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Lisbon is rich in art and culture. Visit palaces and the cathedral, and hear concerts in gardens and live music in bars. Enjoy art galleries and the colorful tiles at Museu Nacional do Azulejo. (Note that many Lisbon museums are free on Sundays till 2 p.m.) Art can also be found in the streets or parking lots, where the walls are covered with street art. Lisbon’s cultural offerings are many.

A caveat: You’re not really going to Sanborn’s for the coffee. The regular drip brew is absolutely nothing to write home about, mediocre at best. But the setting and its historic value... now that’s a different story. Sanborn’s is the Mexican equivalent of Woolworth’s, a variety store and cafeteria-style restaurant that seems a throwback to the mid-20th-century. You can find Sanborn’s all over Mexico City, but this one, located in a historic building called “La Casa de los Azulejos” (“The House of Tiles”) is the one to visit. The 18th-century palace, located in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico, is a sight to behold, its entire exterior covered in blue and white tiles from the Mexican state of Puebla. The interior of the building is similarly stunning, featuring mosaics and murals, including some by luminaries such as José Clemente Orozco. The beauty is enough to make you forget that you even came for coffee in the first place.

Might be one of the most beautiful train stations in the World, Sao Bento Railway Station was opened to the public in 1916 and is well known for its walls covered with 20,000 splendid azulejo ceramic tiles which describe the History of Portugal. It took Jorge Colaço, the artist, 11 years to complete this building. The railway station is located in the Almeida Garret Square, in the centre of the city. I happened to be there on a Saturday rainy morning, while I was looking for a place to hide from the heavy rain. It was quite interesting watching the people’s dynamics, which might look the same in every major Railway station, despite its location. This place is beautiful all year around and probably most hours of the day. Indulge in this beauty and pay attention to the little details.

Even if you don’t travel to Aveiro by train, don’t miss a visit to the old train station. Its facade is covered with blue Portuguese tiles, (azulejos) telling a story of an everyday life in ancient times. The new train station is located near by and has service to Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon. I first saw this beautiful train station when I was on a train from Lisbon to Porto. The building and the bright tiles really caught my eyes. For a minute I wanted to get off the train and take some pictures but I made sure to be back and visit the first opportunity I have. This station is a good example for a style called Casa Portuguesa. The station was built in 1861 for 3 years, when its door opened on April 10, 1864

Art Nouveau was popular in Portugal in the early 1900’s especially in Lisbon, Oporto,and Aveiro. Aveiro has a museum that celebrates the Art Nouveau design. The museum of Art Nouveau in Aveiro is located the Casa Major Pessoa (1909). The building is one of the beautifully preserved Art Nouveau design buildings in the city. The stone facade and wrought iron embellishments are an extraordinary example of that architectural period. Tiles dominate the interior design with traditional Portuguese azulejos (tiles) adorning the walls. The first floor of the museum features a roadmap of a walking tour of the 28 Art Nouveau buildings in the area. There is also a beautiful, peaceful tea room on that floor. That cafe has bistro tables and is beautifully decorated. A huge selection of teas and infusions are available as well as coffees. Local pastries and cakes accompany the beverages. Try Aveiros’ famous sweet Ovos Moles. Do stop in for a bit at the tea room. I really enjoyed the entire experience. In the evening the tea room becomes a popular spot to meet friends and enjoy a cocktail or a glass of Portuguese wine. The second floor is an art gallery of new artists and architects. There is also an auditorium. The top floor is used for temporary exhibitions. The architectural gem has been restored to perfection and is amazing to see. Try to fit this in if you visit Aveiro. You won’t be disappointed!

