Sarah Tucker finds life all well and good in Lisbon
It’s been one heck of a weekend. I’ve been covered in mud, exfoliated from top to toe and deluged with buckets of ice water. I’ve walked on hot stones, been blasted with cold jets, sipped my first cocktail in forever and consumed some wonderful Portuguese wine. I’ve even been massaged by someone who has the eyes of Puss in Boots. Welcome to Lisbon and the ultimate mental-pause weekend.
Two to three hours away by plane, and 10 degrees warmer than the UK in the winter, Lisbon is as old as its many hills. Before ever there was London, Paris or Rome, there was a city at the mouth of the Tagus, gazing out at the Atlantic west. Some say it was Odysseus who founded it, on his circuitous way home from Troy.
Today it has become fashionable to describe it as the European San Francisco – not just on account of the hills, but because it has cable cars, near-miraculous light and a bridge not dissimilar to that of the Golden Gate. It is also built on a fault line. The Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 destroyed almost all of the old medieval city, killed upwards of 40,000 people and sent Enlightenment philosophers into a tailspin. Like its young Pacific cousin, Lisbon always holds its breath.
I stayed at the Corinthia Hotel, a short drive from the airport and right in the heart of the city, which boasts the largest hotel spa in Europe. All wellness life is here: a state-of-the-art gym, personal trainers, an excellent thalassotherapy (seawater treatment) centre and signature massages such as the Portuguese Adventure, which takes you on a sensual journey inspired by the most traditional and historical Portuguese ingredients, enhanced by cloves, flor de sal and other spices. An oasis of tranquillity and wellbeing.
Beyond the relaxing confines of the Corinthia, Lisbon is beautiful, bohemian and green, blessed with tree-lined cobbled avenues and the most extraordinary sunrises and sunsets. Despite the hills, it’s a very easy place to walk around (although it only costs two euros to take the tram): a strollable city full of cafés, bars and shops that rewards curious minds with the unusual, the unexpected and the unique.
In the Chiado district, for example, you’ll find shops like Claus Porto, a pharmacy which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Aside from soaps that are almost too good to unwrap, it boasts a barber shop in the basement, reflecting a recurrent Lisbon theme. Many cafés and bars section off areas where men – and, in theory, women – can have their hair cut, while David Beckham, no less, flies down frequently in his private jet to Figaro’s Barbershop for a short back and sides. Address: Rua do Alecrim 39, 1200-014 Lisboa.
If turning a phrase is more your thing than turning a hair, go and mingle with the writers and artists in Café A Brasileira, before browsing through the intriguing A Vida Portuguesa. The latter is a shop started by a local journalist who wanted to bring together all the best Portuguese goodies. Hand-stitched handkerchiefs, wooden toys, filigree jewellery, cork (this is Portugal, after all), original porcelain: all are present and correct. For variety and affordability it beats the airport into a cork hat.
Fans of ceramics will love the hand-painted tiles in Fábrica de Sant’Anna, while another gem is Luvaria Ulisses, the last shop in Portugal dedicated wholly to the bespoke hand-manufacture of leather gloves.
Food and wine are both superb in Lisbon, and great value too. Not all restaurants take bookings, but one that does is Bairro do Avillez from Chef José Avillez. Here I recommend the giant red shrimp and the aged beef loin steak.
Zero Zero is a fun Italian job – try the couscous di gamberi e legumi, or the quinoa salad with tuna and melograno with shallot and pumpkin seeds.
And Mercado da Ribeira is an absolute ‘must’. It’s been Lisbon’s main food market since 1892 and was refurbished four years ago as a modern food hall and dining area. Browse the stalls, choose your fare – there are starters in one corner and desserts in another – and find a perch to consume it. Busy and atmospheric, this is the perfect spot for people-watching.
And so to bed in this fabulous fault line city. Just pray that the earth doesn’t move for you.
Escape and rejuvenate
Designed for those seeking a vitality boost or just interested in an introduction to the elements of wellness
Check into the elegance of the Corinthia Hotel, before checking out into the relaxation zone with a sublime Total Relax Aromatherapy massage. Fully recharge your batteries with an overnight stay in utter luxury, followed by a delicious buffet breakfast.
Price is £160 including:
- Accommodation with full buffet breakfast
- One Aromatherapy massage, per person
- Unlimited access to the heated indoor swimming pool and fitness room
- Check out another great travel piece
- You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on all our latest articles
- Sign up to our Weekly Newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and stories
- Looking to advertise your business in Surrey or SW London? Check out our 11 different lifestyle magazines with a combined monthly distribution of over 210,000 AB1 homes
