Alecrim ao Chiado

Rub shoulders with the Lisboetas at the Alecrim ao Chiado.

The Alecrim is a four-star family-run hotel in Lisbon’s fashionable Chiado district. The original building dates back to the 18^th century, during a period of urban expansion when the capital’s growing population demanded an increase in living space outside the walls of the existing medieval city.  A grid layout of criss-crossing streets was favoured over the more organic layout of the older districts of Graca and Alfama, which makes it a little easier to navigate Chiado’s shops, restaurants and cafe bars.

The hotel was fully renovated in 2014, with a focus on preserving the 18^th century architectural features which characterise Chiado’s grand townhouses. There are just fourteen ensuite rooms in total – all elegantly decorated in gentle, clean pastel shades, with touches of exposed granite giving you a glimpse of the building beneath – and the hotel’s small, hand-picked team provide a wonderfully personal service to help create a home-from-home.

Location-wise, the hotel sits halfway between the Praca de Luis de Camoes, the square named in honour of Portugal’s literary luminary, and Cais do Sodre: the interchange where you can catch a river ferry across the Tagus, a tram to historic Belem, or a train to the beautiful beaches of Cascais. Lisbon famously sits across seven hills, allowing for some fairly steep streets. The Rua do Alecrim (Rosemary Street) is no exception, particularly if you’re heading home from Cais do Sodre. Take this as your opportunity to ride one of the city’s charming vintage trams: Route 29 runs conveniently by the Alecrim ao Chiado.