.

After changing into our swimwear, we explored the spa's pools. Inna had already made several massage reservations, and I was eager to check out the fitness center, which boasted rowing machines, bikes, and free weights. 

While at the spa, we indulged in various saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, and invigorating cold showers. The steam rooms, while not as hot as we would have liked, still provided a relaxing experience. After some swimming, we decided to rest and walked upstairs (to floor 1), where lounges were set up for quiet relaxation.

I started reading The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith while Inna went for another swim.

At 17:50, before the pool area closed, Inna returned from swimming, and we returned to our room. After a quick change, we returned to dinner at H2otel. The dinner buffet was 35.00 euros per person, and we sampled a few items:

• Breads: Dark Rye
• Salads: Tomato with Buffalo Mozzarella
• Drinks: Sparkling water, Hot Black Tea
• Main:  
• Swordfish - tough and not very flavorful
• Chicken - very nice
• Linguini Bolognese - delicious
• Desserts:
• Baba de Camelo (Camel's Drool) - fantastic!
• Trouxinhas de Doce de Ovos (Sweet of Egg) - not bad
• Torta de Espinafres C/Chocolate e Avela (Spinach and Hazelnut Torte) - did not like
• Pudin Abade de Prisco
• Queijada de Leite e Amendoa (Milk and Almond Cheee Tart ) - not bad

The standouts from all the items I tried were the Linguini Bolognese and Baba de Camelo.

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Although I set my alarm for 07:00, I had difficulty waking up. Eventually, I woke up at 08:45, showered, and dressed. It was raining heavily outside, and dense fog covered the area - a perfect day to relax at the spa.

We decided to grab breakfast before the breakfast service ended at 10:30, so we headed to breakfast at 09:50. 

We selected the standard buffet items, including bread (multigrain, sweet croissants), fruits (pineapple, orange, kiwi), and cold cuts (ham). Initially, sunny-side-up eggs were out but were quickly refilled. I tried a shot of espresso using a pod machine but did not enjoy the bitter taste. The pasteis de nata was the best dessert (as usual), and we enjoyed it as we drank our hotel black tea.

After we finished breakfast at 10:45, we decided to visit Belmonte, about which I wrote in a separate post.

From Belmonte, we drove to Covilha to visit the New Hand Lab, which I wrote about in another blog post.

At around 15:50, we started driving back to our H2otel, as I had a massage appointment at 16:40. Once we reached our hotel, Inna and I quickly changed and walked to the aqua treatment area.

Inna realized she had also made an appointment for the Vichy Shower but at an earlier time (16:20). Luckily, the Aquadome staff let us both have the Vichy Shower.

I had never tried a Vichy Shower and was unsure what to expect. I lay down on a flat table as water was pouring down on me. During this time, one of the attendants massaged my body. I was delighted with the massage and felt very nice afterward.

When both Inna and I finished, we drank some hot tea and walked upstairs to a room where we rested. I read my Kindle while Inna read her iPhone.

At around 18:00, we decided to use the sauna, steam room,  jacuzzi, and pool ( a complete circuit). We enjoyed sweating a bit and then taking colder showers afterward.

At around 20:00, we returned to our room and checked on our dinner reservations. We asked the concierge to make dinner reservations, and he booked Lenda Viriato restaurant at 20:30.

Since the restaurant was only 12 minutes away on foot, we decided to walk there, as parking would be difficult (if we drove).

Completing the short walk (it was a bit windy), we were seated and given a menu. After looking at the various choices, we selected the following:

• Appetizer: Bread, Patte
• Drinks: Sparkling Water, Hot Black Tea, 
• Boris: Red Wine, Boar with Portuguese Chestnuts
• Inna: White Wine, Veal with Traditional Sausage
• Dessert: Pumpkin

It was one of the best dinners ever! Inna's Veal was tender, and my Boar was fantastic, too. The only downside was the Lenda Viriato did not work with my VISA credit card, and I had to walk to a nearby ATM to get cash. I also learned about the famous Portuguese Viriato warrior who successfully resisted the mighty power of the Roman Empire (until betrayal).

Friday, September 27, 2024

In the morning, I woke up early at 07:00 and got up at 07:30. I took a quick shower and dressed. When Inna was ready, we went downstairs, to floor 0, to eat our morning breakfast.

For our morning breakfast, we selected the following:

• Boris: Espresso, Scrambled eggs, Fruits, Yogurt with granola and nuts
• Inna: Scrambled Eggs, Bread, Pastries, Hot Black Tea

We continued our hike in Piodao, which I wrote about in a separate blog post.

From Piodao, we drove back to H2otel in Unhais da Serra, as both Inna and I had massage appointments.

I had a massage from 17:00 to 18:00, while Inna had one from 18:00 to 19:00. We enjoyed our massages and felt much better.

Afterward, we met upstairs (where I was resting and reading my Kindle), swam in the pool, and enjoyed the saunas.

For dinner, we decided to eat in our hotel to minimize driving. We selected the following items from the buffet:

• Boris: Octopus salad, Wild Boar, pastries, fruits, hot tea
• Inna: Octopus salad, Wild Boar, pastries, hot tea

Saturday, September 28, 2024

I woke at 08:15, showered, shaved, and dressed. Then, Inna and I headed downstairs to floor 0 for our last breakfast at Aquadome.

We selected the following items from the extensive breakfast buffet:

• Boris: Cappuccino, eggs with tomatoes, yogurt with granola, fresh fruits, and pastel de nuta
• Inna: Hot tea, scrambled eggs, deli meat, pastel de nuta

After breakfast, Inna returned to Aquadome for her 10:00 massage appointment while I went for a swim in multiple pools and a short visit to the sauna.

After finishing The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith, I started The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection, the next book in the series, while resting in the Aquadome's relaxation room.

Aquadome Trip Report

Highlights

• Swimming in H2otel/Aquadome and enjoying saunas, steam rooms, jacuzzis, and various treatments
• Eating dinner at Lenda Viriato (a great surprise)
• Eating Baba de Camelo (Camel's Drool) dessert
• Hiking from Piadao to Foz d'Egua

Lowlights

• Morning rain, fog, and wind on Wednesday
• Navigating through very narrow, frequently one-way roads
• Finding parking
• Having to find an ATM to get Euros to pay for dinner at Lenda Viriato (did not accept credit cards)