The city is small enough that you can feel that you know your way around within a weekend, but big enough that there is a surprise around every corner - especially in the old neighbourhoods of Bairro Alto, Baixa and Chiado.
Check-in: the full handbag
Avenida Palace (Rua 1 de Dezembro 123, Baixa. Tel +221 346 0151). Centrally located, this recently renovated five-star hotel has retained its beauty, style and sense of luxury. Double rooms are around £110; a suite will set you back around £230.
Check-in: the neat handbag
Hotel Metropole (Praca Dom Pedro VI 30, Baixa. Tel +221 346 9164). Looking out on to the square below, this central hotel has large, elegantly furnished double rooms for around £50 per night in the low season, increasing to £70 in the high season.
Check-in: the empty handbag
Pensao Londres (Rua Dom Pedro V, 53. Tel +221 346 2203, pensaolondres@mail.telepac.pt). Perfectly located in the old neighbourhood of Bairro Alto, this friendly hotel has large, comfortable rooms, many with views. A twin or double room with a bathroom and toilet is around £30 per night including breakfast. There are also single, three and four bed rooms. Check it out at www.desenvolve.com
Dining
The average Lisbon resident eats out 29 times a year compared to 13 visits by the average Londoner. It's no surprise then, that there's an enormous number and range of restaurants.
Primavera is mentioned in most guidebooks, but for good reason. This tiny restaurant serves traditional Portuguese food and wine that's good, cheap and plentiful. The service and setting are relaxed and friendly.
If Portuguese cooking isn't your thing, try Bife.come (Rua Gremio Lusitano, 6-8. Bairro Alto. Tel +221 347 8801). The name of this funky little eatery translates as beef.eat, which gives you an idea about the main item on the menu. The beef is from Argentina and the chefs are from France, but the menu and the clientele still have a strong local flavour. If you want to avoid meat altogether, you can choose from a fantastic range of tapas, which are almost meals in themselves.
For a bit of luxury, try Bica Do Sapato (off the Avenida Infante dom Henrique, Alfama. Tel +221 881 0320). Owned by the actor John Malkovich and one of Portugal's best young chefs, this restaurant serves modern Portuguese cuisine in a beautiful space. Booking essential.
Bars and Clubs
The Bairro Alto is crammed with great little bars – wander down Rua da Alatalia or Rua Sao Pedro de Alcantara and you' re sure to find one to your liking.
Pavilhao Chines (Chinese Pavilion, Rua D. Pedro V, 89. Bairro Alto. Tel +221 342 4729). Military ornaments, models and paraphernalia cover the walls and ceilings of the many small alcoves and rooms of this bar. It sounds a bit naff, but it 's really quite breathtaking. My only advice is to go and see for yourself. Open to 2am every night.
Shopping
You'll find up-market and mainstream fashion on the Rua do Carmo and Rua Garret in the Chiado. Outside the Baixa-Chiado, shopping is a process of discovery – wander aimlessly through the streets of Bairro Alto and Bica and you'll stumble across lots of funky little fashion stores, specialist shops and delicatessens. Many shops are closed on Sundays, so if you're in town over the weekend break, shop on Saturday and save Sunday for sightseeing. Luvaria Ulisses (No. 87-A): Squeezed in amongst the big flashy boutiques on the Rua do Carmo, this pocket-sized shop has been making, fitting and selling leather, silk and satin gloves for generations. The slightly diffident staff will fit you with a pair that feel like a second skin and will probably last a lifetime. Caza Das Vellas Loreto (Rua d. Loreto, 53 - 55. Bairro Alto): This shop has been making and selling candles since 1789. If that doesn't light your fire, you can't help but be warmed by the beauty of wood-panelled shop itself. Jose Antonio Tenente (Travessa do Carmo, 8. Chiado): This small designer outlet is difficult to find, but worth it. Beautiful tailoring and attention to detail mean the clothes sold here are both contemporary and timeless.
Sightseeing
The seven hills of Lisbon can test your fitness, especially after a heavy lunch or a few glasses of vino tinto. Luckily there are charming, rickety trams to carry you back up the hills. This mode of transport is also one of the best ways to see the sights, especially if you're in a hurry. Tram 28 is world famous and lurches past many of the most beautiful buildings in the city. With its elegant wood-panelled interior and elderly passengers, the tram itself feels like a museum on the move.
