Portuguese Favourites

Lisbon is a very particular kind of town – with its rich history, beautiful buildings and interesting places, it has developed organically over its seven hills into the messy, chaotic and charming city it is known as today. 

From early morning to late at night, the air sings in Lisbon, full of the sounds of people meeting for breakfast, lunch, dinner or whatever can be found in-between. The traffic is equally loud (or noisy, if you will). In a place as energetic as the Portuguese capital, the most important thing is to find places to retreat to, for unwinding and relaxation. In this short guide, we have listed our three favourite spots for doing just that.

Our Favorite Lisbon Hotel

Lisbon is home to Santa Clara 1728, one of the select places that make up the small collection of hotels known as “Silent Living”. The hotel is situated in an 18th century townhouse, located in the old cultural quarters of the Santa Clara area. The owner, João Rodrigues, stumbled on the building when looking for a place for himself and his family. It has a beautiful view of the National Pantheon (formerly Santa Engrãcia), whose dome has become synonymous with Lisbon. It’s also only a few steps away from São Vicente de Fora, which also holds an key position in the history of the city. 

Together with architect Manuel Aires Mateus, Rodriquez transformed the top floor into a private home for his family, while the remaining stories became a hotel, with only six (exquisitely decorated) rooms, all comfortable and spacious. Particular attention has been paid to the design of the bathrooms. 

The name “Silent living” hints at how this hotel aligns with the slow philosophy – the food here is organic and locally sourced. The architecture uses real materials, reflecting an aspiration for the timeless. All interiors have been designed by Antonio Citterio (known for his work with B&B Italia). 

Staying here includes complimentary fresh pastries and walking maps of the city, planned out by the hotel to highlight places of particular interest to the hotel guests. 

If your stay includes a Tuesday or a Saturday, the town’s best flea market, Feira da Ladra, takes place quite literally on your doorstep. If you desire to be outside but want to avoid the crowded streets, the hotel has its own private courtyard garden.

Ceia – the Portuguese word for supper – is the name of the restaurant inside the hotel. It’s an intimate affair, with only 14 seats around one large table, sharing the same menu. It’s open everyday from Wednesdays to Saturdays from 8pm, and themed “The Last Harvest”. The name refers to seasonally harvested ingredients from the hotel’s own farm (which of course uses regenerative agricultural practices).

After checkout, we were greeted by a 1970 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, which took us for a lovely drive through the city, and onto our next adventure.  

A Modernist Museum Not to Miss

Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian was of Armenian origin. Born in 1896 in Üsküdar, in the middle of the Ottoman Empire, he had to leave Turkey with his family to escape the genocide of the Armenian people.  

A brief period in Cairo was followed by a few years in London, where he became a British citizen before relocating again, this time to Paris. Here, Gulbenkian bought a small palace, and planned on settling down. 

When the Second World War broke out, Gulbenkian decided that it was better to live in Lisbon, farther away from the areas worst afflicted by the war. International geopolitical events helped to shape his path through the world.  

Regardless of where he lived, he continued to pursue his interest in art. Because of his heritage and complex history, he had a particular interest in art that reflected the intersection of different cultures, where religion and art had become intertwined.

This resulted in a collection that was both eclectic and refined, totalling over 6,000 pieces from places all over the world, including ancient Egypt, Armenia, Persia, Europe and Japan. 

Visitors to the museum will recognize artworks by some of the most prominent masters of art history, including Carpaccio, Van Dyck, Gainsborough, Manet, Degas, and Monet.

One of Gulbenkian’s personal favourites was the marble sculpture of Houdori’s Diana, which had previously belonged to Catherine of Russia (and which he bought from the Hermitage Museum in 1930).

Initially as a strategy to avoid paying taxes, he created a “Gulbenkian Institute” for his art, but soon, due to the general turmoil in the world, he was declared an “enemy under the act” by the British government. This was because he had followed the French government to the Vichy region, and for many years after, he was involved in many complicated negotiations regarding ownership of his companies and art collections. 

After his death, the entire collection was brought to Portugal, where it was exhibited at the Palaces of the Marquises of Pombai for a few years in the late 1960s, before the new museum building was officially opened to the public.

The museum, located in the north part of the Gulbenkian garden, is today one of the most famous architectural statements of modern Portugal. Inaugurated in 1969, it was a designed by three teams of architects – led by Ruy Jervis d’Athouguia, Pedro Cid and Alberto Pessoa – and it was built specifically to house the vast and exclusive Gulbenkian collection. 

The museum is particularly well-known for how the flow of light enhances the artworks and craft objects of display – the mirroring of lighting in the wooden floor and the tall windows that look out on the surrounding gardens, contrasted with the use of concrete and granite in ceilings and walls. It was awarded the Valmor Prize for Architecture in 1974, and in 2010 it was classified as a national monument.

For a Weekend Stroll

It is difficult to draw the line between different creative areas and expression. Where does art begin and design end? How do the two relate to craft? And isn’t technology in many ways an integral part of both art and architecture?

In Lisbon, the cultural centre MAAT is home to three of the most important cultural expressions (regardless of how you define their interrelations). 

People come here not only to take part of the exhibitions, but to experience the shapes and spaces of MAAT itself, as it invites visitors to also enjoy the outdoor spaces and to spend time either in the sun or resting in the cool shade. 

Designed by Amanda Levete Architects, the site encompasses not only the newly constructed building, completed in 2021, but also the Central Tejo Power Station, considered one of Portugal’s most prominent examples of early 20th century industrial architecture. 

There are also other interconnections with Portuguese history hidden in plain sight in the architecture, such as the three-dimensional glazed tiles that adorn the façade, which allude to Portugal’s proud ceramic tradition. 

The main building, which is the centre’s centrepiece, makes good use both of its interiors and exteriors. The rooftop is a popular viewpoint, while the restaurant has a roofed terrace for days when the sun is too intense (or for when it just won’t stop raining). 

Indoors is a vast exhibition space, lowered into the ground and reached via a large, elegant staircase. A particular nice touch is the restrooms, sleek, cool, and with what is apparently (judging by the number of people who come here for a photo-op) a very Instagram-friendly design.

For those not in the mood to take in a whole exhibition, it might be enough to simply walk around the building, viewing it from different perspectives and simply relaxing in one of its many nooks. MAAT is a place where one can spend hours without becoming bored. It’s located on the banks of the river Tagus in the Belém district, from which many of the famous Portuguese explorers departed, hoping to discover the secrets of distant and faraway places. 

Today, Belém is home to many museums and points of cultural interest, and it’s easy to spend a whole day here, taking in the sights, exploring the exhibitions, and learning about Portuguese history. 

In a short period of time, MAAT has become an integral part of Lisbon, a place to visit, meeting up with friends or simply enjoying the architecture.