Lisbon City Break

Enjoy the ease of its lifestyle, its arty nonchalance and trams, its new creative boom... They all give the Portuguese capital its unique soul. Like Rome, the city is comprised of seven hills. Your legs will quickly get used to hopping from hill to hill, juggling the various tram lines. Stroll through the lively alleyways, never tiring of photographing the tall houses, their outsides lined with azulejo tiles; visit trendy galleries and designer shops in Bairro Alto; watch the river from the shaded plots, and listen to the fado escaping from the windows; get lost in the delightful and less frequented Bairro dos Actores, and descend to Belem to breathe in all the maritime adventure of Portugal from the docks. Then take a leap back in time in the district of Alcantara with its red brick factories transformed into a high-tech complex. In a word, the charm of this city will quickly win you over.

Your hotel

Located on the very chic Avenida de Liberdade, the Regent Street of Lisbon, with its row of major international luxury brands, your hotel is one of the hip spots of the neighbourhood. It strikes a balance between 19th-century architecture and cheerful decor; everything is arranged as if it were a large private house to make you feel at ease right away. Antique pieces are interspersed with turquoise, lime, and raspberry armchairs. Head to the patio to swim a few laps in the pretty little pool, read, have tea, or sip a cocktail at the end of the day.

Pleasure food

Small bars, tiny restaurants, low-cost gastropubs or well-guarded pastries. Tasting a 'cozido', a kind of stew, at the counter of a bar; pushing the door into a chic fish market that looks more like a clothing shop; having a drink on a terrace; touring the pastry shops for a comparative survey of pasteis de nata - delicious and decidedly sinful custard tarts.

Include in your itinerary - The best way to experience the capital from the inside is to discover it with a Lisbon native. Your guide knows their city by heart, and likes to share their favourite haunts with travellers. During an informal stroll, follow them through cobblestone streets as they regales you with amazing stories, in search of small churches often closed to the public, well-hidden mansions, art galleries, and markets. Don't plan ahead, but improvise according to everyone's tastes and desires. You set the pace.

Optional - Dinner at Cantinho do Avillez Restaurant. The chef from Belcanto loves bistro cooking. He reinvents national dishes, topping plates with African spices; lovingly reworking these highly tasty pieces often considered 'low-brow', making sandwiches that are simply sublime. Read more