Santiago drops you inside the oldest quarter, cobbles and tram included; Ludovice sits at the top of the Glória funicular with Chiado and Bairro Alto in walking reach. Atmosphere favours Santiago, convenience with character favours Ludovice.
The old Lisbon oneNineteen rooms inside a 15th-century palace on the cobbles of Alfama, below the castle.
€€€From about €250 a night
Choose Santiago de Alfama if
The catch
No vehicle access; luggage is carried up cobbled lanes.
The weekend oneAn 18th-century palace at the top of the Glória funicular, with wine as the house theme.
€€€From about €250 a night
Choose Palácio Ludovice if
The catch
Bairro Alto nightlife and the funicular bring noise to street-facing rooms, especially at weekends.
Santiago de AlfamaPalácio Ludovice
Santiago de Alfama
Palácio Ludovice
The verdict
Santiago drops you inside the oldest quarter, cobbles and tram included; Ludovice sits at the top of the Glória funicular with Chiado and Bairro Alto in walking reach. Atmosphere favours Santiago, convenience with character favours Ludovice.
Questions people ask
Santiago drops you inside the oldest quarter, cobbles and tram included; Ludovice sits at the top of the Glória funicular with Chiado and Bairro Alto in walking reach. Atmosphere favours Santiago, convenience with character favours Ludovice.
The most atmospheric address in Lisbon, with the practical trade-offs that come with it. Go for two or three nights, not a week. A 15th-century palace on the cobbles of Alfama, as close to sleeping inside old Lisbon as a hotel gets. Character and atmosphere are absolute; facilities, flat streets and vehicle access are not.
There is no pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.
The historic hotel that also happens to be in the right place. Book the palace side and drink well. An 18th-century palace at the top of the funicular, with a serious Portuguese wine list as the house personality and Chiado, Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real all on foot. History with convenience, at the cost of some weekend noise and uneven rooms.
There is no pool. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.