Insider's Lisbon: Best things to see and do

Lisbon, the coolest of Europe's capitals, is on everyone's hotlist these days. They flock to this hilly Portuguese city on the mighty Tagus to tramp the cobbled lanes and discover its rich maritime history by day and hang out in shaded bars, serenaded by mournful Fado balladeers, by night.

See also: Five most Instagrammable places in Europe this summer

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What's more, Lisbon is a great spot to stretch the ailing pound – this is the best-value destination for a city break in terms of spends on the ground.

We asked Nicolas Roucos, general manager of Inspira Santa Marta Hotel, an 89-room boutique hotel with spa close to the city centre, to pick the must-do experiences for anyone visiting this historic city.