One of the interesting things about rural Europe is that many of the tiny little schools that used to dot the landscape have been decommissioned in favor of larger and more efficient learning factories for the kids. But have you ever stayed in one?

Schools remodeled into vacation rentals tend to be delightfully quirky. The living spaces tend to be large and sprawling. If you don’t like little boxes all in a row, you might think about these rare and oddly structured places.

Yes, I’ve stayed in a remodeled school, in France. It was inside a hilltop village that had been brought back from the dead. Great experience.

One such vacation rental in the Alentejo is Santana da Serra. Today it sits in the middle of an Ecological Reserve, so the rural attractions are immense. One can imagine the solitude.

Give it a look. You’ll need a car, of course, but if you’re intrepid, you’ll discover a lot about rural Portugal

Perhaps the era of inexpensive lodging right at the train station is returning with the new Axis hotel called Basic Braga

Rui Silva directed the architectural project and the decor is designed by Nuno Rodrigues, with the interior architect’s office Metrobox. The predominant brown and white, references to land-based clay and granite, typical of the region, and also wood.

The web site is offered in English, and there’s a decent if overly long video that outlines what the place is like.

A recent check of prices indicated that a basic room could be had for €25 with breakfast. Wireless is €2 a day, and parking is available for €5.

Check prices for Basic Braga.

Braga’s urban population makes it the third largest city in Portugal after Lisbon and Porto. Braga has the oldest archdiocese in the country.

Braga is served by fast trains from Lisbon and Porto. Braga is in the Minho region of Portugal. See our Minho Map for location.

(Picture: Gardens located next to the eastern wing of the Archbishop’s Palace. Click to see it larger.)

According to the web site:

The “Casa do Forno” building was in the past one of the community ovens of Salvaterra do Extremo, a little town located in the border municipality of Idanha-a-Nova, right next to Spain.

So what did they do with this derelict 19th century structure? They rebuilt the bottom, and added a top story so that you could wake up to the smell of the morning bread. There is no better smell.

Salvaterra do Extremo is in Portugal’s Centro region, west of Gardunha and Serra da Estrela mountains and the city of Castelo Branco.

For those of you who are going to explore the fascinating rural areas of Portugal, this sounds like the idea starting place for a journey up through the mountains, staying at Casa do ze Sapateiro to explore Centro’s Schist Villages on foot or by mountain bike, then perhaps a drive up the Serra da Estrela to enjoy the mountains and perhaps save some traditional cheese called queijo do serra while staying at Casa das Penhas Douradas

Check out the Casa do Forno web site. It’s got a very informative English translation (find the button, then use the tabs to navigate), very nicely written.

You can check prices and book Casa do Forno on Booking.com, and you don’t need a credit card to make a reservation, according to the site. The price is stunningly inexpensive.

Ok, for those of you who turn up your noses at camping, or even hostel living, you might want to capture the exquisiteness of sleeping under the stars in a resort set amongst vineyards in the Alentejo countryside.

L’And Vineyards is a 5-star resort that includes a hotel with 22 suites, extended, and 145 units of residential tourism located near Montemor-o-Novo. And it’s won a prize:

The L’AND Vineyards Resort that recently opened in Montemor-o-Novo was just awarded the prize for best tourism business in the Portuguese Real Estate National Awards.

There’s a restaurant. Miguel Laffan is the Executive Chef.

A Vinotherapy spa will be opening in July.

Spring for a Sky-view suite and you can fully open the bedroom ceiling. Look, Ma! No tent! Folded into the deal is an integrated private interior garden with heated “plunge pool”.

There are a variety of experiences for you to take part in, including parachute jumping.

Check out (and get prices for) L’AND Vineyards

It’s not as expensive as you might think. We’re talking Portugal here.

Once again Lisbon’s status as a host for some mighty fine hostels has been upheld in the yearly Hostelworld.com Annual Hoscar Awards (HOStelworld Customers Annual Ratings)

The Portuguese city of Lisbon has again proved itself to be the jewel in the crown for budget-conscious travelers around the world, securing the top three spots. ‘Travellers House’ was voted Best Hostel in the World for the third year in a row, followed closely by ‘Lisbon Lounge’ and ‘Living Lounge’ respectively.

But if you want to get away from the city into an “Eco-friendly” hostel, you can hit Aveiro Rossio Hostel which garnered Hostelbooker’s Best Staff Award.

Here’s the blurb from the folks who run it:

Find Aveiro Rossio Hostel right at the heart of downtown Aveiro (Praça do Rossio), on the doorstep of all the landmarks of ‘Portugals Venice’. The Rossio area is the central spot of Aveiro, a small city located on the Atlantic coast. Several canals flow through the city, giving it its nickname of the Venice of Portugal. While in Aveiro you can take a trip on the typical regional boats, Moliceiro for a sight seeing tour around the channels. If you’re feeling more energetic you can take a walking tour through the streets of Bairro da Beira Mar or hire a BUGA (Aveiro Free Urban Bikes) for the day. Then you can take the time to visit Aveiro’s many cafe’s or sample authentic, specialty fish dishes in the local restaurants, on the way to or from Aveiro’s beautiful park land. We pride ourselves on our commitment to being ‘eco-friendly’. For 9 months of the year all the hot water the Hostel uses is heated by solar panels. We also have water saving systems in place for our taps and toilets. Energy saving light bulbs are widely used throughout the Hostel as are ‘eco-friendly’ appliances and sealed windows to prevent energy loss. Many of the features and pieces of furniture you’ll see in our common areas are recycled and bought from a local non-profit organization who sells old furniture to raise funds. We actively encourage the recycling of glass, paper and plastics. Our patio area and small terrace are ideal for relaxing on a sunny day or star gazing at night, the perfect place to switch off or share travel tips with new friends. Here you’ll also find a barbecue for guests to use to grill the fresh fish you can buy at the nearby fish market. The well equipped kitchen is an inviting space to share recipes or take part in our homemade themed dinner evenings Before you head off or when you arrive, recharge your batteries with a quiet nights sleep in our comfy beds, whether you’re in one of our spacious dorms or deluxe private rooms.

Find information on Lisbon Hostels | Aveiro Rossio Hostel