Etiqueta: featured-en

Lisbon’s green guide: the best parks

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Travelling in Portugal means coming into contact with incredible landscapes and, even if you’re staying in one of our hotels in the centre of Lisbon, it’s perfectly possible to get lost in the most beautiful parks and gardens. If you’re looking for something to do in Lisbon as a lover of nature and outdoor activities, this article is dedicated to you.

Where?  https://goo.gl/maps/sEyYppNHbZq

Distance from HF hotels: 6 km

The Monsanto Forest Park is characterised by a thick and diversified forest area, but also by very attractive spots for outdoor activities. Perfect paths for those who want to test their athletic abilities or simply go for a walk, or if you prefer, enjoy a picnic with family or friends in the picnic area.

  • Parque Eduardo VII

Side by side with our hotels, Parque Eduardo VII is the largest and most emblematic park in the heart of Lisbon. If you’re staying with us, this space is perfect for a walk on a sunny morning, a morning run or for taking the kids to play outside. The view from the top of the park allows you to contemplate Avenida da Liberdade, which goes all the way down until the Tagus river.

The HF Fénix Music and HF Fénix Garden hotels have privileged views of this green garden. Discover our hotels !

  • Parque da Bela Vista

Where? https://goo.gl/maps/sEcwTf4cqcQ2

Distance from HF hotels: 6km

Due to its vast green area, in recent years this natural space has been the chosen venue to host one of the major international music events, Rock in Rio. In the past, it was a big farm and some of its rural characteristics were kept. Here you can go for a bike ride, away from the urban movement.

  • Tapada das Necessidades

Where? https://goo.gl/maps/cFxhRwXJA4t

Distance from HF hotels: 3km

Tapada das Necessidades is a park that dates from the 18th century and was expanded by the order of the Portuguese king, D. João V. With the Palácio das Necessidades and its beautiful lakes, this is the idyllic place for traditional picnics. Curiously, it has been said that the renowned artist Édouard Manet created his masterpiece Le déjeuner sur l’herbe inspired by his stay in this park. This is a spot you really need to discover.

  • Sintra-Cascais Natural Park

Where? https://goo.gl/maps/w9ULSgQYzrN2

Distance from HF hotels: 26km

The large Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is comprised by the Sintra mountains, which accompany the coastline between Sintra and Cascais. A preserved natural place, which maintains a thick forest and presents its own microclimate. Birds of prey can be seen in this is a true green lung, which can be accessed by car, bus or walking. It’s also possible to take a tour of the capital’s purest park.

  • Tapada da Ajuda

Where? https://goo.gl/maps/CQq7AFxCZHJ2

Distance from HF hotels: 6km

Tapada da Ajuda is located between Alcântara valley and Monsanto Forest Park, and it’s a great walled in area which was of major importance during the monarchy in Portugal. If you’re looking for a cultural visit in an outdoor space, this place is perfect. Here you will find a Renaissance dovecote, the exhibition pavilion and a diversity of botanical species.

These are our suggestions for those who want to make their stay in Lisbon a little more green!

For more information regarding accommodation, visit our website.

6 tours close to Lisbon that can’t be missed

Reading time: 5 minutes

If you’re planning on travelling to Lisbon and want to explore the most beautiful places closest to the city, we leave you with the top 6 places you definitely can’t miss out on!

Know that near the city there are charming places that should be on your bucket list of tours to go on while in Portugal.

  • Sintra

With very particular weather, Sintra mountains are mystically surrounded by a mist that frequently roams throughout the entire natural park. Within this charming scenery, it’s mandatory that you visit Quinta da Regaleira and discover all the symbols hidden in its gardens and statues. If you climb to the top of the mountains, you will find Palácio Nacional da Pena (palace) and, at the top, you will find Castelo dos Mouros (castle). For the return journey, don’t forget to take with you the region’s traditional delicacy, the famous queijadinhas de Sintra.

  • Serra da Arrábida

Arrábida mountains are part of the Arrábida natural park and are one of the largest natural treasures in Portugal. Extending from Setúbal to Sesimbra, this natural park follows the seashore. Here, the mountains and the beach come together in one of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. For those in search of a unique summer experience, we proudly suggest Galapinhos beach, considered Europe’s best beach, by the European Best Destinations in 2017.

  • Sesimbra

The importance of the sea is truly felt in Sesimbra. This fishing village stretches from the slope of Arrábida mountains to the beach and its shore is much appreciated by those who love walking. The Castelo de Sesimbra (castle) rises up from the landscape and for those adventurers who dare to reach it on foot, be aware that it requires a good physical preparation, but also that the view from the top is amazing and the climb totally worth it.

