138 Liberdade Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal

Vibrant Lisbon undulates over a series of hills, rippling down to the mouth of the river Tagus in the south and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The setting of the hotel is fantastically central, walkable to all the main districts, known as here barrios: ancient Alfama, fashionable Barrio Alto, the traditional Moorish Quarter, elegant Baixa and bustling Chiado, the latter with its famous café culture. There’s a huge amount to see on foot, strolling up and down narrow, azulejos-tiled streets and grand boulevards in search of Fado bars, ceramics shops and the city’s best pastel de nata (Portuguese egg custard tarts). For adventures further afield, you can rattle around the hills on the tram or jump on the metro.