Food and drink

SPRAY painting graffiti on a wall was definitely not what I had planned for my first visit to Lisbon.

But there I was paint can in hand and even the appearance of not one, but two, police cars didn’t deter me.

To be honest I reckon they took pity on my miserably bad skills, as they stood, arms folded, watching, as me and my pals created our own masterpiece, under the watchful eye and helping hand of graffiti genius Miguel Brum

He’d taken us on a brilliant tour of the city’s most colourful and beautiful urban street art, including a few stunning creations of his own, before we got to try our hand at it ourselves.

Donning white all-in-one suits, blue booties over our trainers, rubber gloves and face masks, we looked like we’d stepped out of an episode of CSI!

I’ll confess, the design was all Miguel’s, all we had to do was fill in the blank spaces with the coloured spray cans he handed us. Like paint by numbers only on a grand scale, but we’re still chuffed with the final results.

Our adventure with Miguel, one of the city’s leading street artists, had been arranged through they city’s newest, and hippest, hotels, The Andaz Lisbon.

It only opened six months ago but is already one of the most popular in the city, with its roof top bar and the already award-winning Luzzi restaurant, serving up incredible creations from chef Bruno Alves.

Set in a beautifully adorned former bank building, inside the design is funky and trendy, with lots of fabulous pieces from local artists and sculptors.

Moody corridors, lined with eye-catching thick carpets, lead to equally stylish rooms, with all the mod cons, massive walk in shower, and dream-inducing beds.

Andaz has introduced a curated collection of six exclusive, bespoke experiences for guests to book, designed to reveal the capital’s hidden gems and help you get under the skin of the city.

As well as the graffiti tour, my pals and I went on a guided evening tour to discover Lisbon’s seven hills which house all the popular, as well as hidden, neighbourhoods and local treasures.

Starting with a chilled glass for Rose at one the Lisbon’s many traditional kiosks, before a cocktail at a hidden, vintage speakeasy, we ended with a soulful Fado experience where the wine flowed, accompanied by huge slices of custard tarts and glasses of chocolate mousse! Well it was a Friday.

Hopping back into our people carrier, we enjoyed a final night-cap at the hotel lounge, before it was ‘boa noite’ from us all.

The Andaz is set just one street back from the huge Praça do Comércio, Portugal’s most famous square and that’s where we headed next day.

Taking a walk through the main entrance, the Arco da Rua Augusta, we pulled up a seat at one of the bars under its majestic architectural arches, and drank in the view of the Tagus River and the Christ the King statue on the other side on the hills in Almada.

This place is where the palace once stood, before it, along with most of Lisbon, was destroyed in a devastating earthquake and tsunami in 1755.

If you didn’t know about the tragedy, you wouldn’t guess by looking at the city. The locals will point to ancient-looking buildings and say ‘this is the new one’ – but when they say new they mean built after the quake not the 21st century!

One area not to be missed is the waterfront district of Belem, with its colourful tile-clad houses and historic landmarks like the Tower of Belem.

The massive Jerónimos Monastery dominates the area and inside you’ll find the tomb of explorer Vasco de Gama, who charted the first maritime route between Europe and India, around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.

GO : LISBON

GO: ANDAZ LISBON

GETTING THERE: easyJet.com fly to Lisbon from Glasgow and Edinburgh with fares from £30.99pp. Visit Lisboa have introduced a fixed-price taxi service from the airport, with fares from approx £13.50 for Zone 1 and £16 for Zone 2, for up to four passengers with luggage. Weekend and public holiday fares from £17-£19.50. Get taxi vouchers from the Ask Me Lisboa Tourism Desk at the airport.
STAYING THERE: Rooms at 5* Andaz Lisbon start from around £234 per night on a room-only basis. See hyatt.com.
MORE INFO: Get a Lisboa Card from approx £26 which includes free public transport, free entry to 51 museums and monuments, fast-track access at selected attractions and discounts on a range of other experiences and services. For that and more on visiting the city, see visitlisboa.com.

Swing by the marina to ogle the yachts moored in the harbour and then take a trip up the sail-shaped Padrão dos Descobrimentos (or Monument to the Discoveries) for incredible views.

And here’s a top tip – forget Pastel de Nata. Belem is home to the original Portugese custard tarts and here they’re called Pasteis de Belem, first made at the historic Pastéis de Belém bakery way back in 1837, using a secret recipe passed to them by the monks from Jerónimos Monastery when it closed.

The queues here were insane when we arrived, but you can jump them if you opt to eat in the sit-down dining room or, like us, book a tuk tuk tour of the city which includes a visit to try the flaky little pieces of food heaven.

