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This is a modern fairytale. The princess, even when dubbed as a damsel, cures herself of the fever, makes it out alive all by herself and breaks the generational curse. She keeps a hand over her heart as the haze of forever always clears away, and she is faced with the cruel reality of dungeons and dragons.
This is a modern fairytale in which the princess slays the dragon with kindness and gains a new best friend. The story might one day be part of an antique shop, but for the moment, it is on our screen as the Netflix fantasy film ‘Damsel.’
Wego invites you to journey through the land behind the Kingdom of Aurea as we trace the footsteps of Princess Elodie, as seen in the epic movie Damsel.
Disclaimer: If you haven’t watched the ‘Damsel’ movie yet or are currently in the midst of it, this article contains spoilers. Proceed reading at your own discretion.
England
The story of Princess Elodie begins in a faraway land, which is none other than jolly ol’ England. We only get to see a giant castle as a part of this faraway land. That castle is Raby Castle in County Durham.
Rabi Castle, County Durham
Raby Castle, originally known as “Rabi” Castle, was constructed in the 11th century as part of the Viking settlement of King Cnut and was then a house for the rulers of the mighty dynasty of the Nevilles in the 14th Century. Today, it is a marvelous fortress with thousands of years of history and a great example of medieval architecture and art.
The grounds of Raby Castle consist of a deer park, open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM, the High Force Hotel and Waterfall, a modern apothecary Shop called the Stable Shop, open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11 AM to 4 PM, the Raby’s Castle Garden and the Yurt Café open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM. The Castle gates are open from 10 AM to 4 PM, Wednesday through Sunday.
Raby Castle is set to transform into a leisure destination this spring. Heritage buildings with remodeled garden walls will be restored to event spaces. Shopping extravaganzas and other exciting events will take place, and great food sourced within the Estate will be served in the new Vinery Restaurant.
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Portugal
Next on our journey is the Kingdom of Aurea, which was supposed to paint Princess Elodie’s skies bright blue.
Pena Palace, Sintra
The National Palace of Pena, or the Pena Palace, has acted as the colorful castle of Aurea, giving the audience a feeling of false hope, just like Princess Elodie is lured into a get-love-quick scheme by charmers. However, when you visit Pena Palace, the only charm waiting for you is the magnificence of the colors adorning the castle.
Tucked away in the municipality of Sintra, ensconced on top of the Sintra mountains, is this gingery castle that influences every romanticist’s dreams and Pinterest boards. Construction of the castle started during the Middle Ages and was completed one and a half centuries ago. The castle has stood the test of time, and even when in ruins caused by the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1775, it succeeded in charming royalties to care for it again.
Today, the palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. The president of the Portuguese Republic and other government officials use it for state occasions.
The Palace gates are open from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. The gates of the beautiful parks of the National Palace are open from 9 am to 7 pm. Tickets are required for admission to both the palace and the garden. Tickets to the palace can be purchased from Parque de Sintra’s official website. The palace ticket prices range from EUR 18 to EUR 65, and the park ticket prices range from EUR 10 to EUR 35.
Convento Christo, Tomar
Though the National Palace of Sintra has beautiful gardens, what we see as the gardens of the castle in the Kingdom of Aurea and the wedding venue are short glimpses of the Convent of Christ or Convento Christo in Tomar.
Perched on the hills and situated in the heart of Portugal, this breathtakingly majestic Order of Christ Convent of Rebirth is surrounded by the walls of the Castle of Tomar, known as the Seven Hills Woods. Founded in 1118 by the Knights Templar, its construction spanned over five centuries.
This is one of the largest monument complexes of peninsular and European architecture and gathers influence from seven different art movements, mainly elements of Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque. It is a testimony to artistic expression in architecture and its influence over time. Today, both the castle and the convent are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
The gates of the convent are open every October to May from 9 AM to 5:30 PM and from 9 AM to 6:30 PM every June to September. It is closed only on 1 January, Easter Sunday, Christmas Eve and Day, and 1 May. Admission tickets to the Convent and the Castle are EUR 10, and tickets can be purchased from the official website of Museums & Monuments of Portugal.
Mosteiro Baltalha or The Monastery of the Dominicans of Batalha
The Monastery of the Dominicans of Batalha, or Mosteiro Baltalha or Batalha Monastery, is one of the most important Gothic in Portugal. We only get one very tiny glimpse of this Gothic masterpiece on our screen in Damsel, but this beautiful work of art demands your presence should you find yourself in Portugal on your next vacation.
The Batalha Monastery was constructed in 1385 to monumentalize the Portuguese victory over the Castilians at the Battle of Aljubarrota. What started as a vow made by one king became one of the biggest projects for Portuguese royalty for the next two centuries, impacting the Royal Cloister with Gothic and Renaissance art.
