Special treat: Lapa Palace is an A-list hotel with charm, history and opulence, the jewel in the crown of Lisbon’s palace-laden neighbourhood. Doubles from £165. Read full review http://bit.ly/PW6FFQ
Mid-range: The LX Boutique hotel is bright, airy and modern; a hotel by the river that offers the perfect urban retreat. Doubles from £70. Read the full review http://bit.ly/VDv3yD.
On a budget: The Hotel Florida might seem more Planet Hollywood than hotel but its silver screen theme makes for plenty of fun. Doubles from £39. Read the full review http://bit.ly/SPQubJ.
Your first dinner should be at one of Lisbon’s hobbit-sized, hole-in-the-wall joints like Cervejaria Ramiro (351 21 885 1024; cervejariaramiro.pt). The bill rarely stretches beyond £15 per-head.
The city’s nightly cycle of revelry always kicks off in Bairro Alto. It doesn’t matter which bar you choose as the real party is outside. Grab a plastic cup of caipirinha at Majong and dance outside.
Grab a breakfast of coffee and custard tarts at Pasteis de Belém (pasteisdebelem.pt).
Wander through the cloisters of the Mosterio dos Jeronimos (entry £5). The main attraction is the delicate Gothic chapel, in which some of Portugal’s greatest historical figures are entombed.
Manifesto (Largo de Santos 9; 00 351 213 963 419, about £40 a head) is a talk-of-the-town establishment where lunch involves bizarre but delicious dishes like prawn sausages and pig’s trotter samosas.
Unassuming rustic grub is served in under hanging copper pots and dangling legs of ham at Solar dos Nunes (00 351 21 364 7359, around £20 a head).
