Bicentenário do Bussaco

THE BRITISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PORTUGAL
c/o St.Julian’s School,
Quinta Nova, 2776-601 Carcavelos
Phone our library: (351) 21-458-5336 (Mondays 1.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m.)
PLEASE NOTE that the Society’s library at
St. Julian’s School will be closed for holidays throughout the month of August, reopening on Monday 6th Sept. 2010. Visit us at: www.bhsportugal.org

26th July 2010.

COMING EVENT


FRIDAY 24TH TO TUESDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 2010 – “THE BATTLE OF BUSSACO, 200 YEARS ON” - A 5-DAY VISIT TO LUSO-BUSSACO (Minimum 20 / Maximum 30 people) - Depart from Rua Castilho, Lisbon (close to the Hotel Tiara Park, former Hotel Meridien) 9.00 am / Estoril Casino 9.30 am. We will be travelling to Bussaco to attend various events planned to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bussaco, which took place on 27th September 1810.

z On Friday 24th September, after collecting passengers in Lisbon and Estoril we will drive north via the A-8 motorway to Runa, where we plan to see the magnificent house, part-palace part-institution, built by D. Maria Francisca Benedita, a sister of D. Maria I, to provide a home for soldiers invalided in the Peninsular War, set in an area which was actually within the Lines of Torres Vedras. We will be shown the museum and the fine chapel. We will then go on to have lunch in Paúl, on the outskirts of Torres Vedras, where the restaurant has prepared a delicious and abundant buffet menu to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the occupation of the Lines. In the afternoon will drive north to Luso where we will spend four nights at the 4-star Grande Hotel de Luso, which many members will recall from our pleasant stay there a few years back. Members will be free to find the evening meal of their choice in the hotel or at one of the town’s many restaurants.

z On Saturday morning, playing truant from the Peninsular War commemorations for a few hours, we will drive to nearby Anadia, one of the centres of the great grape-growing region Bairrada, where we will visit the recently opened ultra-modern wine museum and also have the opportunity to enjoy a temporary exhibition of works by five contemporary painters. We will return to Luso in time for lunch in a local restaurant, where we hope to be joined by members of our Caldas da Rainha branch who will also be in Luso for the commemorations. In the afternoon members of the Portuguese and other Napoleonic Societies will parade through the town in uniforms of the Peninsular War period and later we will drive up into the Bussaco hills to see a re-enactment of one of the many fights which took place in the course of the overall battle. In the evening members will again be free to find the meal of their choice.

z After breakfast on Sunday we will return to the Bussaco hills to see a re-enactment of a fierce attack which took place close to the Porta de Sula. Many booths will be set up in the area to provide snacks for the spectators and consequently lunch will not be included in our programme. In the afternoon members will be free to swim in one of the hotel’s two pools or to visit an exhibition concerning the Battle in the beautiful little Arte Nouveau casino. Dinner this evening will be at the hotel and is included in the cost of the journey.

z Monday marks the actual 200th anniversary of the battle and in the morning we will once more drive up into the Bussaco hills to attend the military ceremonies traditionally held there annually, which this year will be on a rather wider scale. Later we will hope to visit the military museum located in the former field hospital before returning to Luso to spend some free time enjoying this charming little town. Dinner this evening will once again be at the hotel and is included in the cost of the journey.

z On Tuesday we will check out of the Grande Hotel de Luso after breakfast and leave for a beautiful drive across the hills to Penacova and then on to Foz de Arouce, site of another Peninsular War conflict a few months after the Battle of Bussaco. We will then continue to Lousã for lunch at a hotel located in a mansion said to be the place where Massena had his Headquarters in March 1811 and from which he was dislodged by Wellington’s arrival. In the afternoon we will drive south to drop Lisbon members before ending our journey in Estoril.

The price per person (sharing a double room) is €495,00 and this includes hotel, transport, entrance fees and all meals described in the programme. Single room supplement is €50,00 per person. Members will appreciate that there will be a great demand for rooms in Luso over the period of the commemorations and the Society will have to confirm reservations and make early payment of deposits for rooms and meals in order to guarantee our bookings. Those wishing to take part in this event are therefore asked to send the enclosed enrolment form, together with a cheque for the deposit of €200,00 per person (or a copy of the bank transfer slip), to Patricia Lamb, Apartado 110, 2766-501 São Pedro do Estoril to reach her as soon as possible but certainly not later than 20th August 2010. The balance of the payment due should reach Patricia Lamb not later than 6th September.

PAYMENT BY BANK TRANSFER

MEMBERS MAY, IF THEY WISH, PAY FOR THE EVENT ANNOUNCED IN THIS CIRCULAR BY BANK TRANSFER DIRECT TO THE SOCIETY’S ACCOUNT WITH THE BBVA (NIB 0019 000 000 2 0000 2226 69)

HOWEVER, THIS METHOD OF PAYMENT IS SUBJECT TO THREE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS:

1. YOU MUST ENSURE THAT YOUR NAME IS CLEARLY INDICATED AS THE PAYER.

2. YOU MUST MAIL OR E-MAIL THE ENROLMENT FORM TO PATRICIA LAMB (E-MAIL ADDRESS: patricia-lamb@netcabo.pt) INDICATING THE DATE ON WHICH THE TRANSFER WAS MADE AND THE AMOUNT TRANSFERRED. (ENROLMENTS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ONCE THIS FORM HAS BEEN RECEIVED.)

3. YOU MUST ADD THE SUM OF €1,50 TO EACH TRANSFER TO COVER BANK CHARGES PAYABLE BY THE SOCIETY ON RECEIPT OF THE PAYMENT.

ENROLMENT FORM FOR
“THE BATTLE OF BUSSACO, 200 YEARS ON”
A 5-DAY VISIT TO LUSO-BUSSACO
(Minimum 20 / Maximum 30 people)
Depart from Rua Castilho, Lisbon (close to the Hotel Tiara Park, former Hotel Meridien) 9.00 am
Depart from Estoril Casino 9.30 am.
PRICE: €495,00 PER PERSON (sharing double room)
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT: €50,00 PER PERSON.

NAME(S) : ……………………………………………………………………..

PHONE Nº : …...................................................
CHEQUE ENCLOSED FOR THE SUM OF

……………………………………………………………………………......................................

Please mail to Patricia Lamb, Apartado 110, 2766-501 SÃO PEDRO DO ESTORIL,TOGETHER WITH THE DEPOSIT OF €200 PER PERSON to reach her not later than 20th August 2010.