SL’s Top Picks For A European City Break

WHERE TO STAY:

Santiago de Alfama

This boutique hotel resides inside a 15th-century house and offers striking views across old Alfama and the sea beyond. The best place to get these vistas is from the fourth-floor Santiago Suite, which comes with a free-standing bath and access to the historic courtyard at the hotel’s centre. Audrey’s Restaurant offers classic brunch dishes and plenty of seafood, while the in-house Beauty Bar provides all forms of relaxation, using products from Elemis and Decleor.

Rua de Santiago, Lisbon

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Verride Palacio Santa Catarina

A renovated townhouse in the centre of Lisbon, this boutique hotel, which opened in 2017, has just 19 bedrooms. Throughout this stylish property, you’ll find winding staircases, original Portuguese tiles, classical stonework and plenty of natural light. Its two restaurants serve traditional Portuguese dishes, and its roof terrace offers 360-degree views of the old town and the Atlantic.

Rua de Santa Catarina, Lisbon

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Lisboa 1908

As its name suggests, this building was constructed in 1908. In 2016, the site reopened as the 1908 Hotel, complete with a tip-top restaurant and a stylish bar. Mixing its art nouveau heritage with a thoroughly modern style, the property is located in downtown Lisbon next to the Tagus River, so is well positioned for those wanting the explore the city.

Largo do Intendente Pina Manique, Lisbon

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WHERE TO EAT & DRINK:

JNcQUOI

This isn’t just a restaurant – it’s also three-floors filled with men’s fashion and accessories. Away from the covetable clothing, JNcQUOI comprises a contemporary eatery with a focus on seafood – complete with a dinosaur skeleton as its centrepiece – and a deli/bar which serves drinks, oysters, meat and cheese platters and salads.

Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon

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Prado

This urban restaurant is an Instagrammer’s dream – paint-washed walls are covered in hanging plants, there’s plenty of natural light, and statement lighting abound. But what we really love is the food. Celebrating the best of Portugal – from land and sea – the menu features the likes of smoked iberico pork lardo on toast and florina apple, followed by line-caught squid with ink and leeks. All its wines are organic, biodynamic and natural.

Travessa das Pedras Negras, Lisbon

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WHAT TO SEE:

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian

Regarded as one of the best museums in Portugal, the Gulbenkian Museum takes you from Ancient Egypt to the present day across its two collections. Our favourite of the two is the Modern Collection, which houses over 10,000 pieces of work. Highlights in the 2018 calendar include Post-Pop: Beyond the Commonplace, which focuses on the divergence of pop art in England and Portugal from 1965-75.

Avenida de Berna, Lisbon

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WHERE TO STAY:

Kimpton De Witt

You’ll find the Kimpton De Witt a mere stone’s throw away from Amsterdam Central Station. The vibe is Dutch classic with a modern twist: from the seriously cool emerald green cocktail bar to minimalist Dutch-style rooms and Pinterest worthy greenery, this hotel is an interiors lover’s dream. We love its Wine Hour, held every day from 5-6pm.

Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, Amsterdam

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Sir Adam Hotel

Opened in 2017, this newcomer positions itself as a ‘playground’ for travellers and locals alike. A modern, design-led property, its centrepiece is The Hub, an open-plan spot for guests to have a beer, plan their trip and relax. We’re a big fan of its Music Library, where you can pick vinyl to play in your room, and The Butcher Social Club, its in-house restaurant that focuses on ‘the four Bs’ –burgers, booze, beers and breakfast.

Overhoeksplein, Amsterdam

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WHERE TO EAT & DRINK:

Sla

Located across the city, Sla (which means ‘salad’ in Dutch) is a series of mix-and-match salad bars that offer organic, plant-based (and often gluten- and dairy-free) recipes in cool surroundings. Throughout, the décor focuses on white-washed walls, exposed wood and plenty of plant life. We love to head there for one of its berry-filled breakfast bowls before a day of exploring.

Various locations across the city

Visit ILoveSla.com
 

MaMa Kelly

The Netherlands version of Sketch (when it comes to décor anyway), high-concept MaMa Kelly is a pretty-in-pink restaurant that mixes good looks with a group-friendly menu that focuses on excellently executed lobster and chicken. The second site to open in the city, the team has brought a vision of pastels to Amsterdam’s utilitarian Olympic Stadium. A tip – the restaurant only opens for reservations for the week at 9am every Monday, so make sure to set yourself a reminder ahead of your trip.