It was other tasty little bites that drew us back to the Andaz and the Luzzi restaurant, which recently won the Rooftop Category at the 2026 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, an award very well deserved, in my humble opinion. It’s simply stunning.

We shared moreish plates full of tuna tartare, grilled prawns, chicken dumplings, prawn moqueca( a Brazilian fav of mine) baked seabass and even a cauliflower vindaloo – who knew!

Earlier in the evening we enjoyed a pre-dinner Fado trio in the Andaz Lounge and after dinner we headed through to enjoy some chilled tunes from the DJ at the rooftop bar.

Next day we made a bee-line for Livraria Bertrand, the oldest bookshop in the world, where our pal Rashmi was delighted to find a guide book she’d help write for sale. Amazing!

The bookshop has been in constant operation since 1732 and has various sections dedicated to different themes and languages and if you wander right to the back, you’ll find a lovely courtyard cafe where you can pour over your purchase with a coffee and custard tart, of course.

And typical of Lisbon it features a marvellous mural of Portuguese poet and writer Fernando Pessoa painted by acclaimed street artist Tamara Alves.

Looking at this impressive work, I decided it was time to hang up my spray can and leave the graffiti to the professionals.

GOBBLING up sandy scraps of seaweed from the beach floor certainly isn’t the norm for me on a coastal stroll.

But it was for the residents of Guernsey between the 12th and 16th Centuries. And it’s a tradition that’s now coming back into fashion.

Nutrient-packed seaweed, abounding all over Guernsey, is free for the picking and just one of the many ways the island benefits from being surrounded by super-clean waters in the Channel.

I joined Guernsey Seaweed on one of its foraging tours of Havelet Bay and learned the marine plants here are in big demand at the island’s fanciest restaurants.

The slippery green stuff features heavily on a sophisticated menu at Michelin-starred Vraic, woven into cocktails and also adding a punch to rich broths.

After feasting on some pepper dulse, dubbed the truffle of the sea, I can completely see why chefs love it so much. There’s nothing of the fishy taste you would expect.

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Instead, I’m hit with a garlicky umami flavour.

The earthy and delicious taste, I’m told, is down to the warm temperature of the sea around the island, just 27 miles off France’s Normandy coast.

The Gulf Stream ensures the water here rarely dips below 8C in winter — which is why you’ll spot locals swimming year round.

Admittedly, even 13C felt like too much of a chill for me. But if you plan your trip well, you can ensure you combine a swim with a post-dip sauna session to warm up.

There are two mobile saunas on the island, Hot Haus and Rock Box, which can be booked online and are just a stone’s throw from the sea.

Rock Box, a converted, eucalyptus-infused horsebox, overlooks the Cobo Slipway in summer and features a huge window allowing those inside to soak up soothing coastal views while they sweat.

And sweat, I sure did. Conveniently, there are several watering cans, filled with icy water, positioned by the sauna door for guests to use in between ten to 15-minute stints in the heat.

The sauna was a treat that my limbs most definitely appreciated after a strenuous Pilates class earlier that morning.

Pilates instructor Lydia Cherry runs both Reformer and mat sessions at the Forme studio in St Andrews, for locals and holidaymakers alike.

Despite the moves seeming gentle, my abs were quivering within a matter of seconds as I was put through my paces.

If you prefer something a little more gentle, though, beachfront or paddleboard yoga are both popular choices for holidaymakers seeking a wellness fix.

That’s if you have enough strength left after tackling the island’s scenic coastal paths, though.

Guernsey is so small — around 24 square miles — that you can walk its coast in just a few days.

One of the more manageable treks — and beautiful — is the short 45-minute route from St Peter Port to Fermain Bay, combining fabulous coastal views with dense woodland that’s carpeted in bluebells during spring.

Reward your efforts afterwards with a tasty pint of local Rocquette cider — which uses some of that famed seaweed — at the Beach Cafe.

From my picnic table, perched just above the water, I could watch the foamy waves while listening to the birds overhead.

Make sure to order yourself a super-fresh crab sarnie, too, which comes loaded to the max and smothered in mayo. Delicious.

And that word can be used to describe the fare at many of the island’s restaurants.

Michelin-recommended Alba, in St Peter Port, in particular, strives to keep dishes local and serves up elegant sharing plates.

Its homemade tagliolini with Shetland mussels in a white wine and lemongrass sauce is an absolute steal at £15.

Wash it down with an Alba Tomatini, a classic martini with tomato twist (£11.50), and you’re in for a good night.

For a more casual bite, the Fleur du Jardin does classic pub grub, from fish-and-chips to bangers and mash.

It also has 14 boutique bedrooms upstairs that are as charming as the old-fashioned, stone-wall pub itself with its sea-themed decor.

The only thing that’s missing is a bit of seaweed.