  • Cascais

The town of Cascais is located a few minutes from Lisbon, between the sea and the mountains. Its unique location gives it a privileged identity and is frequently referred to as the Portuguese Riviera. In its historical centre you can visit Palácio da Cidadela (palace), a place that was the summer retreat for Portuguese royalty. If you’re a fan of art, Casa das Histórias Paula Rego (museum) is a great suggestion that shouldn’t be missed.

  • Óbidos

The town of Óbidos is known for its medieval setting, preserving the walls of its castle until today. The narrow streets, between the white houses, form a web that lead their visitors to all town’s nooks and crannies. Here, events such as the International the Chocolate Festival and the Christmas Market are organised every year. If you visit Óbidos, don’t forget to taste the famous Ginjinha in a chocolate cup, a combination of typical local flavours.

  • Peniche

Peniche is a town with a strong connection to the sea, where the fishing tradition is alive. Its privileged geographic position and the beauty of the local beaches turn Peniche into an excellent touristic attraction in the summer. Located a few kilometres from the shore is a small natural treasure, the Berlengas archipelago, which you can visit by boat. For those that prefer to stay on dry land, there are other historical attractions such as the Forte de Peniche (fort) and the Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (sanctuary).

All these places will amaze you during your trip to Portugal!

And if you’re still looking for a hotel to stay in Lisbon, stay with us and follow our suggestions for an unforgettable journey!

Feel safe during your trip to Portugal

Reading Time: 2 minutes

If you’re thinking of traveling to Portugal, know that this is the 4th safest country in the world and the 3rd in Europe.

With great weather, gastronomy and hospitality, Portugal is also one of the safest countries where you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.

Since 2016, the country has occupied the 5 best positions on this ranking, competing with over 160 countries, and even managed a 3rd position in 2017.

For this study factors such as the annual crime rates, risk of terrorism, internal and external conflicts, militarisation and others are assessed. It is also worth mentioning the evaluation of the country’s relations with neighbouring countries and the low crime rate.

After consecutively winning several tourism awards, the annual peace report of the Institute for Economics and Peace places Portugal back in the top 5 most pacific countries in the world.

For all this, if you’re thinking of traveling to Portugal, the only thing you’ll have to worry about is the beautiful walks you’ll go for in Lisbon or the nice things you’ll do while visiting Porto.

To get you inspired, we leave you with two suggestions of itineraries to explore the cities of Porto and Lisbon as if you were a local.

Stay with us and feel at home!

The HF Fénix Music inaugurates the graffiti of artist Smile

Reading time: 3 minutes

The HF Fénix Music invited artist Smile to make an intervention on one of the hotel’s spaces dedicated to concerts, and the result couldn’t have been more inspiring.

  • “Dream” at the HF Fénix Music

Since its opening, the hotel has always sought to promote the music theme. In 2018, and to celebrate the World Music Day (on the 1st of October), the idea of promoting the artistic language and the environment in the hotel came up.

To put this initiative to action, we’ve decided to invite a local artist. The idea was to “engrave” on a wall a local work of art from our community and from our city.

The graffiti can be found on floor -1 of HF Fénix Music, in the restaurant’s terrace. This area was designed to host concerts, providing our guests with live shows: it has great visibility, which serves as an inspiring “scenery” not only to those having breakfast, but also to those accommodated in rooms with views to the back of the hotel.

For this work, a special technique was used that allows the word “dream” to have a luminous effect at night, after being under solar exposure.

Because music is one of the few things in the world that brings cultures and people together, we sought to strengthen the message of a dream, universality and multiculturalism.

Come visit us and get to know this vibrant and inspiring space.

  • About the Artist

His name is Ivo Santos and he was born in Lisbon in 1985. His interest in design started at a very young age, encouraged by his mother. Through two of his cousins, this interest in art truly transformed into a passion.

In the 1990s, influenced by the movie Beat Street and the sounds of Vanilla Ice, Kriss Kross and MC Hammer, Ivo falls in love with the Hip Hop Culture, pursuing the art of graffiti.

In the beginning of the new millennium, he ventures for the first time into spray painting, with cans bought in a hardware store, using the alias  SMILE.

His national projection began in 2004 when, virtually unknown to the general public, he categorically won the Concurso de Graffiti de Oeiras (Oeiras Graffiti Competition), the most important competition at the time.

Two second places followed, in 2005 and 2006, firmly establishing his name in the Portuguese artistic elite. He became internationally known after winning a competition in Barcelona, competing against great names of international graffiti.