Olympisch Stadion 35, Amsterdam

Visit MaMa-Kelly.nl

WHAT TO SEE:

Bloemenmarkt

The floating flower market has to be one of Amsterdam’s most famous attractions. And for good reason – the picture-perfect spot is the world’s only floating market and has been a landmark since 1862. Visitors can wander from houseboat to houseboat in search of bouquets, single flowers or bulbs. Come December, you’ll also be able to purchase a Christmas tree.

Singel 630-600, Amsterdam

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Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam. The museum has over 8,000 objects on display, selected from its total collection of 1m objects from the years 1200-2000, among which are masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. The museum also has a small Asian collection on display in the Asian Pavilion, which opened in 2013. If you only see one thing, make it Rembrandt’s Night Watch, which has its own room at the end of the Hall of Fame.

Museumstraat 1, Amsterdam

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WHERE TO STAY:

Hotel Alfonso XIII

Commissioned by the King of Spain to play host to international dignitaries during the 1929 Exhibition, Hotel Alfonso XIII remains an iconic cultural landmark. Following a significant renovation, the hotel’s distinguished architecture and Moorish detailing showcases native Andalusian design to impressive effect. Our favourite spots include the art-deco Bar Americano, the suntrap courtyard of the San Fernando restaurant and the massive tree-lined pool.

Calle San Fernando, Seville

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Mercer Sevilla

With just 12 rooms, this small hotel offers an intimate experience of Seville. Located in the centre of the historic part of town – close to La Maestranza bullring and Nueva Plaza – the property features spacious, contemporary bedrooms, a classy cocktail bar and María Luisa, a new restaurant that puts a modern spin on traditional Andalusian dishes. Our favourite spot has to be the calming rooftop pool.

Calle Castelar, Seville

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Triana House

This luxury hotel is situated right in the centre of the historic Triana region of Seville and counts the Cathedral and Tower of Gold as its neighbours. It doesn’t get much more boutique than this – there are only three bedrooms and each of them is exquisitely designed with plenty of local details, from the tiling to the plants on the terrace (the perfect spot to eat breakfast in the sunshine).

Calle Rodrigo de Triana, Seville

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WHERE TO EAT & DRINK:

Casaplata

This industrial, ultra-modern restaurant and cocktail bar mixes stark, brutalist backdrops with simple (yet tasty) cookery. Book in here, and you’ll be in for a fun night: the cocktails are punchy, a DJ plays throughout and table sharing is encouraged. Expect to sample the likes of veal sirloin with French fries, smaller tapas dishes such as chicken wings and anchovies, and desserts like refreshing lemon mousse.

Calle Amor de Dios, Seville

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WHAT TO SEE:

Seville Cathedral

A Unesco World Heritage Site, this 16th-century masterpiece is a must-visit, alongside the adjoining Alcázar palace and the General Archive of the Indies. The world’s largest gothic cathedral, inside visitors can view the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

Av. de la Constitución, Seville

Visit CatedralDeSevilla.es
 

El Rinconcillo

Another must-visit – although perhaps for different reasons – El Rincincillo claims to be the city’s oldest bar. Open since 1670, it serves traditional tapas alongside a huge selection of wine and sherry. Expect waistcoated waiters, dusty bottles of sherry and hanging legs of Iberian jamón galore.

Calle Gerona, Seville

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WHERE TO STAY:

Hobo Hotel

Hobo is a new hotel in Brunkebergstorg in central Stockholm. With a focus on the local community, the 201-bedroom property also hosts a workspace area, a stage, SPACEby – a pop-up area for collaborations between local creatives and hotel guests – and a 12,000 ft rooftop carpark that holds concerts and parties. Elsewhere, there’s a bar, restaurant and café which spans breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. All bedrooms focus on functionality (headboards turn into desks, for example) and modern looks.

Brunkebergstorg, Stockholm

Visit Hobo.se
 

Miss Clara Hotel

A new sister site to Stockholm’s popular Nobis Hotel, Miss Clara is a fresh spot with a loose school theme going on in the background (the art nouveau building it’s housed in was formerly an all-girls’ school). The seven-storey hotel features lots of functional design elements, dark herringbone parquet flooring and limestone bathrooms, and room sizes suit a variety of stays. Down in the restaurant, modern brunch and afternoon teas are a speciality. New for summer is its urban picnic, served on its terrace.

