From Bayona and Vigo, ferries will take you to the Isles de Cies (Islands of the Sky) a stunningly beautiful nature reserve where you can sunbathe with, or without clothes.

The Portuguese fortified border town of Valenca should be visited together with the old sailing port of Viana do Castelo. Up river, there is Moncao where the famous Alvarinho wine is produced and also the National Park of Peneda-Geres.

This area of northern Iberia retains strong Celtic traditions with pipes and drums (although by the noise it should be 'drums and pipes'!) and girls in colourful traditional dress dancing and singing to traditional tunes.

The 'festa' in Caminha is held the third week end in August. There is dancing in the street outside the house until late into the night and noisy rockets to wake you in the morning at the start of the next day's festivities. Only come at this time of year if you want to join in the party.

The owner's family moved from Lisbon in the 18th century. The only daughter of 10 children married a rich gentleman from the area. The family were very successful doctors and donated to the town the first hospital and fire brigade. They bought Quinta de S. Roque which had been damaged by fire and restored it to its present glory.

As in all conversions of these fine old houses, the family area is completely separate from the guest area. The guest area of the main house has two adjacent bedrooms. 

The 'Amarelo Room' has a double bed with en suite shower room and the 'Salmao' room has twin beds and en suite bathroom. Both bedrooms have terrestrial television.

Downstairs there is a communal sitting room with Cable television and a games room with a pool table. Outside there is a swimming pool set in a lawn with views across the river valley. Near the swimming pool there is a covered area containing a barbecue and outside eating area.

In addition there are two self catering apartments with separate entrances in the main house and two terrace cottages converted from the outbuildings.

The 'Tulha' apartment in the main house has a sitting room with a kitchenette, a bedroom with a double bed and an en-suite bathroom. 

From the sitting room a door opens onto a veranda overlooking the garden and another door leads into the guest area of the main house.

The lower floor of the main house has the 'Piscina' apartment which has a double bedroom, a bathroom and a living room with kitchenette.

The living room has two chairs converting into beds. The door of this apartment opens onto the lawns surrounding the swimming pool and for safety reasons it is suggested that this apartment is not suitable for young children requiring supervision.

At the side of the house is an enclosed garden with entrances to the 'Barracao' and 'Torre' cottages. The 'Barracao' cottage has a double bedroom on a mezzanine floor. Steps lead down into a sitting room with terrestrial television.

From the living area, more steps lead down to the bathroom. The sitting room has two foam chairs that convert to beds - long enough for the tallest person.

The 'Torre' cottage is also on three levels. The top level has a bedroom with a double bed, the middle level has a bathroom, a bedroom open to the stairs with a child's bed and another one stored underneath. The ground floor has a living room with television and a kitchenette with a hob, microwave and fridge.

The 'Barracao' and 'Torre' apartments have a connecting door which can be opened to make one unit with two double bedrooms, two twin children's beds on a mezzanine floor and two chair beds in one of the sitting rooms.

The enclosed garden shared by these two cottages makes them suitable for young children.

Quinta de S. Roque has central heating.