Break out in winter – ceramics, colorful tiles and Portuguese flair
Through Portugal by train – during my trip through Portugal I made a stop in Lisbon. I started in Faro and spent a few days in the beautiful Algarve. After a week I continued by train towards Lisbon.
Arrived in Lisbon
Excited, I get off the subway and walk through the small streets of the city center. I am impressed by the picturesque house facades and the characteristic Portuguese paving of the narrow streets. After a short walk I reach the Good Travel accommodation Baixa House Lisboa. Rebuilt as an architectural gem after a devastating earthquake in 1755, the building was lovingly restored in 2011. The entrance to the breathtaking building is graced by a grand staircase lined with traditional Portuguese tiles.
Architectural Achievement
Most of the original building elements such as wooden floors, tiles, windows and ceilings were preserved as part of the renovation work. After completing the renovation of the building in 2011, the Baixa House opened its doors and started operating as a very special apartment hotel in Lisbon. The property's building is a testament to this period with a fully tiled facade.
Here a grid of straight streets lined with neoclassical buildings joins majestic squares and grand avenues that testify to the genius of the Pombalinese plan (Baixa Pombalina is a UNESCO site) and at that time considered an architectural achievement of great importance in Europe were viewed. That's why it was important to the host Jesus at the beginning of the project that he only wanted to renovate sustainably. The marble, for example, comes from the Alentejo (Estremoz), as do the tapestries.
Delicious breakfast
Arrived. I unpack my clothes from my travel bag and explore the apartment. In the Baixa House, guests cater for themselves in the well-equipped kitchens. Breakfast is taken care of: every morning, fresh bread hangs on the doorknob in a small linen bread sack. Fresh yoghurt, butter, fruit, milk and homemade jam are waiting in the fridge. Homemade cake is served again and again - the matching Portuguese brand coffee can also be found in every apartment. The breakfast is rounded off with fruit juices, muesli, cocoa and a selection of teas. Breakfast can also be prepared vegan or adapted to special intolerances. The kitchen offers basic olive oil, vinegar and spices.
I opt for the vegan version and enjoy my coffee with oat milk, yoghurt with fruit and fresh bread on the balcony. I could spend hours here and listen to the pleasant hustle and bustle of the city, watch the passing yellow trams or look into the houses across the street.
Piano music and wine on the balcony
I end my first day with a delicious wine on the balcony. Enjoy the warmth and a gentle breeze. Opposite, a person with an open window is playing their piano. Cheerful people walk down the street towards the city center and restaurants. The evening seems almost perfect and my first day in Lisbon was great. I am already looking forward to my next few days and to other parts of the city that I will explore.
© Photos: Jule Weidner
Jule Weidner
As a freelancer, Jule selects the wonderful accommodations for us and reports on her Good Travel stays. As a conscious traveler and graduate in sustainable tourism, the impact of tourism, especially from an ecological and social point of view, is very important to her.
Markus
Wonderful!