Thought to have once been home to Eça de Queiroz, the great 19^th century Portuguese novelist, who is said to have written his masterpiece “The Maias” here, this 18^th century townhouse, furnished with period decor, brims with a sense of history. Reserved exclusively for guests, it also feels both peaceful and private. Just next door is Lisbon’s excellent National Museum of Ancient Art, to which all our guests have free admission.

After checking in, pour a drink from the Honesty Bar in the wood-paneled library, which offers views over the River Tagus, and choose a book to enjoy as the sun sets over the capital. On long summer days sit out in the cobbled courtyard, for breakfast or a drink, where leafy ivy climbs the tall townhouse and through the twisting wrought iron staircase against the pink facade.

Rua das Janelas Verdes street is a characterful street, lined with old palaces, churches and converted convents.

Our hotel, As Janelas Verdes, is located at number 47, right next door to the National Museum of Ancient Art. Housed in a 17th-century palace, the museum displays treasures dating from the 12th to the 19th centuries, including paintings by Dürer, 16th-century Namban screens from Japan, sculpture, jewellery, gold and silverware, Portuguese ceramics, and works related to the Portuguese Discoveries.