#parador

Rather than sell them off, they keep these castles, monasteries etc as state assets, but turned them into hotels, known as paradors.

This is the sunrise hitting the square outside my gigantic stately room in Zamora.

After leaving Portugal, we crossed the border into Spain. And we moved toward the Ribeira Sacra(Sacred Riverside) region, a hidden gem in Galicia. After passing through a dense forest and descending a slope, Parador de Santo Estavo, which was once a monastery, appeared. It's such a wonderful sight. Right next to the accommodation is a church, and in front of it is a cemetery where saints rest. Crossing the corridor to reach the reception and restaurant feels like being in medieval Europe.