Pousadas and convents

You'll get more responses if you tell us where you will be in Portugal.

We will be traveling from Porto to Coimbra region, Obidos and Evora, flying out of Lisbon. There is a very expensive pousada in Obidos..... I was hoping for a more rural experience (and cheaper). Thanks!!

Pousadas can be historic or modern buildings. We enjoyed staying in them in Evora, Obidos and Guimares. There is a new one in Porto on the river.
. The dining rooms are excellent.

They often have great deals on their website too for multiple stays.

The one in Obidos is cool.

In Porto, there is a wonderful B&B (the best ever), called the In Patio Guesthouse. It is in a great location with all the amenities and wonderful people that run the place.

Many Pousadas have been heavily renovated to appeal to more visitors. You will not be sleeping on a straw mattress. When we have been offered less-renovated, smaller rooms (i.e. cells) we have chosen a larger room. The Pousada in Evora is expensive because it is small, in demand, and in an exceptionally attractive and romantic location. You get what you pay for. (We didn't stay there.) We did stay in the heavily-renovated one in Guimares, which I guess you could call more rural. But it's not that rural. For example, there was still an outdoor domestic laundry-washing facility along the road when we were there 20 years ago. But Guimares is a tourism center even for the Portuguese.

Have you done any browsing here?:
https://www.pousadas.pt/en/hotels

Thanks so much... I may be searching in the wrong area. the pousadas i have found are in the cities where we will visit... not a country, rural experience. I have been researching manors, convents, etc. near Evora.....may try that next. Palmera has an interesting site..perhaps not a pousada? Thank you all for your suggestions. The pousada site is very helpful!!

We will be in Porto for a few days during our river tour, staying on the boat. But I will look this up. I understand Porto is worth several days.

we are going in April and booked at Convento de Sao Paulo in Redondo (not far from Evora, Elvas, Monsaraz)
it is an interesting looking place, price is not too bad, read a few reviews stating that the food was not exceptional though