One of the highlights of his activity as a street artist was in 2013, when he portrayed a young man with a complicated medical history on the wall of a building in Loures, generating a media wave of solidarity in aid of the young boy. The wall of “Bartolo” will always be referenced as a case study of how street art can help solve social problems.

For more information about the artist:

e-mail: smile1art@hotmail.com

www.facebook.com/smile1art

www.instagram.com/smileoneart

For more information visit our website.

Lisbon and Porto: The best New Year’s Eve parties

Reading time: 5 minutes

We have chosen the 8 best parties in Lisbon and Porto for you to say goodbye to 2018 with a bang and start the New Year in a memorable way!

Filled with music and fun, this is how the first seconds of 2019 are expected to be. The New Year is just around the corner and the options for parties in the country’s main cities keep coming up! If you’re still looking for a place to spend New Year’s Eve, here are our suggestions:

Lisbon

  • New Year’s Eve Dinner, HF Fénix Lisboa

Located right in the heart of the capital, the HF Fénix Lisboa prepares the best end-of-year dinner. With a menu especially created for this evening, we guarantee the perfect balance between the refinement of the occasion and some of the most traditional flavours. You can choose to have dinner with us and then find a party in the city afterwards, or you can stay at the hotel and toast with us at midnight. For more information visit our website.

  • New Year’s Eve at Terreiro do Paço

Only 3 km away from our hotels is the venue for the greatest outdoor party in the city. With a privileged view over the Tagus river, this party will host some of the best national artists, who promise to entertain the crowd until morning. Here, 2019 starts with the pyromusical show, eagerly awaited by the thousands of people that make Terreiro do Paço the largest free common area for festivities in Lisbon.

  • Royal Palace 2018-2019 New Year’s Eve


Right next to our hotels and only a block away from the HF Fénix Urban, Pavilhão Carlos Lopes (Carlos Lopes Pavilion) hosts the 5th edition of the Royal Palace. Considered Lisbon’s most exclusive party, it has captured the presence of the foreign public, travelling from the most diverse countries and transforming this event into an international reference. In the same year that Lisbon won two World Travel Awards, the tourism Oscars, expectations are very high and Royal Palace promises not to disappoint. For more information visit the website.

  • Revengellion Noventeiro (Revenge of the 90’s)

With a strong 1990s style, the motto of this party is the iconic quote from Kevin McCallister, the little boy from “Home Alone”, adapted to this occasion, “Happy New Year, You Filthy Animals!”. Never revealing the venue beforehand, the only thing the organisation has announced so far for this edition, adapted to New Year’s Eve, is that it’s going to be a unique option with a playlist filled with music hits that will certainly please the partygoers. To get all the necessary information and buy your tickets, the organising team is available to answer all your messages, sent through their official Facebook page.

Porto

  • New Year’s Eve Dinner and Party at HF Ipanema Park

The HF Ipanema Park hotel ensures the best Réveillon in Porto. We have put together a special dinner menu for the last evening of the year. You can choose any one of the available packs on our website, tailoring the big evening to your needs. A live DJ will shake up the night with vibrant music. And for the morning of the 1st of January, you can count on our unparallel brunch, with a great selection of food so you can recharge the batteries you need to start the New Year off right.

  • New Year’s Eve at Avenida dos Aliados

This year, music will be heard all over downtown Porto, with many stages set up around the city, such as in Largo Amor de Perdição (Cordoaria), in Praça Gomes Teixeira (Leões) and Praça dos Poveiros. The great host of the evening is, once again, Pedro Abrunhosa, who will do the countdown with his northern accent in Porto, at Avenida dos Aliados. At midnight, there will be a firework display to mark the beginning of 2019. All of this only 2 km away from the HF Ipanema Porto.

  • Plano B, Baixa do Porto (downtown Porto)

Right next to Rua das Galerias de Paris, a reference for those looking for a fun evening in downtown Porto, you’ll find the local’s favourite bar, Plano B, who will be opening their doors once again to the best start of the New Year. The vintage and bohemian vibes are perfect for those who want to spend the New Year’s Eve indoors. The stage room and gallery will be playing music until dawn and the organisation ensures this will be the perfect way to start off the New Year on the right foot. For more information, visit the official facebook page.

  • Porto Réveillon

They guarantee this is going to be the most exquisite and glamorous party on the city and, this time, it will take place at Alfândega do Porto. The group gabba.pt is known for the quality of their events and this year, just like the last 7 years, they will once again be the team responsible for Porto Réveillon. The event programme starts with a dinner, followed by an entertaining party with DJs. The music for the night may vary from the contagious 1980s and 1990s vibes, to tropical Brazilian sounds and even house music.

The HF family wishes everyone a prosperous new year!