26.11 2024 Welcome to our Portugal Special. For this issue, we’ve had two local insiders (both who have great taste) give us their favourite picks for Lisbon and further afield; there are so many gems in both interviews, we hope you like them. We’ve also included ideas for several other areas including Comporta, Melides and Madeira, and with the weather currently in the low 20s in most of Portugal and the festive lights shining bright, it could just be a good choice for a chill last minute break, before the craziness of the holidays sets in. Have great weeks all, and thank you for reading UJ. ❣️ xx Taryn and Team UJ xx Portugal Inspired Things to pick up in the +351 SHOP NOW Take Three City, south, sea Starting with Lisbon: Locke de Santa Joana is a 17th century convent-turned-hotel that houses Nuno Mendes’ new restaurant. A quick 40 minutes from Lisbon is Fortaleza do Guincho in Cascais, another 17th century property, this time an old fort that’s been turned into a Relais & Châteaux hotel, in a stunning location, surrounded by the sea. And further south, the W Algarve has everything you need – fitness, beach, restaurants, spa – for a chilled, salty weekend on the coast. READ OUR REVIEWS Locke de Santa Joana, Lisbon | Fortaleza do Guincho, Cascais | W Algarve Eduardo Marecos Duarte Membership Manager, Soho House Cities Without Houses, Lisbon/Porto Eduardo, who was born in and lives in Lisbon, is an absolute sage when it comes to all things Portugal. He’s stylish, fun, and always has the inside track. Head of membership for Soho House’s Cities Without Houses in Lisbon and Porto, Eduardo gives us a few of his favourite places in Portugal, and highlights a few events and key dates in Lisbon for the upcoming year. READ EDUARDO'S PICKS Six Senses Lisbon Hotel News Lisbon and Portugal Lisbon might be low-key on the international hip/luxe hotel front for now, but that’s about to change. Coming soon are a ME by Meliá (ME Lisbon), The Standard Residences and The Standard Lisbon, a Nobu Hotel, and a Six Senses Lisbon (joining their Douro property), which, excitingly, will have their signature spa. Elsewhere in Portugal, the Viceroy has just opened a new property in the Algarve, and JANU is coming, too – TBC on where. Stay tuned! Reminder: Two-Night Coastal Break - Festive Edition 25% off and other treats Sponsored Listing We recently relayed that GuestHouse’s newest property, No. 124 Brighton – the 32-bedroom seafront property with rooms that include record players and soft lighting, great views and Wildsmith products– was opening in November, and it’s now open! To celebrate and kick the holidays off in style, they’re offering a special two-night festive break that includes early check in and late check out; a festive cocktail & tacos on the first night and a £50 credit per person to put towards dinner at Pearly Cow; breakfast on both days; and 25% off their best available rate. They will also throw in a bottle of Chapel Down sparkling vino for UJ readers – quote ‘Urban Junkies’ in the ’Special Requests’ field when booking. The Two-Night Coastal Break – Festive Edition promotion is on until 30 December (excluding 24-26 December), 2024 – use code FESTIVEBREAK to redeem. NO. 124 BOOK NOW | INSTAGRAM Bar Alimentar photo by @revista_visao João Magalhães Correia Chef/Owner João is the chef/founder behind some of Lisbon’s hottest spots, including the excellent @cometotrickys (pared-back vibes, exceptional small plates, innovative cocktails and natural wines); the vibey, dimly lit, Med-Italian @bar_alimentar (which just won the Media Choice award at the Lisbon Fork Awards); and the small, perfectly formed industrial-style bar, @furia_lisboa. He spent several years in Milan, travels extensively, and has a nose for the innovative and authentic. If you’re in Lisbon, definitely work your way around his spots. We asked João for his favourite places in Lisbon and further afield. READ JOÃO’S PICKS The Portuguese Way Inland or by the sea If you’re feeling like you need a break, to us, there’s nothing better than walking to really clear your head. The Camino Portugues / Portuguese Way is the name of the routes that run through Portugal and are part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage; the only thing you need to do is choose where you want to start, how long (ish) you want to go for, and, importantly, if you’d like a coastal path, inland route, or a mix. We