If you are thinking of a summer destination which isn’t too expensive or hot, consider Lisbon. Prices of food and drink are much lower than in cities like Barcelona and it’s never horribly hot in the summer. The food is very good, especially the pastries. And for whatever reason, the coffee in Lisbon is much better than anywhere else. Lisbon is a hilly but walkable city with a bridge that looks exactly like San Francisco’s Golden Gate. Everything seems to be from another age: the street cars, the quaint cafes, tiny bookstores and quiet parks that dot the city. It seems to be a lost world, like scenes taken from Fernando Pessoa’s poems and novels. There are many types of accommodation – from apartments to boutique hotels – and it is wise to book early because Lisbon has become very popular with the budget-travel crowd. Here are my favorite hotels in the city.
Fontana Park
Rua Eng. Vieira da Silva 2
Lisbon, Portugal
+351 213 576 212
www.fontanaparkhotel.com
Bairro Alto Hotel
Praça Luís de Camões 8
Lisbon, Portugal
+351 213 408 288
www.bairroaltohotel.com
York House
Rua das Janelas Verdes, 32
Lisbon, Portugal
+351 21 396 24 35
www.yorkhouselisboa.com
Solar dos Mouros
Rua do Milagre de Santo António 6
Lisbon, Portugal
+351 21 885 49 40
http://solardosmouros.com/english/
Solar do Castelo
Rua das Cozinhas, 2
Lisbon, Portugal
+351 218 806 050
www.solardocastelo.com
Hotel Britania
R. Rodrigues Sampaio, 17
Lisbon, Portugal
+351 213 155 016
www.hotel-britania.com
Heritage Av Liberdade
Avenida da Liberdade 28
Lisbon, Portugal
+351 213 404 040
www.heritageavliberdade.com