WHEN you picture Wetherspoons, you probably think of cheap pints, even cheaper food, colourful carpets, and a lively Friday night.

But your night out at Spoons doesn’t have to end with an expensive taxi home – with dozens of hotels across the UK and Ireland, the budget pub chain is quietly offering some of the best value city breaks around.

I headed to Dublin to see exactly what a night spent in a Spoons hotel really entails.

Spoiler alert: this particular Spoons hotel feels like staying overnight in a museum, and the rooms are nicer than you might think.

There are 56 Wetherspoons hotels across the UK and Ireland, so I decided to try out a stay at Keaven’s Port, a unique convent-turned-hotel in Dublin.

Keaven’s Port sits on Camden Street, which is where you’ll find crowds of locals out for drinks in Dublin – away from the expensive pints of Temple Bar.

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This well-positioned pub hotel puts you on the same street as popular nightclub The Camden, which you’ll find buzzing on the weekends.

And as for daytime sightseeing, here you’re only a 20-minute walk from popular attractions like Dublin Castle and Trinity College.

Wetherspoons are known for repurposing unique historic buildings including former opera houses, corn exchanges and banks.

Not only does this guarantee some decent square footage for all those restaurant tables (as well as a prime spot in the town centre) but it makes for a pretty unique overnight stay.

This one I found to be particularly unique. Keaven’s Port hotel is made up of eight old Georgian townhouses as well as a chapel.

The collection of buildings used to belong to Ireland’s Little Sisters of the Assumption, a convent established in the 1890’s.

Now, the chapel has been restored and is part of the bar and restaurant area. I must admit, sitting in a confession booth under stained glass with a bowl of chips and a pint is a tad surreal.

Getting to the rooms takes weaving through a series of corridors and lounge areas, each of which are packed with historical artefacts that made this stay feel more like a trip to the museum.

Lining the walls were old dresses and textiles, painted portraits and more belonging to historic residents of Camden Street Upper, as well as information boards telling you all about the history of the building.

One lounge area sees a giant Guinness-style harp, cosy sofas and a chessboard, while another sees antique furniture, Renaissance paintings and a collection of battered books packed with fascinating old stories.

After making your way out of the maze, you’ll reach the main bar and restaurant area (which thankfully has its own entrance, too).

Everything about the restaurant screams Spoons – tiled floors, a very long bar, plenty of high tables with stools as well as booths and larger tables for groups.

Just when you think there’s more than enough space, a spiral staircase decorated with mirrors leads you down to an even larger restaurant, as well as courtyard for the summer beer garden months.

We all know Spoons pubs in the UK offer some great-value deals on food and drink, but can you get good value over in pricy Dublin?

It turns out you can. An Irish spice bag with a soft drink costs €10.50 (£8.86), and a small cooked breakfast is an unbelievable €2.95 (£2.49).

You can grab a pint of Abbott for €2.60 (£2.19), wine by the glass starts from €4.30 (£3.63), and cocktail pitchers from €9.95 (£8.39).

A hot drink will only set you back €1.70 (£1.43), and it’s free refills from then on all day.

But what are the rooms like? Once you make it out of the busy bar area through to the elevators, the noise of the bar soon disappears.

If I’m totally honest, I went in expecting a cramped room with stained furniture and some strange marks on the walls.

Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw when I stepped in.

First of all, these rooms are very spacious. The large double bed had crisp white sheets, and there was plenty of room surrounding it to open up your suitcase.

The spacious desk was laid with the usual tea and coffee facilities. Here you also get posh shortbread biscuits and water cartons decorated with pictures of Irish poet W.B. Yeats (I kept mine as a souvenir).

The bathrooms were pretty glam too with black marble, a large mirror and a surprisingly spacious tub and shower. All in all, not at all bad for the price point.

Inspired by the local history, I did a bit of my own research. Namely, I wanted to know, who actually was St Keaven?

The name supposedly comes from St. Kevin, a sixth-century Christian hermit and saint, with a church named after him in nearby Camden Row.

Little is known about the Irish saint, other than that he appears in Seamus Heaney’s poetry and that he is associated with the glacial valley of Glendalough in nearby County Wicklow.

If you fancy, you can actually take a day trip from Dublin city centre into Glendalough to walk beside its glacial lakes with Wild Rover Tours (from €43). If you want to see some of Ireland’s rolling green hills and sparkling lakes away from the city, I’d highly recommend giving it a try.

But if you’d rather stay in the centre and make the most of the cheap pints in the bar below your room, it’s a great place for pre-drinks before rocking up to The Camden.

Rooms start from €86 (£72) per night, or £36pp based on two sharing. Click here to book.

Prices correct at the time of publication.