26 DEPARTURES TRAVEL HANDBOOK The Lure of Lisbon An enticing mix of the old and the new, the Portuguese capital is ripe for exploring. by John McNamara PERCHED ON THE southwestern fringe of Europe, Lisbon has always been an outward-looking city, an ancient, ambitious metropolis that led the Age of Discovery. Its deeprooted relationship with the sea continues today (a monumental new cruise terminal recently opened), but increasingly the Portuguese capital is – for the first time in its history – becoming a destination in itself. Part of the appeal is the atmosphere, a beguiling mix of natural beauty and rough-around-the-edges Old World glamour. But the real draw today comes from the energy and acumen of the entrepreneurial minds who are melding innovative new hotels, restaurants and boutiques into the city’s elegant framework. For modern-day explorers, there are few better base camps in the city than The One Palácio da Anunciada (hotelstheone.com), an exquisitely restored 16th-century palace that opened in February. The second in Spanish brand H10 Hotels’ five-star portfolio, just 83 rooms are spread The pool terrace at The One Palácio da Anunciada across the spacious property, which has a maze-like quality and exudes a rare unperturbed calm in the centre of a busy city, with elegant décor and playful touches accentuating the original architectural details. At the hotel’s heart is a garden courtyard, dominated by a 100-yearold dragon tree and overlooked by a pool terrace and the Despacio spa. The impressive selection of eateries is topped by the Condes de Ericeira, where in the sumptuous surrounds of one of the palace’s grand halls, the ROGER MENDEZ
