Miguel Júdice was born and bred in Lisbon, the city where he lives and loves. He’s an entrepreneur in the hospitality field, the former president of the Portuguese Hotel Association, and the author of the awesome guide “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Lisbon”.
The beaches south of Porto Covo, the small towns of Alentejo like Serpa and Terena, the Douro International Nature Park, the abandoned villages of the Lousã Mountains, the Montesinho Park.
For sure the Alentejo, whether the coast or the inland part. It’s the most pristine area of the country and it’s easy to access it from Lisbon.
The summers I spent as a kid in Coimbra, at Quinta das Lágrimas, my family’s ancestral home.
A glass of vinho verde in summer or a glass of Moscatel wine in winter time.
Lisbon is a city with many viewpoints but for me the one that beats them all is the one in Cerca Moura (Miradouro de Santa Luzia).
I love going to a place called Casa Independente, located in a shabby, run-down building in Intendente. You go inside and step into a different world, a very cool hipster and alternative bar with live music, an outdoor terrace and a permanent fun groove.
I love spending time in Príncipe Real because it is a mirror of what Lisbon is today, a blend of old and new. It’s a neighbourhood full of cool shops as well as traditional ones, hip restaurants, small tascas (Portuguese taverns), and a great vibe that is visible on peoples’ faces.
My perfect day in Lisbon is a spring Saturday that starts with breakfast in a bakery in Chiado, then a walk to my favourite antiques shops or to Feira da Ladra to hunt for oddities and curious treasures, then lunch in a traditional “tasca”. The afternoon would be spent relaxing at home and then drinks with friends in Príncipe Real and dinner at a new restaurant in the old town.
The Museum of Tiles (Museu Nacional do Azulejo), which is a gem of our culture.
A picnic on the lawns of the Palácio de Monserrate (Monserrate Palace) in Sintra.
The “Food Temple” in Mouraria on a warm summer night and seating outside, on the stairs of the small square where the restaurant is located.
My favourite is the Travesseiro of Sintra (eaten warm). It’s light and sweet, made with a delicate mille-feuilles dough and an egg and almond cream.
Portuguese wines, which are hidden treasures too.