I’ve always wanted to get myself to a nunnery … and when I discovered that there was one in Portugal called ‘Chagas de Cristo’, I thought with such a name, this surely is the one for me.

Founded in 1514, the convent of the Wounds of Christ (for that is the veritable translation) is some 80 or so miles due east of Lisbon, almost on the border with Spain. The fourth Duke of Braganza had the place built next to his palace in Vila Vicosa, specifically for his daughters from his second marriage. Apparently back in the 16th century there was a dearth of eligible young men from noble families, so for them it was the nun’s life of matins and vespers, rather than servants and balls.

The convent was converted some ten years ago into a 34 bed hotel, and it is one of 40 pousadas in Portugal, evenly spread throughout the country so that another one is never more than a two hour drive away.

The government began the pousada concept of smallish hotels in interesting buildings and distinctive locations serving good regional food back in the 1940s. There are four distinct categories: historic, architectural, nature and charm, and you can plan a tour of each accordingly or even mix and match.

The six best pousadas in Portugal

Portugal's best pousadas are a right royal blend of history, gastronomy and design, finds Mary Lussiana

• Six of the best pousadas in northern Portugal

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Buildings, many of special historical or architectural merit (hence the nunnery) were acquired and then sensitively adapted before being handed over to a hotel group to run.

I sampled three on a recent fly/drive trip to Lisbon. First up was in Queluz, less than half an hour from the airport just off the IC 19. Well signposted from the motorway, the short and easy journey quells the faint panic that may be felt when just off the plane in a new country and driving on the wrong side …

The building with its distinctive clock tower and known as the pousada of Dona Maria I was formerly used by the Royal Guard of the court who protected the National Palace across the way, built by King Pedro III in the 18th century as his summer residence.

The palace and gardens are worth the £2.50 entrance if you like baroque theatricality with lots of guilt and gold and serried ranks of box hedges and monotone green bushes – it’s like a faded Versailles, with the gardens, in particular, in need of some TLC.

The staff were typical of all three pousadas – easy and affable; the room high ceilinged and comfortable. The constraints of the historic building accounted for the single small and high window which was a shame when you wanted a big one and a balcony.

It faced towards a barracks, across a cobbled open space used as a parade ground. The trumpet reveille each morning at seven was a nice touch, as was the uniformed and armed guard in his (or her, as there were both in the artillery regiment) sentry box. Queluz itself is but a dormitory for nearby Lisbon with little obvious attraction, apart from the palace, which accounted for the second day driving due west to the Atlantic coast.

A bracing walk around the Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe. Offshore a squadron of 15 storks was flying in line due south back to Africa for the winter. Then an excellent seafood lunch at O-Pucaro restaurant al fresco under the pines at Praia do Guincho – big barnacled mussels in a cream sauce with lots of crusty bread and then grilled sole.

Then walk on the beach, the surf coming in from America with wet-suited youth riding it to their hearts’ content, followed by reading and dozing in the dunes, out of the keen wind, before a leisurely drive back along the scenic coast road.

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