Departures Australia Spring 2014

BLACKBOOK Dusk descends

BLACKBOOK Dusk descends on the yellow-lit skyline, as seen from the Memmo Alfama Above: local gastro-biz star José Avillez; left: simple but delectable carpaccio with radish and muxama from Boi-Cavalo site specific LISBON COMES ALIVE Perched on Europe’s west coast, the Portuguese capital is, much like the shimmering Tagus River that flows out to the Atlantic Ocean, quietly opening up to the rest of the world. There are new boutiques, cutting-edge eateries and bustling nightlife, commingling with its timeless charms. And, as SYMA TARIQ reports, there is no better time than autumn, what with its balmy nights, to visit this Iberian gem. Sunset-hued satchel by cork skin authority Pelcor WHERE TO STAY A much feted recent addition to the city’s burgeoning hotel scene, the diminutive Memmo Alfama (memmoalfama.com) is set in the heart of the enchanting Moorish district, with just 42 rooms and a rooftop pool overlooking the Tagus. For a more traditional Cosy yet contemporary decor at the new design hotel Memmo Alfama (left); men’s outfitters Slou Lisbon’s minimalist storefront (right) experience, the quintessentially modernist building housing the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon ( fourseasons.com) belies its interior opulence, which includes luscious tapestries, paintings and foliage – and perhaps the best spa/pool combo on the Iberian peninsula. Lastly, the central Bairro Alto Hotel (bairroaltohotel.com), located in downtown Chiado, is perfect for those who want a good night’s sleep but want to be close to all the action. Go for the Prestige rooms, complete with claw-foot bathtubs and street-facing windows. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: © MEMMO ALFAMA, © BOI-CAVALO, PAULO BARATA, © SLOU, © MEMMO ALFAMA, © PELCOR 40 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM CONTACT PLATINUM CARD SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS

BLACKBOOK The red-tiled rooftops of the Portuguese capital beckon from Memmo Alfama’s modernist terrace WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK José Avillez (joseavillez.pt) is the city’s chef du jour, with his fifth project, Mini Bar, offering cocktails and theatrical tasting menus that touch on his love for molecular gastronomy – seen in full form at his flagship classic Belcanto, just down the road. Another new eatery is Boi-Cavalo ( $ +351 21 887 1653), housed in a renovated butchers’ shop in Alfama, where chefs Hugo Brito and Pedro Duarte cook up simple but stunning dishes such as marinated mackerel with Alvarinho gel, or clam soup with foie gras. For those who prefer tapas (or more correctly, petiscos), the buzzy Taberna da Rua das Flores ( $ +351 21 347 9418) serves rustic Portuguese finger food, often with an Asian twist, accompanied by local wines to just 20 tables. © MEMMO ALFAMA PLENTY OF BOUTIQUES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COUNTRY’S HERITAGE FOR HANDCRAFTING WHERE TO SHOP Style in Lisbon means high-quality materials above all, with plenty of boutiques taking advantage of the country’s heritage for handcrafting. Two such that are drawing repeat visitors are the reopened Kolovrat (lidijakolovrat.org), stocking unique and flamboyant creations by the Croatian designer, and Pelcor (pelcor.pt), the home of cork gems, including sumptuous satchels and wallets. Menswear store Slou Lisbon (sloulisbon.com) stocks the latest lines from brands such as APC and Comme des Garçons, and if eyewear is your thing, concept store Chiado Factory (chiadofactory.pt) is the place to find spectacles among other accessories. Vista Alegre (vmyvistaalegre.com) is a must for those wanting to take home ceramic items by Portugal’s answer to Wedgwood. CULTURE VULTURES Autumn in the city brings a slew of film festivals to its various cinemas, including Doclisboa (doclisboa.pt) in October and the Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival (leffest. com) in November. Aside from the big screen, a number of new galleries and museums have opened, including the impressive Leal Rios Foundation (lealriosfoundation.com), which hosts contemporary works from Portugal’s young artists, and Galeria Múrias Centeno (muriascenteno.com), whose championing of up-andcoming creatives continues the ambitions of its flagship gallery in Porto. The Oriental, European and Classical collections of the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (museu. gulbenkian.pt) also merit a visit, and its impressively landscaped gardens offer a good spot for restful reward afterwards. ♦ DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM 41