recommend booking with a company, which will arrange bag transfers for you and hotels along the way. You might not get five-star accommodation, but you’ll likely see a side of Portugal you’d probably only get to see on foot. Natural Wine Bars Lisbon Natural wines are, of course, in Lisbon, so here are some bars to try. In the great neighbourhood Graça, one street (the central street in this area; Tv. do Monte) has three venues, each with natural wines and outdoor seating: Locals and Nomads is a tiny spot – there’s no menu, tell them what you like, and see what they bring out; Bacaro has cicchetti; and Vino Vero has charcuterie. Close by is O Pif, go there for a window-front stool (the iconic yellow tram passes right in front) and small plates. In the less-touristy Oúrique area, there’s Red Nose; check out the neighbouring market first, then come here after for a drink. For a hole in the wall (literally), there’s Holy Wine. Black Sheep is in the picturesque square Plaça des Flores – buy a bottle and head to the square to drink it outside. Comida Independente has artisanal products, outside tables, and a great selection of wines, and Insaciável is a festoon-lit terrace with small plates and chilled reds. Bloco is a listening bar and natural wine spot right in the main shopping district – bar staff wear lab coats and people spill out into the street. Rude has daily wines by the glass and is in a quaint hipster terrace, just off the road. Most of these places are small, fun, and several have weekly tastings. Photo by Luís Ascenso Nazaré Stay, Watch, Play You’ve likely seen or heard about the waves in Nazaré: they are some of the biggest in the world, are created by the underwater Nazaré Canyon, and from late October to March, they attract serious surfers. Nazaré is approximately an hour and a half from Lisbon and the town is cute, the views are great, and overall, it feels like a special experience – it’s definitely worth visiting in person. If you really want to see one of the big waves, follow wave reports on social, but even if the report isn’t amazing, a trip there is still a great way to spend a day/night. Treatments, Fitness, Surf Balance A few wellbeing things for you if you like a bit of balance on your getaways. In Lisbon, we’ve mentioned Wheelhouse before, but as a reminder, it’s much-loved astrology guru Chris Corsini’s wellbeing emporium/community, with salt caves, treatments, programming, and a social café space. For fitness, Bex Pawsey, an ex-trainer for Soho House, does outdoor TRX-focused PT sessions with great music (she also used to work in Ibiza); The Collective Fitness runs group sessions that are weight circuits which focus on different body areas, depending on the day; the Lisbon Running Club has several weekly sessions – just show up and run; Amplify has yoga, spin, and a class that’s like Barry’s; and across the country there are plenty of surf lessons/schools. The Atlantic might be cold, but winter wetsuits are warm. Many start with lessons in Costa da Caparica or Cascais. Caldas da Rainha 2nd Sunday Markets are huge in Portugal. Fruit markets, fish markets, antique markets – do your research to see when the local markets are on. One to highlight: the large flea market in Caldas da Rainha (Dom Carlos Park), about an hour from Lisbon, which runs on the second Sunday of every month. People pull up in a beautiful, tree-canopied park that has row boats, cafés, and an ex-hospital gothic-style building, ready to sell their goods; there’s also a fruit market in the town square, too. And in Lisbon, every Saturday from 9-6PM is the Feria de Ladra/Mercado de Santa Clara market for (mostly) secondhand bits and bustling lunch spots. Welcome Beyond Accommodation Rentals For a hotel alternative, Welcome Beyond, onefinestay, and the Plum Guide (three brands you probably know) have handpicked properties globally, available to rent. For longer stays (i.e. one month minimum), there’s UKIO, offering stylish, turn-key flats in Lisbon, Berlin, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona and Madrid. You may pay a premium for the ease, but it’s a good option. And for home exchanges – which seems easier than home swapping; you simply host people at your house while you’re away in exchange for credits to eventually spend on a stay at someone else’s home – there’s Kindred. Apply to join by submitting a video of your place, and if you’re accepted, you’ll