Credit: Carlos Gil

Doing business
Portugal might be firmly in the 21st century, but expect an old world charm and courtesy with all business encounters. The Portuguese remain unfailingly pleasant and polite, bolstered by a seemingly genuine affection for Brits and the UK in general.

Cool hotel
Every other month sees a new hotel open in Lisbon with the feng shui-inspired, four-star Inspira Santa Marta Hotel (www.inspirahotels.com) joining the city’s accommodation portfolio this May. It has 89 rooms/suites divided into fire, water, wood, metal and earth themes. Features include the ‘Open’ Mediterranean brasserie, free wifi, meeting rooms, spa, gym, library and ‘The Urban’ lobby bar. For stays of seven nights or more, consider Santos River Apartments (www.santosapartments.com). There are studios, one and two-bedroom options, all fully furnished.

Hip restaurant
Quality cuisine is another fact of life in Lisbon and prices are noticeably lower than in the UK. One of numerous outstanding eateries is A Travessa (www.atravessa.com). In Lisbon’s Madragoa area, it is housed in an old convent dating from 1653. Preceding a wide range of fish and meat main courses is an endless delivery of delicious starters chosen by the staff.

Happening bar
Right next to the River Tagus, like the next door Bica do Sapato restaurant, Lux is said to be part-owned by American actor John Malkovich. It’s among Lisbon’s hippest bars and features big-name DJs – if you manage to make your way past the highly selective doorman! Plan in advance for a long night as bars in Lisbon don’t get going until around 2am.

Getting there
Portugal’s national airline TAP Air Portugal offers six return flights daily from Heathrow and a single afternoon flight from Gatwick. Flight time is around two and a quarter hours. Flights are also available from Heathrow with British Airways and from a number of regional airports with Thomson, easyJet and bmibaby.

Getting downtown
Lisbon’s subway system will reach the airport in a couple of years but it’ll save travellers little money since a cab journey to downtown costs no more than eight euros. Few airports in Europe are as close to the city centre as Lisbon’s, which makes transfers quick and easy.

The details
Portugal might be one of the PIGS economies when it comes to global finance but its capital has the air of an exciting, expanding urban centre with ever more – and improving – amenities for both business and leisure travellers. The UK and Portugal share the same time zone. Summers can be hot, but the rest of the year is a delight and invariably many degrees warmer than London, some 1585km to the north.

Must-see sights
Unlike many Expo sites, Lisbon’s was not left abandoned after 1998 and has become the city’s modern centre with lots of residential units, shopping and entertainment options. A cable car ride alongside the river offers a bird’s eye view of the whole vast complex including the Oceanarium pavilion which is Europe’s largest and a great place to visit for adults and children alike.

The carbon cost
A return flight from London to Lisbon will cover 3,170km and produce 0.3 tonnes of CO2. Offset this with the Carbon Neutral Company from £2.70.

THE INSIDER'S TIP
"Travelling economy but need to do some business before your homebound flight? Lisbon’s Airport has the ABC Business Centre with internet connections, snacks and drinks, meeting rooms, lounges and showers. Entry is 18 euros with additional charges for internet usage."

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