Lisbon Tuk-Tuk Tour
Breakfast was a delight. My favourite meal of the day was set around the circular bar with all manner of savoury and sweets on offer. Smoothies, yoghurts, fruits, bread, plus superb hot food options; I recommend the imaginative omelettes. We then headed out into the sunshine for a tuk-tuk ride. Some companies run a three-hour tour across the best sights in Lisbon; ours was 60 minutes and frankly quite long enough as the suspension wasn’t that comfy.
We raced over the hilly cobbled streets of the Alfama neighbourhood (Lisbon’s oldest) past the Se de Lisboa, the medieval church that survived the 1755 earthquake, and the markets to the lookout point at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte with stunning views across Lisbon to the sea.
Food is a major, major part of life in Portugal, so a market tour to collect fresh ingredients for a cooking class with the pro chefs at Cooking Lisbon was a must. Book online and head to R. Bernardim Ribeiro 9 for a fun, interactive lesson using produce you’ve bought at the market. Our chef, the very talented Tomás Borges Cascais, graduated from the Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril and loved sharing his passion for his home country’s cuisine. We made superb prawns, white fish, a veggie meal (Cataplana), followed by a delicious Sericaia cake.
Thank God there was time for a walk followed by a steam and massage at The One’s Despacio Spa with its plunge pool and loungers, before our tasting menu dinner at the hotel later that evening. We assembled in the Sala Os Espelhos and admired the hand-painted frescoes on the ceiling, before indulging in an extraordinary array of wine and dishes from the hotel’s Condes de Ericeira restaurant kitchen.
Exquisitely presented, we enjoyed seven courses with accompanying fine Portuguese wines. These included scallion with a white caviar amuse-bouche segued into cottage cheese, asparagus, squash and roasted pine nuts (Soalheor Alvarinho wine), a superb cream of prawn soup (Quinta da Bacalhoa Cardonnay), a shrimp risotto, and a vegetarian squash with Saraceno wheat, portobello mushroom and rosemary honey. Rice pudding parfait with chocolate and cinnamon was the pièce de résistance, alongside a 10-year-old Madeira Barbeito Malvasia. Perfection.
As I drifted into unconsciousness much later that night, I made a mental note to return to Portugal as soon as possible. This, my first visit to the country, was especially memorable for the warmth of its people, its historic architecture and mouth-watering cuisine.
If you’re looking for unique, bespoke Lisbon tours and experiences, then I highly recommend travelling with Iberian Escapes. They use the travel app Vamoos, designed for travel companies which listed our itinerary alongside information about Lisbon. Our daily itinerary was posted to view each day with an excellent flight hub function, that told us our return flight was delayed before the airline app did. With first-hand local knowledge, Iberian Escapes will guide you to the coolest and tastiest places to eat and drink, as well as the best luxury Lisbon hotels.
Obrigada Lisbon – I’ll be back!
Iberian Escapes – Where and How?
Iberian Escapes is a bespoke luxury concierge and destination management company specialising in Portugal and Spain. They create authentic experiences in collaboration with locals, with crafted activities focusing on sustainability, escapism, adventure, wellness and gastronomy. For more information, visit www.iberian-escapes.com.
The One Palácio da Anunciada Lisboa – Where and How?
The One Palácio da Anunciada Lisboa hotel is located at Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 112-134, 1150-268 Lisbon, Portugal. For more information, visit www.hotelstheone.com/en/lisboa or call +351 210 412 300.
This travel review was conducted prior to the implementation of UK travel restrictions.
Disclaimer: With the risks of the Coronavirus widely publicised, we do not accept any responsibility for any health concerns arising from visiting this property, and urge everyone to follow the latest advice issued by the Government and the Foreign Commonwealth Office prior to making a booking and travelling to their destination: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus.
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