get five credits (nights) to stay at any of their properties, to kick things off. Web and Print Lisbon For magazines in Lisbon, there’s an international MAG kiosk in LX Factory, and for local recommendations, Lisbon Insiders are a good place to start. You’ll also find specialty publications in places like Comida Independente (especially indie wine mags), and most newsagents have the annual Time Out Lisbon. São Lourenço do Barrocal What we’d do next time: Wine Harvesting So many of the hotels in wine areas do special events during the harvest. We’ve had our eyes on the luxe family-run farm/hotel São Lourenço do Barrocal, for a long time. Madeira Island Hike and Luxe Stay Yeotown in North Devon is one of our favourite hiking getaways, and they also have a program in Madeira. Five nights there to explore, followed by a luxe stay at Belmond’s Reid’s Palace, seems like the perfect combination. Alentejo Road Trip A road trip from Lisbon to Evora, staying at L’AND Vineyards nearby, followed by a stay in Beja at the Relais & Châteaux Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, for wine, spa, and beautiful countryside. Melides Melides is definitely on the up (and not for the reasons in the press lately!). Coming soon will be the new Spatia property; Christian Louboutin’s first hotel, Vermelho, is also there, where last month’s three-night yoga retreat, with optional biking and horseback riding, looked like a great reset. We’re assuming there will be more weekends like this: TBC. JNcQUOI Comporta A group that’s known for their stylish venues in Lisbon (we hear Frou Frou is fun, and JNcQUOI Asia is delicious), it’s their rooms in Comporta that have really captured our attention: the Deli Suite (located above their deli in Comporta); the Arrozais Guest House, a two-bed villa in Carvalhal, Comporta; and Pavillion, a one-bed villa that acts as a preview for their upcoming private community really nail what we love about this area. Rustic chic. Their Beach Club on Praia do Pego is also great – a wooden structure with sails, directly on the sand dunes, and their sunbeds are reasonably priced (well, compared to other ‘hot’ European locations). Photo by Tomás Evaristo Web Summit Lisbon When we heard Pharrell was the opening night keynote speaker this year, our ears perked up – this sounds interesting. His talk (in conversation with the CMO from Visa) was on culture and commerce, an area that is obviously key for LVMH. With over 70,000 attendees over four days, the annual Web Summit brings together speakers from all areas (media, tech, investment, culture), looking at an extremely diverse range of topics. The venue is impressively organised, but it’s also huge, with multiple pavilions and stages – so if you go, do gather a bit of a plan. Register now for 2025. JOIA Portugal >< LDN London in Lisbon, Portugal in London For some London via India in Lisbon, there’s Gunpowder Lisboa, which has countertop dining and the usual contemporary Indian menu. And for Portuguese in London, a few options include Nuno’s Lisboeta, Sporting Club de Londres (a UJ FAVE), Bar Douro, JOIA in the art’otel Battersea, and the old school O Cantinho de Portugal in Brixton. Pre Planning Round up If you’re planning a trip to Portugal, here’s a selection of places we’ve mentioned previously, for inspiration. READ OUR REVIEWS Spatia Comporta | Casa Reîa, Costa da Caparica | Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta, Duoro Valley | Immerso Hotel, Ericeria | Cozinha das Flores and Flôr, Porto | Four Seasons Hotel Ritz, Lisbon | Bela Vista Hotel & Spa, Algarve | Sublime Comporta Beach Club Morocco Extended holiday Heading to Portugal? Why not tack on a stay in Morocco. With flights to Marrakech just 1 hour 35 mins from Lisbon (as opposed to just under four hours from London), it makes it an easy trip. For a hotel, consider an hour drive from Marrakech to stay at the Olinto Atlas Mountain Retreat, in the High Atlas Mountains, to truly get away. Lisbon restaurants featured in shows Cervejaria Ramiro Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations This is great Ponto Final Somebody Feed Phil Amazing views, very touristy in high season Alma Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations 2 Michelin stars, with à la carte options FOLLOW US (c) 2024 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved. 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