Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin You’d be hard pressed to find a quieter corner in Lisbon than the Lapa district. Well, this hilly city of curvy streets doesn’t have many corners per se, but refined Lapa stands out for its embassies and consulates, and mansions and villas with fine gardens, all haunts of the city’s Old World personages. The Olissipo Lapa Palace anchors the elegant Lapa district of embassies and consulates.
Credit: Olissipo Lapa Palace Acquired shortly after its late-19th century construction by a count who came from a line that dates to the 15th century, the Olissipo Lapa Palace is an especially tranquil property there to make your Lisbon headquarters while you explore the now madly-popular Portuguese capital. Right as you hit the iron gates and enter the courtyard, you’re greeted by a lovely and huge calçada paving stone mosaic featuring two calligraphic double looped letters L, one of them centered in an orange sunburst. Enormous floral arrangements in the main hall of the original palace, now the reception and lobby, put you in a bright mood as well.
As do the first of enough chandeliers to light up the neighborhood. For all its quiet grandeur, the Leading Hotels of the World member property is known for discreetly hosting dignitaries and celebrities, and you may even find yourself sitting on a breakfast patio near rock stars who perform in town (even if Springsteen, Sting, Bono and other celeb royalty of our age who stay here.