Sveavägen 48, Stockholm

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WHERE TO EAT & DRINK:

Tak

A cool restaurant within Hobo’s sister hotel At Six, Tak (‘roof’ in Swedish) is located up on the fourth and fifth floors, offering cracking views across Stockholm. Scandi in design (right down to the ceramics and tableware), with a menu fusing Japanese methods and ingredients and Nordic food culture. We really like its Raw Bar, which serves sashimi, tartare and oysters alongside beers and sake.

Brunkebergstorg, Stockholm

Visit Tak.se

Gastrologik

This sleek Michelin-starred establishment focuses on strictly seasonal and local ingredients, cooked using techniques and inspiration from around the world. Each evening, a single tasting menu is served (the surprise is part of the experience), but guests can expect the likes of fermented fish, elk and wild duck breast. With just 30 seats, this is a very sought-after spot – guests are able to book 90-days in advance, so plot early. 

Artillerigatan, Stockholm

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WHAT TO SEE:

Abba Museum

It might seem a little cheesy, but no visit to Stockholm is complete without a trip to the Abba Museum. Within, expect to dance onstage with the band, sing at the famous Polar Studio and dress up in the quartet’s legendary costumes. It’s worth going just for the photos.

Djurgårdsvägen, Stockholm

Visit AbbaTheMuseum.com
 

Ostermalm Food Hall

Any foodie worth their salt will be keen to try out a plethora of delicacies at this central food hall. Open since 1888, the hall is currently undergoing a giant refurbishment project until 2019, which will restore its star-shaped floorplan. The temporary hall hosts the 17 permanent traders, cafes and restaurants, which sell the likes of pickled herring and cinnamon buns.

Östermalmstorg, Stockholm

Visit OstermalmsHallen.se
 

WHERE TO STAY:

Hotel Sanders

This sleek new hotel is at the top of our must-visit list for 2018. Smart and stylish in an almost masculine way (think dark wood, clean lines and muted palettes), this boutique hotel makes the most of its communal spaces – there’s a rooftop conservatory, an outdoor terrace with a fireplace and a ‘living room’, which offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a coffee or cocktail while perusing its vintage library. Meanwhile, Sanders Kitchen bills its dining experience as having ‘the atmosphere of a private dinner party, with a chef who likes to hang out with his guests’. Dishes include the likes of black truffle risotto and oysters.

Tordenskjoldsgade, Copenhagen

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Hotel SP34

SP34 is located in Copenhagen’s Latin Quarter, an area known for being bohemian and diverse. These qualities trickle their way into the philosophy of the hotel – each of the bedrooms are highly practical as well as being beautifully designed, while public spaces throughout the hotel encourage interaction: DJ sessions, jazz concerts, movie nights and tastings are all part of its roster of events. Three restaurants, a roof terrace and a wine bar that boasts Denmark’s largest port selection complete the offering.

Sankt Peders Stræde, Copenhagen

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WHERE TO EAT & DRINK:

Noma

Widely regarded as one of the world’s best restaurants, a booking at Noma is an essential part of any special-occasion trip to Copenhagen. The gastronomic mecca of Rene Redzepi, a meal here is presented as a series of 20 courses. Depending on when you visit, the focus will be on seafood, vegetables or game and forest. As you’d expect, getting a booking here is fairly tricky – it’s almost worth securing your table first, then building your holiday around it.

Refshalevej, Copenhagen

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Mikkeller & Friends

Part of the Mikkeller group, which runs a number of bottle shops, bars and breweries throughout Copenhagen (and now in far-flung locations such as New York, Singapore, Japan and Iceland), this particular site was the second to open in the capital. The blank-canvas, minimalist space serves 40 beers on tap and 200 by the bottle – come summer or winter, it’s the perfect spot to grab a drink before dinner.

Stefansgade, Copenhagen

Visit Mikkeller.dk

WHAT TO SEE:

HAY House

One of our favourite interior and stationery design companies, HAY House hails from Copenhagen, so when we visit we always like to pop in (there aren’t any dedicated stores in the UK – yet). The shop is filled with contemporary furniture, interior accessories and minimal homeware, all housed in a two-floor ‘apartment’.  We wish it was ours.

Østergade, Copenhagen

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Botanical Garden

One of the city’s most popular attractions (after the Little Mermaid statue, of course) Copenhagen’s Botanical Garden is located right in the city centre. The gardens cover ten hectares and are full of pretty glasshouses that date back to 1874. Whether it’s sunny or snowing, good photos are guaranteed.

Øster Farimagsgade, Copenhagen

Visit VisitCopenhagen.com