Sat 7 Jun- Casa da Insua & Jardim da Casa de Santar

Sat 7 Jun- after the included buffet breakfast, we went to visit the garden at 'Casa da Insua'. After a lovely drive through the countryside, we arrived at Insua and found the Casa was being re-done as a hotel, so was not open for visiting. However, the garden was available, and since that's what we came for, we enjoyed walking around it for a while, taking photos and video. Finishing that garden, we headed toward Santar for the 'Jardim da Casa de Santar'. We found the associated 'Adego' (winery), but everything was closed at least until 3 pm. We decided to have a beer (E0.60/each) and walk around until 3, about an hour. It was a very quiet town, very little traffic, and not many people out. We returned to the Casa around 3, but nobody was around, and it didn't look like it would open today. However, the gate was ajar, so we squeezed through and walked around. Nobody else was there, we had it all to ourselves.
The drive back was along the same route, through varied landscape. There were small towns of red-tile roofed houses constructed from white stone or stucco, olive and orange tree orchards, vineyards, pine and eucalyptus forests, some arid almost desert stretches, then a huge lake behind a dam.
After arriving at Bussaco Palace, we took another walk in the forest, capturing the 'Fonte Fria' in afternoon light, through the 'Vale dos Petos', and arriving at the Coimbra gate with its expansive view of the country to the west.
For dinner we drove into Luso to Lourencos, reputedly the best restaurant in town: draft beers at E1.10 each; salads at E1.60 each; 'Bife de Casa' E8.50; 'Cherne Grelhado' E8.50. The Cherne was wonderful, like Chilean Sea Bass, moist, tender and delicious, and came with boiled potatoes and stewed vegetables. The beef with cheese and bacon topping was tasty, but somewhat chewy. It came with french fries, stewed vegetables and rice.