The gates of the Batalha Monastery are open from 31 March to 16 October from 9 am to 6 pm and from 9 AM to 6:30 PM from 1 April to 15 October. Admission tickets to the Monastery are EUR 10 and can be purchased from the official website of Museums & Monuments of Portugal.
Sortelha
There are whispers on the street that the spellbinding historical town of Sortelha is a part of the fictional land of the Kingdom of Aurea that Princess Elordie ventured through. While we do not know the truth behind the rumor mill, Sortelha certainly looks enthralling enough to bewitch us. We urge you to add this quaint little historical village untarnished by modernity to your bucket list.
During the Medieval Era, it was a border town with a charter granted in 1228. Its oldest documentation is that of its rock castle, Pena Sortelha, dating back to the beginning of the 13th century. The castle was accessible from the outside through a small opening facing south, known as the “Door of Betrayal.”
The village has now been classified as a National Monument, earned UNESCO Biosphere Destination certification, and aligns with the New European Bauhaus initiative. Its mystical stellar makes it a prime location for many onscreen historical recreations and festivals surrounding folklore.
When you are there, you can venture to its old castle and marvel at the Cabeça da Velha (Sortelha), Old Townhall, Eternal Kiss, The Old Women’s Head, Arab House, Governor’s House, Watermill Fountain, Falcoes House and much more historious architecture cloaked in the folklore of its own kind showcasing the medieval way of life in the village of Sortelha.
Côa Valley
The movie’s glimpses of Côa Valley are so short that it is almost as if you blink and miss them. But fret not — we have the details of the epic valley here for you.
The property essentially includes two Prehistoric Rock Art sites in the Côa Valley (Portugal) and Siega Verde (Spain), consisting of rocky cliffs carved by fluvial erosion and embedded in an isolated rural landscape in which hundreds of panels with thousands of animal figures (5,000 in Foz Côa, around 440 in Siega Verde) have been engraved over several millennia.
Rock art from various periods of Prehistory, Protohistory, and History is found in the Côa Valley, including the most important Paleolithic open-air figurations in the world. Until its discovery in the mid-90s, humanity’s oldest artistic expression was believed to be constrained within the world’s subterranean caves.
The gates of the Côa Museum and the Rock Art Sites are open from 9 am to 5:30 pm from October to April and from 9 am to 6 pm from May to September. The Museum is usually closed on Mondays from 1 November to 31 March; however, visits to the rock art sites are carried out as usual. The tickets to the Côa Valley Museum and the Archeological Park can be purchased from their official website.
Serra da Estrela Natural Park
Another majestic spot featured in the film for what seemed to be less than a minute is actually the largest natural conservation area and the first natural park to be created in Portugal, the Serra da Estrela Natural Park. The majority of its area is located higher than 700 meters. Torre, the highest peak in Continental Portugal, is located at a height of 1993 meters and 6560 feet above sea level.
The entire region was once exposed to ice and disappeared during the Quaternary period. However, it made a triumphant return with the change of weather and scars on its landscape, narrating the tale of its resilience. Now, it has horseshoe-shaped valleys, ravines, polished rocks and lakes of glacial origin, reflecting the importance of the ice and snow in modeling the mountains.
The Natural Park is a natural habitat for various animals and plants. Various mammals like wolves, wild European rabbits, otters, and foxes, along with different kinds of birds such as golden eagles, peregrine falcons, Eurasian eagle owls and common buzzards, call this mountainous region home. The area is also home to bellflowers, sage-leaved rock roses, junipers, and shady trees like sweet chestnuts and maritime pines. Among the pastures, heather, rosemary, and brooms are also called the natural park home.
The beauty of the Serra de Estrella Natural Park dazzles all year round. The area is ideal for a getaway whether you want to ski, paraglide, hike, or just capture memories along the way. There are various kinds of accommodation ranging from bed & breakfasts to 5-star hotels available in the area to ensure that your stay there is comfortable.
Nossa Senhora da Boa Estrela
Nossa Senhora da Boa Estrela, or Our Lady of the Fallen Star, towers on the tallest mountain in mainland Portugal—Torre—and is the dragon’s lair in the movie. With the magic of filmmaking, Nossa Senhora da Boa Estrela is portrayed as a dark dungeon that incites an eerie feeling in both the audience and Princess Elodie. In reality, the magnanimous dragon’s lair or the angel’s home is a sanctuary in the Serra da Estrela mountain range and is quite easy to miss despite its loftiness.
The sanctuary hosts festivals and pilgrimages in August, and mass takes place here every Sunday, which is mostly attended by locals.
Princess Elodie cracked her bones on the pavement of the Sanctuary of the Fallen Star but emerged victorious and grateful for every aperture in her armor, with the dragon as her personal warrior. We encourage you to follow the damsel’s journey and go on your own adventure to Portugal and England this summer.
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