Palácio Ramalhete has the soul of a historic property—Manuel II, Portugal’s last king, and Britain’s Duke of Windsor were once guests—without any of the attendant stuffiness. Situated in an 18th-century palace on the Rua das Janelas Verdes, each of the 16 accommodations has its own unique character. The Oak Suite, for instance, features handsome wood wall paneling with an ornate carved-stucco ceiling, while the spacious Dove Room, which occupies the palace’s former chapel, is lined with original hand-painted blue-and-white azulejos (ceramic tiles). There are three tiered internal courtyards, the highest of which has a small heated outdoor pool with a massive palm tree for shade and River Tagus views in the distance. Art lovers, take note: Just opposite the hotel is the National Museum of Ancient Art, filled with important Portuguese works that include Nuno Gonçalves’s Panels of St. Vincent.

It’s not that newer is necessarily better—Antonio Obrador, the hotelier and designer of famously luxurious retreats like Mallorca’s Cap Rocat, would hardly choose a neoclassical, turn-of-the-century palacio for his latest project, were that the case—but when a hotel gets the kind of buzz that the Urso Hotel & Spa got when it opened in the fall of 2014, there’s usually a reason.

In the hip, up-and-coming Salesas neighborhood, across the street from the recently reopened (and equally lively) Barceló food market, Madrid’s first five-star boutique hotel looks, from the outside, like many grandes dames: ornate, decadent, and just a bit over-the-top. Inside is another story; while many of the original details (hand-painted azulejo tiles, grand marble staircase, stained-glass windows, windowed wooden elevator) have been painstakingly restored with the help of local craftsmen, the style is undeniably contemporary, with even a hint of Scandinavian-inspired minimalism to offset the pull of the antique. This devotion to design alone would have merited the aforementioned buzz, but Obrador and his team didn’t stop there, throwing in one of Madrid’s most innovative restaurants, most soothing spas, most understatedly cool bars, and, of course, the superlative service required of any five-star stay.

Take the Gloria Elevator up to this charming belvedere with a magnificent view over São Jorge Castle, Graça, downtown and the Tagus River. When you’re at the top, survey the red-roofed cityscape to identify landmarks using the map made of azulejo tiles. Have a drink at the kiosk or head across the street, where an 18th-century palace is home to the Solar do Vinho do Porto, an upscale bar serving a vast selection of port wines.

Why we love it: A historic property with fascinating details, gorgeous tiles, and breathtaking views

The Highlights:
- Stunning views of the waterfront from every suite
- A serene pool terrace in the palace gardens
- A central location with none of the street noise

The Review:
Comprised of just 10 suites with distinctly different designs, Palácio Belmonte feels more like a dream vacation home than a hotel. The vibe is spot on, given the backstory: A Frenchman traveled to Lisbon looking for a vacation home in the Portuguese capital. He first saw the building from a taxi and thought to himself, “It has nine windows, just like my home in France. I’ll buy it.” It wasn’t until after purchasing the property that he actually set foot inside and saw just how enormous it was—far too large for him and his family. Thus, he set about remodeling the building (which was originally owned by a noble family in the 1400s) with the notion of converting it into a space for visitors.

When the property opened as Palácio Belmonte, special care was taken to make as few changes as possible—to this day, there are no elevators, but instead a labyrinth of stone staircases. There is also no air conditioning, but the entire building stays cool due to the abundance of stone, tile, and marble surfaces, as well as a cross-hatch window ventilation system borrowed from Morocco tradition. A few things were added, however, including personal terraces and heated floors in the guest rooms, and a glimmering turquoise pool surrounded by a vibrant garden full of bougainvilleas. The hotel owner also partnered with two French chefs to open a bistro right across from the hotel entrance to ensure that guests would have a casual yet high-quality dining option in an area that’s otherwise lacking in authentic cuisine.

Azulejos (glazed tiles) are a ubiquitous decoration throughout Portugal. They cover the facades and interiors of many houses in Lisbon, and are even used as historical markers. The Museu Nacional do Azulejo, located in a 16th-century convent, has a permanent exhibition that illustrates the heritage of these Portuguese tiles from the 16th century to the present, touching on everything from Ottoman geometry to Goan altars. Also on view here is a remarkable azulejo mural, A Grande Vista de Lisboa, which offers an idea of what the city looked like before the earthquake of 1755.