I have visited many palaces around the world as a tourist, however, on my recent trip to Lisbon, I was given the opportunity of 'taking up residence' for one night at the Pestana Palace Hotel, situated in Alto de Santo - the perfect location for the twenty-four hours I had at my disposal to explore the city, before flying back to Johannesburg.
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Born in Johannesburg in 1952 and educated at the University of the Witswatersrand, Dionísio Fernandes Pestana left South Africa for Portugal in 1976, a year after the 25th of April revolution in that country. Together with his father, Manuel Pestana, they have created a kingdom of hotels that spread over three continents. The Pestana Palace Hotel in Lisbon is one of them.
Forgotten for more than half a century, the residence of Marquis Vale Flôr was abandoned, and in 1992 the late 19th century Palace was purchased by the Pestana Group and classified a national monument in 1997. Restoration of the Pestana Palace to its original state took several years and it was opened as a luxury hotel in 2001.
During my brief stay in Lisbon, I opted to visit Belem (shortened for Bethlehem in Portuguese), and caught the No.15 tram not far from the hotel. It was from Belem, located on the Tagus River, that the Portuguese vessels set sail in the 15C and it was their discoveries that today are a great deal of the known world. The Tower of Belem, built in 1515 with its finely decorated balconies, turrets and statues, is now the emblem of Lisbon. Not far from the Tower of Belem is the Monument to the Discoveries, which pays homage to both Prince Henry the Navigator and to all those who guided Portugal on the way to the great Discoveries.
The highlight in Belem is definitely the Jeronimos Monastery, built for the Hieronymite monks in 1502 by King Manuel I. It was designed to showcase the splendour of the Manueline style. One needs to allow at least half a day to tour the Monastery in order to visit St Mary's Cathedral, the Cloisters and the National Archaelogical Musuem.
Close by to the Monastary is the bakery Antiga Confeitaria de Belem, famous for their freshly baked pastéis de nata (small custard tarts) - and in my mind and without a doubt, sums up a taste of Lisbon!
To book at this establishment, click here.
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