How to spend a perfect weekend in Europe’s coolest capital

IF EVERYONE everyone you know is thinking about going to Lisbon, there’s plenty of reason for that. Its meteoric rise as a culture capital is just one part of the appeal. The city is also undergoing a luxury hotel boom, and the food scene is hot, hot, hot. But all that is amplified by Lisbon’s ease of access: It’s the closest European hub for Americans and offers a worldsaway feeling for travellers coming from within the Continent as well. Whether you’re coming for a long layover or a long weekend, here’s what to squeeze into a two- day trip. Day 1:

Check into Verride Palecio de Santa Catarina, a new, 18-room hotel overlooking the Tagus River. It has an old-meets-new vibe that’s in keeping with today’ best boutique hotels: Lots of marble, vaulted ceilings, and parquet floors, all piled up with geometric patterned rugs and wickerback chairs. From there, it’s a 10minute taxi ride west to Belem to visit the country’s most talked about new cultural destination: the Museum for Art, Architecture and Technology ( MAAT). There, you can tour Portugal’s historic Tejo Power Station, which is part of the museum, and learn about the history of electricityor you can check out Portuguese artist Eduardo Batarda’s latest paintings as part of his exhibition, Mistoqueros – A Selection of T- Shirt Fronts, on display until Feb 27.

Lunch is at Esparo Espelho d’Ãngua, where the menu is inspired by the reach of Portugal’s historic empire; standouts include Brazilian moquecas and Japanese teriyaki sauce over vegetables. Sit in the back room, which is anchored by a colourful, wall-to-wall mural by Sol LeWitt.

Murals are a theme in downtown Lisbon. Some are made from centuriesold painted tiles called azulejos, while others are contemporary street works.

Navigate the urban art scene with the help of Underdogs Gallery, a prominent artists’ collective that organises official street art tours that include some of the city’s top talents.

Book well in advance-we’re talking two months-to get into Belcanto for dinner.

It’s Lisbon’s only two-Michelinstarred restaurant, and superstar Portuguese chef Jose Avillez just gave it a total redo. His menu adds global touches to typical national recipes such as a modernist, compressed square of suckling pig that riffs on traditional leitro. — Bloomberg