Quinta da Bella Vista Venue

The historic Quinta da Bella Vista was formerly the property of the famous British writer and father of “Sherlock Holmes,” Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930), who lived with his family starting in 1890. Annette, the sister of Sir Arthur and his youngest son, Adrian, were almost permanent residents here in the early 1950's.  Local legend has it that “The Hounds of Baskerville” were in fact inspired during Sir Arthur’s stay in Quinta da Bella Vista.    Adrian was a real playboy and a reputed hunter, and he continued authoring some Sherlock Holmes books at Quinta da Bella Vista, after his father's death. He was also a painter and was often seen painting at the tower of the Palacio, which served as his studio because of the abundance of light from all directions.   Quinta da Bella Vista was a regular gathering spot for celebrities of the time such as Sir Francis Cook, the First Viscount of Monserrate (and former owner of Palacio Monserrate and of Quinta da Bella Vista), the South African poet Roy Campbell, the American actress Gloria Swanson, and Pierre Schlumberger, a French oil tycoon and heir to one of the world's greatest fortunes. Today, this tradition continues.